Released 28 November 2011 (31 January 2012 in
North America)
Length 164 minutes (DVD) and 221 minutes (Blu-ray)
Part 1 (59 minutes)
Part 2 (59 minutes)
Additional Videos (24 minutes):
Seven Seas Of Rhye / Killer Queen / Somebody To Love / We Are The
Champions / Crazy Little Thing Called Love / Under Pressure /
Radio Ga Ga
Additional Scenes (28 minutes):
From Magic To Miracle 1986-1989 / Going Slightly Mad - The Making
Of Innuendo 1990-1 / Made In Heaven
Blu-ray Only Additional
Scenes (38 minutes):
Bohemian Rhapsody / Don't Stop Me Now / Flash Gordon / Leaving
John Reid, 1978 / Making Videos / Queen On Tour 1974-5 / Queen:
The Beginning 1968-1973 / Scrabble Wars / Working Together
Blu-ray Only
Additional Interviews (19 minutes):
Another One Bites The Dust / Brian's Health Scare, US Tour 1974 /
B-Sides / Freddie Legless / Freddie's Outfits / Highlander /
Manager Jim Beach Meets The Band, 1975 / Return To Imperial / The
Show Must Go On / The Songwriting Balance Changing In The 1980's
Directed by Matt O' Casey
Produced by Simon Lupton and Rhys Thomas
Bonus footage produced and directed by Simon Lupton and Rhys
Thomas
Edited by Christopher Bird
Additional audio production and mixing by Justin Shirley-Smith,
Joshua J. Macrae and Kris Fredriksson
Queen management by Jim Beach
Supervising producer for Eagle Rock - Andrew Winter
Executive producer for the BBC - Adam Barker
Executive producer for Queen Productions - Jim Beach
Executive producers - Lesley Douglas, Iain Funnell and Richard
Cook
This is a DVD and Blu-ray release of the two part documentary
which was originally shown on BBC2 on 29 and 30 May 2011 at
9:40pm. The documentary tells the story of Queen, from the
pre-Queen days of 1984 and Smile, to the 'Made In Heaven' album.
It features brand new interviews with Brian and Roger, roadie
Peter 'Ratty' Hince, manager Jim Beach, former manager John Reid,
former keyboard player Fred Mandel, and various journalists,
aswell as archive interviews from all four members of the group.
It also features footage from numerous promotional videos and
live performances, as well as previously unseen footage from
tours, recording sessions, video shoots, and previously lost 'Top
Of The Pops' performances.
Altogether this is a very good documentary, with the balance
between music and personal life much better than some others.
However, there are still some fairly big omissions, as neither
the 'Flash Gordon' nor 'Highlander' films are discussed at all,
the 'A Kind Of Magic' album is only briefly mentioned, and all
post-Freddie activities (including the 'Made In Heaven' album and
'We Will Rock You' musical) are covered in the closing five
minutes.
The DVD and Blu-ray release both add seven bonus promo videos,
newly created for the release, and three additional scenes which
expand on the period from 1986-1995 in more detail than the main
documentary. The Blu-ray release adds further scenes covering
numerous subjects, most notably the formation of the group and
early touring. Details of these are given below, and are
available on Youtube.
The Japanese release featured alternate bonus features as
follows:
Teo
Torriatte (2005)
I
Was Born To Love You (2004)
First visit to Japan 1975: Japanese Tea Ceremony and Press
Conference
Live at the Budokan 1975: Killer Queen / In
The Lap Of The Gods.... Revisited
Live at the Seibu Lions Stadium, 1982: Love Of My Life / We Will Rock You
Freddie Mercury: The Official 65th Birthday Video
When the DVD first loads, it automatically plays the two part
documentary and the bonus sequences (title 7; 2:19:27 total)
followed by the bonus videos (title 17; 24:35) before going to
the main menu. The main menu is based on the 'Innuendo' promo video
and features an excerpt of the song; the first time it is shown
the excerpt begins with drums, and subsequent visits feature a
slightly shorter version which fades in at the start. The main
menu allows you to play part 1 (title 1; 59 minutes), part 2
(title 2; also 59 minutes), play all (which plays part 1, 2, the
bonus sequences, and bonus videos, title 8 followed by 17) or
select the 'Bonus Features' or 'Subtitles' menus. When you select
these last two options, a shorter excerpt of 'Innuendo' is played.
The 'Bonus Features' menu features footage of Freddie from the
'Radio Ga Ga' video and plays an excerpt of 'The
Kiss (Aura Resurrects Flash)'. It allows you to select the
'Additional Scenes' or 'Additional Videos' sub-menus, and plays a
shorter excerpt of 'The Kiss' when you select one.
The 'Additional Scenes' menu features an a-capella excerpt of 'Bohemian
Rhapsody' and allows you to play three bonus sequences
(titles 3-5) or play them all (title 6; 20:59), which feature
additional footage from the period 1986-1995 which was not
included in the main programme.
The 'Additional Videos' menu features an instrumental excerpt of
'Good
Company' and allows you to play seven new promo videos
(titles 9-15) or play them all (title 16; 24:35), which mostly
feature unseen footage, alternate camera angles, and promo-video
out-takes.
The 'Subtitles' menu features an instrumental excerpt of 'You're
My Best Friend' and allows you to select subtitles in
English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, or turn
them off.
Below is a brief guide to the contents of each title, which I
have divided into sections. Any rare or previously unseen footage
is highlighted in red.
The 'Queen On Tour 1974-5' featurette features an almost complete
performance of 'Now I'm Here', while the Japanese release adds
'Killer Queen' and 'In The Lap Of The Gods.... Revisited', all
recorded at the Budokan Hall, Tokyo, on 1 May 1975. This footage
was later released on the 'A
Night At The Odeon' DVD and Blu-ray in 2015.
Details of the two recording session excerpts of 'We Are The
Champions' can be found on the Queen Demos
pages.
- Footage of Freddie at Wembley Stadium ('forget those
rumours' etc) and footage of 'One Vision', with a montage
of footage over the years and various new and archive
interview snippets
- Archive news footage of Imperial College, and interviews
with Brian about the college, 1984, finding Roger, and
Smile, with an excerpt of 'April Lady' and footage of the
band at the Royal Albert Hall
- Interview with Chris Smith (Smile keyboardist) about
Freddie's unique style
- Excerpt of an early live version of 'Big Spender', and
interviews with Freddie, Chris Smith, Brian and Roger
about Freddie's early days and wanting to join the band
- Archive interviews with Freddie and Roger about the
formation of Queen, the name, and further interviews with
Brian at Imperial College about early concerts there,
Rosie Horide and Tony Stewart (music journalists) about
Freddie's stage persona, and a clip from the 'Liar' promo
video.
- Interview with Roger and archive interview with John
about joining the band
- Interviews with Roger, Brian and Roy Thomas Baker about
signing to Trident and recording the debut album, with an
excerpt of 'Keep Yourself Alive'
- Excerpt of 'The March Of The Black Queen', and interviews
with Roger about the 'Queen II' album, studio techniques,
and over-production of the track
- Interview with Paul Watts from EMI about Queen's
breakthrough with 'Seven Seas Of Rhye', with lost 'Top Of
The Pops' footage of the track, and interviews with Roger
and Brian about the filming and the impact
- Interviews with Brian, John and Freddie, about
songwriting and royalty arguments
- Excerpt of 'Now I'm Here' with backstage footage from the
Rainbow concert, and interviews with Brian and Roger
about touring with Mott The Hoople, the US tour, and
being ill with Hepatitis
- Footage of 'Killer Queen' from 'Top Of The Pops', and
interviews with Tony Stewart, Brian, Roger, Freddie and
Paul Watts, about the song and 'Sheer Heart Attack'
album, with live footage from the Rainbow, and lost 'Top
Of The Pops' footage of the track
- Interviews with Roger, Brian, Paul Watts, Peter 'Ratty'
Hince (Queen's roadie) and Rosie Horide about financial
problems, with an instrumental excerpt of 'Death On Two
Legs', and further backstage footage from the Rainbow.
Further interviews with Brian, Roger and John Reid, about
moving management to him
- Piano version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody', and interviews with
Brian, Freddie, Chris Smith, Roger, Roy Thomas Baker and
Peter Hince, about the song and the recording of the
album, with clips from Hammersmith 1975, the original
promo video, and the original vocal takes
- Interviews with Brian, John Reid, Freddie, Roger, Rosie
Horide and Paul Watts about the song, leaking a copy to
Kenny Everett, and the promo video
- Live footage of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (Hyde Park, 1976), interview
with Brian, and footage of 'Ogre Battle' (Hyde Park,
1976)
- Interviews with Roger and Brian about 'A Day At The
Races' and 'Somebody To Love', and it's inspiration, with
footage from the 2011 promo video, with archive interview
from Freddie, and further interviews with Brian and Roger
about harmonies
- Interviews with Paul Watts, Rosie Horide and Brian about
the press dislike of the group, and interview with John
Reid about not giving interviews
- Interviews with Paul Gambuccini, John Reid, and Tony
Stewart about the punk revolution, and the 'Is This Man A
Prat?' NME review.
- Footage of 'The Millionaire Waltz' from Earl's Court with
an excerpt of the album version, and interviews with Tony
Stewart, John Reid, Roger and Freddie about the press
- Excerpt of 'Fight From The Inside' and interviews with
Peter Hince, Roger and Freddie about recording 'News Of
The World' at Wessex Studios, and meeting the Sex Pistols
- Excerpt of 'Sheer Heart Attack' and interviews with Roger
and Brian about changing styles, with an excerpt of 'Get
Down, Make Love'
- Interview with Brian about the origins of 'We Will Rock
You' and 'We Are The Champions' at Bingley Hall,
Stafford, and the audience singing along during and after
the concert
- Interviews with Peter Hince and Brian about the recording
of the 'We Will Rock You' stomps and claps, and footage
from the promo video
- Interview with Freddie about writing 'We Are The
Champions', with footage of the recording of the track
and original vocal takes, interviews with Brian and Roger
about the track, and footage from the promo video
- Excerpt of 'Spread Your Wings' with unseen footage of the
1977 US tour, and interviews with Roger, Peter Watts,
Rosie Horide, Harvey Kubernick (Melody Maker), footage of
'We Will Rock You' (Houston, 1977), and an interview with
Roger about audience participation
- Footage of 'Love Of My Life' (Houston, 1977), and
interviews with Roger and Brian about Madison Square
Garden, and an interview with Brian about making his
guitar and flying his parents out to see the show
- Archive interview with the whole band about tax, then
interview with Roger and Brian about recording 'Jazz' in
France
- Footage of the 'Bicycle Race' promo video (from 'Greatest
Video Hits II'), and interviews with Brian about the Tour
De France inspiring the track and 'Fat Bottomed Girls',
with footage from the naked bicycle race and interviews
with Roger and Roy Thomas Baker about the video
- Interviews with Brian, Roger and Peter Hince about the
album launch party and rumours, with an excerpt of 'Fat
Bottomed Girls'
- Footage of the 'Don't Stop Me Now' promo video, and
interviews with Brian and Paul Gambuccini about the song,
the New York gay seen, and an archive interview with
Freddie
- Interviews with Paul Gambuccini, Harvey Kubernick and
Roger about the album and singles success
- Interviews with Brian, Peter Hince and Mack, about
Freddie writing 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love', and
it's success, with footage of the 2011 promo video
- Interviews with Brian, Paul Gambuccini, John, Mack, and
Roger about 'Another One Bites The Dust', with clips from
the promo video, and interviews with Roger, Brian, Mack,
Harvey Kubernick and Paul Gambuccini about the dance
style of the track, Michael Jackson's involvement in
releasing the single, and it's success, with clips of the
track from 'Queen Rock Montreal'
- Interviews with Roger, Brian and Paul Gambuccini about
the group's success, and further footage from the 'We Are
The Champions' recording sessions
- Excerpt of 'Was It All Worth It', with a montage of clips
and interview snippets, as a preview of part 2
- Excerpt of 'Flash', with short video clips and captions
to summarise 'the story so far', followed by interview
snippets with Roger, Jim Beach, Freddie and Brian, with
clips from throughout the 1980's
- Interviews with Roger, Brian, Jim Beach and Peter Hince
about touring South America, with backstage footage from
the tour, and an excerpt of 'The Ring'
- Footage of Freddie being interviewed on Brazilian TV, and
interviews with Roger and Brian, with footage of 'Tie
Your Mother Down' (Sao Paulo, 1981)
- Interview with Harvey Kubernick, and footage of Freddie's
Singalong (Sao Paulo, 1981)
- Interviews with Jim Beach, David Richards and Brian,
about the Montreux recording studio, with an excerpt of
'Las Palabras De Amor', and footage from recording
sessions
- Interviews with Brian, Freddie, Mack and Roger about
recording with David Bowie and the bass riff, with
footage of the 2011 promo video, and further recording
session footage
- Interviews with Brian, Roger and Mack about Musicland
studios, the disco feel of 'Hot Space' and Freddie's
assistant Paul Prenter's influence, with an excerpt of
'Back Chat' and footage from the video
- Interviews with Jim Beach, Roger, Brian and Peter Hince
about increasing tensions in the band, and the Munich
lifestyle, with footage from the 'Body Language' promo
video
- Interviews with Paul Gambuccini about Freddie's attitude
to AIDS, a news clip about the 1982 US tour, a clip of
Freddie from the Milton Keynes show, and interviews with
Jim Beach, Mack and Roger about the sales of the album
- Footage of a US TV interview with Roger about his
'Strange Frontier' album, with footage of the 'Man On
Fire' promo video, and an interview with Brian about the
'Starfleet Project', a clip from the promo video, and
coming back to Queen
- Excerpt of 'Man On The Prowl', and interviews with
Freddie, Roger, Fred Mandel, Mack, and John, about moving
to Los Angeles, the recording of 'The Works', and
songwriting
- Excerpt of 'Machines', with recording footage from the
'One Vision' sessions, and interviews with Mack, Roger
and Brian about Fred Mandel's synthesiser solo on 'I Want
To Break Free'
- Interviews with Roger, Freddie, Fred Mandel, and Paul
Gambuccini, about the writing and recording of 'Radio Ga
Ga', with live footage of the track from 1985, and promo
video out-takes, interview with Harvey Kubernick about
audience participation, clip of the track from 1985, and
interview with David Richards
- Footage of the 'I Want To Break Free' video, and
interviews with Roger, Freddie on Australian TV, Paul
Gambuccini, Brian, Fred Mandel and Harvey Kubernick, with
promo video out-takes
- Interviews with Jim Beach and Brian about losing the US
market
- Promotional clip for Sun City, and interviews with Paul
Gambuccini, Freddie, Brian, Roger, and Jim Beach, about
the concerts and apartheid
- Footage of the 'Living On My Own' promo video, and
interviews with Freddie, Jim Beach and Mack, about the
'Mr Bad Guy' album and solo activities
- Footage from a TV-AM feature about 'Live Aid', with
excerpt of 'Is This The World We Created?', and
interviews with Paul Gambuccini, Roger and Midge Ure
- Footage of 'Hammer To Fall' Live Aid rehearsals,
interviews with Peter Hince, Paul Gambuccini, Roger,
Midge Ure, Brian, John, and Jim Beach, with footage of
Status Quo's performance, 'Hammer To Fall' and 'We Are
The Champions'
- Interviews with Brian, Roger, and Jim Beach, about the
recording of 'One Vision' and The Magic Tour, with
footage of the group in Munich, the 'One Vision'
recording sessions, and the track from various concerts
- Footage of 'God Save The Queen' from Wembley 1986, and
interviews with Roger, Freddie and Jim Beach about
Freddie's deteriorating health
- Footage of 'The Miracle' promo video, and interviews with
Brian and Jim Beach, about Freddie telling the band he
was ill, and the recording of the album
- Footage of Queen receiving the 1989 Brit Award, and
interviews with Fred Mandel, Roger, Brian, and Paul
Gambuccini, about Freddie's health and press intrusion,
with footage of the Scandal promo video
- Interviews with Roger and Brian about recording in
Montreux, and Freddie's bravery, with footage of the 'I'm
Going Slightly Mad' promo video and outtakes
- Interviews with Brian and Roger about recording and
filming, with outtakes of the 'These Are The Days Of Our
Lives' video
- Interviews with David Richards, Brian and Roger about the
post-Innuendo recording sessions, with an excerpt of
'Mother Love'
- Interviews with Jim Beach, Brian and Roger about seeing
Freddie for the last time, with an excerpt of 'Bijou',
and footage of Freddie's statue in Montreux
- Interviews with Brian and Roger about The Freddie Mercury
Tribute Concert, with footage of Roger announcing the
concert at the Brit Awards, clips of the various
performers, David Bowie's prayer, and George Michael
performing 'Somebody To Love'
- Excerpt of 'The Show Must Go On', and interviews with Jim
Beach, Brian and Roger about Made In Heaven, and clips of
various live performances and the 'We Will Rock You'
musical
- Footage of 'A Kind Of Magic' from Budapest 1986, and
finally a clip of Freddie's singalong at Wembley 1986
(24
minutes)
With the exception of 'Under Pressure', these videos feature
previously unseen footage, camera angles and out-takes.
- Seven
Seas Of Rhye
A compilation of footage of 'Top Of The Pops'
performances and live footage from the Rainbow Theatre
1974. It features a slight edit of the track, fading out
earlier than normal.
- Killer
Queen
A compilation of two 'Top Of The Pops' performances, one
unseen since 1974. It features a slight edit of the
track, fading out earlier than normal.
- Somebody
To Love
A new promo video featuring footage from all four video
takes of the track, some of it in split-screen.
- We
Are The Champions
This features the band recording a new version of the
song, with footage of the band in the studio, alternate
musical elements, alternate vocal-takes, many missing
vocals, and some dialogue in places. It is similar to the
footage used in the documentary itself.
- Crazy
Little Thing Called Love
A new promo video featuring alternate shots and out-takes
from the video shoot.
- Under
Pressure
A new promo video featuring footage of the track from
'Queen Rock Montreal' in 1981 and with David Bowie at the
Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992. It features an
edit of the track, which omits some of the intro, outro,
and one line of vocals.
- Radio Ga Ga
A new promo video featuring alternate shots and out-takes
from the video shoot. It is an edit of the track, which
loses a number of sections.
- From Magic To Miracle 1986-1989 (4:59)
Footage of the end of 'We Are The Champions' from
Knebworth 1986, and interview with Roger and Brian about
personal problems, with an excerpt of 'Forever'.
Footage of the 'I Want It All' promo video, out-takes
from the making of 'Breakthru', and interviews with John,
Brian and Jim Beach about the album and shared
songwriting credits
- Going Slightly Mad - The Making Of Innuendo 1990-1 (9:10)
Footage of Queen receiving an award on the 'Goodbye To
The 80's' TV show, excerpt of the 'Innuendo' promo video,
and interviews with David Richards, Roger, Brian and John
about recording the album.
Footage of the 'Headlong' promo video and interviews with
Brian, Roger and Jim Beach about touring to promote the
album.
Interview with Fred Mandel and Jim Beach about Freddie's
illness, with out-takes from the 'These Are The Days Of
Our Lives' promo video, and an excerpt of 'Bijou' with
footage of Garden Lodge.
Footage of Brian and Roger on TV-AM talking about Freddie
and his death, and footage of Queen receiving the Brit
Award for 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives'
- Made In Heaven 1995 (6:49)
This feature includes new interviews with Brian and Roger
about recording the album and working with Freddie's
material, and features excerpts of 'Made In Heaven', 'A
Winter's Tale', 'You Don't Fool Me', 'Too Much Love Will
Kill You', 'Let Me Live', 'Mother Love', 'Heaven For
Everyone' and 'I Was Born To Love You', with footage from
various promo videos and Montreux
(Blu-ray only; 38 minutes)
- Bohemian Rhapsody (1:06)
Interviews with Brian, John and Freddie about releasing
the track, the risks, and an edited version which John
produced, with an edited excerpt of the promo video to
show how odd it sounded
- Don't Stop Me Now (2:52)
Interviews with Brian and Roger about the full guitar
track not being used, with excerpts of the 'Long Lost
Guitar' version and footage of the track from the
Concert For Kampuchea at the Hammersmith Odeon, 1979
- Flash Gordon (3:01)
Interviews with Roger about the film and album, intercut
with footage from the alternate promo video
- Leaving John Reid, 1978 (3:14)
Interviews with John, Brian, Roger, John Reid and Jim
Beach, about having John Reid as a manager, splitting,
and signing the contracts in Freddie's Rolls Royce at the
'We Will Rock You' and 'Spread Your Wings' promo shoot,
with out-takes from both videos
- Making Videos (3:59)
Interviews with all of the band about promo videos, and
Brian and Roger's dislike of making them, with footage
from the 'Radio Ga Ga' 'photo book', the 'It's A Hard
Life' promo video, and out-takes from the 'We Are The
Champions' and 'I'm Going Slightly Mad' video shoots
- Queen On Tour 1974-5 (11:17)
Interview with Brian about headlining a tour for the
first time and the Rainbow Theatre, with footage of the
band backstage, the intro to 'Ogre Battle', 'Liar', and
the full performance of 'Stone Cold Crazy'.
Interviews with Roger and Brian about touring in Japan,
with footage of their press conference, Japanese tea
ceremony, messages to fans, and footage of 'Killer Queen'
(intercut with interviews) and 'Now I'm Here' (almost
complete, without interruptions), both from the Budokan
Hall, Tokyo, on 1 May 1975
- Queen: The Beginning 1968-1973 (8:19)
Interviews with all of the band about early groups,
Smile, forming the band, making the debut album, trying
to get a record deal and early styles, with excerpts of
'Blag', 'The Night Comes Down', 'Great King Rat', 'Keep
Yourself Alive' and 'Liar'
- Scrabble Wars (1:24)
Interviews with Brian and Roger about the band's love of
Scrabble, and footage of the band playing during the 1986
Magic Tour, with an excerpt of the instrumental version
of 'I Want To Break Free'
- Working Together (2:50)
Footage of 'Tie Your Mother Down' from a soundcheck in
Houston 1977, and interviews with Brian, Roger and John
about soundchecks, arguments and egos, with an audio
excerpt of an argument between the band
(Blu-ray only; 19 minutes)
- Another One Bites The Dust (1:08)
Interview with John about writing the song, the early
'cowboy' version, and recording the track
- Brian's Health Scare, US Tour 1974 (3:45)
Interview with Brian, covering his time in hospital,
writing 'Now I'm Here', and recording the 'Sheer Heart
Attack' album
- B-Sides (2:12)
Interview with Brian about B-side tracks and the impact
on royalties
- Freddie Legless (1:55)
Interview with Roger about Freddie getting drunk with
Tony Hadley and sobering him up in time to perform in New
Zealand, 1985
- Freddie's Outfits (0:39)
A brief interview with Roger about seeing Freddie's
harlequin costume for the first time
- Highlander (1:09)
Interview with Roger about becoming involved with the
project, and seeing the first film rushes
- Manager Jim Beach Meets The Band, 1975 (1:31)
Interview with Jim Beach about first meeting the band
- Return To Imperial (3:34)
Interviews of Brian walking around Imperial College,
about the college itself, early concerts, and auditioning
Roger, with excerpts of 'Polar Bear', 'Blag', 'Doing
Alright' and 'Liar'
- The Show Must Go On (1:23)
Interview with Brian about writing the track, and how
Freddie hit the high note
- The Songwriting Balance Changing In The 1980's (1:49)
Interview with John about his and Roger's increasing
songwriting contributions
