Freddie
Mercury: The Untold Story (2001)
I don't know if VH1 has done a "Behind
the Music" episode about Queen, but "Freddie Mercury:
The Untold Story" seems to assume that they have or
they will. This 68 minute video film includes some
interviews with Mercury's bandmates and other musicians,
but the real focal point here is Mercury's upbringing,
his sexual life and his eventual death from AIDS in
1991. There just seems to be a huge chunk of the man's
life; his rock star idol image as the frontman of
Queen, mainly; left out. Of course, filmmakers Rudi
Dolenzal and Hannes Rosacher are concentrating on
the man here, not Queen.
Jumping around in time and difficult
to follow, this documentary covers Freddie's birth
in Tanzania (where he was named Farrokh Bulsara) to
his time in an Indian boarding school as a teenager.
Much delight for fans can be gleaned when rare drawings
by Mercury are shown. The flamboyant singer also flirted
with fashion design and many of these images, including
drawings and a few actual garments, are also shown.
Some time into his late teenage years,
Freddie formed a band at school called The Hectics
and then later, when in London, joined the band Smile
which eventually evolved into Queen. Again, there
is some interesting recreations and recorded material
used to tell this part of the story.
But the real interesting stuff here
is the interviews with Mercury's "wife," a female
whom he lived with for 6 years and eventually came
out to, and his final male lover whom Mercury often
introduced as "my husband." The film does not get
"seedy" and really delve into Mercury's sexual peccadillos,
however it does show video footage of Mercury's debauched
39th birthday which apparently went on for weeks.
Finally, mention must be made of the
segment with opera diva Montserrat Caballe which shows
Mercury's wonderful and imaginative musicianship.
The interview with Caballe reflects her deep love
for him and through her we are touched by Mercury's
marvellous spirit and creativity.
"Freddie Mercury: The Untold Story"
brings forth images and interviews that the most diehard
Queen fan will never have seen before. But at 68 minutes,
the film only glosses over the man's life and legacy.
Very little coverage of his wonderful musical work
with Queen is really included and no mention of the
"tribute" concert in his honor following his death
is made. This, quite simply, is only a slice of the
pie.
