So I'm halfway through with the screenplay Michael Cunningham (The Hours) has written, and it's RUBBISH. Honestly don't believe the man did any research whatsoever, perhaps not even the quite concise Wikipedia article. While it does ... sort of ... focus on Live Aid, it doesn't really focus on anything. It cuts back and forth mostly between 71, 79, and 85, with a few flashes back to Freddie's boarding school and Persia (Zanzibar?) and flashes forward to '90.
Some choice tidbits include: no personality for the rest of the band, utter lack of tension or character depth, the boys sitting around and snorting coke every five pages (as we all know what a coke fiend Brian is ...), changing the name from Smile to Queen after John's joined ... honestly it's one flub after another.
I truly hope Brian has some say, some kind of advisory capacity if this project were to go through. It's devoid of any charm whatsoever, and reads closer to Velvet Goldmine than anything truly Queen.
Now 3/4 through and there's no real discussion of music, no scenes in the recording studio. It's 1985 and he's still in a romantic relationship with Mary Austin (name changed for whatever reason) and she's jealous of Jim Hutton. The plot seems to be one gay party scene after another, set to songs from GHI, and GHII if lucky. I cannot imagine that a) this film will ever be made b) this man actually has a Pulitzer Prize.
Oh, it's also 1985 and he's already exhibiting Kaposi Sarcoma. Has this "writer" ever heard of research? For serious? Also, apparently Freddie grew up in Persia, and Mary stalks him, is evil, and has a daughter with some random dude out of spite because Freddie won't knock her up.
And then he dies--though obviously we don't see it.
Throughout there are three concert scenes. One of BoRhap live (WTF) "before" it's popular, two are snippets from Live Aid. That is it. No roadies. No recordings. No discussion of their music. No anecdotes. No scenes with Freddie interacting with individual members of the band. No touring. No discussion of charts or popularity, except to say "we're slipping" a few times in '85. Apparently Freddie really had a boner for La Boheme and Montserrat since he was 20, and he solely listened to Opera in his spare time. Also, he's a huge tool at home, has no taste in furniture or art, and only talks about how famous and fabulous he is all the time.
God, what a pompous, terrible piece of writing.
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Could you share it with us ? If this is true :-p
I'm hesitant to send it around because it was sent to me in confidence, but a little piece of me wants to send it around because if everyone knows how shitty it is, it won't get made. Let me think about it. I may post a few pages up, but not the whole thing.
*also I realize it's copywritten, and since it's unproduced, I could get in trouble if I post a lot of it.
*also I realize it's copywritten, and since it's unproduced, I could get in trouble if I post a lot of it.
"Mary Austin (name changed for whatever reason")
Probably to avoid inevitable law suits. Mary Austin is not a public figure and always stayed in the background. There is no "public interest" whatsoever to justify spreading lies about her. Actually, I think that Queen do not need to take it when they are portrayed as coke users when it's not true at all. I am sure they can put this movie on hold for years if they choose to.
Probably to avoid inevitable law suits. Mary Austin is not a public figure and always stayed in the background. There is no "public interest" whatsoever to justify spreading lies about her. Actually, I think that Queen do not need to take it when they are portrayed as coke users when it's not true at all. I am sure they can put this movie on hold for years if they choose to.
It's odd because Mary has done a number of interviews about Garden Lodge and her relationship with Freddie, so it seems odd. No other names in the script were changed.
I think if Brian were to see this he would be very, very offended. Not only as he's portrayed as a drug user, but also because he and Roger and John are BARELY mentioned. It's an 104 page script, and they appear in only 4, 5 scenes, always collectively, with no distinctive voice. It really is hurtful because they had such complicated, long-lasting relationships with one another, and this script makes it seem as if a) Freddie wrote all the songs and was the only one who cared about the material and b) that the other band members didn't know him or interact with him personally. It's quite upsetting.
There are so many amazing anecdotes, from Bowie, Tim Curry, Crystal, Peter Freestone ... NONE of those features in this script. Many of these anecdotes are so telling, like Roger locking himself in the closet, or Freddie finding himself in the Trivial Pursuit game ... but instead it's all replaced with glitter falling from the stars and ships in the sky filled with characters from various operas.
The worst travesty is that it's common knowledge how private and shy Freddie was in his personal life. However this script only reflects the public Freddie, the loud, dandy, temperamental Freddie. It's truly a sad depiction.
