Film Reviews by None

Really didn't like Bohemian Rhapsody and I was ready to hate yet another rock star bio pic to which the subject in question is a little too close — yeah, Freddie Mercury is dead, but the remaining Queen members were heavily involved. However, I was very pleasantly surprised thanks to the clever handling of the subject by writer Lee Hall and director Dexter Fletcher, and an excellent central performance by Taron Egerton.

Rather than a linear telling of John's story, Fletcher and Hall introduce a number of what can be called fantasy sequences that give the film extra interest, while musical numbers are not just concert performances but shared among several members of the cast in these fantasy sequences.

Yes, many of the songs are out of chronological order, but this only adds to the appeal of the quirky and slightly unreal story structure. That said, I thought it was well documented that Elton John took his surname from Long John Baldry rather than the way that is depicted in the film.

Even though the film doesn't flinch from detailing the low points of EJ's life, one still ends up liking the bloke, thanks to Egerton's fantastic performance.

This is an enjoyable enough trawl through the history of film sound. But in an effort to touch as many blockbuster bases as possible, the film-makers miss a trick in not fully satisfying the geek squad (like me) who are likely to be the main group choosing a 90 minute documentary on the subject in the first place. It certainly proves that things were more innovative and enjoyable in the pre-digital days, and I wanted to see more tricks of the trade, discovering how Foley artists and sound designers came up with inventive ways to produce sound effects.