The Auteurs #23: Baz Luhrmann

A filmmaker who is unapologetic for the fact that he makes films that are essentially lavish spectacles that are often known for being style over substance. Baz Luhrmann is a man who simply wants to entertain filmgoers in any way and form. Yet, he’s also an engaging storyteller who likes to the explore the world of love in all of its complications as well as the kind of power that it brings. Whether it’s through song or dance, Luhrmann is a man that wants to create a world that is escapist and dream-like but also make audiences believe that it could be real. With the Australian filmmaker finally making his return after a five-year gap with his much-delayed adaptation of The Great Gatsby, Luhrmann is a man who always know what to give the people what they want times 10.

Born on September 17, 1962 in Sydney, Australia, Mark Anthony “Baz” Luhrmann was the son of a farmer in Leonard Luhrmann and a ballroom dance teacher/dress shop owner in Barbara where the father later ran a petrol station and a movie theater in the small Australian town of Herons Creek. It was through his father’s management of the theater where Luhrmann saw many movies in his youth while being taught by his mother in the art of ballroom dancing. During his years in school, Luhrmann took part in many theatrical productions as an actor where he became very interested in the world of theater as he would later audition for the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Kensington in 1980 where he failed. After many auditions for the institute, Luhrmann was accepted where he later graduated in 1985.

It was during those years at the institute where Luhrmann met a young designer in Catherine Martin who would later become his wife as well as production/costume designer for all of his future films. Luhrmann and Martin spent much the 1980s staging various plays where he wrote many of them and acted in a few. Two of the plays Luhrmann directed was a musical in 1986 called Crocodile Creek while the other become the basis for his very first feature-film that was entitled Strictly Ballroom.

Strictly Ballroom

Luhrmann conceived the idea of Strictly Ballroom based on his experience learning ballroom dancing from his mother as well as what he had seen in that world where it’s very competitive. With his classmate Craig Pearce helping out as he would become one of many collaborators in Luhrmann’s team of people that would include Catherine Martin and costume designer Angus Straithe as they all came from the institute where they learned their craft. The play in short form premiered in 1984 where it helped Luhrmann gain critical acclaim where he was able to re-stage the play in 1986 for a youth drama festival in Bratislava. Luhrmann would expand the play into a feature-length play in 1988 in Sydney’s Wharf Theatre where it was seen by one of the key figures in the Australia music scene in Ted Albert.

Albert was famous for discovering the famed 60s Australian rock band the Easybeats as well as Australian pop singer John Paul Young. Impressed by what he saw, Albert and producer Tristram Miall approached Luhrmann to create a film version of the play it would take years for the project to come together that included a draft co-written with Andrew Bovell before Craig Pearce came into write what would be the final version of the script with Luhrmann. Another battle in the production was funding as Albert and Miall tried to get investors to help fund the project. While it would attract such names as Barry Otto and Bill Hunter who would both play the roles of the meekly Doug Hastings and the conniving ballroom federation president Barry Fife, respectively. Luhrmann knew that he wanted to fill the cast with not just veterans but also newcomers as well as real ballroom dancers for the film.

The cast would include newcomers such as Tara Morice, Gia Carides, and Paul Mercurio, the last of which was part of the Sydney Dance Company as he had never acted before. With the cast and crew that would include such future collaborators as editor Jill Bilcock, everything was set until November of 1990 when Ted Albert died of a heart attack. With the urging of Albert’s widow, the production would continue as the film would be dedicated to Albert as the $3 million budgeted would finally be made.

Despite having little experience with directing a film, Luhrmann was still intent on maintaining his own vision while wanting to create something that was entertaining but also heart. The film would be the first in a trilogy of films known as The Red Curtain Trilogy as each film contained some form of theatricality that Luhrmann was craving for. Even as he wanted to explore the themes of love and creativity as the character of Scott Hastings that Paul Mercurio played is a young dancer fed up with the rules as he seeks for some kind of freedom. By taking in an inexperienced ugly duckling in Fran, played by Tara Morice, who does know a bit of flamenco dancing. The young Hastings would find something that would fulfill him artistically as well as do something that would help him realize to the strict world of ballroom dancing that rules are meant to be broken.

While the film would be largely romantic with bits of comedy as well as some lavish scenes involving the truth about Scott’s meekly father Doug and why he’s been dancing in total secrecy. There is also an element of satire that Luhrmann wanted to infuse as it opens in a documentary style where many of the characters wondered what happened on the day Scott decides to do something that would cost him his shot in being a champion. It all would play into a sense of style that Luhrmann wants to not just introduce his characters but also establish the events that would lead to everything that happened in the rest of the film.

Just a month before the film’s unveiling at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival, tragedy struck when actress Pat Thomson, who played Scott’s mother, died of cancer making its premiere a bit bittersweet for Luhrmann, his cast, and crew. Despite a poorly-received exhibitors screening before the festival where one claimed that Luhrmann’s career was ruined, Luhrmann was hoping for the best at the Cannes Film Festival. The result would be a smash hit as it received a bit ovation from audiences where it won the Prix de Jeunesse at the festival as well as getting a major international release where Miramax released the film in 1993.

The film proved to be a major worldwide hit with audiences and critics as it won Luhrmann several awards for the film from the Australian Film Institute as well as a few British Academy Award wins for its costume design, music, and art direction. The film also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Film from a Musical or Comedy as it unveiled that Luhrmann had officially arrived.

William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet

The success of Strictly Ballroom gave Luhrmann the chance to take on any project he wanted as he also became part of a new wave of Australian films that were crossing over internationally that included The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Muriel’s Wedding that both featured Bill Hunter. Still, Luhrmann wasn’t going to go into a new project immediately as he decided to take some time to think it over as he eventually decided to do a modern-day version of William Shakespeare’s romantic-tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Luhrmann pondered what would Shakespeare do if he was to helm a film at this time as he decided to do a modern take on the story but keep the language of Shakespeare.

With Craig Pearce co-writing the screenplay, Luhrmann wanted to be faithful to the story while changing a few things in terms of its plot and setting to make it more contemporary and dramatic. Notably by replacing swords with guns, cars instead of horses, and having the Montagues and the Capulets be rival businessmen who hate each other. Luhrmann presented his script to 20th Century Fox that were intrigued that they gave Luhrmann money to create some test footage and do workshop to see how it can be presented. The idea of a modern version of Romeo and Juliet also intrigued actors as Luhrmann wanted young actors to play the role. Leonardo diCaprio, who was a rising young star with an Oscar nomination for his supporting work in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, took part in the workshop by flying to Sydney as Luhrmann found his Romeo.

With a cast that would include such veteran actors as Brian Dennehy and Christina Pickles as the Montagues, Paul Sorvino and Diane Venora as the Capulets, Miriam Margoyles as the nurse, and Pete Postlethwaite as the friar. The cast would also be filled by then-newcomers that included Harold Perrineau as Mercutio, Paul Rudd as Count Paris, and Colombian-based comedy actor John Leguizamo as Tybalt. While filling out the cast was easy, finding the actress to play Juliet was hard as Luhrmann chose Natalie Portman to play the role. After some test footage with the then-teenage Portman, Luhrmann realized she was too young for the part as production was grounded so that Luhrmann can have more time to find Juliet. Eventually, the part went to Claire Danes who had also a rising young actress at the time following a few films and a memorable turn as a teen in the short-lived TV show My So-Called Life.

While the film was partially shot in Miami, the bulk of the production was shot in Mexico where Luhrmann’s crew of collaborators was expanded that included set decorator Brigitte Broch who was already known for her work with up-and-coming Mexican filmmakers Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron. With cinematographer Donald McAlpine shooting the film, Luhrmann wanted to use locations in Mexico and Miami as Verona Beach where it would be a character in the film. For the Capulet mansion, they used the exteriors of Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City while shooting many of its interiors in a studio nearby where Catherine Martin and Brigitte Broch created something was a spectacle as well as creating a ruined theater in Miami Beach for the scenes set the beach.

While Luhrmann wanted to maintain a sense of innocence and lavish style to help tell the story, he also wanted music to help enhance the story. With composer Craig Armstrong providing some music to the film, Marius de Vries and Nellee Hooper would also create original music for the film as well as assembling the soundtrack. The soundtrack would be a reflection of the alternative music scene at the time as it included contributions from the Butthole Surfers, Everclear, Garbage, and the Cardigans as well as songs from Radiohead and Gavin Friday while British soul singer Des’ree sang the love theme for the film. One of the tracks Radiohead created was an early version of the song Exit Music (For a Film), that would later appear in their 1997 landmark album OK Computer, as it would help add that sense of tragedy that Luhrmann wanted for the film.

The film premiered in the U.S. on November of 1996 with a lot of anticipation based on its marketing and the fact that it had Leonardo diCaprio and Claire Danes as the lead. While it didn’t get the same acclaim as Strictly Ballroom, the film still got excellent reviews while it was a major hit in the box office as it elevated the careers of diCaprio and Danes. The film premiered at the 1997 Berlin Festival where diCaprio won the Best Actor prize while Luhrmann won the Alfred Bauer Prize as the film would also win four BAFTAs for its direction, art direction, screenplay, and music while Catherine Martin and Brigitte Broch got an Oscar nomination for art direction.

Moulin Rouge!

With two back-to-back successes under his belt, Luhrmann took a break before venturing into his next project. During a trip to India where Catherine Martin was doing set design work for a theatrical production of Midsummer’s Night Dream in the mid-90s, the two spent part of their time watching Bollywood musicals where Luhrmann realized that there was something missing in the world of film which were the musicals. Luhrmann had been a fan of the musicals for many years but was aware of the genre’s decline since the 1980s where many films at the time didn’t do well commercially and critically where there was a feeling that the genre was dead except in animated films. With the success that Romeo + Juliet was able to give him, Luhrmann spent his time creating a project that would resurrect a dying genre.

With Craig Pearce helping to write what would become Moulin Rouge!, the film would take place in 1899 Paris where a young man is eager to become a writer at the Moulin Rouge where he falls for a courtesan where the two and a group of artists attempt to create a spectacular musical about truth, beauty, freedom, and love for a duke. Luhrmann cited the Greek tragedy of Orpheus as a tool of inspiration in relation to the tragic love story between Orpheus and Eurydice. Notably as the Orpheus character was someone who was a genius musician who made music that was ahead of its time as he created the character of Christian as a take on Orpheus as he would tell the story a year after everything he had encounter upon his arrival to Paris.

Retaining many of his collaborators that included Catherine Martin, set decorator Brigitte Broch, editor Jill Bilcock, cinematographer Donald McAlpine, music composer Craig Armstrong, and co-costume designer Angus Straithe. Luhrmann knew the production was going to be lavish and out of this world as he cited Francis Ford Coppola’s notorious 1982 flop One from the Heart as a way to create a world that was artificial yet full of imagination as if it was a more extravagant take of 1899 Paris. With a budget of nearly $53 million, it was to be bold and ambitious but Luhrmann wouldn’t have it any other way as he knew that he was taking a major risk.

While Peter Whitford and Tara Morice from Strictly Ballroom would make small appearances, John Leguizamo took on the role of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec as he had to do a lot of his acting on his knees to play a small man. The cast would be filled by a huge collective of actors that includes British actor Jim Broadbent as Harold Zidler, Jacek Koman as the Narcoleptic Argentine, Richard Roxburgh as the Duke of Monroth, and Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue in an appearance as the Green Fairy. For the lead role of Santine, Nicole Kidman was cast while finding the actor to play Christian was difficult as it eventually went to Scottish actor Ewan McGregor.

Shooting began in November of 1999 in studios in Sydney with bits of shooting in Spain. While there were some production issues including a halt when Nicole Kidman got injured during a dance number in the production. The shooting was able to get finished in May of 2000 as it was slated for a Christmas 2000 release. Yet, there were other problems that Luhrmann had to encounter that made things much longer as he wanted to get the rights to the songs that he wanted to use for the film as it took him two years to do so.

Since Luhrmann chose not to have any new songs written for the film, he instead went with songs from the 20th Century to create something that was meant to be anachronistic but also made sense to help tell the story. Ranging from all sorts of pop songs dating back to standards like Nat King Cole’s Nature Boy to something like Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. It would be a mish-mash of music that would play up the sense of excitement of the times as well as the romance between Santine and Christian.

After being delayed for several months, the film finally made its premiere as the opening film at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival where it was well-received at the festival. The film would make its theatrical premiere in Australia in late May while opened in the U.S. a week later where it got some excellent reviews as well as making nearly $180 million worldwide. The film’s success not only helped revive the musical but also put Luhrmann on top as he was lauded for his work on the film.

The film was selected as the best film of the year by the National Board of Review while winning three Golden Globe Awards for Best Film from a Musical/Comedy, Best Score, and a Best Actress from a Musical/Comedy to Nicole Kidman. The film won three BAFTAs for its sound, music, and a Supporting Acting award to Jim Broadbent while the film would win 2 Oscars for its art direction and costume design as it also got six additional Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Actress for Kidman while Broadbent would win a Best Supporting Oscar for another film in Iris. Four years later, the film was selected by the American Film Institute as one of the 25 great musicals paving the way for more musicals to re-emerge where Rob Marshall’s Chicago won Best Picture at the Oscars a year later.

Australia

The success of Moulin Rouge!, Luhrmann set his sight towards making a grand bio-pic on Alexander the Great with Leonardo DiCaprio in the role as it would also star Nicole Kidman and feature a script by British playwright David Hare. Years of development as well as building a studio in Northern Sahara faltered when another production about Alexander the Great from Oliver Stone was in the works as it would eventually be released in late 2004. Due to the poor reception of Stone’s film, Luhrmann eventually decided to abandon the project as he spent more time back in Australia deciding to make another ambitious project where he can spend more time in his home country with his two new children.

Intrigued by a group of half-Aborigine children who had been taken away from their Aborigine families to serve under white society by the Australian government that were known as the Stolen Generations. Luhrmann wanted to write a film that revolved around those children as well as a crucial period in time for the country that included the infamous Darwin bombings of 1942 by the Japanese during World War II. Luhrmann had always wanted to create a film about his home country that would be an epic similar to Gone with the Wind while infusing some of his own ideas that would give something for everyone to see as he is just simply called the film Australia.

With the exception of his wife Catherine Martin on board, Luhrmann made a lot of changes to the crew he would use as he gained sound designer Wayne Pushley and casting directors Nikki Barrett and Ronna Kress to be part of his new team. Martin also got set decorator Beverley Dunn and art director Ian Gracie to be part of her team while Luhrmann was also to retain the services of Michael Hirschfelder to do the music as the two hadn’t worked together since Strictly Ballroom. For the casting, Luhrmann was able to get Barry Otto and Bill Hunter to play small roles for the film as well as Jacek Koman to be part of a grand collective of actors who were considered national treasures like Bryan Brown and Jack Thompson.

With Nicole Kidman signed on to play the leading role of Lady Sarah Ashley in 2005 as she spent time learning to round up cattle to prepare for her role. The role of the Drover went to Russell Crowe until he left the project in 2006 due to demands over script approval. Heath Ledger was approached to play the part as it eventually went to Hugh Jackman as casting continued into early 2007 as it would include David Wenham as the antagonist Neil Fletcher. For the role of the half-Aborigine boy Nullah, Luhrmann searched for months to find the young actor to play the role as 11-year old Brandon Walters was finally selected to play the part.

