Just A Couple Of Bohemian Rhapsody Things I Caught On My Third And Fourth Viewing….

Just a couple of Bohemian Rhapsody things I caught on my third and fourth viewing….

When showing the Live Aid backstage in the first sequence of the movie, the Red Special is introduced with a panning shot that has such reverence you don’t even need Brian’s name as one of the producers because that alone is a testament of his involvement.

When performing with the band for the first time, Freddie wears the same black and yellow/gold shirt his Mum wears in the first scene when Freddie goes out to see Smile. I loved that

Brian being a little shit pestering John when he is fixing the van’s tire and John’s annoyed response. “Oh IS IT???”. You can tell he began writing Back Chat in that very same moment.

Roger. dumbass. Taylor. Has the nerve to get up, walk over Freddie’s sister and flirt with her when he already brought a date to dinner. I got the thot energy when I saw the movie for the first time and the rascal had the nerve to go all “what are you doing after this?” in front of her family but somehow I didn’t notice he is basically there with another girl. I tell you,   t h o t  dumbass

Marlene Dietrich photo: We know Freddie loved her and took inspiration from a photo of hers on the set of Shangai Express for the pose for the Queen II album cover and Bohemian Rhapsody video. We see the photo when the movie first starts, at Garden lodge. We see it again when Freddie shows the house to Roger for the first time. But a smaller one is also seen in his apartment when he comes out to Mary

In one of Queen’s first big performances we see the empty stage and the lights match the color scheme for the movie - black, purple and yellow

When pitching A Night at the Opera to Ray Foster, Freddie shares the most knowing looks with John, a really nice non-verbal touch that speaks plenty about their relationship. They are both holding back laughter when Freddie plays the opera record in a way that feels so close and personal. Kudos to Rami and Joe for taking something that’s supposed to be comedic relief and turning it into a nice reference to Freddie’s and John’s camaraderie. I also love that John is the one to say “no one knows what Queen is because it doesn’t mean one thing”.

Does Roger know how to button his shirt??? This is a business meeting, for crying out loud. Bless him for that. Please never learn what buttons are.

Also the Mum Energy™ of Brian standing there with his arms crossed is so strong a woman from Belgium complained.

At the sound of the last gong, Brian pats Roger proudly on the back when they are listening to Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time. Cuteness overload. (I will also refuse to discuss the amount of times Brian and Roger engage in unnecessary touching throughout the whole movie. Brian, you have to separate Roger and Freddie from fighting in the studio, no need to leave your hand on Rog’s chest for that long, pal)

We don’t talk enough about Lucy Boynton performance. She is so expressive, so restrained yet commands a scene with such ferocity, has the ability to break my heart with her monologue about being told “I love you, but….” And saying “You are loved. By me, Brian, Roger, Deaky. That’s enough”. Thanks, I love sobbing in a movie theatre four weekends in a row. 50/10 give her the praise she deserves. Also she is so beautiful I had to take a deep breath when she walked in.

When Reid and Prenter are talking scheming backstage at Madison Square Garden, you can see Roger chatting with two girls and Deaky comes by with an 8 ball or something like that looking pissed, and they begging arguing, the girls completely forgotten by now. You gotta love that dumb energy that felt very true. Also first of many John Looks So Hot underrated outfits in the whole movie. YEs  to the leather jacket, you funky disco man

Freddie calls Good Old Miami when he is double crossed by Prenter the snake…. He just calls him and Miami knows it’s him ???? And he says “Freddie?” So soft and paternal. That whole scene?????? AND THEN FREDDIE SAYS “Thank You….JIM” and let me tell you, I didn’t think by the third viewing I would be crying over a scene of Freddie and their manager but there I was, wanting to give each of them a 45 minute hug. Protect Miami at all costs please. (also we won’t talk about Freddie saying “we are a family and families fight” because I’m gonna cry right here again)

The contrast of Roger telling Freddie “you need us” when he says he signed a contract and Freddie saying “I don’t need anyone” and then him saying “I NEED YOU” and pointing out what he lacked by not having the band by his side IS POETIC CINEMA. I don’t make the rules, sorry

I know I’m messing up the chronological order, but the Another One Bites the Dust scene would grant it’s own essay. Roger and Brian being little shits to poor Disco Deaky? Checked. Band tension with Freddie? Checked. Roger consumed by hubris thinking his noodle arms can measure up against former boxer Freddie? Checked. John shutting up everyone by playing one of the coolest riffs in the history of music? Checked. The four of them looking the hottest they’ve looked (don’t get me started on Roger drumming with a cigarette in his mouth and Freddie wearing leather)? Checked. The editing of the bar scenes and the rehearsal with that soft red light? Checked and archived as A R T.

This was pointed out by my mum, and I think I saw someone else also saying it online, but I don’t care if in reality Freddie learnt about his diagnostic much later than Live Aid, and subsequently told the band after 1985, we all cried with that beautiful scene (for me, one of the best ones in acting and composition - it stars with that beautiful pipe organ and you get a churchy, revered vibe instantly. Also the looks between Freddie and Miami before he tells the band. And Deaky’s tears when he laughs and says “Actually Wembley doesn’t have a roof”. Ugh, I can’t shut up about this scene).

What my mum pointed out was the Impact that scene had in the sense that all three of them just went up there and hugged Freddie without a second thought. In a time when people knew very little about AIDS and how it was transmitted, when there was a lot of prejudice and misinformation being passed around, the meaning of four friends, four brothers embracing is enough to turn anyone into a puddle of tears.

On a lighter note, Brian rehearsing in white shorts and socks is peak “is this Gwilym Lee or Brian May documental footage??”. Yet another John Looks So Hot underrated outfit, the tank top with the sleeves cut out so deep you can actually see his ribcage???? The shorts???? This is an emotional scene, I shouldn’t be lusting over Joe Mazzello yet here I am