| Michael Scapp 22.07.2013 23:41 |
Sascha had in mind that they were going to be making a sleazy R-rated tell all film about the gay lead singer, but the band had a PG rated film in mind that focused on Queen's rise to the top. Read the story here: link |
| cmsdrums 23.07.2013 02:51 |
Someone on this site will be very pleased.......! Whilst the 'Hollywood machine' will want a 'warts n all' film that reveals the behind the scenes, Brian and Roger have to stick to their guns on this one and make the film that they want, with the story they want to tell - after all. it's their legacy, their life etc... I personally don't see this ever happening, and to me that's no great loss really - if you want the story of Queen, you can do a lot worse than watching the Days of Our Lives documentary. |
| lowetalk 23.07.2013 03:06 |
Sacha's goal/vision was not a "sleazy" rendition, but rather a more forthcoming account of Freddie's life. As Freddie would say, "warts and all". He would die a second death to learn his biopic was being restricted to "careful and BORING" - his nightmare. |
| Mr.QueenFan 23.07.2013 08:39 |
I'm glad that Queen are in control! I feel sad that Sacha has quited because i think he's the ideal one to do the movie. He's a natural Freddie look-alike. Having seen the movie "Philadelphia" with Tom Hanks a couple of weeks ago, just made me think that i don't want to see the last days of Freddie on film. It doesn't bring anything new or positive to the table and it would be a very sad ending for a movie about Queen. If Queen are doing this because they want the movie to focuse more on the music, then i applaud them, because i think that it's all about that wonderfull music - to show youngsters how it's donne- and to inspire people with music. And i'm glad that the boys want this to be more about Queen as a band than only Freddie and his lifestyle. Really good news, to know that Hollywod would not do what they want to do against Queen wishes. |
| noorie 23.07.2013 10:33 |
Very well put, Mr. QueenFan. I totally agree. |
| brENsKi 23.07.2013 11:15 |
Mr.QueenFan wrote:Having seen the movie "Philadelphia" with Tom Hanks a couple of weeks ago, just made me think that i don't want to see the last days of Freddie on film. It doesn't bring anything new or positive to the table and it would be a very sad ending for a movie about Queen.it's a story of his life - that should be ALL of it. people die. Mr.QueenFan wrote:and it would be a very sad ending for a movie about Queen..the movie is NOT about Queen - it's about Freddie, Freddie had 25 years BEFORE queen and a solo career too. as regards the "sad ending" comment - Brian already took care of that with the musical, cosmos rocks, various weird singer choices....yes, queen had their "sad end" 1998-2013 etc Mr.QueenFan wrote:If Queen are doing this because they want the movie to focuse more on the music, then i applaud them, because i think that it's all about that wonderfull music - to show youngsters how it's donne- and to inspire people with music.you are being too naive. the "focus on the music" is a cynical approach - more royalty money from record sales, soundtrack, and generally more lucre for the remaining band members - Bri/Rog personally, i'd like to see a biopic with NO MUSIC...just acting and a focus on the star's life |
| Mr. Gaga 23.07.2013 13:28 |
I recently met the wife somebody closely involved with the project. She told me that Sasha can only play himself and that he is out of the project. I think they found a nice way for him to step back from the project. "He leaves" sounds better than "he must leave" ... |
| Mercuryking 23.07.2013 13:35 |
A story about Queen and Freddie MUST tell the whole story. That includes the ending years too no matter how hard it is for some of you to handle. IT is the TRUTH, that was what happend and why ignore that fact? That is what was so incredibly sad about Freddies story and that NEEDS to be told in the Movie or else the Movie will suck. |
| Richard Orchard 23.07.2013 14:30 |
I think it is a bit of a shame. I think it needs to push things in order to be any good. How many average "biopics" are there? loads. But odd, that it has taken this long to realise that their visions of what the movie would be like are so different. It will be amazing if the movie ever gets made. |
| Queen4ever13 23.07.2013 16:28 |
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| Queen4ever13 23.07.2013 16:30 |
