Having made an impact with his first two films (1992’s Strictly Ballroom and 1996’s Romeo + Juliet), director Baz Luhrmann was keen to continue with the momentum.

His next film was to be 2001’s audacious musical spectacle Moulin Rouge!, starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor.

Now, 25 years on, it’s getting a welcome re-release to celebrate its anniversary.

Paris, 1899, and Christian (McGregor), a young writer, arrives in the city of love, to find inspiration, living in the bohemian district.

An opportunity falls into his lap, quite literally, when a troupe of performers fall through his ceiling, and he ends up working with them.

They are writing a new musical - Spectacular Spectacular - that they hope to be performed at the cabaret venue the Moulin Rouge, and Christian helps with writing it.

They then wangle a meeting for him, with the star of the Moulin Rouge, Satine (Kidman), a courtesan known as the Sparkling Diamond, to help sell the show to. However, there’s a mix up, and Satine believes she’s actually meeting the very rich Duke (Richard Roxburgh), who everyone hopes will be financing the next show to go on at the venue.

The meeting between Satine and Christian goes remarkably well, on a personal level, as they instantly fall in love. It does throw a spanner in the works however, as the Duke’s backing is essential for the club, and the Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent) has promised him Satine’s affections in return for his money.

With Satine and Christian secretly going behind the Duke’s back, and Satine doing her best to dismiss his advances, is it enough to make the show go on?

The Australian director’s film, quite rightly, picked up an impressive eight nominations at the Oscars, but was snubbed in all the big categories, and only winning two statues, for best art direction and costume design. Even Luhrmann wasn’t even nominated in the best director category, making him criminally overlooked.

It has gone on to be a classic, and it’s easy to see why. Firstly, it’s known as a jukebox musical, featuring mash-ups and medleys of existing popular songs, such as Marilyn Monroe’s ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’ mashed with Madonna’s ‘Material Girl’; this means that the audience is likely to know most of the songs used the first time they see it, making them instantly recognisable.

And there’s Luhrmann’s sublime art direction, all shot in studios in Australia, recreating a breathtaking Moulin Rouge, that is opulent and vibrant. There are some stunning set pieces, such as an elephant set within the club, with an interior room and access to its roof, making for an incredible locale.

He also injected a lot of energy into the film, mostly using very quick cuts, giving the film a dizzying pace.

And then of course is the music; Kidman and McGregor may not have the greatest of voices, but they do enough to convey the passion and the theme of love throughout. It also features a great supporting cast that includes Broadbent and John Leguizamo.

Considering it’s now 25 years old, it has aged remarkably well, and still remains a benchmark as far as musicals are concerned.

And this re-release is the perfect opportunity to see it back on the big screen, where it belongs, as it flawlessly manages to put the spectacle in spectacular, making it a true classic.