I'm a fan of the 4 of them, but getting tired of Brian at this point...Are we really comparing one album that flopped from Freddie in 1985 that he did between Queen albums and Tours with almost 30 years of crap From Queen + after Freddie died? Brian and Roger went to shit after those last Freddie recordings In 1995. please save me this whole thing with all four members were great and contributed to the sound stuff...I been a die hard fan for over 30 years. I know all that. What I'm saying is you can't compare one album with 30 years of crap. They can't do anything right, even this Movie is a mess. by the way, how many classics have they written In the last 2 Decades without Freddie? I'll be waiting for you're long list....Side note....Cosmo Rocks sold less than the Infamous Bad Guy album....write those classics....I'm waiting!
mike hunt · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]YAFFF wrote:[/b]
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
By 1985 they'd had enough of his ego (the ego that thought he could make an album as good as Thriller without the rest of the band), and they had made more than enough money that they could've walked away ten times over.
After Mr Bad Guy colossally flopped,
[/QUOTE]
In America. It was actually quite successful overall. Just not Queen standards.
[QUOTE]
it was Mercury who realized he was nothing without them. His best creative days were behind him. How many hit songs did Mercury write between 1980-85 vs the other band members who picked up the slack?
[/QUOTE]
Yeah he may have realized that but it was also obvious that the other three were less than nothing with him even if they didn't say it publicly
Let's see. 1979/1980 "The Game"
Freddie alone:
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" & 'Play The Game"
2 hits
John Deacon "Dust"
1 hit
Brian May "Save Me"
1 hit
Roger Taylor
no hits
1982 "Hot Space"
all four
"Under Pressure"
1 hit
Freddie Mercury
"Body Language" #11 (highest charting single from the album in America)
1 hit
Brian May
"Las Palabras De Amor"
1 minor hit (only in UK)
Roger Taylor
John Deacon
No Real hits. "Backchat" barely made Top 40
1984 "The Works"
Freddie Mercy "It's A Hard Life"
1 hit
Roger Taylor "Radio Ga Ga"
1 hit credited to Roger Taylor but transformed into a hit by Freddie (just like he did with "A Kind Of Magic")
John Deacon "I Want To Break free"
1 hit
Brian May "Hammer To Fall"
1 hit
Sorry Freddie kept pace just fine. Freddie & Brian still most of the hits.
Yes Roger added 1 hit and John 2 hits
[/QUOTE]
No Question Mercury was In a writing rut from 1980 to 1986, but What made songs like Dust and Magic/Break Free great were the vocal performance's of Freddie...Those songs had very little musical excellence to them, aside from perhaps the bass, but Mercury's vocal performance is what made those songs special. That's what people remember, and that's why he's considered one of the best singers In Rock n Roll history.
YAFFF · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]mike hunt wrote:[/b]
I'm a fan of the 4 of them, but getting tired of Brian at this point...Are we really comparing one album that flopped from Freddie in 1985 that he did between Queen albums and Tours with almost 30 years of crap From Queen + after Freddie died? Brian and Roger went to shit after those last Freddie recordings In 1995. please save me this whole thing with all four members were great and contributed to the sound stuff...I been a die hard fan for over 30 years. I know all that. What I'm saying is you can't compare one album with 30 years of crap. They can't do anything right, even this Movie is a mess. by the way, how many classics have they written In the last 2 Decades without Freddie? I'll be waiting for you're long list....Side note....Cosmo Rocks sold less than the Infamous Bad Guy album....write those classics....I'm waiting![/QUOTE]
Well yeah I'm a fan of the four as part of Queen but not Brian and Roger solo. There's no doubt in my mind it was the combo of all of them that results in their greatness but I still insist Freddie was the only indispensable member of the four. Just by virtue of being the singer you are the face of the band. It really doesn't matter at this point. I just wanted to vent a little because once again Brian has disappointed me with his peculiar jealousy of Freddie.
mike hunt · Member since
I Just want that greatest hits list from wizard....The list of all the great songs that people still love That Brian and Roger wrote in the last 2 decades without Freddie and John...and please don't bring up Surf's Up and Still Burnin, or The Call, lol
splicksplack · Member since
If FM was given an ultimatum by the rest of the band, can someone tell me what the reason is for using it as a pivotal moment in this film other than to big-up Brian and try to denigrate Freddie's obvious vital importance to the band, way above the other three.
