Rating: 
Summary: The coolest boxed set ever!!!!!!
Review: Not only do you get the best movies ever made, you also get a bonus disc filled with cool bonus features not found anywhere else. All the cover art on the movies are redone with the exception of Strictly Ballroom. So do what I did and sell the dvd's you already own and buy the new "Red Curtain Trilogy" the coolest boxed set around.
Rating: 
Summary: Eh... BESIDES the fact that it's a boxed set.
Review: So I'm writing this not based on the fact that it's a boxed set of these three movies, but based on the fact that any one of them is not so impressive. I don't like Baz's direction because, in very short, it doesn't allow for the viewer to have an attention span - it felt like a continual climax and it tired me. (This is for all three of them, by the way.) Any one of them entertained me for about 40% of the time. That's 2 out of every 5 minutes for each movie. Therefore, it deserves 2 out of 5 stars.
Rating: 
Summary: The "Curtain" rises
Review: The colorful, whirling world of Baz Luhrmann is brought to life in the Red Curtain Trilogy, comprising "Strictly Ballroom," "Romeo + Juliet," and "Moulin Rouge." While there are sticky patches -- particularly the pairing of Danes and DiCaprio in "Romeo + Juliet" --the overall effect is beautiful and poignant.
"Strictly Ballroom" is the problem in Scott's (Paul Mercurio) life. He's an outstanding dancer, but he refuses to conform to the Australian ballroom rules -- he wants to dance his own steps. When he loses his partner, awkward Fran (Tara Morice) enters the scene and asks to dance with him. These two outcasts of the ballroom start to fall in love as they try to win a major competition.
"Romeo + Juliet" gives a modern Californian twist to the classic tale of feuding families and starcrossed young lovers. Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Juliet (Claire Danes) come from a pair of families locked in a deadly feud, but they fall in love anyway. Their desperate efforts to be together lead to tragedy...
"Moulin Rouge" gives us another kind of bittersweet love story -- a musical rather than a revamped classic. Bohemian poet Christian (Ewan McGregor) dips into the sensuous, flashy world of Moulin Rouge. There he falls in love with the beautiful, sickly Satine (Nicole Kidman), a star at the club, and a well-known courtesan. Unfortunately, their growing love is threatened by a duke, who wants Satine all for himself.
As a boy, Baz Luhrmann grew up around ballroom competitions, which give the heart to these movies. But the soul is in the presentation. It's theatrical, colorful, dazzling to the eyes and centered on classic tales of doomed love and succeeding against the odds.
Luhrmann's sense of the theatrical is included in his direction -- it can be very sharp and fast, and sometimes downright crazy. With another director, it might seem flashy and gaudy, but Luhrmann's unique style works. A particular risk is making a musical, something which spelled death for movies for a long time... until Luhrmann revived it with Moulin Rouge. Or the postmodern tale of Romeo and Juliet, which is imperfect, but still quite pleasant.
The acting tends to be excellent, although the acting in "Romeo + Juliet" is spotty, and DiCaprio and Danes have zero chemistry. But McGregor and Kidman in particular are outstanding, and Tara Morice and Paul Mercurio of "Strictly Ballroom" have electricity and sweetness to spare. The supporting actors are quite good as well.
And the three-DVD set is graced with plenty of extras -- documentaries, commentary on each film, behind-the-scenes peeks, featurettes, and some gorgeous music videos. And there's even an extra disc included with a "Red Curtain" documentary about Luhrmann's style, scripts, screensavers, more music videos, and more.
Baz Luhrmann reinvented the musical and gave his movies a lush, strange look that entices viewers even now. Sensuous, fun and funky, this is a trilogy to definitely check out.
Rating:
Summary: What A Delightful Masterpiece to Own!
Review: This is an awesome DVD set. It has two of my favorite movies, Moulin Rouge and Strictly Ballroom.
Moulin Rouge
I had no desire to watch this movie as I do not enjoy musicals. I usually get embarrassed for the characters who break into song, but with this movie I was amazed. The acting of Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor (what a hottie!) was superb. I was amazed a what good voices they had. I was mesmerized from the very beginning. The songs are just beautiful.
