Baz luhrmann and theatricality

[nelly]

I'm doing my film coursework on Baz luhrmann with the question/statement: 'An examination of theatricality in the films of Baz Luhrmann'.
The 4 films i am studying by him are, Strictly ballroom, Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge and Australia.

Any input would be much appreciated!

[GRAEME]

There is obviously a very high degree of theatricality in Luhrmann's work. The question is why? What is he doing with it?

Personally, I think he is using the the more camp extremes of cinema - as typified in some examples of the Hollywood musical - to achieve a kind of "magic realism"; a dream state through which the characters can express emotions and desires expressionistically in contrast to the the more prosaic naturalism expected in most contemporary films.

That he is interested in the life of the emotion and excess is reflected in the subject matter he tends to choose to begin with: ballroom dancing; naughty nineties Paris; Shakespearian romantic tragedy; concious myth-making.

[Moor Larkin]

the characters can express emotions

Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge certainly hit all the emotional buttons for me. In the case of Ballroom Luhrman is making something quite mundane into something *Epic*. Springsteen does something similar with his songs about ordinary Joe's being *Born to Run*.

I also think Luhrman feeds off an Aussie temper illustrated by *Muriel's Wedding*, which could eaily have been a Luhrman movie.