Moulin Rouge Versus Australia: Comparative Analysis

Baz Luhrmann is well known for his consistent unique stamp he contributes to all his films. Although, the film, Moulin Rouge, demonstrates aspects of formalism that contribute to Luhrmann’s famous Red Curtain style, it is in the Australia where Luhrmann unravels a realistic approach to his films in the Epic style. I have chosen one still from each film that best represents Luhrmann’s contribution to both the Epic and Red-curtain style. Camera shots, angles and colour are the film techniques that will best reflect the contrasting elements between the Red-curtain and Epic style.

In the films Moulin Rouge and Australia the camera shots and angles function for different purposes. In Moulin Rouge, the still of Zidler and the courtesan has been shot from a low angle using a long shot. The function of these techniques working together is for the audience to experience Christian’s point of view of the performance which is one of Luhrmann’s signature styles. The size of the shot corresponds to the real distance between the audience and the character. The low angle gives a sense of speeding motion, powerlessness within the action of the scene and the added height of the subjects in the shot triggers insecurity from the viewer dominated by subjects in the shot. This is precisely what Christian and the viewers felt during this scene as it was their very first encounter of the cabaret. However, in the still taken from Australia the extreme wide shot is used not only to show the gripping action of the stampede but to flaunt the elaborate panoramic setting. The high angle gives an overview of the action and positions Nullah as the heroic figure as he stops the stampede.

Furthermore, the use of colour in each film is unique. In, Moulin Rouge, the colours are saturated and the continuous use of red in the film reminds the viewers of its symbolical link to sex in which Satine practices prostitution, the Bohemian ideals and the Red curtain style. In contrast, the film Australia makes use of desaturated brown and yellow tones focusing on the landscape and the Wizard of Oz theme of the journey on the yellow brick road. These stills best reflect Luhrmann’s styles in each film as they utilize the factors of his films having visual flair being the focus, an heroic figure, extravagant settings and the tight-on-point-of-view shot used on Christian which are all part of his signature style and the style that needs to be conveyed in the films.

It’s evident that the stills from both films demonstrate two separate styles of the Red curtain style and the Epic Style when evaluating the use and purpose of colour, camera angles and shots in each film.