Menus in the Movies: Moulin Rouge, tonight, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. at Chappaqua Library

May 22, 2009
by Carol Durst

Moulin Rouge, the name means “red windmill” in French and it conjures up images of late nineteenth century naughtiness: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec peering up the skirts of La Goulou as the can-can begins and glasses of the “green fairy, ”  absinthe, dotting the café tables.

The cabaret, marked by a red windmill on its roof, was originally built in 1889 by Joseph Oller in the red-light district of Pigalle on Boulevard de Clichy in Paris, The site continues to this day to be a place of adult entertainment and prurient curiosity.

This 2001 film takes us back into this era-defining club, wraps us in its surreal atmosphere and provides extraordinary performances by Nicole Kidman, Ewen McGregor and a remarkable cast. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, written by Luhrmann and Craig Pierce, this version won two Academy Awards and was nominated for an incredible 83 additional awards. Moulin Rouge is based on a book by Pierre La Mure that was first adapted for film in 1952 starring Jose Ferrer and Zsa-Zsa Gabor. Both the 1952 and 2001 films were nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award.

Absinthe, or “green fairy,” was the naughty drink of the time. We’ll watch this film with an eye out for how people indulged and used drink, cabarets and food to grant themselves license for pleasure. Join us for not-so-naughty coffee and homemade dessert at 7:00 p.m., Friday, May 22 at the Chappaqua Library Theatre.

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