Picture of the movie Moulin Rouge © DR
Moulin Rouge, the cancan in full colour
A restoration of John Huston’s ninth feature film, the flamboyant Moulin Rouge, will be screened as part of the Cannes Classics programme. The film explores the last decade of Toulouse-Lautrec’s tumultuous life. The artist, played by actor José Ferrer, was renowned for his depictions of bohemian Montmartre. On its release in 1952, the film was praised for its sets, costumes, make-up and innovative use of Technicolor.
In order to mimic Toulouse-Lautrec’s visual universe as closely as possible, the film was shot to look like animated poster art. It showcases the talents of Life magazine photographer Eliot Elisofon, appointed 'colour consultant', and cameraman Oswald Morris. ‘Ossie’ Morris went on to contribute to the success of eight more John Huston films. Immediately impressed by his genius, the director never tired of singing Morris’s praises. Surrounded by such exceptional talent, John Huston’s direction is daring and meticulous, conveying a mood that is consistent throughout the film.
John Huston favoured Eliot Elisofon's subtle palettes over the bright and sometimes ‘gaudy’ colours that studios habitually used with Technicolor, including absinthe blue-green for Toulouse Lautrec's character, delicate pink for the model Myriamme played by Suzanne Flon, and purple for Marie, a prostitute played by Colette Marchand. And Morris added a strong fog filter to these refined shots to obtain a chromatic range worthy of the painter's illustrations of the legendary cabaret in its heyday.
Although the film received mixed reviews, everyone agreed on its the exceptional visual effect. ‘The eyes are played upon with colors and forms and compositions in a pattern as calculated as a musical score,’ gushed the New York Times.
