A visual extravaganza that doesn’t merely threaten to go over the top, it does so with relish. It abandons so many premises and gets in your face with colour, costumes and characters larger than life.
Luhrmann playfully plunders pop culture and songs we all know to create a temporal idiosynchracy that almost makes you forget it’s set at the turn of the century.
But how will Americans react to a movie that is, in so many ways, very Australian in its humour and outlook? How will they react to a modern musical? Will the interspersion of pop songs (some drastically different) entertain or annoy?
Personally, I loved it. I laughed, I bopped along and I cried.
I’m waiting to see what you guys think.
I, personally, can’t wait to see it. I’m not a fan of musicals at all, but if it’s done as creatively as Dancer in the Dark was, I’ll tolerate the singin’ and dancin’.
However, I am a fan of Luhrmann, ever since Strictly Ballroom. I thought his version of Romeo and Juliet was one of the best films of 1996 (“Strictly Brilliant” is how I refer to it in tandem with his debut). And that he has Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman in his movie is enough to make me see it.
Mr. Seawitch and I are looking eagerly forward to the general release. He loves musicals, I love dancing, and the visual extravaganza? Not to be passed up. As an added incentive, we both loved Strictly Ballroon*.
I don’t know how the general public will react, but I’m practically drooling here. An over-the-top fantasy? Gladly. I get enough under-the-top realism in my daily life.
This is the first film I am genuinely excited about seeing in quite a while. It looks gorgeous, sounds gorgeous, and hopefully will meet–if not blow away–my expectations.
dpr how did you get to see it before the rest of us? [jealously] Were you at the premiere? Did you sit near Nicole?
A friend of mine and I were planning to go this weekend, but I know the theare will be crammed, and queues round the block.
That’s because everybody who lives in Australia feels this is an australian film.
Australian star (for whom every woman in Australia feels the pain), oz director, oz scripters (includes director) filmed at the Fox studios in Sydney with local actors and technicians.
As to the outlook and humour - I’ll comment when I’ve seen it, but Wendell there is a difference. Haven’t you noticed?
Wendell: Have you seen MR yet? If so, how did you get the chance to, you lucky %#@? If not, how do you know if it has Australian humour or not?
A few months ago, I got to see The Dish, a very good Australian film. The humour was definitely Aussie, and Anniz had a lot of trouble following it, as she’s used to (mainly) US and British humour. So, I posit, there is an “Australian humour and outlook,” but don’t ask me to define it.
These blend outrageous comedy and real life drama in ways that Americans films generally do not.
Strictly Ballroom and Dirty Dancing are a like in many ways but…
Even though ‘Baby’ in DD is supposed to bloom in the film she really is never unattractive. Fran in SB is ugly at the begining. No romantic character is allowed to be ugly in an American film unless their partner is ugly as well. (Shrek)
Aussie films (like English) tend to be a bit slower paced than American films as well even their comedy.
I have not had a chance to see Moulin Rouge yet, (it is open in NYC and LA) but a friend of mine did and he thought it was OK. Parts were a bit dull but other bits he really thought were great. I fear seeing it because that 'Lady Maramalade song gets stuck in my head for days at a time.
I didn’t know that it had Australian humor. I was only asking because the OP claimed that it had Australian humor.
In general I find that these supposed differences between national senses of humor aren’t so distinct as they are claimed to be. I found that after living for three years in England I didn’t find the supposed differences in attitude to be as clearly defined as they were claimed to be. Of course, I understood the references in British movies, TV, books, etc. better the longer I was there, but that’s not the same thing. It seems to me that differences in senses of humor are more personality things that are only approximately correlated with nationality.
Wendall, I have to disagree there. Australian humour (apart from having a U in it) tends to be drier and subtler than US humor which tends to be more slapstick.
Having said that, Australian humour will go over the top at points - and just keep going. When you do see MR note the dancing styles in some areas where they go from dancing to Pythonesque silliness all with a straight face. MR specific: it’s exaggerated in a way you wouldn’t find in a Hollywood movie. From the colours, costuming and to the very script (“when suddenly an unconscious Argentinean fell through my ceiling”) it’s a larrikan, ockerish attitude prevailing throughout. Even the shamefaced theft of lines and songs (see ‘playful plundering’).
It’s like comparing Priscilla Queen of The Desert to Tootsie. Australian movies tend to worry less about demographics and formulae and concentrate more on the story and sly humour (for better or worse).
Strictly Ballroom and Murial’s Wedding are good examples. Even though SB had a formula the way it handled it - with silly interludes and a refusal to use stereotypical beauty - made it distinctly Australian (or at the very least non-Hollywood). That’s what I was alluding to.
**Redboss: ** mate, I used to review movies and I still have a contact or two. Have you seen it yet?
I don’t care if it’s Australian or Uruguayan. I’m really, really lookin’ forward to this one. It sounds like a visual feast, and, oh yea, that Nicole kid’s in it.
Just wish it opened this weekend just so I could see it instead of P**** H*****.
for more information on australia (and her residents sense of humour), might i suggest you go here… An article on australia from Douglas Adams’ h2g2 website.
not exactly reality, but so damn close its rather amusing.