Listening to Ewan McGregor's woefull voice tell the tale of his beloved Satine was heartbreaking. I was sucked into the vortex of Moulin Rouge. I cannot understand how anyone who watched this movie did not fall in love with it and the characters. Granted the main character is a courtesan, but who cares? She falls in love with the penniless writer and true love prevails, she understands what 'true love'is. From the very beginning we know that their love was doomed, but we still rooted for them, for love is 'like oxygen' and we wanted them to be happy. All in all, this was an amazing movie. I would suggest that you watch it before believing the hype. Amazing movie, I loved it!! Strictly Ballroom
I must admit, it took me approximately 20 minutes to actually get into this movie. I so wanted to shut if off, but I gave it the benefit of the doubt and decided to give it more time. I am extremely happy that I did. While this is not a 'masterpiece' as 'Moulin Rouge', it is definately VERY good. The acting was stupendous. The actors made me feel that the story was very real. In a very 'slight' way, I was reminicant of 'Dirty Dancing'. Scott is this Awesome ballroom dancer who does not adhere to 'Strictly Ballroom' rules. He loses a major competition due to his unorthodox dance moves. His overly dramatic dance partner dumps him right before another major competition, and poor Scott is left partnerless. In appears an extremely 'ugly duckling' who wants to dance with him. What happens next is ..... well, I guess you should watch it to know the rest. Overall this was a delightfully lighthearted movie with some poignant scenes that will leave you teary eyed. I recommend it wholeheartedly. Romeo & Juliet
This was a very good movie. Most everyone knows the story of Romeo and Juliet and this is a good adaption with a funky twist. This was not one of my favorite movies in the set, but as stories go, this was very unique. Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio were outstanding as the star crossed lovers in this newly updated tale of love and woe. They are both fairly young and that makes the story all the more heartbreaking. If you are looking for an old classic with an unusual twist, then this movie is for you. All in all, this 4 DVD set is Awesome. There is a 4th DVD with special inside information and unique interviews. If you like these movies than this is a must buy. I recommend it greatly.
Rating:
Summary: This is the new Broadway
Review: Too bad the stale, lame idiots in New York don't get it. Baz uses his talent to connect the masses to the stage with his unique "red curtain" style of creating a story. This is better than broadway. Actually... SCREW broadway! Just use your money for this stuff, it's much better anyway. The music is the best of the best in our culture; and so are the actors, two things Broadway can't get right, well, sometimes it does such as in the case of Sheri Scott, or Elton John. But, I digress. Back to Baz. Record companies are struggling to inject some life into theatre and to recreate the successful era that Jesus Christ Superstar and Hair brought to popular radio, and let's face it, they can't. Why? They aren't hiring the right talent that's why. They keep hiring people that can't tell the difference between "popular" music and "Sorta popular" music. Hence the failure of the marriage of the two, short of some forced, manipulated appearances by popular artists singing lifeless stage tunes that need to simply go away. The artists look so manipulated by the powers that be it's sickening. If the producers can't tell how manipulated the artist looks, how are they going to tell much about the audience or art for that matter? Again, I digress. But, here in this triology Baz takes the best of the best. Simple formula hey? Then why don't more use it? Lack of brains perhaps?? In Romeo and Juliet he uses the best literature in the English language to tell the story. In Strictly Ballroom he uses dance to tell the story. In Moulin Rouge he uses song to tell the story and it's actually likeable and fun to watch, even the stale Broadway tunes he incorporates, it's simply fun and good. Study Baz, learn from him, follow his stuff, you won't regret it. He is a legend. A trailblazer, and thank goodness someone has risen to the occassion in the land of the drones that even narcaleptics have nightmares over.
Rating:
Summary: truly spectactular
Review: Well , this is indeed a wonderful colection. Here is three (3) DVD's put together for your viewing needs. First is Stricly Ballroom, my least favorite of the three. This is however a great movie, the acting, and directing are above most. Then is the powerful, Romeo + Juliet. This is a most visual movie. The best use, of color, lighting, and camera angles, I've seen in a long time. The story is nothing new, two lovers, torn apart by family disputes. but Baz has taken the story and has made it his own, with the use of such bold imagery, and a mix of mordern, with the old. (...) Lastly is the movie Moulin Rouge. WOW! Baz has done it again, this is an other visual mastery. The story is yet another love story, but again Baz has created something which is impossible to look away from. In the end this is a collection that is a must have, so ge it, watch it, and enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: A must for ANY big Baz fan!!!!!!!!!!
Review: What more could you ask for? All three of Baz Lurman's amazing movies in one collection. Instead of paying an arm and a leg to buy each one seperately, you get all of them for a low price (Not to mention the bonus Disc!!)
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