There have been loads of comments on the recent film, Moulin Rouge Essay Example

value for viewers. The blending of different generic conventions, such as film and opera, creates a unique experience. Furthermore, the fragmentation of the story adds a postmodern element to the film.

At the start of the film, Toulouse sings about how Christian settles in Monmartre, Paris, in 1899. This is like a curtain raiser. The scene then shows Christian typing while the camera bounces back and forth. Throughout the story, Christian's reading is shown occasionally as an aside.

Within the postmodernist film genre, non-chronological narration is often used, which can leave viewers feeling confused. For example, in Moulin Rouge, Christian's father warns him of ruining his life in Monmartre in a flashback. Additionally, the scene of the Duke coercing Satine into sex is fragmented and pasted into a dancing sequence. Although this technique can be disorienting for viewers, it is a common practice.

Another important feature in Moulin Rouge! is the employment of intertextuality. This is evident as Satine imitates Madonna and Marilyn Monroe while performing "Material Girl" and "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" in a provocative manner. According to John Fiske's Reading the Popular (1989:118), "Material Girl" is Madonna's version of Marilyn Monroe's "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." Although the metaphor of woman as the ultimate commodity seems sexist and fetishistic, the narrative framing is conventionally romantic. This scene parodies Madonna's performance in the music video of "Material Girl." We witness Satine playing with the tuxedoed men and utilizing their jewels, money, and admiration for her own gain. She also mimics Madonna in their ability to become unattainable fantasies for men.

The announcement of "this is lady's choice" by Satine disappoints the men, who

are also reminded of Madonna's preference for sensitive but poor men in the music video. Satine, portrayed as the highest paid courtesan and star in Moulin Rouge, accepts the love of Christian, a writer living in poverty. This portrayal makes her the embodiment of Madonna who once remarked on having grown up with only two images of women: the virgin and the whore, according to a National Times interview from August 23/29, 1985.

The character Satine is fashioned to represent a prominent virgin goddess from ancient mythology, as evoked by her name. The song 'Like a Virgin' sung by Zidler and Satine's residence in the "Elephant" references the holy place of the Virgin Goddess in India. The film's ending further reinforces this theme, with Satine appearing in costume as a Virgin Queen Goddess. This makes Satine an easily identifiable Madonna figure. Additionally, the director uses anachronism intentionally as a postmodernist technique. Despite the film's setting in 1899-1900, the songs and dances performed are recognizable from the past 50 years.

The popular tunes of Madonna as mentioned earlier and Elton John's "Your Song" are reimagined as a grand orchestral reading. These songs are sometimes rearranged or reinvented. The dialogue in the lyrics is repeatedly spoken, such as Satine's response to the Duke's kiss, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend." A dance set to "Roxanne" parodies that in "Carmen." Male characters like Christian and Zidler sing in the style of Pavarotti's voice. In short, the use of intertextual references is clear, but it is unfortunate that some viewers do not recognize the allusions to other stars or art forms.

Ultimately, the director portrays the postmodern world through various

aspects of the film. Monmartre is depicted as a dark and surreal underworld, while Club Moulin Rouge serves as a meeting ground for individuals from different social classes including slums aristocrats, workers, artists, and prostitutes. These elements highlight the "mass consumption" society prevalent in the film that brings prosperity. According to Norman K. Denzin (Images of Postmodern Society: Social Theory and Contemporary Cinema, 1991:81), this society is characterized by cultivating consumer lifestyles that emphasize the exchange value of appearance, civility, personal pleasure, and desire.

Monmartre's opening scene reveals a shady world of sex and drugs. As the camera travels towards the town, it passes a priest standing outside the Moulin Rouge, who cautions against the "spiritual sin" lurking within. Illegal drug trade and prostitution thrive in this underground world, where consumerism has led to the objectification of sexuality and desire (Norman K. Denzin, Images of Postmodern Society: Social Theory and Contemporary Cinema, 1991:81). This is why nightclubs and prostitution industries are booming.

In Moulin Rouge, there is an abundance of sex and indulgence that reflects the prominent features of postmodern social life. Zidler's insistence on "the show must go on" suggests the triumph of consumer capitalism. It is ironic that Satine becomes unconscious and falls off the swing due to her newly popular corset costume. The second time she experiences a short coma is when she wears black tight lingerie. Looking back to the past century, one may be surprised and even angered to discover that such corsets took away women's freedom, dignity, and often their lives.

The corset is a representation of patriarchal capitalism and is associated with the negative aspects of the postmodern world,

much like the dark imagery of Monmartre. Before studying postmodernism, I might have dismissed the film as absurd. However, with my newfound understanding, I can appreciate the film's success and the director's genius. The same director who brought postmodern elements to his adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (1996) has done so again in this film.

The postmodern art is characterized by eclecticism, fragmentation, intertextuality, and the portrayal of postmodern life. The primary focus of this artistic movement is the incorporation of parody and pastiche, which are prominently showcased in Moulin Rouge.