After several delays that plagued the production, shooting finally began in late April of 2007 though things still weren’t easy as Kidman learned she was pregnant forcing her to not take part in another film she signed on for in The Reader. Kidman also got ill during the production including scenes set in Kununurra area of western Australia where things got worse due to weather. Despite all of the problems that had plagued the production, shooting was finally finished in December of 2007 though Luhrmann did some additional re-shoots in August of 2008. During the film’s lengthy post-production in 2008, Luhrmann had a hard time figuring out how to end the film due to a poor test screening reception as he shot three endings finally selecting it for the film’s late November 2008 release.

The film finally premiered in that late November of 2008 where it did well commercially as it grossed over $200 million worldwide but its U.S. box office numbers were disappointing grossing nearly $50 million. The reviews for the film were very mixed as some critics praised it for its sweeping visuals and the leading performances of Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Yet, some were critical over its length, script, and other issues. While the film was a major hit in its native country and got a few awards from its local critics circle plus an Oscar nomination for Catherine Martin’s costume design. The film gave Luhrmann one of his big disappointments as he took a step away from the spotlight.

The Great Gatsby

While working on the post-production for Australia, Luhrmann was interested in doing another project that was to be a return to the lavishness of Moulin Rouge! in an adaptation of F. Scott’s Fitzgerald 1925 novel. Though Luhrmann took some time off after the release of Australia, he reunited with Craig Pearce to write a screenplay for the project. Luhrmann’s motivations for the film was to create something that showcased a world that seemed disconnected from reality as he felt that not much has changed in the 1920s to what is happening in the 21st Century.

The film would mark a reunion between Luhrmann and Leonardo diCaprio as the two were supposed to do the Alexander the Great film back in 2004 where diCaprio got the lead role of Jay Gatsby while Luhrmann also brought in Jack Thompson in the role of Dr. Walter Perkins as well as a cameo from Barry Otto. The cast would be filled by several Australian actors such as Jason Clarke as George B. Wilson, Isla Fisher as Myrtle Wilson, and newcomer Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker. With Tobey Maguire playing the role of Nick Carraway while Joel Edgerton got the part of Tom Buchanan after Ben Affleck turned it down due to work on Argo. The search for the role of Daisy Buchanan proved to be a challenge as many young actresses were up for the part where in early 2011, British actress Carey Mulligan got the part.

Another major part of the casting was giving the role of Jewish gangster Meyer Wolfsheim to legendary Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan as Luhrmann began shooting the film in September 2011 in Sydney, Australia instead of shooting the film in New York City. With Catherine Martin doing both the costume and production design while also serving as a producer, the film was to be a lavish look of the 1920s where the whole world was exaggerated while there is this sense of disconnect with a part of New York City known as the Valley of Ashes in between the city and the home of Jay Gatsby.

Since the film was to play with Luhrmann’s continuing theme in love, Luhrmann knew that there would have to be some kind of conflict over Gatsby’s desire to win back Daisy whom he hadn’t seen in five years. While Luhrmann used the same narrative device that he had done with Moulin Rouge!, the difference was that it would be told from Nick Carraway’s perspective as a man trying to recover from the decadence he took part in. Even as Carraway would watch closely to see Gatsby’s attempt to reclaim the past as it would eventually be his own downfall.

Another reunion for Luhrmann in the project was with music composer Craig Armstrong as he created a score that was largely orchestral while the music soundtrack would consist largely of contemporary pop music as rapper Jay-Z led the charge as he was also one of the film’s executive producers. The use of music allowed Luhrmann to find something that would be anachronistic but also play up to the energy and decadence of the times where the music would seem to make sense.

The film premiered on May 10, 2013 after being delayed for more than a year as it would also open the Cannes Film Festival five days later. While the film did receive mixed reviews from American film critics, it has managed to do well at the box office where audiences enjoyed the film’s lavishness as well as Leonardo diCaprio’s leading performance. While Luhrmann was aware of the criticism he was to receive for his approach to the film. He was unapologetic for making something that he knew was familiar with his other work as the film is in some ways another winner for the director.

Additional Works

Aside from his work in films and theater, Lurhmann has took part in various projects that each featured his own stamp on things. One project he did was a music video for John Paul Young’s Love Is in the Air to promote Strictly Ballroom. Featuring appearances from Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice, it is a video that is filled with kind of lavishness that Luhrmann is known for.



In 1998, Luhrmann released an album that was filled with remixes of songs that appeared in his films as well as spoken word material. Among them was a track called Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) as it featured the words of Mary Schmich as it’s spoken by Australian actor Lee Perry where the song was a worldwide hit while peaking at number 45 in the U.S.



In 2004, Luhrmann made a commercial for Chanel No. 5 with Nicole Kidman and Rodrigo Santoro that was inspired by the film Roman Holiday. The full-length 3-minute commercial showcases not just something that is part of Luhrmann’s visual style but also something that displays the idea of what Chanel is as it includes some costumes by Karl Lagerfeld.



While he may be known for being excessive or being a sensationalist, there is no question that Baz Luhrmann just wants to give the audience a good time. With five feature films under his belt and rumors of him doing another film with Leonardo diCaprio in an adaptation of Hamlet. He’s definitely a filmmaker who has a particular style that people either go for or not yet he always find something where he can tell a story and find some way to connect it to someone even if they can’t relate to it. That’s why Baz Luhrmann is important to the world of cinema as he can create something spectacular but also infuse it with heart.

© thevoid99 2013

The Great Gatsby (2013 film)

Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby is the story of a millionaire in the Roaring 20s as he lives an extravagant life as his new neighbor tries to get to know him and the mysteries about this millionaire. Directed by Baz Luhrmann and Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, the film is a stylized take on the famed novel with lots of lavish set pieces with a soundtrack that is mixture of 20s jazz with contemporary pop music. Starring Leonardo diCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Debicki, Jason Clarke, and Amitabh Bachchan as Meyer Wolfsheim. The Great Gatsby is a lavish yet mesmerizing film from Baz Luhrmann.

The film is the story a mysterious millionaire who throws these lavish parties in the hopes that an old flame would return to him to rekindle the love they once had. Yet, it is told largely from the perspective that millionaire’s neighbor Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) who is given personal access to the life and mind of this mysterious man known as Jay Gatsby (Leonardo diCaprio) as he recalls his time with the millionaire to a doctor (Jack Thompson). While Carraway tells this story, he delves into the mystery of Gatsby and his love for Carraway’s cousin Daisy (Carey Mulligan) who is married to a former polo player in Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). Yet, secrets are unveiled as Carraway tries to guard everything about Gatsby who is eager to revive an old past that can’t be replicated.

The screenplay that Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce creates moves back-and-forth as it is told from a weary Carraway at a hospital many years after the events of the story. While it’s a narrative device that Luhrmann had used before, it does help to play into the many mysteries that are slowly revealed. Notably the character of Gatsby himself as he throws these very lavish parties but few people see him with the exception of Carraway and a famed golf pro in Jordan Baker (Elizabeth Debicki) as the latter sort of knows Gatsby. There is still a traditional three-act structure in the film where the first act is about Carraway’s arrival in 1920s New York City where he lives next door to Gatsby as he later meets him. The second act is Carraway reintroducing Gatsby to Daisy as the two try to replicate what they once had. The third is Gatsby’s attempt to win Daisy all over again for good in an attempt to repeat the past only to be exposed by the jealous Buchanan.

