Show tunes are officially cool again! Viva la Moulin Rouge!
Written: May 27 '01 (Updated May 29 '01)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Captures all the playful tone, show-stopping bravado and heartbreak of the brilliant movie.
Cons: Where's Volume 2?
The Bottom Line: If you're thinking of buying this one because of that Lady Marmalade song, good. It's possibly the worst track on the disc.
|
|
|
| scott29's Full Review: Moulin Rouge [TBA] - Original Soundtrack Movies |
As soon as the closing credits began to roll on Moulin Rouge, three distinct thoughts were rattling through my head:
1. Wow, I really enjoyed that movie!
2. Man, I have to pee!
3. I'm stopping at Tower Records right now to pick up the soundtrack.
I was initially a bit hesitant since most soundtracks I purchase end up gathering dust somewhere, forgotten CDs that I purchased due to one or two good tracks. But I doubt that the Moulin Rouge soundtrack will meet a similar fate. If there has ever been another film soundtrack this eclectic, inspired and gleefully bizarre, well I'd be interested in picking that one up too.
I'm a movie reviewer by nature, so forgive me if my music analysis is lacking in any way. (I have a Beastie Boys Epinion that's been sitting as a draft for over a month now, mainly because I use the word "funky" about 77 times throughout.) So I'll just offer a little glimpse at the individual CD tracks, followed by more of my patented ravings, and then you can go cook dinner for the kids. Here we go:
1. Nature Boy (performed by David Bowie) - Although I've never been a big fan of David Bowie's, I must admit that this opening track is simply wonderful. Soft, quiet and melancholy, Bowie offers an introduction of Christian (Ewan McGregor's character in the film). This one is a cover of an old Nat King Cole tune (written by one Eden Ahbez). This song may seem a bit too bleak to open the CD with, but it truly is a beautiful song. "The greatest thing you'll ever know is just to love and be loved in return."
2. Lady Marmalade (performed by Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim, Mya and Pink) - Again, I was never a big fan of the original song. You know the one. It goes "Mocha Chocolota Yaya" or something like that and it's a nightly staple at every self-respecting Disco on the planet. Since the original version (which was written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan) never really got my toes tapping, I was surprised to see me getting into this one. That's probably thanks to the fanciful modernizations that have been infused, not the least of which is Aguilera's oh-so-comely singing voice. For the first half of this track, it's pretty reminiscent of the original, but stick around. This track gets a lot funkier as it goes on. "Coochie Coochie Ya Ya Ya!"
3. Because We Can (performed by Fatboy Slim) - This one's simple: If you dig the Fatboy, you'll dig this one. If you don't, then this track will sound like nothing but monotonous pulses, beats and syllables. Since I dig this guy, I'm jamming to this track right now. Slim has a knack for combining some wonderfully incongruous sounds into a shockingly danceable concoction. Within the movie, this song is used as a backdrop when the Moulin Rouge can-can dancers are initially introduced. Brace yourselves. "Everybody Can-Can!!"
4. Sparkling Diamonds (performed by Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, Caroline O'Connor, Natalie Mendoza & Lara Mulchay) - One of this CDs true highlights, Sparkling Diamonds features the first of several shockingly effective vocal performances by Ms. Nicole Kidman. This ridiculously entertaining tune infuses two popular songs: Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend and Madonna's Material Girl and it's a very cool combo indeed. And here's the first time I'll say this: Nicole Kidman's voice is fantastic. I doubt any actress in Hollywood could do better. "Men grow cold as girls grow old - and we all lose our charms in the end..."
5. Rhythm of the Night (performed by Valeria) - We all know this tune, and while this cover is a marked improvement over the El Debarge original (which was written by Diane Warren), I'm afraid that this will be a track I skip over rather often. Just a goofy song that you'll probably dig more than I do. "To the beat of the rhythm of the night - Forget about the worries on your mind"
6. Your Song (performed by Ewan McGregor & Allesandro Safina) - OK, I'm fully aware of how beloved the Elton John original version is, but we all have to admit that it is a bit played out by now. Well, you haven't heard Ewan McGregor belt out the notes! I mentioned above that Kidman can more than hold a tune on her own, but Mr. McGregor is quite simply a shocking revelation on this soundtrack. Who knew Obi-Wan Kenobi had pipes like THIS? Surely not me. To say he succeeds wildly with this tune is just me working on my skills of understatement. "How wonderful life is while now you're in the world..."
7. Children of the Revolution (performed by Bono, Gavin Friday & Maurice Seezer) - A semi-interesting but sorta drab cover of the old Marc Bolan written/T-Rex performed tune. This seems like the kind of track that needs repeated listens before you'll really dig it, and it's certainly not a BAD song. It's got a driving U2 meets the Chili Peppers kinda beat, and is fairly cool but it's not the song you'll be skipping to most often. "Children of the Revooluuuutionnnnnn" :)
8. Someday I'll Fly Away (performed by Nicole Kidman) - Kidman flaunts her newfound pipes to wonderful effect in this one. This is a sweet little love song (written by Will Jennings & Joe Sample) about yearning for a new life. Suffice to say that it fits the movie (and Kidman's character) perfectly. This is one of the more "Broadway Show"-ish tunes on the soundtrack, and I mean that as a compliment. "Why live life from dream to dream and dread the day when dreaming ends?"
