Content area
Full Text
Freddie Mercury: the Great Pretender. 2012. Directed by Rhys Thomas. In English with German, French, and Spanish subtitles. 107 minutes. Colour, DVD, and Blu-ray. Produced and distributed by Eagle Rock Productions. http:// www.freddiemercury.com.
Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender is clearly targeted toward fans, as it is a celebration of the musical career of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury (1946-1991). The director, Rhys Thomas, has produced numerous DVDs about the band. Yet, because Mercury was one of the most representative pioneers of the large-scale arena rock of the 1980s, the film ends up offering a worthwhile perspective on the popular music industry of the era.
The film follows conventions of today's rock biopic, edifying about Mercury by granting "backstage" access to interviews, rare footage, and snippets of performances. Interviews tell a dramatic narrative of an iconoclastic...