In this blog post, I’ll begin with my personal experience of coming to love the movie ‘Moulin Rouge!’, then analyze the genre conventions of romantic films, as well as their characters and narrative structure. I’ll also explore how the music and visuals unique to musicals transformed a familiar love story into a captivating film.

Why I Love the Movie “Moulin Rouge”

Ever since I was a child, whenever my older brother watched a movie, I would sit beside him and watch it too, often without even knowing the title. Although I was exposed to many movies that way, I didn’t start seeking out films on my own until high school. That’s when I began to truly enjoy movies—perhaps because watching them allowed me to escape my difficult reality, even if only for a brief moment.
The hardships of reality I’m referring to here certainly included the physical strain of preparing for college entrance exams, but more than that, it was the lack of “romance” that weighed heavily on me. Since I attended an all-boys middle and high school, my idea of fun was limited to roughhousing and playing around with other boys—rather than the excitement or inner joy that comes from interacting with the opposite sex. The environment at that time did not fully satisfy my inner desires.
However, movies went a long way toward quenching that thirst. In particular, films depicting romance between men and women were absolutely perfect for soothing a teenager’s sensibilities. One of the movies I watched back then was ‘Moulin Rouge!’.
“Moulin Rouge!” is both a romantic drama and a musical. Including the time I rewatched it for this analysis, I’ve seen this movie a total of seven times. While this may vary from person to person, even your favorite movie tends to get old after watching it about seven times. But I enjoyed it every single time I watched it. I suspect that if someone else were to watch “Moulin Rouge!” seven times, they’d likely have a similar experience.
I believe the reason for this is, above all, that ‘Moulin Rouge!’ is a musical film. The visuals and music unique to musicals, perfectly suited to each scene, heighten the viewer’s immersion in the film. The love story that overcomes all hardships, wrapped in beautiful imagery and music, captivates me no matter how many times I watch it.
If someone were to ask me what my favorite movie is, I would still, without hesitation, name ‘Moulin Rouge!’ first.

“Moulin Rouge” from a Genre Perspective

Genre is an essential element that cannot be overlooked when understanding a film. Genre refers to the classification of works based on common elements such as specific themes, subject matter, formal characteristics, and modes of expression. These genres emerge as specific artistic styles gain public support and are repeated over time; like living organisms, they undergo cycles of birth, growth, and extinction.
In film, genre is a method of classifying works based on recurring narrative structures, modes of expression, character types, and visual characteristics. Generally, genre films are closely related to commercial cinema, which developed primarily in Hollywood. Hollywood produced films within the logic of capital and shaped the history of genres by repeatedly employing distinctive conventions that garnered audience response and generated profit.
However, genre films do not simply refer to movies that merely repeat existing conventions. While providing familiarity and comfort to audiences is one pillar of genre cinema, breaking away from that familiarity to pursue new variations, innovation, and originality is another pillar that sustains and advances the genre.
For example, Westerns feature not only a specific setting but also distinctive conventions that define character behavior. For instance, heroes never win through cowardly means; they rescue children and women from danger first; even villains do not shoot from behind; and everyone does their utmost for justice and goodness. Of course, not every Western strictly follows these rules, but through these familiar traits, audiences come to understand what kind of film they are watching.
Film genres can also be described as a system of codes, conventions, and visual styles that help audiences quickly and comprehensively grasp the nature of a story. Ultimately, genres function as a kind of agreement between filmmakers and audiences.
When people go to see a movie, they each have certain expectations. For example, if you go to see ‘Star Wars’, you’ll expect spectacular computer graphics and the heroic saga of the Skywalker family. These expectations arise because the audience is already familiar with the film’s genre characteristics.
At least for films produced for commercial purposes, it is necessary to follow the basic rules of the genre so that the audience can understand and enjoy the film. Of course, simply repeating those rules verbatim is not enough. This is because only by appropriately modifying or developing existing conventions can a film satisfy audience expectations while also offering new forms of enjoyment.
From this perspective, the film I would like to examine is ‘Moulin Rouge!’.
On the surface, ‘Moulin Rouge!’ is a musical film centered on song and dance. However, if we look closely at the story itself, it can be described as a typical romantic drama. In other words, it is a work that unfolds a romantic story (Story) about the love between a man and a woman through the discourse (Discourse) of a musical film.
When explaining the narrative of a feature film, “story” and “discourse” can be distinguished as “what is being told” and “how it is told,” respectively. In other words, even if the story is the same, the film can turn out completely different depending on how it is conveyed.
I believe this is the key to understanding the success of ‘Moulin Rouge!’.

‘Moulin Rouge’ as a Romantic Drama and Its Narrative Structure

‘Moulin Rouge’ is a film that remains faithful to the conventions of a typical romantic drama. While this familiarity allowed many people to enjoy the film, it also made it a target of criticism from reviewers.
In his review of ‘Moulin Rouge’, Richard Phillips pointed out that the film unfolds like a children’s fairy tale, where the villain is easily identifiable from the moment they appear, and the protagonists are portrayed as either kind and beautiful or strong and mysterious. He also assessed that the screenplay—which focuses on the love between the naive young writer Christian and the beautiful but ailing Satine—is overly conventional.
Indeed, the screenplay for ‘Moulin Rouge’ is very conventional. However, I do not believe it should be criticized simply because the screenplay is conventional. On the contrary, thanks to that very conventionality, audiences can easily immerse themselves in the story and have their expectations met.
Moreover, the story of ‘Moulin Rouge’ is not merely conventional; it remains faithful to the genre conventions of romantic films. These conventions facilitate smooth communication between the audience and the film. Audiences can naturally become immersed in the characters’ emotions without having to strain to understand the story’s progression.
In particular, love stories—which seem as old as human history itself—can easily capture the audience’s interest, even if their structure is predictable and sometimes even childish. This is likely because the emotion of love itself is familiar to everyone, yet always a new experience.
The genre conventions of romantic films can be broadly summarized as follows: These include characters with stereotypical and unchanging personalities; sharply polarized characterizations and the emotional conflict between them; event-driven plot development; an emphasis on chance and fate; domestic and private settings; an excessively strong sense of tragedy; and the celebration of love and morality.
As you follow the story of ‘Moulin Rouge’, you can easily spot these characteristics.
Christian, a naive young writer, comes to Paris in search of freedom, romance, and true love. There, he happens to meet Toulouse-Lautrec and his colleagues, and together they plan a play to be performed at the Moulin Rouge. The fact that the story begins with a chance encounter reveals the fateful plot development characteristic of romantic films.
Christian meets Satin, a beautiful courtesan at the Moulin Rouge. Satin is a woman as captivating as a diamond and the most prominent figure at the Moulin Rouge. However, Satin mistakes Christian for a duke who can provide her with financial support.
While singing during the performance, Satin suddenly collapses, but everyone—except for a few people—brushes it off as no big deal. Later, Christian and Satin meet in the Elephant Room, and after hearing Christian sing, Satin develops feelings for him. Just then, the Duke enters the room, creating a crisis, but Satin uses her wit to defuse the situation.
Eventually, Christian and Satin confess their love for each other atop the Elephant Room. However, their love is not smooth sailing from the start. The Duke demands Satin in exchange for providing the funds needed to renovate the Moulin Rouge. Christian and Satin continue their secret meetings while deceiving the Duke, even composing and singing a secret song that expresses their love for one another.
However, Satin is eventually forced to attend a dinner with the Duke. Christian, waiting for her, is tormented by jealousy and anxiety. Satin returns to Christian, but due to the Duke’s threats, she has no choice but to say goodbye to the man she loves.
The performance begins without Christian. However, after a conversation with Toulouse-Lautrec, Christian heads back to the Moulin Rouge. Christian treats Satin harshly and tries to leave, but Satin confesses her love by singing their secret song.
Finally, Christian forgives Satine and returns to her. However, Satine passes away from tuberculosis. To remember her forever, Christian writes down the story of their love.
Looking at the plot this way, it becomes clear just how faithfully ‘Moulin Rouge’ follows the conventions of the romantic melodrama. From the meeting of a pure-hearted man and a beautiful woman, to a love that begins by chance, to characters who interfere with their relationship, to the conflicts and misunderstandings surrounding their love, and finally to a tragic death—the story’s key elements are all embedded within the structure of a typical melodrama.
These characteristics become even more evident through the film’s plot.
The concept of “plot” is slightly different from that of a simple “storyline.” While a “story” refers to the progression of events over time, a “plot” can be defined as the structure that shows how those events are connected through cause and effect. In novels, plays, and films, the process of organizing various events into a single narrative—and the methods used to do so—also fall under the category of plot. Aristotle emphasized plot as the most important element of tragedy in his ‘Poetics’ precisely because the structure of events plays a crucial role in determining a work’s dramatic effect.
The plots of romantic films can be broadly categorized into the classical plot, variations on the illicit romance plot, and modern adaptations of the classical plot. I believe that ‘Moulin Rouge’ centers on the classical plot while partially borrowing the structure of a love triangle typically found in variations of the illicit romance plot.
In a classic romantic plot, a man falls in love at first sight with a woman he meets by chance and is willing to give up his chosen path to be with her. Subsequently, the man suffers an unexpected illness or accident, and ultimately leaves the woman due to death or execution. The woman left behind continues to cherish their love.
In ‘Moulin Rouge’, the character who meets their end within this structure shifts from the man to the woman. Aside from this difference, the overall framework of the story is quite similar to that of a classic romantic plot.
Christian falls in love at first sight with Satine, whom he meets by chance, and regards their love as the highest priority in his life. Although the Duke interferes with their relationship, Christian and Satine reaffirm their love for one another despite these obstacles. Satine’s illness then serves as a tragic turning point, and ultimately, she leaves Christian through her death. Left behind, Christian writes down their story to preserve their love forever.
Thus, the story of ‘Moulin Rouge’ is completed by adding a love triangle centered on the Duke to this classic romantic plot. While the situations and conflicts faced by the characters are not complex, the structure is easy for the audience to follow.
The characterization is also closely tied to these genre conventions. However, ‘Moulin Rouge!’ has the drawback of failing to portray the characters’ personalities and inner lives with sufficient depth. This could negatively impact the story’s plausibility. Nevertheless, given the limited number of plot points and the simplicity of the overall storyline, I do not believe this significantly affects the film itself.
First, Christian is a poor young writer who, despite his family’s opposition, has come to Paris in pursuit of freedom, romance, and true love, inspired by the Bohemian revolution. Highly talented, he is an idealist and romantic who prioritizes love above all else. However, his intense love is matched only by his strong jealousy. Though not a typical “prince on a white horse,” he is charming enough to win the female lead’s heart.
Satine is the most beautiful and popular courtesan at the Moulin Rouge. She understands the importance of money and attempts to seduce the Duke to fulfill her dream of becoming an actress. Although she makes pragmatic decisions, when it comes to love, she becomes just as much of a romantic as Christian. With her outstanding charm and popularity, she has the potential to become a star, but ultimately, what she desires most is to be truly loved by the person she loves.
Harold Zidler, the owner of the Moulin Rouge, appears on the surface to be a business owner obsessed with money. However, he is actually someone who understands the hearts of both Satine and Christian. When he punches the Duke at the end of the show, it becomes clear that he is not merely a man who values money above all else, but one who also cherishes his friendship with Satine.
The Duke is the classic disruptor in a love triangle. He tries to win love by leveraging his wealth and status, but things do not go as he plans. He is the key figure who creates conflict in the play and serves as the catalyst for the story’s climax. At the same time, the Duke’s presence paradoxically serves to further highlight the love between Satine and Christian.
Toulouse-Lautrec is the character who drives the story forward. He acts as an ally who sets new events in motion alongside Christian and, at times, offers advice and assistance.
It is also interesting to examine this character structure in relation to the structure of folk tales or the typical three-act structure.
If we consider Vladimir Propp’s structural analysis of folk tales alongside the narrative arcs of separation, initiation, and return, the narrative of ‘Moulin Rouge’ can be interpreted in a similar way.
The protagonist, Christian, leaves home and heads for Paris. This corresponds to the stage of “separation,” in which he breaks away from the everyday world. In Paris, he meets Toulouse-Lautrec and his companions, who serve as allies and provide wisdom and information; with their help, he enters the Moulin Rouge. This is the process of “initiation” into a new world.
There, Christian meets Satine, the woman he will fall in love with. From the perspective of folklore, Satin can be seen as playing the role of the princess whom the protagonist must win. Zidler serves as the messenger who conveys news and updates to the protagonist, while the Duke becomes the villain who stands in the protagonist’s way.
Later, Christian becomes entangled in a love triangle with the Duke and suffers the pain of being abandoned by his beloved Satin. This is the stage of profound suffering experienced by the protagonist.
Finally, Christian returns to his everyday life. Although his beloved Satin has passed away, he immortalizes their true love in a book. Just as the protagonist in a folktale returns home with spoils after completing his adventure, Christian “returns” while preserving the memories of his love in the form of writing.
Ultimately, ‘Moulin Rouge!’ adheres quite faithfully to the conventions of traditional romantic films, from the narrative progression to the characters’ roles and the structure of the conflict. However, the film’s true charm lies in the way it delivers such a familiar story.