Carraway is the film’s observer as he would also take part in some of the decadence that occurs but he’s also the great protector where he would guard secrets but sometimes it would be the detriment to those involved. The character of Daisy is sort of this aloof young woman who has married this former polo champion who is also a philandering man with a mistress in Myrtle Wilson (Isla Fisher). By coming back to Gatsby, she is eager to find happiness again but she becomes conflicted in her devotion to Buchanan who is suspicious about Gatsby as he becomes a very conniving individual eager to expose Gatsby to the world. He would also be the person that would play into Gatsby’s fall in the third act as it leads to some tragic consequences that Carraway would never recover from.

Luhrmann’s direction is definitely outrageous as he goes for something that is very decadent as well as extravagant to play up the energy of the 1920s. Still, it emphasizes into what Luhrmann wanted to reveal into a world that is sort of out of touch with reality where Gatsby is this shadowy party host who has more ambiguous intentions for these parties. For the Carraway character, Luhrmann displays him as a man who is in the action but also out of the action as a man lost in a very crazy world. Luhrmann definitely creates a lot of compositions and set pieces that play up to that sense of excitement where these parties are out of control. Yet, he also does slow things a bit when it comes to the romance between Gatsby and Daisy as if it’s all about trying to repeat the past.

Since it is told from Carraway’s perspective as it uses a lot of voice-over narration, it does play into something where it is about a young man trying to find himself in the wake of this very chaotic period of time. Though there’s some flaws in the narration since it does give away a lot, it does help to flesh out some of the characters. While there are moments in the film where the decadent moments can be a bit overwhelming, it is balanced by some very lush scenes that unveil a sense of longing as well as the tragedy that comes into play in the third act. The direction is very stylized in where Luhrmann places the camera as well as the setting he creates where there is some tension but also drama. Overall, Luhrmann creates a very exciting and poignant film about love and secrets in a period of decadence.

Cinematographer Simon Duggan does excellent work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography with its exotic colors of the daytime and nighttime exteriors including some lighting schemes in the interiors plus some lush coloring for some of its flashback scenes. Editors Matt Villa, Jason Ballantine, and Jonathan Redmond do some nice work with the editing though it sometimes go a bit fast to play out that sense of chaos while it does slow down a bit as the film goes on to get a sense of what is happening in the drama. Production/costume designer Catherine Martin, with set decorator Beverley Dunn and supervising art director Ian Gracie, does amazing work with the lavish set pieces such as the Gatsby home and the look of 1920s New York City while the costumes are very colorful and full of style as it plays to the period of the times.

Hair designer Kerry Warn and makeup designer Maurizio Silvi do brilliant work with the look of the characters from the hair and some of the makeup to play that sense of sensationalism. Visual effects supervisor Tony Cole does terrific work with the visual effects for some of the exteriors of New York City to some backdrops for the surroundings the characters inhabit. Sound designer Wayne Pashley does superb work with the sound from the way the parties play out with its sense of energy to some of the intimate moments in the film. The film’s music by Craig Armstrong is wonderful for its lush orchestral music to play out the sense of romance between Gatsby and Daisy as well as some more heavy pieces to play out it‘s melancholia. Music supervisor Anton Monsted creates a very fine soundtrack of music that features an array of 20s jazz music mixed in with contemporary pop music from Jay-Z, the xx, Lana del Rey, Emile Sande, Fergie, and many others.

The casting by Nikki Barrett and Ronna Kress is fantastic for the ensemble that is created as it features some appearances from Barry Otto as a partygoer, Conor Forgarty as Gatsby’s butler, Adelaide Clemons as Myrtle’s cousin Catherine, Callan McAullife as the young Gatsby, and Jack Thompson as Carraway’s doctor Walter Perkins. Amitabh Bachchan is excellent as the gangster Meyer Wolfsheim as a man who is full of charisma as he treats Gatsby like an old friend while Jason Clarke is terrific as the oblivious George Wilson. Isla Fisher is wonderful as the very needy mistress Myrtle Wilson who feels slighted by Buchanan while Elizabeth Debicki is amazing as the very fun yet knowing Jordan Baker who guides Carraway into the world of the rich.

Joel Edgerton is great as the very devious Tom Buchanan as a man who does love Daisy but is suspicious about Gatsby though he admits to his own flaws as a man. Carey Mulligan is superb as Daisy Buchanan as a young woman who becomes conflicted in her devotion to Tom and her love for Gatsby as she’s also sort of flighty. Tobey Maguire is brilliant as Nick Carraway as an outsider who becomes part of the world while becoming the one person bearing the responsibility to carry the secrets he has learned from the people he meets. Finally, there’s Leonardo diCaprio in a remarkable role as Jay Gatsby as he’s a man that exudes charm and with while being totally cool where diCaprio also shows some humor in his performance as well as humility in the third as it is one of his finest performances.

The Great Gatsby is a marvelous film from Baz Luhrmann that features a phenomenal performance from Leonardo diCaprio. Along with a great supporting cast and some amazing technical work, the film is definitely a very sensational and excessive film that isn’t afraid to be style over substance. While it does have some flaws, it is still a film that is engaging for exploring that world of 1920s decadence as well as a man’s desire to reclaim the past. In the end, The Great Gatsby is a sprawling yet exciting film from Baz Luhrmann.

Baz Luhrmann Films: Strictly Ballroom - William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet - Moulin Rouge! - Australia - The Auteurs #23: Baz Luhrmann

© thevoid99 2013

Australia (2008 film)

Directed by Baz Luhrmann and screenplay by Luhrmann, Ronald Harwood, Stuart Beattie, and Richard Flanagan from a story by Luhrmann, Australia is the story of an Englishwoman who travels to Australia to discover her husband’s death as she takes over the cattle business with a help of a drover while taking care of a half-Aborigine boy. Set in the late 1930s to early 1940s during the start of World War II, the film is an epic story of how a woman tries to take control of her destiny while dealing with forces that are trying to stop her as she tries to protect a young boy. Starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Brandon Walters, David Wenham, Bryan Brown, Ben Mendelsohn, Jack Thompson, and David Gulpilil. Australia is a grand though underwhelming film from Baz Luhrmann.

The film revolves around a period in time where half-Aborigine children, known as the Stolen Generations, were taken away from their families by the governments of the early 20th Century to be integrated with white societies. Notably as it has a plot revolving around a boy named Nullah (Brandon Walters) who is half-Aborigine where he intrigues an aristocratic Englishwoman in Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) who later becomes the maternal figure he needed following the death of his mother. While she embraces the new world she has arrived into as well as gaining the trust of a hardened yet kind man known as the Drover (Hugh Jackman). She also deals with all sorts of trials and tribulations relating to her burgeoning cattle business as well as witnessing the bombing of Darwin in 1942 where many characters deal with its impact and near-tragedy.

The screenplay that Luhrmann and his co-writers create is very multi-layered with lots of storylines revolving around many characters set in the span of three years from 1939 to 1942. While there are moments in the story that do falter a bit such as the mystery into the death of Lady Ashley’s husband where it is obvious into what really happened. It does play into the arrival of this woman who comes into a land that she has no knowledge about as she is seen as an outsider of sorts. By discovering why her husband went to the Australian outback which involves cattle, she decides to take control by protecting Nullah who had been mistreated by the very cruel Neil Fletcher who had been working for the cattle baron Lesley “King” Carney (Bryan Brown). With the help of the Drover and various other people, the film’s first act is about Lady Ashley’s arrival into Australia and becoming the competition that Carney tries to avoid.