Nothing wrong with telling the whole story but in light of his past stupidity he was not deserving of the role it would not do Freddie Mercury justice |
| brENsKi 23.07.2013 16:52 |
acting is acting. doesn't matter what you think of the personality, it's how they portray the role. we'll never know now for sure, but actors can act (usually) by definition, pity most people round here deemed him so "unworthy" of the role - esp when (most) of those people deemed our extremely flawed and self-deprecating genius singer above anyone ever playing him on film perhaps the irony of the hypocrisy was lost on them? |
| Apocalipsis_Darko 23.07.2013 18:19 |
I did interviews with Mack, Mike Moran, Peter Straker, Peter Hince,Bill Smith (The Works art work), Morgan Fisher, the drummer session of Mr.Bad Guy, etc, etc...for spanish music magazines. All we know Jim Beach want to show only a side of Freddie. As human being, we all have different sides. With all this people, nobody talks good about Jim Beach. Some preffer not to talk, others of the records told me somethings sucking...that I can't share for respect of them. Brian and Roger lost all their credibility when collaborated with bands like FIVE (A BOY BAND) or Britney or every person in the world under the name of Queen. That doesn't affect their brilliant past and the good songs they did and moments of happines they did as, but their not honest with the Queen legacy. I'm sure Barbara Valentin or Peter Straker would not appear in the film, and if they appear as fictional characters, would be a few minutes. If you want a good biopic, you must show everything, like Eastwood did with 'Bird', or Hoffman's interpretation of Lenny Bruce. Or if you want a good documentary, you have the last Chet Baker, Let's get lost. If you don't want to share this things, is correct, not do it. All my respect to Sacha and John Deacon. Is my opinion. |
| Garden Lodge 23.07.2013 19:04 |
Apocalipsis_Darko: I would be extremely surprised if Barbara Valentin chooses to "appear" in the movie, if it's ever made, wouldn't you? It looks like you're well informed and up to date my friend. |
| Apocalipsis_Darko 23.07.2013 19:34 |
Obviously, Barbara Valentin is dead, I mean an actrees for her rol :) And sorry for my written english! I only have the good fortune to talk to a lot of people about Queen, cause my job as culture journalist. Being Queen my favorite rock band since I was 6 years old, I always tried to do interviews with people near to them. Or if I did interviews with other artist, like Shirley Manson, Joe Elliot, Sasha Grey (the most beauty fan of Queen on earth, hahaha) or Alan Moore, I asked them about Queen, with freedom to say what they think. For example, there are artist said bad things about them, and I respect all the visions and perspectives. With Mack I talked to him by phone a few times and by mail. I asked by mail for "The Freddie Mercury Album". His answer was: "After watching the movie 'Amadeus' w/Tom Hulce with Freddie, he said: that's probably how I end up, they throw me in a ditch. Promise me that you watch over my music. I did promise. But I really couldn't do much since I just had the verbal authorization and nothing in writing. So the management/company let everybody have a go at it. I declined.From experience of making extended versions at the time, I know with Freddie's stuff it is really difficult. They sound easy enough, but everything is always a little different. Hard, if not impossible to edit/change. As you mentioned, to me it was and is sacrilege. Imagine a remix of 'Imagine' or 'Revolution'. Yoko has done a few bad ones. Releasing demos etc. There is a reason why unfinished works/ideas are not out in the public. They are not finished. No real artist wants his scrapbook reviewed by anybody". And one of the persons who did this compilation, a very honest person, Jeff Lord-Age told me: The Freddy Mercury remixes where a collaboration with Jullian Raymond . I actually worked on about a dozen songs during that period . All of them from Freddies european solo releases . One was the sone Time , another , The great Pretender . All of them were deemed a bit to Freddie and not quite Queen enough to be released on the Disney owned Hollywood Records Label which Juian was a staff producer for . I transfered the original tracks from analoge 24 trk 2inch tape to 1/2 inch 48 track Sony digital reel to reel format , The same format Both My brothers use to this day in there mixing process .Chris Lord-Alge is my older brother abd Tom Lord Alge my younger. From there I worked with session players : Denny Fongheiser , Tim Pierce and Jon Pierce as well as Jeff Lorber , and Bennett Salvay to transform the recordings into a more Queen like production The guitars on My Love is Dangerous , Mr Bad Guy , Time , Lets turn it on , and even The great Pretender , were re recorded by Tim Pierce ( Rick Springfield band ) . I personally recorded each track with Tim , and we spent a lot of time multi layering the gtr parts and stacking up gtr harmonies. I recorded all the gtr , bass and drum parts on Mr Bad Guy, My Love is dangerous , Time and The Great Pretender , keeping just the original orchestra parts. Those songs were recorded in a band format with Denny Fongheiser on Drums , and Jon Pierce on Bass . Extra layers of Gtr and bas fixes were added after the basic band track was recorded. I redid the vocal compilation from the original tracks and ended up using different lyrics than the original in My Love Is Dangerous , not ever hearing the original or even refering to it . I remember being told that I had changed the lyrics by a executive at Hollywood and my reply was Cool , now its a collectors item. I really just tried to make the songs as amazing sounding as I could and to frame Freddies voice with the best musical tracks possible . I remember shedding a few tears while working on Time thinking how poignant it was . The politics surrounding the choice of mixes really bothered me at the time , I thought the Brian Malouf versions of Mr Bad Guy , and the Great Pretender were not as good as mine , but Brian worked for Hollywood Records and these things happen . I have never heard the Nile Rodgers version of Time but in each case the hard work had been done in the studio with the musicians and myself and the producer and the tracks pretty much would mix themself. I am sure that any halfway decent engineer would be able to simply put up the tracks and get a very good mix , I spent a lot of time pre mixing the tracks and removing unwanted bits so there was a really good arrangement on the tape . The vocals and background parts , gtrs etcetera all had been premixed down to stereo tracks with exception of the drums which where on 10 tracks. Living on my own was mostly given a reworking by Jeff Lorber if I am not mistaken ,. We spent a couple of days reworking it , that is something I had done many times with Jeff at his studio and many other studios in LA with many different artists music . On a personal note I always thought it was very morbid that these songs had been dug up and redone after Freddies death . I thought I might feel very disrespected had it been my music . At the time I was struggling to become sucessful in hollywood and really could not afford to turn down any project . Oddly this project is the one that I am most often identified with . I worked very hard to bring honor to an already very bright star and some of his lesser known music . I hope I succeeded. I gave this two excerpts (the rest are audios, and I can translate english to spanish, but is difficult the inverse, to show Im not inventing anything I said. I think the only person I don't like to do an interview about Queen, was Mick Rock, very arrogant. Mack, or Mike Moran give me very good vibrations. |
| inu-liger 23.07.2013 20:21 |
Interesting stuff! I wonder if he would still have copies of his own remixes that went unreleased? |
| GuitarMay 23.07.2013 22:57 |
.... I wanted Sachas in the film ;( |
| Apocalipsis_Darko 23.07.2013 23:40 |
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| Apocalipsis_Darko 23.07.2013 23:44 |
I wanted Sasha Grey in my life ;) Seriously, how many good musical biopics are? Bird about Charlie Parker and...well, Control or the Cash biopic were only ok, and 24 hour people was great (but it was a different kind of biopic). My opinion is Let the sleeping dogs lie, or like Wayne Hussey said, let the sleeping dogs die. |
| SimonFerocious 24.07.2013 01:11 |
You think Freddie's gay lifestyle was "sleazy"? I think you're being unfair to Sacha Baron Cohen. All he wanted to do was tell the truth and Freddie had a pretty wild lifestyle, if he didn't, he'd probably still be alive today. Remember what Freddie said to Jim Beach near the end of his life "never make me boring," well hiding who Freddie really was in a movie would make him seem boring. Freddie never played it safe and that's what made him extraordinary and neither should everyone behind this film. Enough time has passed now for Queen to be honest with their fans and it's not betraying Freddie's memory. It's what he would have wanted. |
