Self-Reflexivity in Popular Culture Pastiche in Moulin Rouge Compiled by Amitee, Sarah Steve

Brief Outline  Introduction of Moulin Rouge  Pastiche A) Theme --Orpheus myth/Carmille/Bohemian B) Setting --Paris/Bollywood C) Elements --Songs D) Stylistic pastiche --Cartoon/Camera/Architecture

Introduction of Moulin Rouge  Moulin Rouge -- French club in red-light district in Paris in late 19th century  Director: Baz Luhrmann -- “ Visual Stylist ” -- Uses of color and frenetic motions  Musical (pastiche) -- Moulin Rouge used the plot of famous stories and added popular songs and dances to make the movie a musical.  A play within a play --Christian, as a character, told a story about Satine and himself.

Theme  Orpheus — --Uses music (art) to rescue woman.  Camellia — --A couple comes from different social levels. --Their relationship causes financial pressure and leads to their doom. --The woman dies of phthisis (TB).  La Boehem — --The love story of young Parisian artists. --Living with their ideals. --The heroine dies afterwards because of phthisis as well.

Setting  Monmoutre — an area near Paris where gathered artists from all over the world. Artists accelerated the prosperity of caf é s and taverns. Dancers who were wearing gorgeously decorated skirts, danced to exciting music, shook their buts and kicked their legs straight to the roof.The dance is called “ Can Can ” by British people and considered as obscene.  Bollywood — Combine magnificent decors, splendid settings, musical styles (songs and dances), and India elements.

Pastiche--Song  Moulin Rouge combines the songs from 20th century to reinterpret the images of 19th century.  The songs were rewritten or make a deliberate misinterpretation out of the original lyrics to fit into the story.  The songs were parallel to the plot when they were expressing the feelings of characters.

Pastiche--Song SongOriginal LyricLyric in Moulin Rouge Sound of music Love of music The hills are alive with the sound of music With songs they have sung for a thousand years. The hills fill my heart with the sound of music My heart wants to sing every song it hears Christian came up with a line of a show The hills are alive with the sound of music Sparklin g diamond Material girl Cause we are living in a material world And I am a material girl Description of Satine and her fancy world

SongOriginal LyricLyric in Moulin Rouge Your song Love for mother How wonderful life is now you ’ re in the world 1)Christian confessed to Satine with his work 2)Satine used the line to persuade the duke 3)The duke described his feelings inside One day I will fly away A girl saying goodbye to her lover I follow the night Can ’ t stand the light When will I begin My life again One day I ’ ll fly away Leave your love to yesterday Satine ’ s regret to her life in Moulin Rouge and her dream to the future

SongOriginal lyricLyric in Moulin Rouge On the elephant house  Your song  Love is like oxygen  Love is a many splendid thing  Up where we belong  All you need is love  Lover ’ s game  I was made for loving you  Just one night  Pride (in the name of love)  Don ’ t leave me this way  Silly love song  Heroes  I will always love you  Your song (reprise) Christian tried to convince Satine that love is important Satine refused to believe Christian kept persuading Satine and giving her promises Sainte finally accepted his love and sang with him

SongOriginal lyricLyric in Moulin Rouge Like a virgin Confession of a girl in love I was beat incomplete I'd been had, i was sad and blue But you made me feel Yeah, you made me feel Shiny and new Zidler lied to the duke in order to cover the fact of Satine ’ s illness Roxanne The tango dance reflect Christian ’ s feeling The show must go on Eager to be free from the stage Inside my heart is breaking My make-up may be flaking But my smile still stays on 1)Zidler ’ s intension to keep running the theater 2)Satine was forced to lie to Christian to save his life

Stylistic Pastiche -- Cartoon  Green fairy with flakes in the opining -- representation of Tinker Bell in “ Peter Pan ” -- Green fairy represents “ dream ”  pure and innocent  follower of wonderland in Peter Pan  Christian and 4 Bohemians -- Golden flakes represent “ magic of love ” between Satine and Christian

Stylistic Pastiche -- Camera  MV style -- fast-changing scenes  the cancan dancing (Zidler)  show in the elephant house  Theatrical shows -- whirling  romance between Satine and Christian  Burlesque -- fast zoom in and zoom out  the opining to the dancing Moulin Rouge  Zidler peeps Satine and the Duke (Christian)

Stylistic Pastiche -- Architecture  Gothic tower -- the Duke ’ s palace -- the dark side (black) -- the reality  Indian Elephant House -- Satine ’ s room in Moulin Rouge -- fantasy world (colors, red in particular) -- the artificial