"The real Freddie Mercury" - excellent Lesley Ann Jones article on BR

I think placing "Sacha Baron Cohen" and "integrity" in the same sentence is kind of laughable. That's kind of like saying the team behind Jackass were the French New Wave. I'm curious to see the Venn Diagram of people who didn't want to know anything about Freddie's private life at all throughout the years and those bemoaning SBC's leaving the Freddie movie project.

There was never going to be anything other than a family-friendly film released while Fred's close relatives are alive. I think Rog and Brian wouldn't allow SBC or anyone else to do something that Fred's family would be uncomfortable watching.

Yep, that Venn diagram is pretty big.

Barbara Valentin was the love of Freddie's life. Deal with it. Just as Adam Lambert was his favourite singer.

That's right Fireplace. Barbara was very important in Freddie's life as a friend, but not in a good way. Mack, Mike Moran, Jo Dore, Ingrid Mack, Peter Freestone, Roger Taylor....everything told me she was selfish and a very bad influence.

Mr Nester, regarding your comment above I'm not exactly sure what you're getting at re the Venn diagram.

I know that I was interested in Freddie's private life because I was curious about his clubbing habits having seen him in Heaven and Copa's in London during the early 80's, and his wearing of a "Mineshaft' t-shirt in the 'Don't Stop Me Now' video.

I was intrigued as to why he wasn't totally 'out' while making no attempt to hide his proclivities. If this film is not going to be an honest biopic (and from what I can gather it is far from honest) then why bother. As they clearly do not need the money I can only see it as a vanity project for BM and RT. SBC seems to have thought the same and chose not to be involved.

On another matter, the whole Paul Prenter issue once again raises its ugly head. I am aware of many people who were involved with the band during Paul's time that have a very different opinion than the popular one that is apparently perpetuated in the film. The reasons for Paul's behaviour and the famous story-selling are personal and complex and there is definitely another side to this. Obviously he is no longer able to put forward his side and his surviving family have to live with their relative being publicly condemned in what is likely to be a very successful world-wide movie.

So it certainly doesn't wash with me that maybe one of the reasons that the full details of FM's life are held back is to protect surviving family members because the Queen organisation seem to have no similar qualms with regard to someone who is not even the subject of the film.

[QUOTE] [b]Apocalipsis_Darko wrote:[/b]

That's right Fireplace. Barbara was very important in Freddie's life as a friend, but not in a good way. Mack, Mike Moran, Jo Dore, Ingrid Mack, Peter Freestone, Roger Taylor....everything told me she was selfish and a very bad influence. [/IQUOTE]

Sarcasm, Apocalipsis_Darko. Sorry if it didn't come across.

Yes, Fireplace, I get it ;)

The rest I said Fireplace, was what I think about Barbara.

[QUOTE] [b]Thrill Yeti wrote:[/b]

Completely agree that Sacha Baron Cohen's version of the film would have been poor. He likes shock humour. In his last film the main characters hid inside an elephants vagina before being ejaculated on by a male elephant. And it was a flop.

He would have had Freddie in some sort of debauched orgy. So what? Why are so many people acting like that's 'the real story of Freddie'?[/QUOTE]

Because it is.

Research the 1970s-80s gay scenes in NYC and Munich. That was Mercury's life from about 1978-85. He found his identity, and music became second place. There's a reason why most of Queen's hits in the 80s were written by the other band members. It eventually hit the point where he wasn't even at the mixing sessions for his own songs.

But the biopic isn't going to be nearly that transparent. Nor should it be, as the band have a legacy to protect. But the reality is - Mercury leaving that scene is what resulted in him consistently creating great music again.

[QUOTE] [b]splicksplack wrote:[/b]

On another matter, the whole Paul Prenter issue once again raises its ugly head. I am aware of many people who were involved with the band during Paul's time that have a very different opinion than the popular one that is apparently perpetuated in the film. The reasons for Paul's behaviour and the famous story-selling are personal and complex and there is definitely another side to this.[/QUOTE]

Anything you care to elaborate on?

I've spoken to plenty of people who were in their circles in the early 80s, all of whom say Prenter may well be the worst thing that happened to them. And some of these people post on this forum.

So I'd be curious to hear the other side. There always is one.

Hi RW, yes there is always another side. I cannot claim to know the validity of what I have been told and the people involved certainly don't want a public cat fight about this.

I mention it for 2 reasons. Firstly, I am concerned at the lynch-mob mentality that quickly snowballs on here when PPs name is mentioned. While there are individuals closely associated the majority would have no first hand knowledge of the man yet are happy to condemn him without knowing his side of the story. He isn't around to offer it and I understand that the people who can are long since distanced from the Queen organisation and feel that any public defence of PP may well result in a nasty retaliation from not just fans but possibly from the outriders of QPL. The only public defence I have seen was when PPs god-daughter made a dignified plea on this forum not to post hateful posts such as "I hope he suffered" etc.

Secondly, I keep hearing that the films story-line does not show FM warts and all to protect his family and loved ones. If such altruistic reasons are true they obviously don't stretch to the innocent surviving members of PPs family. They are not related to FM so fuck them and their feelings. It is also worth noting that BM once gave quite a detailed 5 point explanation of how the band lost touch with the US. Sure, PP and the US radio stations was alluded to but that was just one of many reasons and again there may well be another point of view (acting under instruction from FM??? - we don't know but it's a possibility).

There are certain gay men, like PP, that have a bitchy and waspish sense of humour and if you are not on the same playing field it can be very difficult to deal with. BM is the antithesis of this and I cannot in a million years see how he and PP would ever have got on. To a lesser extent RT. It does seem to me that the film is partly a settling of old scores. A cheap shot when it cannot be counterbalanced.

Without the blessing of the protagonists I am afraid I cannot divulge personal conversations and anyway would only encourage them to do so themselves (which I have).

I'm not asking anyone to feel sorry for PP or to believe everything said about him is a pack of lies. I just think people should step back bit and realise they are not in a position to judge.

And the ones who are responsible for the line this film has chosen to take should take a few lessons in dignity and bow their heads.

Mack told me Paul was an influence to left Queen if Mr. Bad Guy was successful.
But, he wasn't an influence so strong than May and Taylor said to do an album like Hot Space.

thank you to k-m for taking the time to post this.most interesting.

Thanks for posting the article! It led to a great discussion thread.

Cheers,

Ogre-