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Old 12-30-2018, 08:52 AM
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DownOnRodeo DownOnRodeo is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Birmingham, AL
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Thanks for the positive review of The Favorite. Good to know that there's something out there worth seeing!

I ended up at the cinema and there was absolutely nothing worth seeing (if you think the holiday movies in the US are paltry fare, try Japan...another DragonBall anime, anyone?), so I ended up making do with Bohemian Rhapsody. Its pace made it tolerable (as did the very Freddie large cup of beer I was drinking (one of the good things about cinemas in Japan)), but the whole movie played like an airbrushed collection of clockwork hagiography written by a team of record label lawyers, solely designed to market the Queen and Freddie brands to as wide an audience as possible.

Take the scene early in the film where the pre-Freddie band's lead singer quits on them. If the film had a shred of raw realism, the remaining band members would no doubt have been swearing and kicking the car tires and all the rest, or at least had upset/worried expressions on their faces, but instead, the audience knows that Freddie will be walking around the corner in a matter of second--and from the look on the other band members faces, they know it as well. "Oh no, our lead singer has left--whatever will we do now?" (big knowing wink to camera)

If the same filmmakers made a movie about Fleetwood Mac, it would have scenes like this:

Stevie: I'm breaking up with you, Lindsey.
Lindsey: Oh, so you're just going to, like... go your own way? (Close-up on dawning look of inspiration. Cut to next day in studio)
Lindsey: Hey guys, listen to this new song I have!
(Plays demo tape. Perfect album recording of GYOW fills the studio. Stevie pulls an old top hat out of a box.)
Stevie: And I just found this hat!

Christine: Well, that's a wrap on recording.
Mick: Yes. Now all we need is a name for this great new album of hits.
John: What are you two whispering about over there? Are you spreading... rumours?
(Mick gives Christine a knowing smile. John gives Lindsey a smug grin. Lindsey raises eyebrows knowingly at Stevie. Stevie puts her foot up on a small stool and lifts her shawl back in a dramatic pose.)
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