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Nostalgia Critic: Moulin Rouge Musical Review They said it best: Moulin Rouge is a guilty pleasure movie. It's one of my favorites akin to Atlantis: The Lost Empire. I just had to see and be immersed in its world; own the Blu-Ray and both soundtracks. And they brought up a few interesting points about both the theme of the movie and Ewan McGregor's character. I'll tackle the latter first. Christian is a twat. He is. Now I haven't seen the movie in some time so I'm not equipped for a play by play on his twatiness, and I'll do my best to go off what I remember. His character goes off the main theme of the movie: love. But he's not a man in love. He's an addict in love with love. When the budding romance first starts he's riding high and loving every minute of it. And as the addiction starts to consume his life only to slowly leave he becomes a clingy obsessed despot. Sound familiar? By the time of Satine's diagnosis and her attempts to call it off Christian makes a hail-mary pass with the song "Come What May" and swears he won't get jealous. But jealousy rears it's ugly by the end of the song, "Because she doesn't love you." he shouts like tweaker needing a fix. Sounds like someone I know.... Then comes the moment of truth in "El Tango de Roxanne." Satine has to sleep with the Duke and Christian is sobbing, moaning, and drinking himself silly. If anything this moment proves that their love is one-sided. Satine was willing to risk her life and career for the sake of her love with Christian whereas he just wanted her to himself. And when she has to protect him through lying he becomes a bitter fool who sells his belongings in order to publicly shame her and be done with her. That's not a man in love; that's an obsessive control freak with no regard for anybody but himself. The ending drives the point home with her public deceleration of love and he's drawn back in only to face the pain of addiction and withdrawal. If you've seen it, you get. I won't spoil it for you. The next topic is the theme of the movie: love. They say it a lot in the movie but never really define it or what it entails. We can't even really define it unless we know it from personal experience. Sophis, I think, summed it best. Sit quietly for hours and be comfortable. That's love. It's what Satine shows more so than Christian. He's not rich or powerful and they met based on a lie, which is how most relationships start and are maintained, but she accepts him for who he is. Even after he shames her and calls her a she still professes her love. I may not know enough on the subject, but if you can see past a person's faults and mistakes to be comfortable with them in silence....No need for explanation, clarification, or unnecessary dialogue...that's love. Come What May. I personally have a deep love for cinema. I've watched movies for over twenty years and can be silently comfortable in their presence. Granted I've expressed emotions at the screen a number of times but the films I love I accept flaws and all. Guilty pleasure films most of all; films like: Congo, Event Horizon, Silence of the Hams, and even Moulin Rouge. As CinemaSins says, "No film is without sin." That means no film is perfect and without reproach. But if you love a film, just as you love a person, you embrace the negativity along with the positivity and just enjoy its company. It brings joy and satisfaction into your life along with making you a better person. Am I talking out of my ass? I'm tired and slightly bitter so I have no clue. Their review resonated with me and inspired me to write beyond the usual nonsense. FYI: I had started a list on imdb of all the films I had seen and it stopped at 843; that was four years ago. If only cinema was a woman... |
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Ewan??? Now THATS the way to start a lovely day! Sorry, major digression compliments of the slick panties wake u club, going on there. Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Your poor blog is in soooooo much trouble when I get off my tablet & onto my PC later. My love hate relationship with this movie and romantics in general.....? Well.....guilty pleasure indeed. And a delicious poison. Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Each time I read this, 'Christian is a twat' I start cracking up. Considering the movie is set in a whorehouse resort and casino, where better to find a twat? Anyway...He really really is. Which is what makes him so damn rootable as a clueless young hero. Hes inexperienced, sheltered, over privileged and quietly lives in his head wondering what hes missing. Isnt that the type of person you'd expect to see leave home and to go seek out a bunch of carnies in another country? Well I wouldnt, lol but it seems to work for movies and books so....*shrugs* Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Who is really telling the story? Is it Christian telling his story or is it Toulouse telling a story? Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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KainWilkus replies on 6/08/2015 12:06 am: Sounds like someone you know? Around here it's a never ending life follows art production, so I'll get back to you on that. Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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So back to Christian Le Twat........ There he is, sitting at home convincing himself that hes so bored with all he has......er I mean he's so deprived of things he is sure he is missing out on........errr is sure he no longer wants to be ignorant of, that he's willing to run away from home to go find it. Buuuuuuuuuuuut hes got to run far, far away because looking near home might mean he'd find it or that its legit or he'd have to stick with it to not lose face in society and really, he only wants a good time but he doesnt want to be labeled a cad. SO off he goes despite warnings from those who know and already love him(father) to find..........? Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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A drunken dwarf, a swindler, a hooker with expensive taste in lingerie and titled gentlemen and mercy of mercies the start of all journeys into Beauty, Freedom, Truth & Love ALCOHOL! Specifically, Absinthe. The naughty lil green fairy. Its an important enough note to the story(from the beginning), that the liquor gets its own song and female character with wings and a bottle is never far from Toulousse' hand or mouth. Love in a bottle? Yeah, sounds like most of the young men Ive known so at least truth does fit in there somewhere, along with beer(fairy) goggles and the freedom from clothing lol I mean conscience to start lying to everyone and easily pass Christian off as a playwright. And that's all being done as he emulates a hilltop lovin non nazi nun! Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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On the plus side, his ability to channel the future flaming Sir Elton impresses the three sisters of the French musical present who are of course dazzled and swoonish over such shenanigans that they too give up their piece of the writing pie as well to give pretty much full artistic control of song and story to a total drunk stranger. Cuz ya know, artists like to share credit. Mmm hmm. Which is why they try and hook him up with the money grubbing hacking floozie. I mean 'Star' of the Feed me Seymour Im hungry( A girls gotta eat! Diamonds! clothes!) show. I think they wanted him to catch whatever she was spreading and drop dead, but not before they made a buck and saw their name in lights. Now THAT sounds like the truth about freedom that Ive heard. Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Other than the above the final "hate" part of it for me was also something that was visually so telling and I think one of those critical noticed by eyes but missed as the punch in the heart that it truly is. That the present time after Satines discovery and death is shown in all drab not quite sepia yellow or gray colors but a combo of all three. Because the film starts in that quiet colorless way the rude in your face screaming slap when the story bursts into "then" mode with all the overly loud colorful costumes and songs is jarring and off putting and makes anyone who gets a glance in the open door excited and scared and wanting to look away but, but but..... Compared to the drab that was, you cant help but want to embrace the gay and colorful world and that is Christians headspace to a T. Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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*Smooches your poor dead brain then dusts it gently off* Yikes, Im not trying to make a point. I'll leave that to you and the nosty critic. Im just sharing my trip through the movie through my girl eyes over the years. Your synopsis & points we're exemplary. I may also be trying to ignore the wishing for 1,000 plus women comment Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Ok, so that was the hate part of it for me. The impractical things that make you roll your eyes and want to discount it as just another piece of hype so you disect the fuck out of it, grabbing at any loose thread and pulling them one by one to watch it fall apart...... IF you are bitter or angry or disappointed with love or romance when you see it. The first time I saw it...I very much was all of those things. And yet, it does what a good movie is supposed to do. It makes you forget what is and for a little while, a mere 90 minutes(or whatever) You can AND DO believe. Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Believe in what? Hope A future Love Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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I agree with you when you point out that the movie doesnt define love. Most movies that have a romantic element do use formulas so you know where its heading. Be it a character curled un on the sofa with her best girlfriend lamenting why she cant find...'insert ideal love here' in a rom com or just a blurb in the trailer be it said or written leading your thoughts where the makers want you to go. You have an expectation of 1 guy 1 girl and a couple of sidekicks in very limited capacities and locations that revolve around but dont overshadow your key 2. Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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And those two follow the tried n true formula of boy meets girl, they protest too much, stand in their own way, get over themselves, get into each other, lose each other amd then find their way back through the miracle of knowing what the other is thinking and feeling so live happily ever after. Roll credits. Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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M.R. threw it in there with an edge. Baz's fast brained jump around ( If he and Tarantino ever collaborate the concession stand will be handing out qualudes instead of milkduds) from view to view of different people in the same scene. It perfectly captured that shaky ground feeling of new infatuation and young love. That place where all things are indeed unstable, louder, brighter, more colorful and so exciting because you dont know whats coming next nor do you want to. You just dive in to the pool of unknown crazy and drown yourself in the rushing waves that bouy you up as often as they knock you down and pull you under. Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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But still ya dont care that its unstable or that it makes no sense or that people are drowning, cuz ya got that hope that its gonna end well and everyone gets what they need, just the way you want it to. The proverbial HAPPY ENDING Which sucks ass when theres a Romeo & Juliet, Jack & Rose or Jenny & Oliver ending in my book, cuz there is no happy ending or future for 2, but hey, it works as long as there is a future AFTER one or both are gone. A non happy ending but their story carries on. Just like real life we need to believe that we mattered enough for someone to remember if we arent there seeing the endong get lived out on our own Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Maybe that unstable feeling is why so many of us have far more successful relationships with movies than we do with people. 2 hrs and their gone on to new adventures. The script makes sure everyone knows whats going on with the others. Ya cant catch a disease or parenthod from celluloid ans saying you've done over a thousand of em makes you impressive not douchey! Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Still avoiding all that but I thought Id give it acknowledgement since I refuse to give it recognition Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Ya know writing the comment 2 up just bitch slapped me after the fact cuz damn, dont I fuss about movies being the reason we dont trust and accept that unstable feeling as normal and healthy. A natural progression into finding where you stand and your exact place in a relationship. Hell, the world at large truth be told. Every blink of my eye and minute of though and memory building experience shot to hell by 90 minutes of someone who doesnt exists" life. AND I PAID 12.50 TO LET MYSELF BE MISLED! 25 if ya count popcorn n sodapop and thats just mine. And believe me I want my own popcorn. Love be damned, I do not share my bucket of artificial butter flavored salty crunchy goodness. It a nerdsrope beating offense if ya even try to shuck a handful of my stash. Hmmmmmmm maybe I should stick to slasher films and embrace the popcorn violence that is my nature. Naaaahhhhhh Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Ya know writing the comment 2 up just bitch slapped me after the fact cuz damn, dont I fuss about movies being the reason we dont trust and accept that unstable feeling as normal and healthy. A natural progression into finding where you stand and your exact place in a relationship. Hell, the world at large truth be told. Every blink of my eye and minute of though and memory building experience shot to hell by 90 minutes of someone who doesnt exists" life. AND I PAID 12.50 TO LET MYSELF BE MISLED! 25 if ya count popcorn n sodapop and thats just mine. And believe me I want my own popcorn. Love be damned, I do not share my bucket of artificial butter flavored salty crunchy goodness. It a nerdsrope beating offense if ya even try to shuck a handful of my stash. Hmmmmmmm maybe I should stick to slasher films and embrace the popcorn violence that is my nature. Naaaahhhhhh
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I saw it on an airplane then bought the DVD and Blu-Ray sometime later. I avoid popcorn at the movies. Moulin Rouge was the 2nd DVD I bought. Im still holding out for returns to VHS, 8-track tapes and boombox cassette tapes. Blu-ray? What's that and why would I want to add a 12th option to my entertainment repertoire? Im not done with you(this), by a long shot, but I have got to go take care of my own blog post and comments first! I'll be back.......... Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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I dont own a lot of DVD's. 25 in all maybe. My rule about buying DVD was........I'll only own it if I fall in love with it cuz I'll be damned if I'll give up my VHS tapes os they better get over this 'new fangled techy shit quick". Moulin Rouge was the 2nd DVD I bought. Im still holding out for returns to VHS, 8-track tapes and boombox cassette tapes. Blu-ray? What's that and why would I want to add a 12th option to my entertainment repertoire? Im not done with you(this), by a long shot, but I have got to go take care of my own blog post and comments first! I'll be back..........
