1/5 Argh! What happened to the real soundtrack? Customers unite!
  by (Los Angeles, CA USA)
After I saw this movie I dashed out to buy the CD to hold me off until I can buy the DVD. What blew me away was the great original soundtrack by Craig Armstrong, especially the ending credit music... I was appalled to find out that not only was that not on the CD, but the original actors were not singing on most of it and were instead featuring well known music stars which was Extremely Disappointing. How can you call a soundtrack original if it doesn't play the music featured in the actual movie?

This also happened on Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. I don't buy the CD because what's her name or what's his face is singing on it, I buy it because the music, with the original actors, moved me in the movie--so I can listen to it and feel what I felt in the movie.

Although I LOVE David Bowie, I wanted to hear John Leguizamo sing the "Nature Boy" which is very key to the whole movie. Even the "Hindi Sad Diamonds" is different from the movie. And they put an old record filter on Nicole's voice when she sings the "Sparkling Diamonds" intro which changes the mood from how it was in the movie. ! This type of "creative license" is actually detrimental to the integrity of the true cut of the film.

I feel cheated...I am not sure why they are doing this or who is making these nonsensical decisions. I even wrote to Interscope of which they never replied. Don't people listen to what the customer's want anymore? It's just like how on TV nowadays they squash the ending credits on a movie with advertising together so you can't enjoy a proper closure--what's the point because you can't even see the credits anymore? It destroys the end of the movie and no one seems to care that it feels improper anymore. I don't like being force fed, hell I've been out of diapers for many many years now. Are you listening out there you big dudes in the Business out there?

But I digress...

I loved the ending credit music from Moulin Rouge so much I was thinking of recording it on a tape snuck in the theatre but it's probably illegal or something. Grrr!

4/5 hindi sad SOUNDTRACK
  by (Missouri)
I've had my cd for over 3 months now and I do love what music from the movie they decided to put in there, but like many others I'm disappointed there wasn't more. I too have been looking (for THREE months) for a second (more songs from Moulin Rouge) soundtrack to come out. I was hoping there would be the "lady marmalade" remix that they played in the movie. (it's much more tolerant than the original) I'm also disappointed that the soundtrack version of "Come What May" wasn't even ONE of the film versions. In all actuallity I was hoping they'd have both film versions on the CD. (I love the version @ the end of the movie) I was also looking for the remakes of "Like A Virgin," and "The Show Must Go On." One other one that I enjoyed a lot that wasn't on the soundtrack was the "Spectacular Spectacular" song. In all honesty I believe they wasted their money putting Beck, Fatboy Slim, Valeria, etc. on the soundtrack beacause the only tracks I listen to are "Nature Boy" (while David Bowie is no John Leguizamo.....lol just kidding) "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend," "Your Song," "One Day I'll Fly Away," "Elephant Love Medley," "Come What May," "El Tango De Roxanne," "Complainte De La Butte" and "Hindi Sad Diamonds."
The sad thing though is that none of the songs that I actually listen to (with the exception of Elephant Love Medley) are as they are originally in the movie.
While the soundtrack will hold me over until the DVD is released, I'm still sadly disappointed in the big wigs who decided to edit this CD.

5/5 The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love....
  by Sadi (New Orleans, LA USA)
Well, what can be said? Ummm... It's excellent? Stunning? Heartrending? Yup. All of them. If you've seen the movie then you know what I'm babbling about. ...

...I'll tell you about the music. The first song is "Lady Marmalade." I hate this song. It ruins the CD. There are SO many better things to listen to. Next is "Diamond Dogs" done by Beck. It's nice and suitably poppy. "Children of the Revolution" is one I could do without most of the time, but sometimes I feel like acting goofy and I listen to it. "Nature Boy" is sung by David Bowie. Wow. It is SO pretty and it fits the story PERFECTLY! One of the lyrics is the main grab line for the movie, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." The next song is "Le Tango de Roxanne". It is SUPERB! The song is filled with passion, pain, anger, and hurt. Ewan McGregor's voice on this track is EXCELLENT. "Because We Can" is a goofy little medley made for dancing and capering around your room when you're alone. "Sparkling Diamonds" is deep and sultry. "One Day I'll Fly Away" is Nicole Kidman's most stunning song on the CD next to "Hindi Sad Diamonds." "Rhythm of the Night" is also made for capering. "Hindi Sad Diamonds" will be liked by anyone that liked Sting's Desert Rose. It is very much alike to that song - what with combining a bit of traditional with Hindi music. Very cool. The next is "Your Song" originally done by Elton John and redone by Ewan McGregor. This song is so earnest and heartfelt. "Elephant Love Medley" is my second favorite on this CD. It combines so many songs together. The first time I heard it, I had a good bit of fun trying to figure out what songs they had used. "Come What May" is the biggest hit to the CD. This is a song to play at wedding receptions. I actually think that I will. LOL. Anyways, the last song is "Complainte de la Butte." This is a song that is in French and it is very beautiful. It is nice and mellow and it puts me to sleep when I'm having trouble falling asleep. It's very much like a lullaby.

