7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 4.1 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A chronicle of the years leading up to Queen's appearance at the Live Aid concert in 1985.
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy (IV), Joseph MazzelloMusic | 100% |
Biography | 94% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
German: DTS 5.1
Italian: DTS 5.1
Czech: Dolby Digital 5.1
Polish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, Thai
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
One of the more enjoyable writing assignments for this unabashed music nerd has been the typically very enjoyable concert videos or other music related fare released by such labels as Eagle Rock Entertainment that I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing through the years. These releases have included quite a bit of Queen and/or Freddie Mercury material, including Freddie Mercury The Great Pretender , Queen: Days of Our Lives, The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert , Queen: A Night at the Odeon, and Queen: Live at the Rainbow '74, and I’ve tended to find all of these releases generally entertaining even if at times archival video and audio elements weren’t always totally up to snuff. As is documented in Bohemian Rhapsody, Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) had a number of hurdles to overcome on his way to success, some accruing from external forces and some others frankly self created, but perhaps ironically, Bohemian Rhapsody itself had a rather extended and problem filled gestation, at one point prominently advertising Sacha Baron Cohen as the actor chosen to play Mercury. The film’s trials and tribulations continued even after the production crew was set, with a now infamous firing of director Bryan Singer as the shoot was just getting ready to wrap. Things have arguably not gotten any better, at least in some ways, even after the film’s largely rapturous reception and a glut of industry awards and/or nominations, with some ongoing controversies swirling around Singer (which won’t be repeated here) continuing to generate some “extracurricular” reporting about the film, which may color some folks’ perceptions of it, rightly or wrongly. Even Malek himself has contributed to the furor, discussing at a press junket some of the allegations lobbed at Singer and stating overtly that his own relationship with the director was, in Malek’s words, “not pleasant” (you can read about the fracas here). In some ways, then, some viewers may need to approach Bohemian Rhapsody in the same way they’ve had to approach films involving other controversial figures (Woody Allen springs instantly to mind, though there are of course others).
Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080p Blu-ray.
Bohemian Rhapsody is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with a 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. Aside from a
recreation of archival footage which was evidently shot on film, this was digitally captured with Arri Alexa cameras, though I haven't been able to find
one word anywhere as to whether this was finished at a 4K or 2K DI. That said, I found a really fascinating interview with cinematographer Newton
Thomas Sigel, where he addresses all sorts of technical data about the shoot,
here. This 4K version
offers significant and noticeable upticks in detail and fine detail levels, especially with regard to elements like the fabrics of costumes and upholstery on
furniture. Fine patterns on these items have a more precise appearance, and other elements, like facial crags and skin pores, really pop in the many
close-ups in the film. The film's darker sequences have appreciable new shadow detail in this version, and the entire palette is enriched, with the
sometimes bright, vivid colors saturated at levels elevated from the already excellent levels seen in the 1080p version. Blues are used very effectively
throughout the film, including in a lot of scenes focusing on Mercury, and there are some interesting interstitial tones noticeable now that are not as
visible in the 1080p Blu-ray version.
Bohemian Rhapsody's 1080p Blu-ray features a really fantastic sounding DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix that I just couldn't "cheat" about,
giving it a 4.5, so that I could give this version a 5.0, indicating an uptick in quality. The fact is, the 7.1 mix on the Blu-ray is excellent and in my
opinion unassailable from a technical standpoint, but even given that, the Atmos track offers the same surround activity that the 7.1 track does while
also regularly engaging the Atmos channels and providing a nice array
of overhead activity that is especially noticeable in some of the live performance recreations, where things like the huge washes of crowd noise break
over the soundscape almost like waves. As with the 7.1 track on the 1080p Blu-ray, there is some really incredible low end here when the music kicks
in, and many dialogue scenes also benefit from smartly placed ambient environmental effects. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly on this
extremely enjoyable and immersive track.
Note: As tends to be the case with Fox releases, the audio and subtitle specs for the 1080p Blu-ray and 4K UHD discs are not the same. The
specs on this page reflect the specs of the 4K UHD disc.
The 4K UHD disc offers only one of the supplements included on the 1080p Blu-ray, though it's a good one. The rest of the supplements detailed in our Bohemian Rhapsody Blu-ray review are of course included on the 1080p Blu-ray disc in this package.
There's a lot to like and even admire in Bohemian Rhapsody, with Malek's performance being chief among the pleasures. The film has some hit or miss qualities, and is probably too vignette driven to ever provide much of a "history" of Queen, though that doesn't seem to have been the primary focus from the get go. If the ostensible band history here is pretty questionable, on a personal level this film seems to get a lot right about Mercury. I'd highly recommend those interested to check out any or all of the discs I linked to above that document various facets of the real life Mercury and Queen, but for a dramatized version of events, while awfully formulaic, Bohemian Rhapsody manages to hit a lot of the right notes. Technical merits are first rate, with the 4K UHD version providing clear upgrades in both video and audio aspects. With caveats (including buck teeth) noted, Bohemian Rhapsody comes Recommended.
w/ 24-page Gallery Book
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