| matt z 24.07.2013 01:13 |
Slut as she may be. .. yes. ... YES, that IS an eager beaver |
| john bodega 24.07.2013 02:17 |
Replace him with Sasha Grey. But keep in all of the cocksucking and anal sex. You'll have a box office winner, mark my words. |
| theherb 24.07.2013 02:24 |
Gary Mullen is a fantastic Freddie performer and I bet he could act the role just as well. I saw him recently and he definitely has the personality to pull it off. Sacha Baron Cohen's idea sucks anyway. |
| plumrach 24.07.2013 04:08 |
Johnny Depp has been mentioned in the press as the new lead |
| Chief Mouse 24.07.2013 04:19 |
Zebonka12 wrote: Replace him with Sasha Grey. But keep in all of the cocksucking and anal sex. You'll have a box office winner, mark my words.Haha! |
| Doga 24.07.2013 04:24 |
SimonFerocious wrote: You think Freddie's gay lifestyle was "sleazy"? I think you're being unfair to Sacha Baron Cohen. All he wanted to do was tell the truth and Freddie had a pretty wild lifestyle, if he didn't, he'd probably still be alive today. Remember what Freddie said to Jim Beach near the end of his life "never make me boring," well hiding who Freddie really was in a movie would make him seem boring. Freddie never played it safe and that's what made him extraordinary and neither should everyone behind this film. Enough time has passed now for Queen to be honest with their fans and it's not betraying Freddie's memory. It's what he would have wanted. _________________________ Big mistake, Freddie was extraordinary because he was a great musician, a great composer and a great performer. A lot of people could go party hard, but only a few have the musical sensitivity of Freddie Mercury. On the other hand, i never really cared about the film with or without SBC, way more excited about the release of full Budapest last year and now Rainbow. |
| dysan 24.07.2013 04:41 |
If this makes the film one step closer to not being made, I'm happy. The resources NEED to go into other stuff first before this. |
| Apocalipsis_Darko 24.07.2013 05:10 |
Zebonka12 wrote: Replace him with Sasha Grey. But keep in all of the cocksucking and anal sex. You'll have a box office winner, mark my words.;) Mark it in stone! |
| Day dop 24.07.2013 08:07 |
theherb wrote: Gary Mullen is a fantastic Freddie performer and I bet he could act the role just as well. I saw him recently and he definitely has the personality to pull it off. Sacha Baron Cohen's idea sucks anyway.You are kidding? Aside from not having the personality, he looks absolutely nothing like Freddie. Seriously! His voice is alright as a tribute act for Freddie/Queen, but it goes no further than that. |
| rubens 24.07.2013 11:19 |
I belive that Brian and Roger made the right decision this time. Freddie always made efforts to keep his personal life private. He made clear that his stage and artist persona was very diferent of his "real" self. And he was very interested to protect his personal info. When he said "never make me boring", I belive he was talking about his songs, his works as an artist. I don't think that he would want a biopic showing to the world what he never showed while he was alive. |
| Robbe100 24.07.2013 14:03 |
I'm glad Sasha's out. |
| flash00. 24.07.2013 19:07 |
Still no news from Queen about this maybe there hoping he will return I hope not Depp would be better for this role. |
| john bodega 25.07.2013 00:22 |
I seriously want anyone mentioning the name 'Depp' to take a long holiday, right now. The guy (whatever utility he might've had a long time ago) is a dingus who either doesn't know or doesn't care about picking worthwhile projects anymore. It's really hard to believe he's the same guy. |
| Mr.QueenFan 25.07.2013 08:30 |
Doga wrote: (...) Freddie was extraordinary because he was a great musician, a great composer and a great performer. A lot of people could go party hard, but only a few have the musical sensitivity of Freddie Mercury.Perfect statement about Freddie. People tend to forget what a great composer he was, but i'm glad that Queen are in control of this bio and want the focus to be where it really matters. |
| Day dop 25.07.2013 09:12 |
I think there needs to be a balance with how it's approached - I don't think you can have a PG rated movie about Queen/Fred. He swore like a trooper, and then there's the parties, drugs, sex etc. To make out anything other than how it was would be dishonest by Brian and Roger. That's not to say it needs to overly focus on those aspects. Anyway, at this point, I can fully imagine the movie getting shelved for good. |
| shamar 25.07.2013 16:51 |
Michael Scapp wrote: ... but the band had a PG rated film.How to ruin respect and legend. |
| Apocalipsis_Darko 25.07.2013 19:29 |
I think the best idea is not do the film. As I said, if you wanna do a good film, you must show the good and the bad, like Eastwood did in Bird. And that's impossible...with Jim Beach and 2/3 of Smile. Is like documentaries. There are documentaries about Ramones that show everything, and some ideal things are broken forever, or Daniel Johnston, or Chet Baker, but....what do you want? Blockbuster or a masterpiece? Is like...what do you preffer, to watch a Ron Howard film or a Michael Haneke film. Pretty woman or Christian F..A A Beautiful Mind or Spider by Cronenberg. |
| Apocalipsis_Darko 25.07.2013 19:40 |
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| Apocalipsis_Darko 25.07.2013 19:42 |
I totally agree with Day Dop. You can't do a silly movie like The Doors by Oliver Stone... Was Jim Morrison out of control a lot of time? yes, but also he wrote great lyrics and did beauty melodies and interpretations. The other side, is a film saying that person was a saint, likeTina Turner movie. And Ike Turner was an asshole, but there are also stories about Tina very hard... |
| Day dop 26.07.2013 02:51 |
Isn't it a bit stupid to make a film about Fred/Queen and miss out the whole Aids thing anyway? I'm not saying it ought to be centered around that, or spend ages showing him dying (again, it's about balancing the whole thing) but surely that's one of the main points of a dramatic story about the band, aside from parties and the music? All part of the success and tragedy that was Queen. It seems to me Brian and Roger just want a nice, happy, family friendly story - basically, the We Will Rock you show in the cinema, pretty much. Except, it wouldn't rock - it'd suck as a film. |
| Apocalipsis_Darko 26.07.2013 05:30 |
And also, you can do travelling, and not showing the most shock moments...Is usually best for the film, in artist terms and for the public for everything. |
| Mark_Glasgow 27.07.2013 11:08 |
This is the kind of shit that happens when Brian and Roger get involved in anything. Not having any mention of the darker side of Freddies life is a bit like making a movie about World War 2 and not mentioning Hitler and the holocaust. How the fuck are they going to explain his death lol....he passed away from an unknown illness and was carried away on the wings of angels!!! Get a grip boys ffs and lets have a film worth watching |
| cbaslee 29.07.2013 09:32 |
I have to say, I'm relieved. Just because a person has ability, doesn't mean that person will make the best use of their ability. SBC can't be trusted to respect Freddie as a human being, or to respect his legacy. |
| cbaslee 29.07.2013 09:35 |
I think we could be just a bit kinder to Brian and Roger. They are human, after all, and so are all of us. I say that after I had the same initial reaction...I thought that Brian and Roger were maybe being a bit overly precious about the legacy....but then I remembered Borat. And SBC showing up as the Great Dictator at the Oscars and dumping ashes on Ryan Seacrest. Oh, yeah, and every single episode of Da Ali G Show. |
| brENsKi 29.07.2013 10:19 |
cbaslee wrote:I have to say, I'm relieved. Just because a person has ability, doesn't mean that person will make the best use of their ability. SBC can't be trusted to respect Freddie as a human being, or to respect his legacy.can't believe i read this ^^^ tripe. it's a f**king film...they emply directors, producers, editors, production teams and - most importantly there'll be a script to follow...with plenty of retakes until it's correct. - get over yourself and this "no one is worthy of freddie's legacy" mentality. cbaslee wrote: I think we could be just a bit kinder to Brian and Roger. They are human, after all, and so are all of us..you need to remember these are the two same "humans" entrusted with the "legacy" you hold so highly...and in the twenty ensuing years have brought us incredibly misjudged collaborations, freddie's favourite singer, wwry musical, cosmos sucks, and loads more besides... cbaslee wrote: .but then I remembered Borat. And SBC showing up as the Great Dictator at the Oscars and dumping ashes on Ryan Seacrest. Oh, yeah, and every single episode of Da Ali G Show.s- f**king what if he did some shit comedy - you have not seen him do any serious acting - so you are unable to judge him on that score. also, it's not as if your "dear perfect freddie" was immune to artistic cock-ups of monumental proportions: the fake boobs in S America for IWTBF, body language, sun city, apologising for HS at MK Bowl, chunks of Mr Bad Guy, man on the prowl, IAHL video, pain is so close to pleasure, and don't try suicide no one slagged freddie off for attempting to branch out into the classical direction with Barcelona, yet you're slagging off a comedian for trying to do serious... |
| thomasquinn 32989 29.07.2013 13:12 |
At the first whisper of a film about Queen/Freddie, the stepford fanatics come crawling out of the woodwork. Brian and Roger can do whatever the hell they want, but I personally am of the opinion that they have done nothing worthwhile in the field of music after Roger's Electric Fire. They are really good at making money off things I'm pretty sure even they were aware sucked big time. I mean, 5ive, Wyclef Jean, and downhill from there (if that is even possible). IMHO, they can do one of two things: 1) retire and shut up, spending the rest of their lives counting their money. 2) make new music they really like, not rape old music with sucky 'artists' who will sell well. I have stopped buying the crap they put out since the Paul Rodgers thing, and I'm not going to waste a single cent on more compilation albums, disturbing collaborations, musicals, re-re-re-remixes and the likes. If they want to put out something worthwhile, I'll buy it. However, I have not seen anything worthwhile with "Queen" on it since Milton Keynes. |
| DLCVinnuendo 29.07.2013 17:51 |
for me, it's much better do a film about the black queen, to do the freddie film |
| quilt410 29.07.2013 19:18 |
Although I was looking forward to the film, I've never been a fan of Cohen. Frankly I'd rather remember Freddie the way I want to rather than have him trashed in a movie in a way that nobody wants. Freddie's too special to be a spectacle and he valued his privacy and wouldn't have wanted it either. |
| brENsKi 30.07.2013 02:57 |
if he really did value his privacy so highly answer this 1. why hang about with a load of people who'd sell their own grandmother for money? because the minute he died - they flaunted every iota of his precious privacy 2. someone private does NOT hang out in the places in New York & Munich that he did!!!! - surely he knew that people would see "the famous singer" there/coming out of those [places etc,? - so by default he was breaching his own privacy jeez! - some people round here, really need a sharp taste of reality NEWSFLASH: - freddie was not a plaster saint, he was not some inspirational leader/talker/intellectual or even a well-rounded character - he had flaws (like all of us) - and therefore is not above criticism and examination. the only truth we know about him that matters? he wrote many good songs - some great ones, and one or two shit ones. end of |
| quippygirl 30.07.2013 16:28 |
Quote: "I have to say, I'm relieved. Just because a person has ability, doesn't mean that person will make the best use of their ability. SBC can't be trusted to respect Freddie as a human being, or to respect his legacy". Huh? And just how do you know this? SBC has been attached to the Freddie Mercury biopic for years. Obviously, the members of Queen thought he was a good choice. Just because he doesn't want to do a watered down version of Freddie's life doesn't mean he "can't be trusted to respect Freddie as a human being, or to respect his legacy." If anything, it's the opposite. He wants to do an accurate portrayal of Freddie's life. I think Roger and Brian are more interested in making a movie about the Queen legacy than a movie that focuses solely on Freddie. Personally, I don't want to see a movie that is equally devoted to the other members of Queen. I was looking forward to the SBC Freddie biopic but I am no longer interested. I also have to wonder why the remaining members of Queen haven't spoken with Mary Austin since Freddie's death? Is it true (as she alluded) that they thought that Freddie should have left them more of his share of royalties? It wouldn't surprise me as they have been milkiing the Queen train ever since his death. I actually feel embarrassed for them. I agree with the poster who says that no Freddie and John = no Queen. |