"Moulin Rouge" was the short-attention-span version of a musical, and I get the annoying feeling that Baz Luhrmann was serious when he said that he threw in all the recycled songs so that the audience would be able to understand the story better (talk about aiming for the lowest common denominator or having low expectations about the average intelligence of the audience...). I thought MR had a pretty picture and was interesting and, at times, an assault on the senses beyond what was necessary for its story. I also thought that the joke of recycling songs got stretched *way* too far, *way* too fast. Throwing in one original song hurt worst of all, because many audience members were wondering, "Why don't I recognize this song? Who did this originally, Sting or Madonna? Hmmm. I'll have to look it up when I get home," so they ultimately missed most of the scene.
The only thing that "Moulin Rouge" has in common with "Chicago" is that both of them owe a huge, immeasurable debt to Bob Fosse. The difference between the two is that "Chicago" knows it and pays deliberate homage to Fosse, whereas the makers of "Moulin Rouge" have repeatedly lauded themselves for having created something entirely original.
"Chicago" seems to assume more intelligence of the audience than "Moulin Rouge" does. "Chicago's" themes are glitz and glamor and ruthless ambition, and it uses the archetypes of stage and movie musicals to underscore those themes. If that unnerves some people, perhaps they understand the archetypes too well and too viscerally and, thus, sympathize with Roxie in a way that becomes uncomfortable. (No, I don't think that's the only reason someone would complain about the references used in "Chicago", but the people I've seen making those complaints seem not to have considered that the filmmakers might have made reference to other musicals as a way to support a story about entertainers and entertainment.)
There is a comparison that cannot help but be made--"Cabaret".
Musically, stylistically, choreographically, filmically, "Chicago" is very similar to "Cabaret" (though not so much as to be accused of being a carbon copy or "Cabaret-lite"). This should come as no surprise to anyone, considering the origins of this musical (or the fact that the filmmakers dedicated the film to Fosse and Gwen Verdon--or the fact that Chita Rivera, who played Velma in Fosse's stage production, is in the film). The most obvious nod is the way in which the musical numbers are removed from the "real-world" layer of the film--no character bursts into song except when they're on a stage.
Personally, I'd have been very disappointed if they had *not* tipped their hats to Fosse or if they tried to *avoid* including anything that could be considered Fosse-like. Even Sam Mendes, in his restaging of "Cabaret," left in some deliberate Fosse references. If computer-controlled cameras had been available to Fosse, I think his camera work and editing would have evolved in ways similar to what we see in "Chicago" (and the some of the less horrendous parts of "Moulin Rouge," for that matter).
"Chicago" is not just homage to Fosse. There are other influences (Marilyn Monroe and Besse Smith, for example) as well as original ideas. But the influence of Fosse on this film is far and away the strongest and most obvious influence. Most importantly, "Chicago" is a *well* *executed* homage to Bob Fosse.
People who complain about the editing of "Chicago" or call it "MTV-like" need to go back and watch "Cabaret" again (as well as Fosse's "All That Jazz") and pay attention to his editing (remember, Fosse directed, choreographed and edited). Perhaps "Chicago" has quicker edits than "Cabaret", but the musical number "All That Jazz" at the beginning of "Chicago" still felt like it was choreographed, filmed and edited as a deliberate nod to "Willkommen" (and, to a lesser degree, "Mein Herr" and other "Cabaret" numbers). While I will agree that music videos have raised (or lowered) the industry bar on how many edits per second are permissible, especially in musical numbers, I did not feel that the editing of "Chicago" was anywhere near the visual assault created in some sections of "Moulin Rouge".
The only thing that "Moulin Rouge" has in common with "Chicago" is that both of them owe a huge, immeasurable debt to Bob Fosse. The difference between the two is that "Chicago" knows it and pays deliberate homage to Fosse, whereas the makers of "Moulin Rouge" have repeatedly lauded themselves for having created something entirely original.
"Chicago" seems to assume more intelligence of the audience than "Moulin Rouge" does. "Chicago's" themes are glitz and glamor and ruthless ambition, and it uses the archetypes of stage and movie musicals to underscore those themes. If that unnerves some people, perhaps they understand the archetypes too well and too viscerally and, thus, sympathize with Roxie in a way that becomes uncomfortable. (No, I don't think that's the only reason someone would complain about the references used in "Chicago", but the people I've seen making those complaints seem not to have considered that the filmmakers might have made reference to other musicals as a way to support a story about entertainers and entertainment.)
There is a comparison that cannot help but be made--"Cabaret".
Musically, stylistically, choreographically, filmically, "Chicago" is very similar to "Cabaret" (though not so much as to be accused of being a carbon copy or "Cabaret-lite"). This should come as no surprise to anyone, considering the origins of this musical (or the fact that the filmmakers dedicated the film to Fosse and Gwen Verdon--or the fact that Chita Rivera, who played Velma in Fosse's stage production, is in the film). The most obvious nod is the way in which the musical numbers are removed from the "real-world" layer of the film--no character bursts into song except when they're on a stage.
Personally, I'd have been very disappointed if they had *not* tipped their hats to Fosse or if they tried to *avoid* including anything that could be considered Fosse-like. Even Sam Mendes, in his restaging of "Cabaret," left in some deliberate Fosse references. If computer-controlled cameras had been available to Fosse, I think his camera work and editing would have evolved in ways similar to what we see in "Chicago" (and the some of the less horrendous parts of "Moulin Rouge," for that matter).
"Chicago" is not just homage to Fosse. There are other influences (Marilyn Monroe and Besse Smith, for example) as well as original ideas. But the influence of Fosse on this film is far and away the strongest and most obvious influence. Most importantly, "Chicago" is a *well* *executed* homage to Bob Fosse.
People who complain about the editing of "Chicago" or call it "MTV-like" need to go back and watch "Cabaret" again (as well as Fosse's "All That Jazz") and pay attention to his editing (remember, Fosse directed, choreographed and edited). Perhaps "Chicago" has quicker edits than "Cabaret", but the musical number "All That Jazz" at the beginning of "Chicago" still felt like it was choreographed, filmed and edited as a deliberate nod to "Willkommen" (and, to a lesser degree, "Mein Herr" and other "Cabaret" numbers). While I will agree that music videos have raised (or lowered) the industry bar on how many edits per second are permissible, especially in musical numbers, I did not feel that the editing of "Chicago" was anywhere near the visual assault created in some sections of "Moulin Rouge".