9. Diamond Dogs (performed by Beck) - This one is basically a Beck cover of the popular old David Bowie tune. How much you enjoy this one depends on your disposition for those two guys. "Come out of the garden, baby..."
10. Elephant Love Medley (performed by Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor & Jamie Allen) - OK, this is probably the track you'll flip to right after seeing the movie. Basically, it's a sweetly satisfying medley of popular love tunes sung between Kidman & McGregor. Here are the songs you'll recognize being tossed back and forth between the two lovers:
The Beatles' All You Need Is Love
Kiss' I Was Made for Lovin' You
Phil Collins' One More Night
U2's Pride (In the Name of Love)
Thelma Houston's Don't Leave Me This Way
Paul McCartney's Silly Love Songs
David Bowie's Heroes
Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You
and one more time,
Elton John's Your Song
And this wonderful concoction is capped off by some truly impressive operatic goings-on by Jamie Allen. If you like love songs, get ready for Track 10! "Love, love, love, etc."
11. Come What May (performed by Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor) - This tune was written by David Baerwald who used to be in a band called David + David. I only mention this because I've never heard this song before and it's easily one of the most touching love songs I've ever heard in a movie. McGregor and Kidman once again impress to a ridiculous degree. "...Never knew I could feel this way...
12. El Tango De Roxanne (performed by Ewan McGregor, Jose Feliciano & Jacek Koman) - When some Broadway critic of long ago invented the term showstopper, this is the kind of production number he was referring to. As a stand alone song or seen and listened to in context to the movie, this tune is full of a dry, gritty passion and a lyrical, hypnotic style. This phenomenal experience is a mixture of Sting's Roxanne and some superb original music by filmmakers Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. If you can listen to this entire song and somehow not get into it, then this CD is simply not for you. Once again, McGregor is fantastic. "...walk the streets for money, you don't care if it's wrong or right..."
13. Complainte De La Butte (performed by Rufus Wainwright) - OK, here's where I display a small amount of my vast musical ignorance. I'm not real familiar with Rufus Wainwright and I'm not exactly sure at what point in Moulin Rouge this song appears. But what I can say is that this is a sweet and delicate little ditty that was written by Jean Renoir and also that Wainwright sounds like a young Billy Joel, complete with piano...only he's singing in French. Don't look at me. I took Spanish in high school.
14. Hindi Sad Diamonds (performed by Nicole Kidman, John Leguizamo & Alka Yagnik) - This is the reason I bought this soundtrack. If you're familiar with the theatrical trailer to Moulin Rouge, then you know this one. It's the pulse-pounding, mega-layered, semi-techno boogie funk masterpiece that appears during the final 30 seconds of the trailer. If this track doesn't get your blood pumping, you may be in need of a transfusion. No important lyrics to speak of. It's all in the backbeats here.
15. Nature Boy (performed by David Bowie & Massive Attack) - A reprise of Christian's theme, only this time Bowie is flanked by Massive Attack, giving the tune a tone that's less innocent and more downcast than the opening track. After you see what Christian goes through in Moulin Rouge, you'll understand why this version is decidedly more downbeat. "This is a story about...love."
So there's the tracks. I suppose I could also go in to the actual packaging of this disc, but that may just be overkill. (It does come with a pretty cool booklet with some photos from the film, though!) While listening through this disc for the fourth (or eighth) time, it dawned on me that this movie (and soundtrack) deserves the same kind of attention afforded to the big Broadway "event shows", like Rent, Les Miserables and Cats. People go nuts for the show tunes whenever when of these new plays hit town, and Moulin Rouge - both the film and the wonderful music contained within - is easily as deserving of the same attention.
Of course, if you disliked Moulin Rouge (as many seem to be - oh well, more for me), then please disregard everything above and go buy yourself a copy of Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits. This movie and CD will most assuredly become 'acquired tastes' and let's just say I've already acquired mine.
Welcome back to the movie musical.
If you'd like to read my take on the actual movie Moulin Rouge, feel free to click below. If you have already - well, thanks! Now go see this movie.
http://scott29.epinions.com/content_24129408644
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
scott29
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Location: Philadelphia
Reviews written: 457
Trusted by: 406 members
About Me:
Passionate, opinionated, and always on the lookout for the next great movie.
|
|
|
![Moulin Rouge [TBA] - Original Soundtrack Movies](http://img.shopping.com/cctool/PrdImg/images/pr/177X150/00/77/e2/58/ca/2011322570.JPG)
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2008 Shopping.com, Inc.