I think if Brian were to see this he would be very, very offended. Not only as he's portrayed as a drug user, but also because he and Roger and John are BARELY mentioned. It's an 104 page script, and they appear in only 4, 5 scenes, always collectively, with no distinctive voice. It really is hurtful because they had such complicated, long-lasting relationships with one another, and this script makes it seem as if a) Freddie wrote all the songs and was the only one who cared about the material and b) that the other band members didn't know him or interact with him personally. It's quite upsetting.
There are so many amazing anecdotes, from Bowie, Tim Curry, Crystal, Peter Freestone ... NONE of those features in this script. Many of these anecdotes are so telling, like Roger locking himself in the closet, or Freddie finding himself in the Trivial Pursuit game ... but instead it's all replaced with glitter falling from the stars and ships in the sky filled with characters from various operas.
The worst travesty is that it's common knowledge how private and shy Freddie was in his personal life. However this script only reflects the public Freddie, the loud, dandy, temperamental Freddie. It's truly a sad depiction.
Not being a lawyer I am still sure that the movie needs some sort of approval by the Freddie Mercury Estate. For example, I don't think that Yoko Ono would ever allow anything published about John Lennon she does not approve of.
Unfortunately the problem comes with people who are famous or in the public eye. There's a film in production right now about George Bush, and there's not a thing he can do about it, because legally he gives up his privacy by being a public figure.
Usually the reason no one would do, say, an unauthorized biopic of John Lennon, is that without the family's help there's little to no chance of getting the rights to use the music in the film. I'd hope that's the case here.
As well, Freddie was SUCH a public figure that I highly doubt a film would be made without verifying some of that information. But bastardizations are made every day in Hollywood ...
Usually the reason no one would do, say, an unauthorized biopic of John Lennon, is that without the family's help there's little to no chance of getting the rights to use the music in the film. I'd hope that's the case here.
As well, Freddie was SUCH a public figure that I highly doubt a film would be made without verifying some of that information. But bastardizations are made every day in Hollywood ...
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]YourValentine wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Not being a lawyer I am still sure that the movie needs some sort of approval by the Freddie Mercury Estate. For example, I don't think that Yoko Ono would ever allow anything published about John Lennon she does not approve of. [/QUOTE]
Bingo. She doesn't allow anything about him to come out without having herself inserted somewhere she doesn't belong.
This Freddie screenplay sure sounds like a laugh. If it's genuine, I'm not really surprised.... just watch Pearl Harbour for an idea of how accurate a film has to be these days.
If it's a joke - 5 stars from me, it's hilarious!
Bingo. She doesn't allow anything about him to come out without having herself inserted somewhere she doesn't belong.
This Freddie screenplay sure sounds like a laugh. If it's genuine, I'm not really surprised.... just watch Pearl Harbour for an idea of how accurate a film has to be these days.
If it's a joke - 5 stars from me, it's hilarious!
Guys, say it's not true! Please! I am a screenplay writer myself and am horrified by what you just say here. Is it that bad????? From what I've read here it is awful. I only hope that by some miraculous way we are all somehow mistaken here and that we are talking of another movie. Gee! And can't fan power do something about it? Because obviously Mr. May doesn't have the intention - just visited his soap to check for comments on this - nothing!
Sounds awful. Let's hope it does not happen.
And who'll be playing Freddie? Johnny Depp?
Will it contain gay sex scenes ?
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Under Pressure wrote: [/QUOTENAME].... without the family's help there's little to no chance of getting the rights to use the music in the film. I'd hope that's the case here.
[/QUOTE]
Me too.
Is this THE script? Or are there others? I should think they would want to focus on the music and an accurate story.
[/QUOTE]
Me too.
Is this THE script? Or are there others? I should think they would want to focus on the music and an accurate story.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Under Pressure wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Unfortunately the problem comes with people who are famous or in the public eye. There's a film in production right now about George Bush, and there's not a thing he can do about it, because legally he gives up his privacy by being a public figure.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, that is right - he is a person of historical importance. However, I have seen books being withheld due to lawsuits started by people who see their personality rights harmed on just a few pages in the book. It would be very hard to publish such a film if Queen and maybe some other rich and famous friends of Freddie have serious problems with it, speak out on public or even file lawsuits.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, that is right - he is a person of historical importance. However, I have seen books being withheld due to lawsuits started by people who see their personality rights harmed on just a few pages in the book. It would be very hard to publish such a film if Queen and maybe some other rich and famous friends of Freddie have serious problems with it, speak out on public or even file lawsuits.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]pittrek wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Will it contain gay sex scenes ?[/QUOTE]
I'll be there!
At the premiere!
Frontrow!
With Kleenex!
I'll be there!
At the premiere!
Frontrow!
With Kleenex!