Opinions/Editorials
See other Opinions/Editorials Articles
Title: Movie Review: Bohemian Rhapsody
Source:
Reason
URL Source: https://reason.com/archives/2018/11 ... movie-review-bohemian-rhapsody
Published: Nov 2, 2018
Author: Kurt Loder
Post Date: 2018-11-02 07:32:26 by Deckard
Ping List: *Music* Subscribe to *Music*
Keywords: None
Views: 2209
Comments: 26
Bohemian Rhapsody—a movie that recounts the life of the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury, who's played by Rami Malek—is pretty wonderful in several ways, but it's also a museum of ancient biopic clichés. For example, in an early scene we see the young Freddie-to-be, an immigrant kid from Zanzibar named Farrokh Bulsara, at his parents' London home, where he lives. You've met these parents before. Dad (Ace Bhatti) is an old-world kind of guy who disapproves of this rock & roll music his son is so into, and the late-night life it engenders. However, Freddie's mom (Meneka Das) is an optimist. When her young nightcrawler says he's going "out with friends" again, she asks, hopefully, "A girl?" "Maaahhm," he whines. Classic: some light biography, a touch of sex-life foreshadowing. A little later we find Farrokh—or Freddie, as he's already calling himself—at a bar cheering on his favorite band, a group called Smile. Out in the parking lot between sets we see drummer Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) and guitarist (and physics grad!) Brian May (Gwilym Lee) being informed by their singer that he's leaving the band. This character is barely out of the frame before Freddie pops up and informs the two Smilers that he's a songwriter and a singer, too. And we're thinking: Wait, what? When did he start doing these things? But the picture has already moved on. In less time than it might take an average person to cross the street, Freddie has joined the band, changed its name to Queen, and pushed it to record a demo. The group scores a record deal, releases an album, and is soon touring the world. At this point, Freddy is living with a sweet young woman named Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton, making a lot of a little role). They're really in love (he's given her an engagement ring), but she senses something is not quite right. In a scene set in the midst of a tour, we see Freddie at a pay phone in a concert-hall corridor, talking to Mary back in London. "Do you miss me?" she asks. "Don't be silly," he says, eyeing a pair of sultry lads nearby, who are eyeing him right back. "Of course I do." The narrative manipulations in this movie are classic head-smackers, but at least they're deployed forthrightly. I think the filmmakers (of whom there've been many over the course of the picture's messy eight-year development) have embraced tried-and-true clichés as a crowd-pleasing element of large-scale commercial storytelling. Like the makers of A Star Is Born, which has lately been sucking all the discretionary bucks out of the movie market that haven't already been hoovered up by Venom, they may be onto something that sophisticated observers are reluctant to acknowledge. Still, the picture might not be worth much discussion were it not for Rami Malek, whose performance as Freddie Mercury, both onstage and off, is…well, pick a superlative. Titanic, maybe. Volcanic, even. Swanning around in (recreated) venues from Madison Square Garden to London's Wembley Stadium (for the ripping 1985 Live Aid scenes), Malek has thoroughly nailed Freddie's harlequin-leotard concert persona. And the singing, although not his, is beautifully constructed and exhilarating. (What we're hearing is Mercury's original Queen vocal tracks mixed with the ultra-Freddie-like voice of Canadian singer Marc Martel—a mixture fresh enough to dispel the usual dire vibe of soulless lip-synching.) To the actor's great credit, Malek's Freddie is a complex character after the music stops playing. The singer had an extreme overbite (the result of four extra incisors he'd been born with), and this required Malek to wear jutting prosthetic bucked teeth throughout the film. The marvel of this is that we pretty much forget about it after the movie takes hold. Mercury may have been embarrassed about his dental abnormality, but he didn't show it—in fact, he believed it to be an important component of his vocal power. As he tells another character at one point, "I'm exactly the person I was always meant to be. I'm not afraid of anything." There's been some pre-release grumbling about the way that Mercury's sexuality is portrayed in the movie. This is unfounded. By all accounts, he saw Mary Austin as a true soulmate; and