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I lost count of all the DVDs I own because I went through a phase where I had to buy any movie I had seen which is why there are such classics as Care Bears II, Bloodrayne, and Species III in my collection. The last Bluray I bought was over two years ago now that everything is digital. Still, I'm holding out hope that my VHS tapes to become retro classics and make a huge comeback and can once again get a player to actually view them! As for you and your dangerously scary & impressive DVD collection........consider this duly impressed homage compliments of myself, A Very Benji Christmas and a very warbly and questionable copy of Bodyparts! Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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You are oh so right about digital bumping out everything else and that will probably continue for the next decade at east. Still, I'm holding out hope that my VHS tapes to become retro classics and make a huge comeback and can once again get a player to actually view them! As for you and your dangerously scary & impressive DVD collection........consider this duly impressed homage compliments of myself, A Very Benji Christmas and a very warbly and questionable copy of Bodyparts!
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Most of what I own is VHS so it offends me to not be able to enjoy something I own or have to replace them when there is nothing wrong with them because everything else is now geared for a different player. Theres no denying the better quality of newer media, but honestly...... Im just cheap, lol and love my stash that I worked hard to make way back when. *rails to the heavens* Nostalgia and thriftiness, thine are my sins!!!!!!!!! How come you got to be the pirate? Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Most of what I own is VHS so it offends me to not be able to enjoy something I own or have to replace them when there is nothing wrong with them because everything else is now geared for a different player. Theres no denying the better quality of newer media, but honestly...... Im just cheap, lol and love my stash that I worked hard to make way back when. *rails to the heavens* Nostalgia and thriftiness, thine are my sins!!!!!!!!! How come you got to be the pirate?
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Yes! Like songs off the radio copied onto blank cassette tapes to craft your own 'greatest hits', cable TV allowed more folks to steal movies instead of buy them. The downside was, as you mentioned, lol the oops factor of accidental fingerwork, overtaping, commercials at times that now are so dear to me and yeah, even those darn fuzz outs from the cable 'hiccups'. VCRs werent even affordable to most until the mid 80's so when we got em, WE USED EM! OK! SO i guess I was a pirate too. Yo hoho and a bottle of sunkist! Showtime & cinemax is what we had and oh how I still remember seeing Indiana Jones for the first time. It stands the test of time and to this day 30+ years later, still has shows ripping parts off it. Namely the rolling boulder visual and the 'why'd it have to be snakes? I hate snakes' line Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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Yes! Like songs off the radio copied onto blank cassette tapes to craft your own 'greatest hits', cable TV allowed more folks to steal movies instead of buy them. The downside was, as you mentioned, lol the oops factor of accidental fingerwork, overtaping, commercials at times that now are so dear to me and yeah, even those darn fuzz outs from the cable 'hiccups'. VCRs werent even affordable to most until the mid 80's so when we got em, WE USED EM! OK! SO i guess I was a pirate too. Yo hoho and a bottle of sunkist! Showtime & cinemax is what we had and oh how I still remember seeing Indiana Jones for the first time. It stands the test of time and to this day 30+ years later, still has shows ripping parts off it. Namely the rolling boulder visual and the 'why'd it have to be snakes? I hate snakes' line
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True, true and ohso true! Id probably be more verbose about this were I not now humming that danged Raiders of the lost ark theme song! Duh da, dahdah. Dah, duh duh........... Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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True, true and ohso true! Id probably be more verbose about this were I not now humming that danged Raiders of the lost ark theme song! Duh da, dahdah. Dah, duh duh...........
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Huzzah! Kindred spirits I dunno. I havent yet heard you belt out............ 'Im especially good at ex-pec-to-rating!' Thats the real test of huzzahtudedness Sometimes I make a move, sorry to leave my home, but hope I will find another of equal character. At night I gaze at the starry mass with no idea to which one the earth attached. May'be that cute little one over there or that one that sits alone in the inky black. ~~ 'My place amongst the stars' c/o former member SPB ~~
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