Red Curtain Trilogy Explained

The Red Curtain Trilogy is a DVD boxed set, released in 2002, of the first three films directed by Baz Luhrmann:^{[1] [2] [3]}

• Strictly Ballroom (1992), starring Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice
• Romeo + Juliet (1996), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes
• Moulin Rouge! (2001), starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor

The films do not form a trilogy in the traditional sense, as there is no relationship between the plot and characters of the three films. Rather, Luhrmann said that the three films followed a specific style of filmmaking.^{[4] [5]} Each film contains a theatre motif that reappears throughout the film. Dance is used in the first film, poetry and language in the second, and song in the third.^[6]

Reception

Box office performance

Film	Australian release date	Box office gross			Budget
		Australia	Other territories	Worldwide
Strictly Ballroom	20 August 1992	$11,738,022		$11,738,022	$3 million	[7]
Romeo + Juliet	26 December 1996	$46,351,345	$101,203,653	$147,554,998	$14.5 million	[8]
Moulin Rouge!	24 May 2001	$57,386,607	$121,826,827	$179,213,434	$52.5 million	[9]

Critical response

Film	Rotten Tomatoes	Metacritic	CinemaScore
Strictly Ballroom	95% (41 reviews)[10]	72 (16 reviews)[11]
Romeo + Juliet	72% (64 reviews)[12]	60 (20 reviews)[13]	A-
Moulin Rouge!	76% (198 reviews)[14]	66 (35 reviews)[15]	B+

Academy Award wins and nominations

Film	Ceremony	Category	Recipient	Result
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet					[16]
Moulin Rouge						[17]
	Best Art Direction		Art Direction: Catherine Martin; Set Decoration: Brigitte Broch

Further reading

• Book: Carey, Louise. Baz Luhrmann's Red Curtain Trilogy: An Investigation of Theatrical Cinematic Techniques. 2012. Design, Textiles, National College of Art and Design, Dublin.. en.
• Everett. Mary Elizabeth. 'Spectacular, Spectacular': The Mythology of Theatre and Cinema within Baz Luhrmann's Red Curtain Trilogy. North Carolina State University. Master of Arts thesis. 7 December 2005. none.
• Koch. Anett. The Visual Aesthetics of Baz Luhrmann's 'Red Curtain Cinema'. University of Mannheim, English Departement. GRIN Verlag. Masters thesis. 2014. 978-3-656-67523-5. none.
• Web site: Baz Luhrmann – Analysis of the Red Curtain Trilogy. 10 October 2004. Bartleby.com. registration.

Notes and References

1. News: Andrew L. . Urban . Red Curtain Trilogy: DVD . Urban Cinefile . 28 November 2002 . 3 September 2019.
2. Book: Mayer. Geoff. The Cinema of Australia and New Zealand. Beattie. Keith. 2007. Wallflower Press. 978-1-904764-96-0. 203. en.
3. Book: Jess-Cooke, Carolyn. Film Sequels. 2012-02-20. Edinburgh University Press. 978-0-7486-8947-7. en.
4. News: Stephanie. Busari. Stephanie Busari. Luhrmann Brings down the Red Curtain with New Epic. CNN. WarnerMedia. 30 June 2008. 3 September 2019.
5. Book: Krenn, Sylvia. Postmodern and Oriental Elements in 'Moulin Rouge!': Film Analysis. 2013-07-01. BACHELOR + MASTER PUBLISHING. 978-3-86341-644-7. 7–8. en.
6. Rebecca . Coyle . Baz Luhrmann's Eclectic Musical Signature in the Red Curtain Trilogy . Screen Sound . 1838-3351 . 4 . 2013 . 3 September 2019.
7. Web site: Strictly Ballroom (1993) . . . 30 May 2011 .
8. Web site: Romeo + Juliet (1996) . . . 30 May 2011 .
9. Web site: Moulin Rouge! (2001) . . . 30 May 2011 .
10. Web site: Strictly Ballroom (1992) . . . 10 November 2019 .
11. Web site: Strictly Ballroom Reviews . . . 30 May 2019 .
12. Web site: Romeo + Juliet (1996) . . . 10 November 2019 .
13. Web site: Romeo + Juliet Reviews . . . 30 May 2018 .
14. Web site: Moulin Rouge! (2001) . . . 10 November 2019 .
15. Web site: Moulin Rouge! Reviews . . . 30 May 2018 .
16. Web site: The 69th Academy Awards (1997) Nominees and Winners . Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . live . June 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141109082132/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1997 . November 9, 2014.
17. Web site: The 74th Academy Awards (2002) Nominees and Winners . Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . live . June 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141109213431/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2002 . November 9, 2014.