...I hope that you buy this CD and that you love it as much as I do.

...

5/5 Great Film: Great Score
  by
There will always be two schools of thought concerning the film MOULIN ROUGE

There will be those who hate it and those who love it. I am in the later category.

MOULIN ROUGE is without question, a landmark achievement of a film. The first 45 minutes alone,rank as some of the most exhilarating moments ever captured on celluloid. Director,Baz Luhrmann creates a world full of color, sound and movement that effect the senses completely. It's impossible not be swept into it and impossible not to step back and note the greatness Mr.Luhrmann possesses as a director.

Luhrmann takes every old musical comedy cliché (From "Love me tonight" to "Babes in Arms" and even "Viva Las Vegas") and mixes it with operatic storylines (echoes from "Boheme" to "Traviata" abound) and injects them all with a invigorating sense of freshness. The effect is as if Mr. Luhrmann had never seen a musical comedy or opera before and had come up with all this by himself while drinking a cappuccino at Starbucks.

The inventiveness doesn't end there. Luhrmann sense of music knows no boundaries. He will take a piece of music by Offenbach and insert Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit" into it. The amazing thing is it makes sense and comes off as if Mr.Offenbach and Mr.Cobain had been formally introduced.

During the "Diamonds are a girls best friend" production number, the music morphs for a few moments into Madonna's "Material Girl" thus pointing up the structural similarities between two pieces of music written 40 years apart as well as paying homage to the original performers who performed it.

It's a statement, within a statement, within a statement and that happens often in this film and that's called genius, folks.

All the actors are quite good with the two leads more than up to the task at hand.

From the moment Nicole Kidman enters the frame, one realizes one is watching an honest to goodness "movie star". The word "movie star" has both good and bad connotations and Ms. Kidman is aware of that. She delivers a performance loaded with a screwball comedy timing and offset by touching vulnerability. More importantly, she looks like she's having fun up there and her serviceably pleasant singing voice works to her advantage. This is the surest and most likable performance she's given on film to date.

The real revelation, however, is Ewan MacGregor. A performance with this much charm, energy, earnestness and naiveté would normally be considered obnoxious in any actor over the age of 11. What MacGregor does though, is imbue every moment of his performance with enough heart and sincerity to make it real. He believes totally in what he's doing thus making you believe. It is that sincerity that gives the film it's foundation to rest upon. Also, MacGregor, is one hell of a singer. His untrained but robust voice is used with a fine sense of musicality and when he volleys up to one of the many high notes in his role (up to and including a rock solid high A), the sheer sense of glee he gives off is infectious.

So, in a summer made up of what looks to be mostly mindless fare, where does Moulin Rouge fit in? Nowhere really. However, it is more than likely that Moulin Rouge will be discussed, analyzed, probed and used as inspiration long after the "Mummy returns" and "Tomb Raiders" of the world have become but a distant memory.

...and that's the important thing.

2/5 where is the REAL soundtrack?
  by C. Clemens (a big pile of dirt, CA)
don't get me wrong, on its own this is a fine enough album. BUT, it's missing some of the best numbers in the film, and i'd much rather hear John Leguizamo sing "nature boy" (as he did in the film) instead of the faux-coolness of David Bowie. where is "like a virgin?" where is "spectacular spectacular?" and where is "zidler's rap?" i hope they release a CD that plays ALL the music & songs from the movie, in their proper order. meanwhile, this album only makes me hunger for the songs it's missing.