Tag: Queen

Reel Life: Bohemian Rhapsody – Radio Ca Ca

Bohemian Rhapsody is another one of those anomalies where a perfectly awful film gets saved by an incredible performance (much like last year’s Three Billboards and Frances McDormand) – the remarkable Rami Malek never falls into the trap of mimicry, which would be easy to do in lesser hands, considering Freddie Mercury’s larger-than-the-universe persona, rather he manifests the spirit and soul, and more importantly the swagger – he disappears inside the role. If he wins the Oscar for Best Actor, for which I am sure he will be nominated, I can’t hold it against the Academy – he is that good.

Unfortunately, the film itself was akin to watching a bloated, two-plus hour VH1 Behind The Music episode, only factually abhorrent – and speciously determined to diabolize Mercury’s sexuality, instead of celebrating it.

Along with that inexcusable aberration, the script is pedestrian at best, written like a High School student writing a book report on his favorite singer; there’s no complexity, and it’s dependent on all the cliches and tropes of a typical Hollywood biopic. Also, it’s sloppily directed, which is no wonder; before he was fired, Bryan Singer (two of the most dreadful words in filmdom) has left his hack-marks splattered all over the screen.

The film’s other saving grace is the Live AID recreation. Historically inaccurate and CGI-laden though it is, it still thrills mostly because of Malek’s joyful embodiment of Mercury (despite that the quick cuts to the audience and hometown bars – and more particularly, backstage viewers, smiling and nodding along, with Mary Austin clutching her chest in awe and wonder – was the ultimate in cringe-inducing). In actuality, though, you really should just YouTube the actual full, exhilarating and legendary Queen performance.

Mercury – one of the great, dynamic and talented Rock front men in history – deserves a biopic worthy of his life, his talent and his true sexuality. Bohemian Rhapsody was made for rabid Queen fans longing to see their Rock God on the big screen, no matter the cost of authenticity. Or craft.

My grade: C+ (upped a notch for Malek)

Idiot Box: Slash & Burn

I know, I know – Rock N Roll squabbles are frivolous in the great spectrum of life. But sometimes supercilious remarks by a musician way past his prime just irks the hell out of me. Case in point: Slash Vs. GLEE.

Seriously.

In a recent interview with ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, the former Guns N Roses guitarist Slash was asked about GnR’s catalog being used on the hit Fox TV show (disclaimer – I’m a GLEEK):

How would you feel about GLEE doing a Guns N’ Roses song or themed episode?
Actually, we got asked about that once already but it got turned down. In the current climate of what’s going on in entertainment these days, I try to be more optimistic than negative because it’s really easy to get negative about it, but I draw the line at Glee. Glee is worse than Grease and Grease is bad enough….  When Grease came out I was like, “Oh, c’mon, give me a break.” Actually, I look at Grease now and think: Between High School Musical and Glee, Grease was a brilliant work of art.

Well, you know what I say, Slash? Sure, “to each his own”, as the old cliche goes. But infinitely greater, more fantastical Rock’ N Roll legends than you’ll ever be (e.g. Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, etc…) understand GLEEs aesthetic and happily loan their songs to this archetypal show (can’t wait for the Springsteen ep!). So, while you continue to prostitute your canon (and yourself) by allowing ‘singers’ like Fergie to use the only guitar refrain you’ll ever be famous for (and for actually partaking), in debacles like The Black Eyed Peas’ abysmal Super Bowl halftime show, I’ll enjoy GLEEs recitals of genuine Rock icons.

Irrelevancy. Such a motherfucker, huh, Slash?

*****

Here, Puck serenades his latest conquest Lauren naively inappropriately with Queen’s “Fat Bottom Girls” (from their 1978 album JAZZ***):

And here, the Warblers – featuring the delicious Darren Criss as Blaine – serenades Chris’ former New Direction mates with Paul McCartney & Wings’ “Silly Love Songs”***:

***Yes, the videos are flipped. Many YouTube posters encode their vids this way so YouTube’s recognition technology can’t recognize the material…