The second act isn’t just about Lady Ashley’s romance with the Drover and the brief happiness she has with him and Nullah but also revelations into her husband’s death and what Aborigine children have to do which also plays into the presence of Nullah’s grandfather King George (David Gulpilil) whom Fletcher claimed had killed Lady Ashley’s husband. The third act takes place in 1942 during World War II where Lady Ashley, the Drover, and Nullah are separated as Nullah was taken to a remote island with other half-Aborigine children as Lady Ashley vows to get him back as she thinks of him as her son. The script does allow its principle characters like Lady Ashley and the Drover to develop where the latter is also an outsider because of his friendship with the Aborigine as he had a wife who was Aborigine.

While some of the ideas about the attitude towards Aborigines at the time is a bit heavy-handed in the story, it does play into the fact that both the Drover and Lady Ashley are outsiders who are willing to do right for those people despite what society thinks. The antagonist in Neil Fletcher is a conniving individual who does have a secret of his own though it is one aspect of the character that doesn’t work where it is also obvious. Still, there is something about Fletcher as he’s character that audiences love to hate as he often spouts the words, “pride is not power”.

Luhrmann’s direction is definitely grand in the way he presents Australia during that time period where it is a mixture of a lot of genres ranging from the sweeping romantic epic, the costume dramas, some comedy, the war film, and elements of the western. It’s a film that is all over the place where it can be called a mess a times but it makes up for as Luhrmann aims to create a film that recalls the epics of the past. Shooting on location in Australia including the Never Never desert in the Outback, Luhrmann uses the locations to present something that is visually-astonishing as well as epic to express how vast the land is. The place itself is just as much as a character of the film as everything else.

There are also moments in the film when Luhrmann knows where he doesn’t need to be extravagant where he does keep things simple in the way the characters interact with each other. Luhrmann does create some shots that are filled with a lot of lively moments and surprises to amp up the romance or the drama including some very harrowing scenes of the Darwin bombings. Though there are bits of the film’s ending which are over-drawn, it does work to reinforce the idea of love and family that the three central characters need from one another. Overall despite some of its messy moments and a few flaws in the story, Luhrmann does create a very worthwhile and engaging film about love and identity.

Cinematographer Mandy Walker does amazing work with the film‘s very gorgeous and colorful cinematography from the look of the rugged landscape with its naturalistic look to the more stylish scenes in some of the interiors and exterior settings in Darwin. Editors Dody Dorn and Michael McCusker do excellent work with the editing as it plays to an air of style with some rhythmic cuts for some of the film’s action moments as well as some montages to help establish a few key moments in the story. Production/costume designer Catherine Martin, with set decorator Beverley Dunn and supervising art director Ian Gracie, does fantastic work with the set pieces to recreate the look of late 1930s Darwin with its bars as well as the home Lady Ashley has in the Outback while the costumes that Martin creates are just beautiful to play up the evolving style of Lady Ashley along with the rugged look of the Drover who also shows that he has a very classy side to himself.

The film’s visual effects by Chris Godfrey does wonderful work with some of the film‘s visual effects for the extravagant Darwin bombing scene as well as a few visual effects shots in the Outback. Sound designer Wayne Pushley does superb work with the sound to capture some of the tense atmosphere in the Outback along with more layered sound work in the Darwin bombing scenes. The film’s music by David Hirschfelder is terrific for its use of sweeping orchestral arrangements and bombast along with some serene moments that includes the use of Somewhere In the Rainbow that becomes a key piece for Nullah and Lady Ashley. The soundtrack consists of music from that period with its mix of jazz, Australian folk, and pop along with new songs by Elton John and Angela Little to play up the sense of adventure and romance in the film.

The casting by Nikki Barrett and Ronna Kress is brilliant as it features a large collective of actors for this film. The film features appearances from Bill Hunter as a skipper, Barry Otto as a government representative overseeing the cattle industry, Ursula Yovich as Nullah’s mother, Ray Barrett as Lady Ashley’s British counsel, Sandy Gore as King Carney’s wife Gloria, Yuen Wah as a Cantonese chef living in Faraway Downs, Jacek Koman as the Faraway Downs saloon keeper Ivan, and Tony Barry as Sgt. Callahan who heads the Northern Territory police unit. Essie Davis is very good as King Carney’s daughter Catherine who is an admirer of Lady Ashley while Jack Thompson is quite funny and excellent as Lady Ashley’s alcoholic accountant Kipling Flynn. David Ngoombujarra is wonderful as the Drover’s brother-in-law Magarri who helps him out while Ben Mendelsohn is terrific as the army officer Captain Dutton who becomes a close ally for Lady Ashley.

David Gulpilil is amazing as the mysterious Aborigine King George who aids Lady Ashley and the Drover through the Outback despite his distrust towards the whites. Bryan Brown is great as the cattle baron King Carney as a man eager to have a monopoly in the cattle industry. Brandon Walters is remarkable as the half-Aborigine boy Nullah who becomes the one person in Lady Ashley’s life to make her stay in Australia as he also helps her become a rich cattle baron. David Wenham is superb as the very slimy and conniving Neil Fletcher who tries to do whatever to bring down Lady Ashley.

Hugh Jackman is marvelous as the Drover as a man who knows Australia better than anyone as he comes off as a very rugged yet stubborn man but also one who is very kind and can become a gentleman. Nicole Kidman is radiant as Lady Sarah Ashley as a woman who arrives to the country as an outsider only to become a more proud and fierce woman eager to lead and become someone not to be messed with. The scenes with Kidman and Jackman are just glorious to watch as the two have great chemistry together as they are among one of the film’s highlights.

Despite some of its shortcomings in its story, Australia is a still a visually-gorgeous and stellar film from Baz Luhrmann. Thanks to the leading performances of Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman along with some amazing technical work and a supporting cast. The film is definitely a worthwhile film that has a lot to offer though it is a bit of a mess at times. In the end, Australia is a very good film from Baz Luhrmann.

Baz Luhrmann Films: Strictly Ballroom - William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet - Moulin Rouge - The Great Gatsby (2013 film) - The Auteurs #23: Baz Luhrmann

© thevoid99 2013

Strictly Ballroom

Directed by Baz Luhrmann and written by Luhrmann, Andrew Bovell, and Craig Pearce from the play of the same name, Strictly Ballroom is the story about a young Australian ballroom dancer who decides to defy the rules by taking an ugly duckling as his partner while finding personal fulfillment in the paso doble. The film is a mixture of satire in the world of ballroom dancing as well as story of a young man trying to find personal fulfillment in dancing while dealing with the chaos of his family who are hoping to succeed in the world of ballroom dancing. Starring Paul Mercurio, Tara Morice, Gia Carides, Pat Thomson, Barry Otto, Peter Whitford, and Bill Hunter. Strictly Ballroom is a dazzling and heartfelt film from Baz Luhrmann.

The world of ballroom dancing is a place where dancers compete one another to display their sense of discipline, showmanship, and footwork under a strict guideline of rules where the prize is being a champion. The film is about a young ballroom dancer who is tired by the restrictions he has to bear as a dancer in a desire to find artistic freedom where he teams up with a beginner at his family’s dance studio as they eventually choose to dance the paso doble. The news would only cause chaos not just in the dancer’s family but also the Federation President Barry Fife (Bill Hunter) who holds all the cards for what is the future of ballroom dancing as he sees this young man being a threat of everything he’s believed in. It’s all taking place in this world of ballroom dancing where the idea of defying the rules just to express oneself can lead to trouble or it will the chance to change things.

