Moulin Rouge!

Guilty pleasures! Everybody has a few!
So, when this appeared on a Top 100 and Top 10 Magical Realism movie list, I was stunned. Really. My mouth hit the floor and I couldn't really think of why this movie was considered Magical Realism. I own this movie.  I used to watch it all the time. Whenever I hear El Tango de Roxanne (which is on my IPod) I end up blasting it. I know that the plot is rather... old... and cliche. I know that there's no surprises and sometimes the cinematography gives me a headache.

Actually, if you want a review that expresses all my feelings about this movie (in song, no less), just go over to the Nostalgia Critic MUSICAL Review: Moulin Rouge.  You'll be more entertained that way. They have prettier voices than mine could ever be and the girls look a lot better in corsets.

The question I want to address is this: Is Moulin Rouge! a good example of a Magical Realism Movie? Well, let's remember the criteria:

  1. Does this film take place in a reality pretty much like our own, but with some... fantastic differences that don't make it too different from our world?
  2. Can the magical elements be rationally explained in some way?
  3. Are the magical elements culture-related?
  4. Is the magic just there? It isn't the focus of the plot?
Hmm... Well, it takes place in France... Paris actually in the 1800s.  With enough alcohol, especially absinthe, anything could seem possible. I guess?  Then again, I've read up on the whole "absinthe causes hallucinations" thing, but it seems that modern people blow it up more than it is. Long-term use of absinthe and drinking any kind of alcohol can mess up your perceptions enough to cause hallucinations. So, if Toulouse is hallucinating this whole story... 

OH MY GOD!  THAT'S IT!

The reason this whole movie is so completely and utterly insane is because it's someone who lived during that time having an alcohol-poisoning-induced hallucination. That's why it's so stupid! Also, it's why the moon sings and there's a giant effing elephant! And people randomly burst into song and it's seen as normal!

It's not really happening!

... Well, now that that's cleared up, we need to address the rest of the criteria. We've explained the magical elements sensibly by it being the result of long-term alcohol abuse. The culture of the time did involve a lot of women in sexy clothing dancing around... but usually they had worse teeth... and bruises in odd places... and other things that lead to a distinct lack of hotness.

And... yeah, there is the whole "writing a musical" subplot, but there's singing even when they aren't writing a musical. The whole "Like a Virgin" scene really goes a long way towards... clearing up the in-movie musical being separate from the everyone singing phenomena. So, yeah, the magic is just there. No explanation, no... reason, but by that logic, every musical is a Magical Realism movie.

... Well, there's no explanation for the giant elephant or the moon either!

So, I think this is... not a very good example of Magical Realism. It has elements, but it's mostly just a musical... an insane musical that's supposed to be artsy with fun shots and beautiful scenery.  Also, the character development is awful. Just throwing that out there.

In conclusion, I have no idea why this is on the list.  Hopefully the others will... hold up better.  In the meantime... CANDY!!!


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