Children of the Digital Revolution: 'Moulin Rouge'

Much discussion of Moulin Rouge! has centred on the pure spectacle of the film – its stars, its songs, its editing style. Whilst credit has been given to the visual effects, less attention has been paid to the way in which this illusionary art works at the level of audience response. Costumes, curtains, acts within acts and songs within script – Moulin Rouge! skirts btween what is real, what is pretence and what is entertainment. 'I make men believe what they want to believe,' says Nicole Kidman's Satine.