Bo Rhap: The Film

[swordznsorcery]

Keep meaning to post this. The trailer has arrived for the much vaunted film of Freddie's life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN10tfVW0UY

Nothing too controversial there. It's been confirmed that Freddie's personal timeline has been rewritten, however, with him discovering that he's HIV+ before the Live Aid concert (in order to give the film a suitably climactic ending, apparently). This annoys me for reasons that I'm finding hard to articulate. We all know that historical details get altered for films, and there's nothing wrong with that generally. Apparently this film also mixes up which songs were released when, and that doesn't bother me much. That's movies. Changing when he found out about his diagnosis seems like too big a thing for me though. Whilst we'll never know when he became HIV+, it seems unlikely that he found out about it prior to 1987. Having him find out in 1985 feels very wrong. Sadly this isn't a big enough community to get a proper collection of responses, but I'd be interested in other's opinions.

The trailer actually looks quite entertaining, but I've very much lost interest in the project now, I'm afraid.

Comments

[heartonsnow]

it worries me because non fans will believe the fiction and not the truth and the truth seems important.

[swordznsorcery]

It is important, because Freddie's illness and death helped to change so many attitudes, as well as being (obviously) such a huge thing in his own life, and in the story of the band. Changing it in a story of his life and the band seems moronic.

[heartonsnow]

There does not seem to be any explanation why they felt they needed to change facts.

[egret]

Because they are .

I am also bothered by this movie.

[egret]

Thank you so much for posting about this. I am sorry to have neglected this community.

I feel dread about this movie. Nothing I have read about it has inspired confidence.

It is angering that they would use the HIV as a plot device that will then climax in their "triumphant LIVE AID, greatest rock performance of all time, surely Brian has a long solo" moment. So that they are participants in the triumph. But of course in real life the triumph was that Freddie went on to record three more albums of music, including much of his own composition, while struggling with illness. But why discuss his solo album when they just need things they have the license to for the soundtrack?

I also think the costumes/makeup look dodgy as hell.

I confess that probably nothing they do in regards to this movie would really make me happy. Perhaps it will bring Freddie new appreciation among younger fans.

So, I am going to pass along this link I saw on the Queen subreddit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFhXhy-VHOs&t=4s&frags=pl%2Cwn

It's a reaction video to the Queen movie trailer posted by Cameron Deacon, who was identified on reddit as John Deacon's son. I don't know if he is or not, but his twitter feed is followed by Rufus Taylor, which lends credence. He is quite excited about the film, but he also makes an interesting remark about how maybe this movie will be the basis for another stage musical which could than itself be turned into a movie. It really makes me laugh because there is such a feeling of churning through that same greatest hits album over and over.

[ruuger]

I'm generally iffy about all biopics because it is impossible to make a biopic that is factually accurate that still works as a movie. To me they're basically the movie equivalent of real person fanfiction.

I will probably go and see Bohemian Rhapsody, though (unless the reviews are really, really negative), because I see it more as a celebration of Freddie than a factual representation of history.

(I'm also happy that they switched Bryan Singer to Dexter Fletcher because I would have felt uncomfortable supporting Singer, plus I really enjoyed Fletcher's Eddie the Eagle movie which also took considerable artistic licence when it came to facts, but imo perfectly captured the spirit of its subject)

[swordznsorcery]

All biopics have changes. Mostly I'm okay with that! It's just the HIV thing, and using it to make a big ending for their film. Live Aid should have been big enough.

But we'll see. :) And thank you for being much more level-headed than the rest of us!