Overview: In 1971, four college students got together to form a rock band. Since then, that certain band called Queen have released 26 albums and sold over 300 million records worldwide. The popularity of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon is stronger than ever 40 years on. In this film, for the first time, it is the band that tells their story.

Blu ray Verdict: For my money, as a music journalist and a fan, in the history of modern music Queen stand alone. Whether it be the plethora of songs, all the albums, all the tours, some people say that Mercury was Queen! Sure he had an awesome voice, and yes he was uber-theatrical, and sure he had a great body, BUT he was surrounded by a bunch of clever guys. Musicians that gave a damn, and always backed Mercury no matter what he was going through in his personal life.

During this INCREDIBLE documentary, and one that you will watch over and over and over again, trust me, there is a clip of Live Aid in 1986. On stage, Mercury informs the crowd that there have been rumors that Queen were going to split up after the big show. He asked the crowd what they thought of that rumor! They screamed back as one, 'Noooooo'! He then bends over, presents his still-clothed ass to them, and says, "They're talking through here"! Classic, absolute classic!

In the documentary - told in two chapters - we go through the Queen history of time, watching as Roger Taylor knocks over a big, beautiful ice sculpture (for fun), oberve Mercury pushing over a stack of speakers whilst still on stage, watch as naked young girls cycle around a race track, how Brian May admits that for one (albeit long) moment they "ruled the world", and, as expected, we watched Mercury's on stage outfits got bigger and more colorful with each tour!

As we progress, a young Taylor is ask where the modesty within the band has gone, to which he replies, "Well, there just isn't any," which speaks volumes for that period of time when they DID rule the musical world! May further admits in the film that he thought England never really thought they were that cool of a band and Mercury himself later adds that negative public vibes is one thing, but he never wanted some "asshole critic" to tell him that!

They were there for the fans, NOT the UK press. But, as Mercury profoundly points out, when you go so far up the only place left to go is down. The arguments began within the band creatively, but then turned very personal. Which led a few of them, especially May to consider that the band might have to break up, sooner rather than later.

As their hit single 'One Vision' plays on more than one occasion as a back drop to this film, it isn't by accident that you feel strangely compelled to run out and buy a Queen greatest hits CD - or two! That one song, for me at least, I hadn't sat and listened to for ages and yet now simply cannot get it out of my head!

Anyway, moving on and Mercury talks about the inner band jealousy of whether or not his solo album will do better in the charts than the last Queen album. Something that, I can honestly testify to today, still happens with bands and talented lead singers that go solo. And, as one great man states, "Freddie took to the gay scene like David Attenborough to a wildlife program"! Bloody classic!!

Furthermore, in some black and white footage, Taylor admits to a journalist over a cup of tea that their first just-released album had "resoundingly crashed," to which a modern day May adds, "It's funny when you make your first album, you think you're in the record stores now, so you go in and ask for the new Queen album ... and they say, What?!", he laughs. "It's a long haul," he admist, and yes, their career certainly was - and they were all in it for just that beautiful reason.

And so, with the film kicking off in a black and white London, albeit quickly for it then turns to Brian May walking down a modern day street (and classically, the two girls he passes both turn to doublecheck on who they thought had just walked past them!), the story starts with him and his days at Imperial College ... and then the story truly unfolds, from one and all.

Bonus Features: Additional Videos - new promo videos containing unseen rushes, performances and outtakes; Seven Seas of Rhye, Killer Queen, Somebody to Love, We Are The Champions, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Under Pressure, Radio Ga Ga.
Additional Sequences: featuring unseen interviews and archive footage, exclusive sequences that dig deeper into the history of Queen, and tell the stories that weren't covered in the documentary.
Queen: The Beginning
Queen On Tour 1974-5
Bohemian Rhapsody
Working Together
Leaving John Reid 1978
Don't Stop Me Now
Flash Gordon
Making Videos
Scrabble Wars
From Magic To The Miracle 1986-89
Going Slightly Mad: Making Innuendo 1990-91
Made In Heaven 1995
Bonus Interviews: additional stories, taken from the interviews shot for this documentary with Brian May, Roger Taylor and Jim Beach.
Return To Imperial College
Brian's Health Scare 1974
Manager Jim Beach Meets The Band 1975
B-Sides
Freddie's Outfits
Another One Bites The Dust
Song Writing Balance Changes 1980's
Freddie Legless!
Highlander
The Show Must Go On.

This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs, and has been brought to us via a crisp Blu ray production.