The movie Bohemian Rhapsody has received a lot of criticism, but despite what people feel about it, you can't deny that the cinematography isn't just breathtaking. One of the shots that inspired this entire series is this one right here:
Those who criticized the film have repeatedly pointed out that Malek was a poor casting choice, mainly because he doesn't have brown eyes as Freddie did. But as Brian May points out, Bohemian Rhapsody was not a documentary, and that was never the intention. Sacha Baron Cohen (who has brown eyes) was initially slated to play Freddie, but he quit due to creative differences with Queen.
I think Malek nailed who Freddie was as a person. Malek's interpretation of Freddie is apparent in interviews about Bohemian Rhapsody because if you compare Malek's interviews and Freddie's interviews side by side, it's almost as if Malek became Freddie.
I love this shot for several reasons. First, this is right as Freddie is doing the "AY-OH!" bit. The energy is palpable in this scene, and this shot captures absolute joy. It's almost as if Freddie himself is looking out at you, and watching the scene in its entirety will give you goosebumps.
Here's what I wrote for the scene:
And here's the scene from the original Bohemian Rhapsody script:
As we see, there are quite a few differences. For example, in the film's final cut, the next song is actually 'Hammer to Fall", but overall, I don't think what I wrote is terrible. The original script is also quite different from the movie's final cut, and in this instance, I prefer the final cut.
While many will still have their opinions about the movie, I love the film's cinematography and think many scenes captured Freddie properly. AY-OH!
Join me next time on Showstoppers and if you have any shot suggestions from a movie or a TV series, be sure to write me through my website or DM me on IG @dollyrheelproductions