Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film Moulin Rouge | Soundtrack Review

True to the Original
by: bill aicher

The original soundtrack to Moulin Rouge was one of the most quirky soundtracks, let alone albums, to be released in quite some time. Featuring a collection of bastardized covers (bastardized in a good way though) and several original pieces from Moulin Rouge, it still felt more of a companion piece to the film than an honest-to-goodness soundtrack album. While there were some imaginative pieces found on the disc, many of these pieces were only featured for a few seconds, at most, in the actual film.

With the long-hoped-for release of a second soundtrack to Moulin Rouge, a the film's soundtrack has been nearly completed. The film's major themes, new renditions of Elton John's "Your Song" and the original theme "Come What May" both appeared on the first soundtrack, but on this second soundtrack they are finally realized in their instrumental original film versions, respectively. The inclusion of other songs, sorely missing from the original soundtrack including "Spectacular Spectacular" and Jim Broadbent and Richard Roxburgh's version of "Like a Virgin," help to flush out this album as more of an "original cast recording" than the previous album was.

When all is said and done, Moulin Rouge 2 is the stronger of the two soundtracks, but in no way replaces the first. For one to get the most songs from the film, you are still going to have to get both discs.

Still, by offering the versions of the songs which were prominently featured in the film, it acts as a spectacular accompaniment to one of the most ambitious and imaginative films in recent years. Fans of the film will adore this new album as it takes them back to experience the magic of the Moulin Rouge time and time again.

This time, without that stupid Beck song. 28-Feb-2002 4:30PM