Elly Roberts reviews
Freddie Mercury: Lover Of Life, Singer Of Songs
Distributed by
Wienerworld
DVD: 
CD:
- Cat.no: 3671709
- Released: September 2006
- Format: 2*DVD 9
- Rating: 10/10+
- Region: All, PAL
- Fullscreen: 4:3
- Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Italian.
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 (Solo videos)
- Classification: E (Exempt)
- Languages: English
- Retail price: £17.99
- Extras:
Colour booklet with archive photos, Director's Commentary, A View Forever,
The Three Producers, The Last Interview, Interactive Photo Gallery (CD ROM)
Shortly after release, Freddie Mercury sat nicely at the top of the official Music DVD chart.,
Lover Of Life, Singer Of Songs is almost the visual accompaniment to
the double CD of the same title. Mercury wanted it all. Some would say he had
it all.
When you consider laughing stock Pete Doherty, this DVD will put Freddie’s
immense all-round talents into perspective. The Lover Of Life: The Untold
Story is an award winning documentary about his early days in Zanzibar
to his untimely death in London. What a journey it was. A montage of
reconstructions, archive footage and interviews with sister Jer Bulsara,
sister Kashmira, ‘husband’ Jim Hutton and a long list of others bring his
unique existence to live.
It’s most moving sequence is, when long-term partner Mary Austin reveals the
moment of his sexually and his fatal disease. There’s also his final
interview.
We learn out about his roots on the island of Zanzibar through to his Indian
education at the tender age of 8 in summer 1955, were he was good at art,
music and boxing.
Early signs of his theatrical antics began when he dressed up as women in
several plays, and he apparently sang O Sole Mio at one school concert.
The die was cast.
During his Queen days he was fascinated as much about the ‘package’ as much
as the ‘product’. Possessing a degree in illustration and design, he was
aesthetically very savvy. Much of the video footage here confirms that
Freddie loved to party at different levels.
Having successfully lead Queen to world domination, he embarked on an equally
successful solo studio career. He further lived out his various fantasies
through his videos, with meticulous attention to detail at every level,
even costume and pre-production.
His one vision was no barriers, no restrictions. Confessing he was a man
of extremes, a man of no half measures, it culminated with duets with opera
soprano Montserrat Caballe. His entire solo videos take up DVD 2.
At 45 he was dead. His legacy lives on here. Amazingly, Zanzibar still
hasn’t recognised his awesome talents.
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.