Stars sing for their supper

Baz Luhrmann's fizzing tale of the love of a poor poet (Ewan McGregor) for the beautiful courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman) is undeniably innovative, although the hectic editing pace is rather hard on the eyes.

Luhrmann takes contemporary pop songs such as Madonna's Like A Virgin and inserts them into the 19th-century whirl of the Moulin Rouge.

It's a clever idea, aided by two stars who turn out to have good singing voices, but this is nevertheless a triumph of style over substance.

FILM REVIEW