The Producers
Apr. 15th, 2002 12:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rinueBy all rights, I ought to adore the movie Moulin Rouge. Every time I've seen it, I've had the best of company -- I'd say I've viewed it with the vast majority of my favorite people. I like the music, I like the spectacle, I like the setting, I like Ewan McGregor, and I like Baz Luhrman. Sure, the script has some glaring plotholes and dubious character motivation, but so do several of my favorite cult films. Moulin Rouge should be among them.
Instead, I don't like it enough to buy a cut-rate VHS.
The problem is the woeful miscasting of Nicole Kidman. Kidman can't do "sexy". She is not remotely believable as Satine. And without a believable Satine, the entire movie falls apart.
Who should have been cast instead was the chief discussion topic at this week's family night.
The problem is that Hollywood doesn't do "sexy" either, despite what numerous ranters would have you believe. Think about all the lead actresses you know: they're pretty. Pretty -- not sexy, not beautiful, and rarely even cute. Nothing that would have too much personality. (The actors, in turn, are cute, with only a recent renaissance in "handsome.") To come up with a viable Satine candidate, we had to go to the music scene, which does push "sexy," (except when there's a better opportunity for "earnest").
Madonna. Madonna should have played Satine.
The four of us arrived at this conclusion independently -- Uncle Rex by music, me by Desperately Seeking Susan, and Max with stunning paralells between Moulin Rouge and Dick Tracy.
It should be noted that this is the only time the four of us have completely agreed about anything. We weren't really sure what to do with ourselves, so we tried to argue about it anyway. When this failed completely, we had to leave each other's company to escape the surreality.
Instead, I don't like it enough to buy a cut-rate VHS.
The problem is the woeful miscasting of Nicole Kidman. Kidman can't do "sexy". She is not remotely believable as Satine. And without a believable Satine, the entire movie falls apart.
Who should have been cast instead was the chief discussion topic at this week's family night.
The problem is that Hollywood doesn't do "sexy" either, despite what numerous ranters would have you believe. Think about all the lead actresses you know: they're pretty. Pretty -- not sexy, not beautiful, and rarely even cute. Nothing that would have too much personality. (The actors, in turn, are cute, with only a recent renaissance in "handsome.") To come up with a viable Satine candidate, we had to go to the music scene, which does push "sexy," (except when there's a better opportunity for "earnest").
Madonna. Madonna should have played Satine.
The four of us arrived at this conclusion independently -- Uncle Rex by music, me by Desperately Seeking Susan, and Max with stunning paralells between Moulin Rouge and Dick Tracy.
It should be noted that this is the only time the four of us have completely agreed about anything. We weren't really sure what to do with ourselves, so we tried to argue about it anyway. When this failed completely, we had to leave each other's company to escape the surreality.
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Date: 2002-04-16 01:24 am (UTC)However I have to agree with you on the ineffectiveness of Nicole; she's pretty enough but in some light has come to resemble a rather overbred and nervy toy dog. By far the sexiest woman in the film, to my mind, is the meddling hooker who dances the tango.
(no subject)
Date: 2002-04-16 08:04 am (UTC)-Romie