The visual focus of the band was always Freddie (why else is he the focus of all recent covers to the point of being the only member in sight - 'Queen Live At Wembley Stadium', 'Queen Rock Montreal', 'Queen: A Night At The Odeon', 'Queen: Hungarian Rhapsody'). Obviously because he is the draw and to Joe Public the others are almost a backing band. He was the writer of the hit songs that lifted them to stardom - "SSOR', 'KQ', ' BR', 'STL', 'WATC', CLTCL"- all first singles off their respective albums because they and the record company knew they were the sure-fire hitters. 'Now I'm Here ' and 'Tie Your Mother Down' do not cut it as commercialy viable singles. Brian knows it and fucking hates it. After 1980 it really didn't matter what came out as long at it wasn't utter shit. The grafting was done, They were now a stadium band. Hot Space? Still the audiences flocked in. They came to see Freddie singing the hits. He got the arses up. Not BM looking awkward over-compensating for his shyness with costumes he couldn't pull off while simultaneously trying to be the down and dirty rocker.
As good as the rest of the band were, they were nothing without the catalyst of FM. And as we all know, the Live Aid performance was all about Freddie.
If they did indeed make the ultimatum and Freddie had walked they would have cut off their collective noses to spite their collective faces. Freddie could easily have fronted another 4 piece rock band. They would have been lining up. With FM still performing Queen songs in a new band the others (even with Paul Rodgers, Adam Lambert or George Michael had they been options at the time) wouldn't have stood a cat in hell's chance.
That's why I believe it is bollocks.
And of course FM is not here to tell us his side. Convenient.
The Real Wizard · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]mike hunt wrote:[/b]
I Just want that greatest hits list from wizard....The list of all the great songs that people still love That Brian and Roger wrote in the last 2 decades without Freddie and John...and please don't bring up Surf's Up and Still Burnin, or The Call, lol[/QUOTE]
You don't need it from me - just go to Wikipedia.
This discussion isn't about their post-1997 output.
YAFFF · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]splicksplack wrote:[/b]
If FM was given an ultimatum by the rest of the band, can someone tell me what the reason is for using it as a pivotal moment in this film other than to big-up Brian and try to denigrate Freddie's obvious vital importance to the band, way above the other three.
The visual focus of the band was always Freddie (why else is he the focus of all recent covers to the point of being the only member in sight - 'Queen Live At Wembley Stadium', 'Queen Rock Montreal', 'Queen: A Night At The Odeon', 'Queen: Hungarian Rhapsody'). Obviously because he is the draw and to Joe Public the others are almost a backing band. He was the writer of the hit songs that lifted them to stardom - "SSOR', 'KQ', ' BR', 'STL', 'WATC', CLTCL"- all first singles off their respective albums because they and the record company knew they were the sure-fire hitters. 'Now I'm Here ' and 'Tie Your Mother Down' do not cut it as commercialy viable singles. Brian knows it and fucking hates it. After 1980 it really didn't matter what came out as long at it wasn't utter shit. The grafting was done, They were now a stadium band. Hot Space? Still the audiences flocked in. They came to see Freddie singing the hits. He got the arses up. Not BM looking awkward over-compensating for his shyness with costumes he couldn't pull off while simultaneously trying to be the down and dirty rocker.
As good as the rest of the band were, they were nothing without the catalyst of FM. And as we all know, the Live Aid performance was all about Freddie.
If they did indeed make the ultimatum and Freddie had walked they would have cut off their collective noses to spite their collective faces. Freddie could easily have fronted another 4 piece rock band. They would have been lining up. With FM still performing Queen songs in a new band the others (even with Paul Rodgers, Adam Lambert or George Michael had they been options at the time) wouldn't have stood a cat in hell's chance.
That's why I believe it is bollocks.
And of course FM is not here to tell us his side. Convenient.[/QUOTE]
What? Haven't you seen that movie they did about Queen? FreddY was a nobody without Brian May and had to beg to even get back into Brian's band. They don't need FreddY anymore. Adam Lambert is way better and they are selling out with Adam. They don't need no FreddY.
YAFFF · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
[QUOTE] [b]mike hunt wrote:[/b]
I Just want that greatest hits list from wizard....The list of all the great songs that people still love That Brian and Roger wrote in the last 2 decades without Freddie and John...and please don't bring up Surf's Up and Still Burnin, or The Call, lol[/QUOTE]
You don't need it from me - just go to Wikipedia.
[/QUOTE]
Sad that one can probably trust Wikipedia more than Brian and Roger right about now.
The Real Wizard · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]splicksplack wrote:[/b]
If they did indeed make the ultimatum and Freddie had walked they would have cut off their collective noses to spite their collective faces. Freddie could easily have fronted another 4 piece rock band. They would have been lining up. With FM still performing Queen songs in a new band the others (even with Paul Rodgers, Adam Lambert or George Michael had they been options at the time) wouldn't have stood a cat in hell's chance.
That's why I believe it is bollocks.[/QUOTE]
You make a good point.
But let's not forget that by the time the alleged altercation occurred, Mercury may have learned about his illness, in which case forming another band would've been out of the question.
The Real Wizard · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]YAFFF wrote:[/b]
What? Haven't you seen that movie they did about Queen? FreddY was a nobody without Brian May and had to beg to even get back into Brian's band. They don't need FreddY anymore. Adam Lambert is way better and they are selling out with Adam. They don't need no FreddY.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] [b]YAFFF wrote:[/b]
Sad that one can probably trust Wikipedia more than Brian and Roger right about now.[/QUOTE]
I guess that's the last time anyone should attempt to engage in rational dialogue with you.
Carry on.
YAFFF · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
[QUOTE] [b]YAFFF wrote:[/b]
What? Haven't you seen that movie they did about Queen? FreddY was a nobody without Brian May and had to beg to even get back into Brian's band. They don't need FreddY anymore. Adam Lambert is way better and they are selling out with Adam. They don't need no FreddY.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] [b]YAFFF wrote:[/b]
Sad that one can probably trust Wikipedia more than Brian and Roger right about now.[/QUOTE]
I guess that's the last time anyone should attempt to engage in rational dialogue with you.
Carry on.
[/QUOTE]
I guess it's the last time someone posts satire for someone as thick as you. Carry on.
mike hunt · Member since
Thank u....The fact is, Bo Rhap was Queen's masterpiece In The studio, written by Mercury....Live Aid was considered a watershed moment live, as Brian said, Freddie stole the show...Freddie wrote the first hits that made them stars...Some people can't handle the truth....Doesn't mean It was the Freddie band, obviously they were all talented. Brian was/is An Influence as a guitarist, but he does seem a bit Jealous of Freddie, and this movie with that scene proves it.
Saint Jiub · Member since
This Paul Prenter intervention legend was actually was an intervention to prevent Freddie from leaving Queen. By issuing the so-called Paul Prenter ultimatum, Queen was essentially "begging" Freddie to stay, but the movie says the exact opposite.
Yes, the Prenter thing I wrote it because Peter Freestone told me in a interview.
Specific words: " Paul Prenter was pushing Freddie to break away from Queen and the others in the band were worried that Paul would succeed in getting Freddie away. They were not worried for themselves, but for their great friend, Freddie, who they thought was being led to a world that he would be totally reliant on Paul. The meeting was set up in a neutral place that gave Freddie the breathing space that he did not have with Paul around, and he was able to see what was happening".
Said that, Freddie was adult to know what he was doing, not being so obvious to say Prenter was a mentalist...
cmsdrums · Member since
Having now seen the film......
Rami Malek is magnificent. He doesn't do an 'impression' (which many seem to be wanting to see), but delivers a performance, full of heart and vigour and soul and humour that fleshes Freddie out as a human being and not a caricature Gwilym Lee is uncanny...everything about his Brian performance is spot on, and mimics every nuance without it ever seeming forced (and the voice?!!!)
