Moulin Rouge Hotel This inspiration comes from the first Afro-American star in France, Josephine Baker. The wall painted of the Moulin Rouge Las Vegas, included many references to Paris and Toulouse-Lautrec. "Black showgirls performed on a stage amid a backdrop of walls featuring mahogany wood trim and Toulouse-Lautrec-style murals of black French cancan dancers. The showroom featured "Tropi-Can-Can" under the tutelage of veteran producer Clarence Robinson." When it opened, the Moulin Rouge was fully integrated top to bottom, from employees to patrons to entertainers. The hotel made the June 20, 1955, cover of "Life" magazine, with a photo of two showgirls. A veritable
Moulin Rouge! this during the Oscar ceremony, host Whoopi Goldberg remarked, "I guess "Moulin Rouge!" just directed itself." The film won the awards for Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction. "Come What May" (the only original song in the film) was disqualified from nomination for an Oscar because it was originally written (but unused) for Luhrmann's previous film "Romeo + Juliet" and not written expressly for "Moulin Rouge!". "Entertainment Weekly" put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "Baz Luhrmann's trippy pop culture pastiche from 2001 was an aesthetically arresting ode to poetry, passion, and Elton John. It was so good,