ASSEMBLING THE SOUND OF 19TH-CENTURY PARIS.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

``Yes you cancan'' seemed to be the battle cry during the making of ``Moulin Rouge,'' Baz Luhrmann's musical film set in an infamous Paris hot spot of the late 19th century.

``Baz said we have to be very ambitious with this music, because if we're not ambitious, we fail,'' says Marius DeVries, the film's musical director.

Which meant turning the cancan, a dance that is now viewed as quaint and even cheesy, into something more akin to what it was back in the time of Toulouse-Lautrec.

People forget, says DeVries, that the cancan was a ``hyper-energetic, thrilling fertility dance that was emblematic of Parisian nightlife.''

So Luhrmann and DeVries turned to Fatboy Slim, the current incarnation of English producer Norman Cook, who turns out popular dance music that is a raucous blend of acid, funk, hip-hop, electro and techno. The result was a riotous number called ``Because We Can'' that sounds as dangerous now as the cancan must have then.

But how do you come up with the idea of using Placido Domingo to sing backup to Ewan McGregor on Elton John's ``Your Song''?

``Well, we always wanted a strong operatic tenor voice in that scene; so we thought, 'Why not Placido?' '' says DeVries, who first worked with Luhrmann on ``William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet.''

DeVries credits Luhrmann's enthusiasm for getting Domingo and other stars to agree to be part of the production, though you won't see the opera star in the film - he's the voice of the moon.

And then there's ``Lady Marmalade,'' the classic Patti LaBelle song refitted for Christina Aguillera, Lil' Kim, Mya and Pink. You won't see them in the film, either, but the song is used as a theme for the working girls (``Diamond Dogs'') of the Moulin Rouge.

Nirvana's ``Smells Like Teen Spirit'' was used for the rakes of Paris. For DeVries, working the film was a ``huge process of trial and error.'' This meant everything from helping to choose which songs made the cut to helping members of the cast get up to speed in the singing department.

Case in point: Nicole Kidman, who was cast for her dramatic abilities. Though he found the task ``challenging,'' DeVries says the ``heartwarming'' part of the process was working with her and seeing her ``transformation from ingenue to professional.''

As for McGregor, DeVries says he was already an accomplished musician and the two of them collaborated on a side project during the making of ``Moulin Rouge.''

There's a story in what didn't make the film. Several songs were recorded and then jettisoned - often reluctantly - for one reason or another. Not used, according to DeVries, were:

Richard Roxburgh, who plays the evil Duke of Monroth, singing the Rolling Stones' ``Under My Thumb'' ``in the most satanic way possible'' to Kidman's character, Satine, the courtesan star of the Moulin Rouge.

Kidman doing a ``lovely version'' of ``I'm Not in Love'' by 10cc.

McGregor, who plays the young writer Christian, singing the Harry Nilsson hit ``Without You'' and David Bowie's ``Changes.''

John Leguizamo, who plays the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and sings the Nat King Cole classic ``Nature Boy'' - sung by David Bowie on the soundtrack - doing a version of Stephen Sondheim's ``Send in the Clowns.''

Sounds like these cuts would make a great outtakes album or something for the DVD, but DeVries isn't sure. He was looking forward to going back to England and spending time with his wife and daughter.

``Putting out an album of outtakes would be a lot of work,'' he says with a sigh, ``and I already spent 2 1/2 years of my life on this. Just maybe it's time to move on.''

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``Moulin Rouge'' music director Marius DeVries: ``Baz (Luhmann) said...if we're not ambitious, we fail.''