I was one of those seething at all the factual inaccuracies and chronological issues we knew about, but now having seen the movie I appreciate that they have to simplify and streamline a LOT of events to make a flowing narrative and storyline for the average cinema goer. They have achieved this, and my wife and two daughters that saw it with me loved it, and said it all made sense to them. Of all those bits playing fast and loose with the real events, the big ones for me that I am still not comfortable with are: 1) the band split/Freddie solo flop and crawling back to the band, and 2) the timing of his AIDS diagnosis and then having him tell the band about it in Live Aid rehearsals, whereas we know they didn't find out until around '89, and he had only previously told Mary (and possibly Jim x 2 (Hutton and Beach?) . Going forward there will be generations saying 'Freddie knew he had AIDS before Live Aid and then immediately told the band because I saw it in their film' (no matter how little BM and RMT had to do with script, story etc... people WILL deem it THEIR film and hold them accountable)..
I actually don't think they portrayed Prenter as badly as they could/should have - a lot of his actions were just hinted at and not delved into and could have made a more interesting story to see him actually 'caught red handed' by the band as opposed to just really Freddie deciding to split with him.
Again, all the issues up front with the Sheffield Brothers not being portrayed, John Reid on the scene too early and representing them for too long etc.. are in there, but I CAN see why they would want a neater story of struggling band gets manager, toemented singer fires manager (don't know how Reid will feel about this telling of it), and band then hires existing lawyer as manager.
Brian is portrayed very much as 'second in command', and John chips in probably in a fairly realistic way, but my biggest contention is with how they show Roger. He's portrayed as effectively the 'comic turn' - not really interested in the music (a 'joke' song in 'I'm in Love With My Car' and not interested in taking recording the Bo Rhap vocals seriously), and a few quips on womanising and partying.
I know it's only a minor point, but Roger's wig is horrendous; they tweak Brian's hair throughout (right shorter length around 1980, different shades, etc..), Freddie's is pretty bang on, and John's is updated contemporaneously...whereas Roger has the same wig throughout (with maybe one timeframe where they take a little bit off the bottom) - late 70s, early 80s his hair was pretty short at times, but here it's just the usual flowing 1975-esque shoulder length effort with a centre parting. Poor show really.
The live show recreations are great - I've not seen a music film where the actors look as authentic and as if they're actually playing the instruments or singing - the editing and acting on the show sections are really great; the pace of those montages and the sound and more frenetic pacing of the music is really evocative and stirs a real sense of excitement and togetherness between and audience at those shows.
Overall I'd go with 3.5/5.......captures Freddie's spirit admirably, the music sounds fantastic and as a film is a good solid story, but knowing what I know about the history, I think a few TOO many liberties were taken when they could have been more accurate without detracting from the whole piece in any way.
Captain Lens · Member since
This is a Hard Life to write a review of this film.
its a film about Queen.
Its a film about Freddie Mercury.
Its a film about their music.
First off, all the actors did a great job portraying their roles. Stand out performances are John Deacon and Brian May. They got it spot on. Rami gets Freddie as much as he misses Freddie.
He is a GOOD actor. Did not reflect the real Freddie, more what most people think he is like behind closed doors.
The sets are fabulous, the costumes are spot on, the feel of the time is great, the props are stellar. they did a great job re-creating the times of Queen.
Sadly all of the above has a sour taste in my mouth when it is backed up with artistic license. There is too much of it and it spoils the whole film.
Too many times am I going WTF?
The timeline is messed up and the editing is confusing to those who know Freddie and who know their music intimately.
Saying all this I know Brian and Roger are happy with it and Freddie would have loved the attention the music is getting around the world because of the film.
I think doing a REAL tale of the band and Freddie would be something Freddie would have not wanted, but then he has said he wouldn't care after he dies....
I feel its a real watered down version of the REAL history for the world. Its more the story that the band would want to tell if they wrote their own version rather than what happened the way it happened.
To condense 15 years of Queen and Freddie history down to 2 hours was a task that is very hard. Too many stories with Freddie and moments worthy of seeing. This would have been better served as a TV Series instead of a 2 hour film.
Saying all this, I really enjoyed it and was singing along all the way through...
Anybody else lend their voice to the crowd scene at the end?????