The Appeal of ‘Moulin Rouge!’ as a Musical

The fact that ‘Moulin Rouge!’ stays true to the genre conventions of romantic films is both a strength and a limitation. Since there are no noticeable deviations from established conventions, the film can easily come across as tedious.
In fact, if we consider the story on its own, ‘Moulin Rouge!’ is a film that, while familiar to audiences, is bound to feel clichéd. However, by fully leveraging the strengths of the musical film format, this work overcomes such shortcomings and, in fact, creates even greater synergy.
The nature of musical films is effective at smoothly unfolding plot developments that might otherwise feel implausible. This strength plays a particularly important role in romantic films, which often feature many coincidental events.
For example, consider the scene where Christian sees Satine for the first time and falls in love. Even without a process where the two get to know each other well, the audience easily accepts Christian’s feelings. This is because Satine is portrayed on screen as so beautiful and charming that anyone would fall for her at first sight. The dazzling visuals and music alone at the moment Satin appears are enough to explain why Christian fell in love.
The same applies to the scene where Zidler makes excuses for Satin’s absence from the dinner with the Duke. Situations that might seem awkward or far-fetched from a realistic perspective are accepted naturally and without question within the musical genre.
Above all, in romantic films, characters’ emotions are often exaggerated or expressed with excessive intensity. This is because they must portray extreme emotions such as love, jealousy, joy, and sorrow. I believe there are few devices as effective as musicals for expressing these emotions.
In particular, Christian’s emotions as he waits for Satin, who has gone to the dinner with the Duke, are conveyed with profound intensity through the song “El Tango de Roxanne.” The music and dance make Christian’s jealousy, anxiety, and anger feel far more intense than they would if expressed through dialogue alone.
The love song “Elephant Love Medley,” sung by the two on top of the elephant cage, and “Come What May,” in which they reaffirm their love for one another, also play a crucial role in conveying the characters’ emotions. These songs are not merely background music inserted into the film; they serve as catalysts that help the audience easily empathize with the characters’ emotions.
In this way, the music and visuals in ‘Moulin Rouge’ not only fill in the gaps in the narrative but also further amplify the emotional characteristics of a romantic film.
Among these, the scene I’d particularly like to highlight is the one where “El Tango de Roxanne” plays.
To analyze this scene, I examined the screen frame by frame, focusing on a single shot. However, there were so many cuts that I couldn’t count them all accurately. The editing was so rapid that it appeared to exceed at least 200 cuts. The frequent scene transitions effectively convey Christian’s anxious and restless state of mind.
Christian’s emotions are revealed not only through the editing but also through the characters’ positioning and facial expressions. No one is gathered around Christian. The other characters sit at a distance from him, looking expressionless and listless. This arrangement of the characters further emphasizes the loneliness, anxiety, and isolation Christian feels.
In this scene, the hall where Christian is located is cross-cut with the bell tower where Satin is with the Duke. Christian’s emotions are further amplified as the singing, dancing, and dialogue taking place in the hall connect to the scene in the bell tower featuring Satin and the Duke.
By alternating between the events unfolding in these two spaces, the film allows the audience to simultaneously feel Christian’s emotions and Satin’s situation. The tension intensifies because the film directly links what Christian is worried about with what is happening to Satin.
The contrast in colors is also striking. The ballroom and the bell tower create contrasting atmospheres centered primarily on red and blue. The colors of these distinct spaces visually highlight the differences in the characters’ situations and emotions.
In particular, within the bell tower—bathed in a cool blue light—the relationship between Satin and the Duke is expressed through mise-en-scène. Among these elements, the long dining table placed between the two stands out. The long, stretching table conveys the psychological distance between Satin and the Duke.
In this way, the “El Tango de Roxanne” scene combines music, dance, rapid editing, character placement and expressions, cross-cutting, color, and mise-en-scène to express Christian’s emotions.
If the same situation had been portrayed solely through dialogue and acting, as in a typical romantic film, it would have been difficult to leave such a powerful impression. However, ‘Moulin Rouge!’ utilizes the musical format to convey the characters’ emotions directly through music and visuals.
In this scene, the music is not merely background noise setting the mood. It is a crucial element that expresses the characters’ psychology, heightens the tension of the scene, and simultaneously draws the audience deeper into the story.
It is precisely in this regard that ‘Moulin Rouge!’ can be said to be a work that fully leverages the strengths of the musical film genre.

Why is ‘Moulin Rouge!’ a successful genre film?

Popular films made for commercial purposes must, by their very nature, adhere to genre conventions. If a film is made without an understanding of its genre, audiences may reject it because they find it difficult to follow.
Of course, if an existing genre is simply replicated without any changes, the result will be nothing more than a boring and predictable repetition of the same story. However, by maintaining the genre’s basic framework while making appropriate modifications, it is possible to create a film that is both easy for the audience to understand and sufficiently original.
From this perspective, “Moulin Rouge!” is clearly a work with its limitations.
While the film remains faithful to the conventions of the romantic drama genre, the story itself offers few notable variations or innovative approaches. Furthermore, it tends to prioritize visuals over a detailed narrative, which justifies criticism that the character development and plot are underdeveloped.
In fact, the romance between Christian and Satine does not stray far from the typical structure of a melodrama. The characters’ personalities are relatively simple, and the events unfold in a way that the audience can easily predict. Judging solely on these points, it might be difficult to evaluate ‘Moulin Rouge!’ as a particularly outstanding film.
However, when assessing a film’s quality, one cannot rely solely on the story. This is because film is not only a medium for conveying a story but also an art form that expresses emotions through images and sound.
‘Moulin Rouge!’ effectively harnessed precisely these characteristics of film.
The familiar romantic narrative provides a foundation that audiences can easily understand and relate to. Combined with dazzling visuals, music, dance, and fast-paced editing, this allows the audience to experience an ordinary love story in a fresh way.
The synergy created by the convergence of the romantic film’s “story” and the musical film’s “discourse” more than compensates for the film’s shortcomings.
Above all, even after watching ‘Moulin Rouge!’ seven times, I never found it boring. Although I already know the ending and what choices the characters will make, I find myself drawn back into the film every time the music plays and the dazzling visuals unfold.
This isn’t simply because the plot is entertaining. It’s because the way the familiar love story is presented and told is just as important.
Ultimately, ‘Moulin Rouge!’ is a film whose strength lies not in the originality of the story itself, but in the way that story is told. By faithfully following the conventions of a typical romantic drama while maximizing the strengths of the musical genre, it offers audiences both familiarity and a fresh sense of enjoyment.
That is why I consider ‘Moulin Rouge!’ a successful genre film.