Zurich - Bohemian Rhapsody

Not Quite Bohemian Rhapsody

Although I was busy with my tax return when I came back, I still felt the need for a little break and I was in the mood to go to the cinema, which is something I can’t really do in Egypt.

To my delight, I realized that Bohemian Rhapsody was still playing. It had come out just as I was leaving Zurich in October last year and was a bit annoyed that I’d probably miss it, but 19 weeks later and it was still showing. I had to go and see it before it disappeared.

I wouldn’t normally spend an entire blog reporting on a film, but I grew up with Queen and was always a fan, so they feel like part of my life. I even went to see them live in the 1970s, I think it was in Croydon (not a massive venue in London) which, looking back on it, is itself quite extraordinary given how massive Queen became.

It was a no-brainer that I would like the film because with their music it just couldn’t fail in my eyes. Even when there’s a Queen night on the X Factor, I’m still struck, even now, at the diversity of their music.

The film jogged a lot of memories for me; I was astonished that it was Capital Radio that first played Bohemian Rhapsody. That was always “my” radio station as I grew up and I most remember it for introducing me to Kate Bush. They played Wuthering Heights non-stop when it first came out (so it felt). I didn’t like it on first hearing, but it grew on me and I ended up being an ardent fan of Kate Bush as well. It strikes me that Capital Radio was very forward-looking when I look back (err, that’s rather strange wording, but never mind!).

I liked the way the film played out the tension between Freddie Mercury’s confidence and vulnerability, although it never really examined the hole in FM’s life that tortured him in his lonesome hours or why he wanted to deny his cultural background (unless it just passed me by, which is possible!), so there was a certain lack of depth. However, this was a film and not a documentary, I guess.

Afterwards, I read that the film has been described as homophobic, but I didn’t really interpret it that way (critics seem to think it depicts FM having been led astray into homosexuality, but there were hints at it earlier in the film, so I really don’t think that was the message). I was surprised that on the one hand, he seemed easily manipulated, and then on the other hand, he was so stubborn over what the music should be and his own talent (the group wasn’t going to be talked into what they didn’t want to do musically).

There’s something uplifting and satisfying about seeing the life of someone who feels they are meant to do something (ie, music, in this case) and seeing them follow it doggedly. There was a strong message about the importance of music to FM and to Queen. Of course, you don’t know how much of what actually happened is fictionalized in the film, but for all of FM’s brazen confidence about his music, I was impressed in the film how he was also portrayed as not being overbearing in the group and to accepting the others’ compositions and work with no acrimony (that seemed to be between the others in the group). And that good music would overcome any argument. The music always came first. It's made me realise that I no longer listen to music nearly enough.

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