here, when they both realize that he is gay, and that their physical relationship is over, he implores her to continue wearing the engagement ring he gave her. "What do you want from me?" she asks in some frustration. "Almost everything," he says. But the movie is also straightforward in depicting Mercury's gay relationships, for better and worse. We see him being cruelly manipulated by a snake named Paul Prenter (Allen Leech), who has compromising photographs and ultimately sells him out to the tabloids. And we see him finding long-term happiness with Jim Hutton (Aaron McCusker), who was with Freddie when he died of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991. But it's fair to say that his deepest love really was for Mary Austin, to whom he left the bulk of his very large fortune when he died. These details of Freddie Mercury's story are so moving that we nearly stop noticing the movie's ongoing narrative cheese. When we see Brian May in a studio thumping out a rhythm with his foot as he works up a number that will "give the audience a song they can perform," we know we're present at the birth of "We Will Rock You." And when John Deacon tries to cool down a studio argument with a dance-y little bass riff he's just dreamed up, well, here comes "Another One Bites the Dust." At one point, someone in this film actually says, "Freddie, you're burning the candle at both ends." I say embrace this vintage silliness. It's worth it.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Deckard (#0)
(Edited)
I have seen and heard Brian May say on television that if Freddy was a homosexual it comes as a complete shock to him because they shared hotel rooms and hundreds f groupies while on tour over the years,and he never once saw him with a man. Sounds to me like Freddy was predominately heterosexual,with a some bi-sexual experiment going on as time passed. And of course,once he caught AIDS,that pretty much shut him down and restricted him to the people he was currently having sex with. Damn shame he died so young. His musical talent really did make him a gift to the world. BTW,if you want to watch another movie about a music legend,I strongly recommend "Walk the Line",about Johnny Cash. If you weren't a fan before watching the movie,you will be after you see it. It has Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in the lead roles. "Stunning performances" isn't too a description of the work they do here. I will never hear that base line again without smiling.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Adam Lambert is touring with Queen -- fantastic voice.
Watched that one a handful of times - really great movie.
Government is in the last resort the employment of armed men, of policemen, gendarmes, soldiers, prison guards, and hangmen. There are a few good, accurate documentaries on YouTube that answer your questions. Mercury hooked up with Mary Austin, during the early 70’s. While he was dating her, he was cornholing men, behind her back. Interviews with her indicate she had a feeling he was a silly faggot, before he sat her down and told her he smooches pickles. Mercury, during the mid 70’s, before he was famous in USA, while moderately famous in the UK, would travel to NYC, between music tours, to take advantage of the sick ass fucking NYC faggot scene. He did this to keep his sick twisted love for other men’s assholes, a secret from his band mates and his UK fan base He actually didn’t tell his band he was a filthy cock sucker, until he had been diagnosed with AIDS, after the live AID concert. The band mates have stated that thought he was bi-, but Mercury did not talk about it... even with his blood realities. He jumped through hoops to keep his diagnosis a secret... and was always close to Mary Austin, right up to his death. She was in the room when he died. Incidentally, the two faggots from NYC that Mercury would ass fuck every trip to America, ALSO DIED OF AIDS. Now, let me be clear. I think Mercury was in the top 5 greatest frontmen in rock & roll. I think his voice was amazing in the respect that he had the ability to sing at different vocal ranges... unlike those two untalented monotone assholes, Neil Young and Johnny Cash. I own every album that Mercury ever recorded on... and I’ve watched every video (including documentaries) regarding Queen. I would pay dearly, to see him perform live, today. With that said... Mercury still was a deviant of nature and possessed a mental sickness called homosexuality. They defy the laws of nature... their lifestyles are disgusting and dangerous... and he got what he had coming. A death by AIDS.
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
The above is one of the few instances where you and I are in agreement. He was also one HELL of a good songwriter.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Don’t forget tho... Mother Nature always bites back, at the sick, weak and unable. Mother Nature ain’t no fucking Democrat or socialist. She doesn’t give trophies to everyone, and she doesn’t make excuses for the WEAK. Mercury is dead because he defied his ultimate goal as an animal species... to ensure species survival. You can’t ensure you’re survival when the only thing you fuck, is a hole that emits shit. He wasted good talent, being a nasty cock gobbler. Shame, really.
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
Ugh...NO. Just NO. From the very beginning my crew snickered at this obvious fruitbar. Queen is still an embarrassment to any legit Rocker. Truly great "Frontmen" don't emit estrogen, GI. If by "frontman" you mean Mercury conferred a "presence", then yes, he did. (albeit a VERY gay presence.) Q: Is there a faggy-er song than, "I WANT TO RIDE MY BI-CYCLE"?? The ONLY reason Queen and Mercury became relevant is because of the 'Wayne's World' movie. Otherwise, "Bohemian Rhapsody" may as well have been named, 'A Homo's Rhapsody'.
Figures.
"Little" aptly describes that bass riff. Or simple. For the simple-minded. Geez... Look -- at the time, REAL R&R was NOT "Queen"; Queen was its own genre. And that genre was circus-like, flamboyant, and eclectic operatic crap. The truth is Queen was anything BUT Rock.
I admit Mercury was as faggotty as faggots come. A flamboyant packer of fudge... but aside from his sickness, that faggot could sing better than most lead rockers. He paid for his lifestyle... he deserves credit for his non dick sucking talents. And you are most correct, the bi-cycle song is as queer as they come... and almost as annoying as We all live in a yellow submarine.
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
Queen and The Who.
I think you're some kind of deviated prevert. I think General Ripper found out about your preversion, and that you were organizing some kind of mutiny of preverts.
Yes, Mercury had a beautiful, gifted voice; I'm not saying he didn't. What I *am* saying is, HE and Queen were NOT "Rock". And his vocals were not "Rock". And you are most correct, the bi-cycle song is as queer as they come... and almost as annoying as We all live in a yellow submarine. Heheh...True. Only "My Bicycle" makes Ringo's Yellow Submarine seem like Bachman-Turner Overdrive's 'NOT FRAGILE'. You're a little younger than I am. I can tell you that my friends to a man ALL felt Queen and Mercury AND their music was over the top Too-Queer at the time. Firstly, we were never fans of "Glitter-Rock". (Sure, Bowie and Lou Reed were also obvious fudge-packers, but we gave them some slack because some of their music was actual Rock, and rather good at that.) But hey...whatever sounds good to your ears is all that matters.
Queen and The Who. I agree. No one sounded like the Who to me either. Add The Doors to that separate-genre band.
What would you consider his Top 3 compositions? He was the Richard Wagner of his time. Both co-incidentally were prone to composing operatic scores that were less melody and more theatrical. Like all art, beauty is subjective and in the eye/ear of the beholder. I prefer melodies. A related observational aside: Artistically, Brian May did the best he could do, mostly limited to fill-ins, riffs and hooks, and occasional rides, but generally his guitar chops were wasted. Mercury's theatrical vocals and song compositions made him the obvious focus. Going with the program DID make May a rich man.
I agree. That movie was compelling. But without a tinge of propaganda that I presume 'Bohemian Rhapsody' will impose upon its audience.
In the late 60's when I was in college, I worked part time for a security firm in Cleveland that did concerts. One weekend we did the security for a Doors concert, and were positioned in front of the stage. During a song, Jim Morrison hopped off the stage and walked into the crowd. We had to extricate him from the mob. I touched Jim Morrison! Cameras were rolling, so I'm on film somewhere. Those were the days.
Nice! Amazing experience. Who'da thunk? So Morrison just wading into the crowd...Must have been lit. Yep...great days. Normal days.
You are allowing your very visible prejudices to influence your judgement.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
I don't know if I would go THAT far. That one song almost had me hating the Beatles.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Queen and The Who. I agree. No one sounded like the Who to me either. Add The Doors to that separate-genre band. Add Pink Floyd to that list. Who else was writing and playing blues from the 25th Century? And if you want rock,add Traffic to the list,too.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
What would you consider his Top 3 compositions? I can't remember right now. I basically quit listening to music a year or so ago,and hardly ever even think about it anymore.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Just watched this movie. Should win the bulk of the academy awards. It’s a shame he pissed that talent away with his dangerous lifestyle.
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
I saw the movie last night. It was a very good movie. Freddie Mercury did have an amazing voice that's for sure.
You two boys sure do love them queers - as long as they can sing and dance.
Government is in the last resort the employment of armed men, of policemen, gendarmes, soldiers, prison guards, and hangmen. “Love”? Why would I love Mercury? I save that emotion for those I consider FAMILY. To be family, it’s by blood, marriage or the blue line I work with. You would understand that... so fuck off.
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
#2. To: Deckard (#0)
#3. To: sneakypete (#1)
I strongly recommend "Walk the Line",about Johnny Cash.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
The essential feature of government is the enforcement of its decrees by beating, killing, and imprisoning.
Those who are asking for more government interference are asking ultimately for more compulsion and less freedom.
#4. To: sneakypete (#1)
(Edited)
Sounds to me like Freddy was predominately heterosexual,with a some bi-sexual experiment going on as time passed. And of course,once he caught AIDS,that pretty much shut him down and restricted him to the people he was currently having sex with.
#5. To: GrandIsland (#4)
I think Mercury was in the top 5 greatest frontmen in rock & roll. I think his voice was amazing in the respect that he had the ability to sing at different vocal ranges..
#6. To: sneakypete (#5)
(Edited)
#7. To: GrandIsland, sneakypete (#4)
Now, let me be clear. I think Mercury was in the top 5 greatest frontmen in rock & roll.
#8. To: misterwhite (#2)
Adam Lambert is touring with Queen -- fantastic voice.
#9. To: Deckard, ALL (#0)
...A dance-y little bass riff he's just dreamed up, well, here comes "Another One Bites the Dust."
#10. To: Liberator (#7)
(Edited)
#11. To: Liberator (#9)
Queen was its own genre.
#12. To: GrandIsland (#10)
I admit Mercury was as faggotty as faggots come.
-- Colonel "Bat" Guano
#13. To: GrandIsland (#10)
...aside from his sickness, that faggot could sing better than most lead rockers.
#14. To: misterwhite (#11)
(Queen was its own genre.)
#15. To: sneakypete (#5)
He was also one HELL of a good songwriter.
#16. To: sneakypete (#1)
(Edited)
BTW,if you want to watch another movie about a music legend,I strongly recommend "Walk the Line",about Johnny Cash. If you weren't a fan before watching the movie,you will be after you see it.
#17. To: Liberator (#14)
Add The Doors to that separate-genre band.
#18. To: misterwhite (#17)
#19. To: Liberator (#7)
#20. To: GrandIsland (#10)
And you are most correct, the bi-cycle song is as queer as they come... and almost as annoying as We all live in a yellow submarine.
#21. To: Liberator (#14)
(Edited)
(Queen was its own genre.)
#22. To: Liberator (#15)
He was also one HELL of a good songwriter.
#23. To: Deckard (#0)
#24. To: GrandIsland (#23)
#25. To: A K A Stone, GrandIsland (#24)
I saw the movie last night. It was a very good movie. Freddie Mercury did have an amazing voice that's for sure.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
The essential feature of government is the enforcement of its decrees by beating, killing, and imprisoning.
Those who are asking for more government interference are asking ultimately for more compulsion and less freedom.
#26. To: Deckard (#25)
You two boys sure do love them queers - as long as they can sing and dance
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]