CY@CY Says Welcome to my dreamscape. Where a Lim is also a Ling.
Queen has been one of my favourite rock bands since I was in Form 5 or Form 6. I even had a huge poster of them pasted on the wall of my room when I was studying in Montreal. I still listen to their songs regularly and my favourites include Bohemian Rhapsody, We Are The Champions, We Will Rock You, Another One Bites The Dust, Somebody To Love, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Radio Ga Ga, Under Pressure, Fat Bottomed Girls and Killer Queen.
When I realized that the movie Bohemian Rhapsody is now showing in Miri, I told myself that I must watch this movie. So I finally went to watch the 11.45am screening of this movie today with my wife who also is a fan of Queen.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody is a Queen biopic starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury and has provoked a swell of nostalgia and emotion around the world, raking in huge box office takings. After a 10-day run, the movie has chalked up an incredible $285 million in worldwide ticket sales and is on course to become the biggest musical biopic of all time.
Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet.
The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career.
Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie was persuaded to reunite with his bandmates to play for Live Aid. Amid an atmosphere charged with pessimism and despite having being diagnosed with AIDS, Mercury led the band in a 21-minute performance that has been lauded as one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Below is the actual performance by Queen at Live Aid:
1.9 billion viewers watching on TV around the world fell under Mercury’s spell. At the end of “Radio Ga Ga,” Mercury led the crowd in a vocal improvisation, which was later christened “the note heard around the world.”
The brilliance of that set not only reverberated around the world that summer but it has rippled through every viewing thereafter. For a man whose death is so focal in the history of HIV/AIDS, Mercury remains undefined by it. He left behind a legacy as one of the greatest and most influential musicians the world has ever seen.
I love the movie for its exuberance and energy. The music was incredible and for over two hours, I felt myself taken back in time. Phew! What an experience!
If you have not watched the movie, below is the official trailer:
