Random Bohemian Rhapsody Recreated Queen's Legendary Live Aid Performanc (11 items)

• 

  (#9) It Was Important To Everyone To Capture Freddie Mercury's Passion

  The more Rami Malek watched interviews, performances, and other clips of Freddie Mercury, the more he realized how much the singer put into his performances. Malek said of Mercury, "He was giving it everything he’s got, every second, every moment. He was trying to make the most of it. He wanted to give everyone at every concert on every date the best experience they could possibly have." Malek wanted to do the same.

  Brian May and Roger Taylor wanted the movie to capture the band's history and Mercury's dynamism. Taylor stated, "We kind of saw Freddie in [Malek] and we could sense Rami's passion. The first time we saw him was actually in Roger's flat. It must have been horrible for him, having us watching him for the first time. But we were really blown away by him and his ability to perform - he's incredible."

  May echoed Taylor's praise: "I love the way that Rami has captured not only Freddie's great power and ebullience, but also his sensitive, vulnerable side, of which there was a lot. You know, he came from very small, humble beginnings, as you see in the film."
• 

  (#8) The Sequence Was Intentionally Chosen To End The Movie On A Positive Note

  Queen's Live Aid performance was placed at the end of Bohemian Rhapsody to send viewers out into the world on a positive note. Producer Graham King stated that the sequence was "so important to the story, because their performance grabbed people’s attention around the world." Queen's performance cemented the success of Live Aid as the band "really galvanized a global audience in a way no one else had."

  Giving audiences the Live Aid experience, according to King, was meant to "uplift audiences, rather than have them leave feeling depressed or emotional about Freddie [Mercury] and what he went through in his personal life... it's a real celebration."
• 

  (#10) Rami Malek's Vocals Were Combined With Freddie Mercury's Throughout The Movie 

  Rami Malek couldn't sing like Freddie Mercury, whose vocal range exceeded opera and rock stars alike. But during Bohemian Rhapsody, he sang for the sake of realism. As a result, Malek's own voice was merged with Mercury's as well as with vocals provided by Canadian singer Marc Martel. Brian May chose Martel, who has been compared to Mercury since the beginning of his career, to be part of the Queen Extravaganza tour in 2011. Martel toured with the show for years and started his own Queen tribute band in 2016.

  For the Live Aid performance, however, Bohemian Rhapsody used the audio from the show itself. It was released for the first time as part of the movie's soundtrack.
• 

  (#11) A Version Of The Entire Live Aid Set Will Appear In The Home Release Extras

  The cast of Bohemian Rhapsody recreated the entire Queen performance from Live Aid, but that's not what viewers see in the theatrical cut of the film. The full Live Aid performance included "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Radio Ga Ga," "Hammer to Fall," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "We Will Rock You," and "We Are the Champions." The abbreviated version of Live Aid in Bohemian Rhapsody only keeps "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" in its entirety.

  The full performance will appear on the DVD, Blu-ray, and digital versions of the film upon its release to home audiences. 
• 

  (#7) Rami Malek And Other Cast Members Worked With A Movement Coach

  Before filming the Live Aid scene, Rami Malek, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, and Joseph Mazzello rehearsed for six weeks. They worked with movement coach Polly Bennett and studied YouTube videos of the concert to master the mannerisms of their musical counterparts. 

  Malek and Bennett dove deeper into Mercury's life and mannerisms, studying his childhood, his physicality, and even his major influences like Aretha Franklin and Liza Minelli. Bennett explained, "[Freddie] was a long-distance runner at school and a boxer... this gives us a reason why Freddie ran across the stage and punched the air, and [allows me to explain to] Rami: ‘This is why that character moves the way that he does.’"
• 

  (#3) Members Of Queen Consulted On The Live Aid Scene

  Brian May and Roger Taylor, both executive music producers on the film, consulted often on set. May visited the recreated Wembley Stadium at Bovington Airfield, and tweeted pictures of the set in August 2017. May's caption conveyed his excitement: "LIVE AID LIVES AGAIN. It's a miracle. Bo Rhap the movie. We are on."

  Both May and Taylor were able to provide insights into what Live Aid was really like. Rami Malek said of the scene, "It was quite surreal...I’d be talking to Brian May as Freddie and future Brian May would show up. It was like being in a sci-fi novel."

  Live Aid organizer and producer Bob Geldof was also on set.

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking