Bohemian Rhapsody

[nobodyschild]

Uh oh, I might have to watch that instead of (er...I mean before, haha) I do my homework... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Timeblue]

May 5, 2019 20:50:08 GMT vlogdance said:

Today I found the whole movie on YouTube, in several parts. Hope you can all access this. Here's the first section. Enjoy.

Love how Brian does the fanfare!

[queenofthehours]

Mar 7, 2019 20:37:14 GMT Helmut83 said:

Do you really think so, queenofthehours ? I kind of get what you are saying, but if I had to say which band of the two (ELO and Queen) is considered more fashionable, cool and trendy I'd say Queen, without a doubt.

And this by people who knows both bands, because 98% of the people know Queen while 10% if most knows ELO.

Queen are hugely popular but I think they lack the cool of ELO because ELO has the backing of the critics.

Since "coolness" is essentially a concept invented by critics and they are largely behind Jeff having a successful comeback - I'll count Chris Evans as a critic because he has a position of influence and a voice - Jeff is now steeped in cool. However, this does not take away from the fact that he is and was always popular. And just like Queen, when people say they do not like ELO they are fibbing!

BoRhap, despite the hate of critics, may have caused Queen to become cool because they are popular with new fans (the kids too young to remember Freddie alive) but to the old fans they remain just as plain popular as ever they were and coolness doesn't play a part. After all, critics have never been friendly towards them and Roger Taylor himself talks of how the band was popular but not fashionable. I never knew Queen was supposed to be uncool until after I saw the film. I thought that it was just the movie which the critics hated but then I realised it was the whole band. If they had Evans to speak for them maybe attitudes would shift?

Coolness isn't important to ELO's popularity either, it was just a happy occurrence that the critics happened to agree with us for once. Every time I mention ELO to people they smile and they all know ‘MBS’ and who Jeff is. When I mention Queen to people they screw their faces up and make jokes about Brian’s hair. People make jokes about Jeff’s too but they are not as cruel as the ones about Brian so I think the tone critics take over bands can have some influence on how people react.

Also I can't say I've ever seen a magazine, until this last year, with Queen on the cover. Years ago I used to buy all the music magazines available and never once can I recall seeing Queen on their covers. Pink Floyd, Dylan, Hendrix, and Beatles even Jeff yes, but Queen never. 

Queen might be the more popular band but I don't think they are the coolest simply because cool is a fallacy invented by critics whom we should be ignoring anyway. The fact that BoRhap made millions of pounds without good reviews says more about popularity that coolness. Once ELO was considered a guilty pleasure but not now, the power of being cool has made them an unashamed pleasure but Queen still seems to be guilty. 

I am very pleased that all the young people have discovered Queen through the movie. This is why I think Rocketman will not be as popular with the youngsters, it just won't have the same fun charm and Elton isn't as pretty as either the BoRhap cast or Queen (or even Jeff).

[queenofthehours]

Mar 11, 2019 23:11:15 GMT unomusette said:

Apparently there's talk of making a sequel

I believe the reports about a sequel come from newspapers misinterpreting what Brian May once said. I think I read that he said there could be a sequel as there was enough story still to be told. But I think this was him just hypothesising. Roger certainly doesn't seem keen. I don't think it will ever happen but what might be good is a stage version of BoRhap? Like those West End versions of Dirty Dancing and Matilda. OK there's already We Will Rock You but that's a fantasy. A stage BoRhap would be just like a real gig.

Mar 11, 2019 8:47:53 GMT tremblinwilbury said:

Like I said, elophile , I had reservations about the film. NOBODY could adequately play Freddie. Fact.

But...

The film gives an impression of him and the band. It isn't a detailed documentary. It doesn't dwell on some aspects. I wasn't going to bother with it - but, I'm glad I did. I have the bluray and have enjoyed the recreation (a very detailed recreation) of the Live Aid set. I've really bought into Rami's interpretation of Freddie.

Even so, I went back to look at the real thing.

The film has been a reminder, to me, on what Queen were/are actually like.

I agree, the film gives an impression of Freddie and the band and it isn't a documentary which is why I think the film works and the fact that it doesn't dwell on some aspects is why I like it. I wasn't going to bother with it because I was worried about how Freddie would be interpreted but I adore Rami and his version of Freddie. My doubts dissolved in that first scene of him at Heathrow. But one of the first things I said after the film ended was that I didn't think Rami looked much like Freddie.

However, there's more to embodying a person than looks alone. There was something behind Rami's eyes which spoke more of character than anything else and the way he moved - while not being as exact as real Fred (who can be?) - spoke of somebody who'd obviously gone to great lengths to get everything just right. Critics can criticise all they want about how Freddie was acted but the admiration with which Rami played him and the effort and sensitivity he put into the part mean more than just surface details because it shows respect. Something which, sadly, many actors in biopics fail with.

One of my favourite things about Rami's acting is that I found it good enough to distract me completely from the fake nose and his blue eyes (not from the teeth though!) and every time I play the DVD I still do not see them.