The screenplay that Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce create explore isn’t just a young man’s artistic desire but also to find meaning as a dancer. While Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio) is someone who has trained to become a champion at the Pan Pacific Grand Prix since the age of six under the tutelage of his mother Shirley Hastings (Pat Thomson) and longtime family friend Les Kendall (Peter Whitford). There is this enormous pressure to win the Pan Pacific under all of the rules set by the dancing federation while having to compete with the more revered but over-the-hill dancing champion Ken Railings (John Hannan). By teaming up with this young ugly duckling beginner in Fran (Tara Morice), it gives him the chance to find some fulfillment in the dance steps that he wants to do while she would introduce to paso doble steps. The introduction of the paso doble through Fran and her family of Spanish gypsies wouldn’t just give Scott the artistic fulfillment he needs but also the chance to dance without compromise while showing that it could do more than just win the audience over.

The Barry Fife character is a very unique individual who was a great ballroom dancing champion and considered a God in the world of ballroom dancing. Scott’s defiance not only causes trouble where many in the ballroom dancing community fear that change is coming but it would press Fife to tell Scott some secrets that relates to his father Doug Hastings (Barry Otto) who was once a ballroom dancing champion. The Doug Hastings character is a man who has become a very meek individual who does maintenance chores in the studio while secretly dancing his own steps when no one is around. He is treated with disdain by his wife where the film’s climax in the Pan Pacific reveal not just some truths about what happened to them but also what kind of man Barry Fife really is.

The direction of Baz Luhrmann is very energetic in not just the way some of the more upbeat dancing is presented but also in some of the humor that he creates in the film. Notably as the film features an early sequence where many of the film’s principle characters talk directly to the camera as if it was a documentary to reveal what went wrong when Scott Hastings decides to break the rules and do crowd-pleasing steps. The film then becomes more straightforward while having an air of style such as the very dramatic outbursts of Scott’s former partner Liz Holt (Gia Carides) as well as Luhrmann’s zoom close-ups to play up the sense of dramatic tension. Style is part of Luhrmann’s forte as a filmmaker in not just the way he presents the world of dancing but also how he frames the actors in a scene or to play out something funny that can be natural or just off-the-wall.

There’s also moments where Luhrmann just wants to keep thing simple in not just some of the dancing but also in the dramatic moments. Particularly as Luhrmann wants to use the frame to tell a story while playing up the romance between Scott and Fran where it builds slowly not just in their dancing but the way they bond outside of dancing. The dancing definitely proves to be a major high point of the film as Luhrmann gets the help of choreographer John O’Connell and flamenco trainer Antonio Vargas as the latter plays Fran’s father. Even in the film’s climax where it is about Scott and Fran not just showing that rules are made to be broken but also to emphasize that it’s all about the dance and what joy it can bring to people. Overall, Luhrmann creates an exhilarating and enjoyable film about love and dancing.

Cinematographer Steve Mason does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the look of some of the exterior scenes as well as some of the lighting in the interiors scenes including some of the dancing competition scenes. Editor Jill Bilcock does brilliant work with the editing as it plays to not just to the rhythm of the music and dancing but also in some of the crazier moments such as a few montages and some slower moments in the dramatic scenes. Production designer Catherine Martin and art director Martin Brown do great work with the set pieces from the studio that Scott’s mother runs to the ballroom dancing arenas as well as lovely sequence about Scott’s father.

Costume designer Angus Straithe does fantastic work with the costumes from the lavish clothes the dancers wear for the competition to the more casual clothes they wear outside of the dancehalls. Makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt and hair designer Paul Williams do terrific work with the look of some of the characters in the makeup and hair design for some of the ballroom dancing competition as it‘s meant to play up that sense of extravagance. Sound recorder Ben Osmo does nice work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the dancing competitions as well as the more intimate moments in the dancing such as the sound of the paso doble steps. The film’s music by David Hirschfelder is wonderful for some of the music that is played in the dancing competition while also creating a soundtrack filled with pop songs to not only play out some of the romance that includes a duet of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time by Tara Morice and Mark Williams.

The casting by Faith Martin and Fiona McConaghy is superb for the ensemble that is created that features some memorable small roles Lauren Hewett as Scott’s young sister Kylie, Steve Grace as Kylie’s partner Luke, Pip Mushin and Leonie Page as Scott’s fellow dance friends Wayne and Vanessa, Kris McQuade as Fife’s longtime associate Charm Leachman, Sonia Kruger as the famed ballroom dancer Tina Sparkle, Todd McKenney as Tina’s old partner Nathan Starkey, and John Hannan as the revered but alcoholic ballroom dancer Ken Railings. Armonia Benedito and Antonio Vargas are terrific in their respective roles as Fran’s grandmother and father who help Fran and Scott how to dance the paso doble. Peter Whitford is wonderful as Scott’s longtime mentor Les who tries to make sure Scott takes on the right path to success as he’s trying to deal with Scott’s sense of defiance.

Gia Carides is funny as Scott’s former dance partner Liz who feels upset that Scott doesn’t want to do things the old way as she briefly become Ken Railings’ partner. Pat Thomson is excellent as Scott’s mother Shirley who is hoping that Scott would finally succeed to capture the elusive dream of becoming a Pan Pacific champion only to realize that he doesn’t want to do things their way. Barry Otto is great as Scott’s meekly father Doug as a man who carries a secret about himself as he is awakened by his son’s desire to dance his own way. Bill Hunter is brilliant as ballroom dancing president Barry Fife as he brings charm to a man who is quite devious but also intent on making sure no one rebels against the old rules. Tara Morice is remarkable as Fran as a young woman who wants to dance with Scott while helping him to find freedom in his dancing. Paul Mercurio is fantastic as Scott as a young dancer eager to find some fulfillment in dance while wanting to show that you can do something new and get some rewards.

Strictly Ballroom is a marvelous film from Baz Luhrmann that showcases the world of ballroom dancing. Armed with a great ensemble cast, a fun soundtrack, and some dazzling moments, it’s a film that does more than just entertain while creating an engaging story about following dreams and doing what one feels is right. In the end, Strictly Ballroom is an enchanting film from Baz Luhrmann.

Baz Luhrmann Films: William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet - Moulin Rouge! - Australia - The Great Gatsby (2013 film) - The Auteurs #23: Baz Luhrmann

© thevoid99 2013

William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet

Directed by Baz Luhrmann, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a modern take on the famed tragic love story involving two young people from feuding families falling in love with each other. With a screenplay Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, the film is the chance to redefine the famed Shakespeare story in a modern setting while retaining Shakespeare’s dialogue to maintain his language. Starring Leonardo diCaprio, Claire Danes, John Leguizamo, Brian Dennehy, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Sorvino, Diane Venora, Harold Perrineau, Miriam Margoyles, Paul Rudd, and Vondie Curtis-Hall. William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a dazzling film from Baz Luhrmann.

The story of Romeo & Juliet is often told in many variations as it is about the tragedy of two young people who fall in love in the middle of a war between their families. By setting it in present time where guns replace swords and cars instead of horses, Baz Luhrmann and co-screenwriter Craig Pearce allow the story to be told for a new audience who might not be able to understand William Shakespeare’s story. As a result, not only does Luhrmann and Pearce were able to be faithful to Shakespeare’s tragedy as well as retain his language but also find a way to make it relevant for a teenage audience as well as be engaging enough for older audiences.

While the script does make some alterations for the story in order to make it more dramatic, Luhrmann and Pearce do maintain that sense of faithfulness in the story while not using exposition to explain the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues other than they’re just two businessmen who hate each other. Caught in the middle of this feud are their children Juliet Capulet (Claire Danes) and Romeo Montague (Leonardo diCaprio) who prefer not to be involved as Juliet is already set to marry a governor’s son in Dave Paris (Paul Rudd) while Romeo is reeling from a break-up. Meeting at party at the Capulets mansion, the two fall in love as they have no idea who they are yet realize what families they’re from. Still, neither Romeo nor Juliet have a care in the world of what their families would think as they hope their union would bring peace to their feuding families though there are those like Juliet’s cousin Tybalt (John Leguizamo) who sees Romeo and the Montagues as villains.

Characters like Juliet’s nurse (Miriam Margoyle) and Father Lawrence (Pete Postlethwaite) would play their roles as those who would try to create the peace between the two families yet events would shatter this peace leading to Romeo’s banishment from Verona Beach and Juliet’s own despair. Even as Father Lawrence would try to do things to get the two together in the film’s third act yet the schematics of what Shakespeare would do to convey the tragedy that is to come.

Luhrmann’s direction is definitely stylish in its presentation as he shoots the film largely in Mexico with bits of Miami as Verona Beach. Filled with an array of dazzling shots and some gorgeous scenery of the locations, the direction is definitely off-kilter in the way the modern world is presented where it’s a mixture of rich and poor where both feuding families go into these locations. While Luhrmann is known for creating images that can be very dazzling and often over-the-top at times. There are also moments where Luhrmann knows when to slow down and create something that is simple and understated such as the scene of Romeo and Juliet seeing each other for the very first time through a fish tank. The way Luhrmann presents this meeting has images that are just beautiful in the way the faces reflect in the glass as there’s a lush musical accompaniment in the background.

It’s one of those moments that shows Luhrmann’s skills as a filmmaker and as a storyteller while he finds a way to inject bits of light humor in the romance while letting Shakespeare’s dialogue flow naturally through the young actors. Even in the way he frames some of the scenes such as the scenes in the church where Luhrmann creates a lot of colorful imagery and maintain that sense of beauty and tragedy that is to happen. The use of TV news footage also helps maintain an air of suspense to establish the chaos of the feud as well as the film’s climax while both films open and end with an anchorwoman (Edwina Moore) reciting the opening and closing text of Shakespeare’s words. Overall, Luhrmann creates a sensational yet entrancing take on William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy.

Cinematographer Donald M. McAlpine does amazing work with the film‘s colorful cinematography with the use of lights in some of the film‘s interior settings as well as the nighttime exterior scenes along with some lush camera work in the daytime exterior scenes such as the trailer park Romeo was banished to. Editor Jill Bilcock does brilliant work with the film‘s hyper-stylized editing with some of the fast-cutting in the party and confrontation scenes along with some slow yet methodical cuts in some of the film‘s romantic and dramatic moments. Production designer Catherine Martin, with set decorator Brigitte Broch and art director Doug Hardwick, does great work with the look of the Verona Beach with its location dressing and places that Romeo often hangs out as well as some of the interiors of the church and Capulet mansion.

Costume designer Kym Barrett does fantastic work with the costumes from the clothes at the costume party many of the characters wear to some of the colorful casual clothing that Romeo wears and the dresses of Juliet as well as some of the design of the guns the characters carry. Visual effects supervisor Rebecca Marie does nice work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects such as the minor backdrops of some of the exterior scenes. Sound editor Tim Holland and sound designer Gareth Vanderhope do wonderful work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the parties as well as the chaos of some of the film‘s violent moments.

The film’s music by Nellee Hooper, Marius de Vries, and Craig Armstrong is superb for its mixture of lush orchestration and low-key electronic music to convey the sense of action and romance with Armstrong‘s string arrangements playing out the sense of romance. The film’s music soundtrack contains an array of pieces ranging from alternative rock, pop, dance, and soul music that is an intoxicating mix to play out the sense of romance and tragedy. Songs by Garbage, Everclear, the Butthole Surfers, Gavin Friday, Des’ree, Radiohead, Kym Mazelle, the Cardigans, and many others are just some of the reasons into why the film is so full of life as it helps elevate the film’s sense of drama.

The casting by David Rubin is incredible as it includes an outstanding collection of actors for this film. In small roles, there’s M. Emmet Walsh as an apothecary who runs a pool hall, Quindon Tarver as a choir boy, Edwina Moore as the anchorwoman, Vincent Laresca and Carlos Martin Manzo Otolora as a couple of Capulet soldiers, Zak Orth and Jamie Kennedy as a couple of Montague men, and Jesse Bradford as Romeo’s cousin Balthasar. Other notable small roles include Vondie Curtis-Hall as the police authority Captain Prince, Dash Mihok as Romeo’s peaceful cousin Benvolio, and Paul Rudd as the very dorky governor’s son Dave Paris who is set to be Juliet’s husband. Miriam Margoyles is wonderful as the nurse who is sort of a mother figure for Juliet as she also tries to help create the union with Romeo. Pete Postlethwaite is superb as Father Lawrence who sees Romeo and Juliet’s love as a chance to end a feud as well as trying desperately to bring true love to the forefront.

Christina Pickles and Brian Dennehy are excellent as Romeo’s parents who are concerned for Romeo while Paul Sorvino and Diane Venora are great as Juliet’s parents where they add a sense of extravagance to their roles. Harold Perrineau is brilliant as Romeo’s friend Mercutio who is a fun-loving man who tries to defend Romeo against the Capulets and Tybalt. John Leguizamo is amazing as Tybalt as a man who hates all Montagues where Leguizamo definitely goes all out for the role of this very vile man.

Finally, there’s the performances of Leonardo diCaprio and Claire Danes in their respective roles as Romeo and Juliet. Both actors bring in performances that are just phenomenal with diCaprio maintaining that mix of sensitivity and bravura as Romeo while Danes brings a sense of awkward innocence and angst to her role as Juliet. The duo are really the highlight of the film as they have great chemistry together and definitely display chops that they would unveil in the years to come.

William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a spectacular film from Baz Luhrmann that features sensational performances from Leonardo diCaprio and Claire Danes. Along with great technical work, a brilliant soundtrack, and a superb supporting cast. It’s a film that takes William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy to the modern world and make it accessible for a new audience while having something Shakespeare fans can enjoy. In the end, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is an enchantingly rich film from Baz Luhrmann.

Baz Luhrmann Films: Strictly Ballroom - Moulin Rouge! - Australia - The Great Gatsby (2013 film) - The Auteurs #23: Baz Luhrmann

© thevoid99 2013

2012 Cannes Marathon: Moulin Rouge!

(Opening the 2001 Cannes Film Festival & Played in Competition for the Palme D’or)

Directed by Baz Luhrmann and written by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, Moulin Rouge! is the story of a English writer who travels to 1899 Paris where he becomes part of the Bohemian culture where falls for a sickly courtesan and contend with a greedy duke. The film is a lavish musical set at a period where things are changing as it features music from the late 20th Century. Starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Richard Roxburgh, Jacek Koman, Caroline O’Connor, and Jim Broadbent. Moulin Rouge! is a spectacular and extremely-entertaining film from Baz Luhrmann.

Arriving from England to Bohemian Paris is a young aspiring writer named Christian (Ewan McGregor) as he meets a group of performers led by the midget Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo). After creating some inspiring contributions to their play entitled Spectacular Spectacular, Christian joins Toulouse, the narcoleptic Argentine (Jacek Koman), and the musical composer Nini Legs-in-the-Air (Caroline O’Connor), and the bearded musician Satie (Matthew Whittet) to the Moulin Rouge to see its attraction in the beautiful courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman). Also there is the Duke of Monroth (Richard Roxburgh) whom the owner of the Moulin Rouge in Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent) hopes to invest money in a future production. When Zidler performs with Satine, he tells her that the Duke wants to meet her as she mistakes Christian as the Duke where things become confusing when the Duke arrives where Christian, Zidler, Satine, and the gang reveal that they’re working on a play that would be exciting.

The Duke agrees to fund the play called Spectacular Spectacular to the delight of Satine, Christian, Zidler, and the troupe but a private meeting with the Duke has Zidler uneasy about the deal he’s making as the Duke wants Satine for himself. Yet, Satine and Christian start to fall in love during the making of the play as they try to avoid the Duke and his henchman Warner (Linal Haft) while Zidler becomes worried as he discovers a secret about Satine that would destroy everything. When a rough version of the play is presented in full for the Duke, he is unhappy about the ending forcing Zidler to try and deal with him where he asks Satine to deal with the Duke for the sake of the play. Satine tries to get the Duke to reason with her only to feel compromised by her love for Christian.

When Zidler tells her about the secret that only he and her assistant (Lara Mulcahy) know, Satine is forced to give in and have Christian be forced out. Yet, it would take the ideas of truth, beauty, freedom, and love for Christian to try and win Satine at the night of the play.

The film is about a young aspiring writer telling the story about how he fell for a courtesan during Bohemian Paris at the Moulin Rouge where he had to contend with a greedy duke for her love. Meanwhile, he tries to create a play with a group of artists that he hopes would win her love as the play about a penniless sitar player who tries to deal with a maharajah for a woman’s life that would mirror his own conflict with the Duke. It’s a story that is quite simple as it focuses on the ideas that the Bohemians wanted to state but it’s told from a young man who wanted to be part of that world only to tell what happened the year before when that world was thriving.

Characters like Christian and Satine are people who want to be great though Satine hopes to achieve greatness outside of Moulin Rouge. Together, they become lovers who find something together away from their world of art while they both had to deal with a greedy, demanding Duke who is on the verge of becoming a loose cannon. It’s up to the Moulin Rouge’s owner to try and reason with the Duke or else he loses everything that he’s worked so hard for only to realize he’s about to lose more than his beloved palace of entertainment. Screenwriters Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce definitely succeed in finding motivations for these key characters while adding some nice moments for some smaller characters to stand out. While they’re aware that the story is a simple one, it’s still engaging for the fact that it is a love story with charm and adventure.

Luhrmann’s direction is definitely style over substance but it manages to works because it knows that it’s all about style rather than substance. From the fast-paced, jerky tracking shots to unveil Paris early in the film to the chaos that is the Moulin Rouge with its can-can dances. Luhrmann creates a world that is very lively and over-the-top while doing whatever he can to capture the energy of these dances. Since the film is a musical with these amazing musical numbers, Luhrmann knows how to slow things down for the ballads but also play to the energy of the upbeat songs. Notably the latter as it refuses to take itself so seriously by just being silly in a fun way. It allows the audience to take part in these musical numbers including the climatic play that is inspired by Bollywood.

While there is a lot of craziness in these dazzling dance sequence and upbeat musical numbers, Luhrmann does manage to focus on the film’s story by creating a lot of entrancing close-up on the characters and give reason for the music to help tell the story. Even in the love ballads where Luhrmann has the camera fixated on both Christian and Satine where they would profess their love for each other. The overall result is a musical that lives up to the namesake of its fictional play’s title and more that can only be masterminded by someone who is unapologetic in his emphasis on style like Baz Luhrmann.

Cinematographer Donald McAlpine does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography where it plays into Luhrmann‘s emphasis on style by utilizing blue lights to convey moods as well as an array of colors to help create something that is exciting and vibrant for its interior and exterior settings. Editor Jill Bilcock creates dazzling work with the film‘s hyper-stylized editing with the use of jump-cuts, fast-cuts, and dissolves to play around with the film‘s musical numbers and craziness while knowing when to slow things down for the ballads in the film. The work of production/costume designer Catherine Martin is truly amazing for the way she creates the extravagant sets such as the Moulin Rouge stage and the turn-of-the-century costumes worn by the characters With the help of set decorator Brigitte Broch, art director Ian Gracie, and co-costume designer Angus Strathie, Martin’s work is definitely the film’s technical highlight.

Hair/makeup designers Maurizio Silvi and Aldo Signoretti do wonderful work with the look for many of the film‘s characters such as Zipler with his beard and hair along with the look for several other small characters in the film. Visual effects supervisor Chris Godfrey does brilliant work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects for the film‘s exterior settings of Paris including the moon that features the voice of Placido Domingo. Sound recorders Craig Heath, Robert Renga, and Guntis Sics do terrific work with the sound work to capture the chaotic atmosphere of the Moulin Rouge as well as the smaller sounds in the film‘s climatic play scene. Choreographer John O’Connell does fantastic work with the dance choreography to play out the extravagance of the dance numbers where things are chaotic but also fun to watch.

Another major highlight of the film is music by Craig Armstrong that is filled with lush orchestral flourishes to play out some of the drama and adventure aspects of the film. Music director Marius de Vries and supervisor Anton Monsted create a truly phenomenal mix of music that plays to the craziness of the dance sequences as well as the splendor of the love ballads. Fusing a cover of LaBelle’s Lady Marmalade with Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit plus elements of songs like T. Rex’s Children of the Revolution and Marilyn Monroe’s Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend with Madonna’s Material Girl are some of the film’s highlights. Yet, it’s the love medley that features many classic love songs by Elton John, the Beatles, Phil Collins, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, and many others are the real highlights. The overall soundtrack is truly one of the best in the world of film.

The casting by Ronna Kress is great for the ensemble that is created as it features cameo appearances from Strictly Ballroom star Tara Morice as a prostitute early in the film, David Wenham as the androgynous writer Audrey, and Australian pop legend Kylie Minogue as the Green Fairy. Other notable small roles include Peter Whitford as the stage manager, Linal Haft as the Duke’s henchman Warner, Kiruna Stamell as the dancer La Petite Princess, Kerry Walker as the dancer Marie, Matthew Whittet as the musical troupe member Satie, Deobia Oparei as stage actor Le Chocolat, Lara Mulcahy as Satine’s aide, and Caroline O’Connor as the eccentric composer Nini Legs-in-the-Air. Jacek Koman is excellent as the narcoleptic Argentine who provides a lot of humor to his kooky character while John Leguizamo is fun as the very outrageous Toulouse who pushes Christian to follow his dreams.

Richard Roxburgh is terrific as the twitchy yet devious antagonist Duke of Monroth whose obsession with Satine leads him to try and take control of the play and wants Satine for his own selfish reasons. The film’s best supporting performance is Jim Broadbent as Harold Zidler in the way he presents himself as this boisterous and larger-than-life man who owns and runs the Moulin Rouge who tries to win over the Duke while being a more serious man when he has to deal with the secret about Satine. Ewan McGregor is incredible as the idealistic Christian who falls for Satine as he wants to fit in with this new world while McGregor truly displays his amazing talents as a vocalist where he and Nicole Kidman truly have great chemistry as vocalists and as actors.

The film’s best performance easily goes to Nicole Kidman who really gives a performance that is definitely filled with star power and more. Proving to be a very capable vocalist who can use her charm and wit to win over a large crowd while also being very funny in some of the film’s whimsical scenes. It’s also a performance where Kidman can bring torment to her character torn by her love for this young writer but also a secret that would allow her to give a grand performance in the film’s climatic play. It’s truly among one of Kidman’s great performances of her career.

Moulin Rouge! is a magnificent film from Baz Luhrmann that features outstanding performances from Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, and Jim Broadbent. The film is definitely Luhrmann’s best film to emphasize his unique approach to style over substance that is truly engaging to watch. It’s also a film that really brings the musical back to life without taking itself too seriously and just do what it needs to do which is to entertain. In the end, Moulin Rouge! is a rip-roaring and exciting film from Baz Luhrmann.

Baz Luhrmann Films: Strictly Ballroom - William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet - Australia - The Great Gatsby (2013 film) - The Auteurs #23: Baz Luhrmann

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