Shuvrajit Das Biswas
Some people are larger than life, and Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen, has always been that kind of a person. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is a biographical movie on his life. Although biographies have always been popular in films, the genre is seeing a resurgence in our times, with plenty of biographies being dedicated to popular musicians, bringing them back to the spotlight. ‘Rocketman‘ is another musical biography, on Elton John, that has been making the waves.
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was in the pipes for a long time, and the film finally came out in 2018. It did receive some criticism for the portrayal of Mercury’s sexuality and the members of the band, not to mention the fact that it did not go enough into the details of the AIDS epidemic that broke out at the time. However, it garnered praise for the performances and the musical sequences. It managed to walk away with four Oscars, including Best Actor. With all this hype surrounding ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, you must be longing to see the movie, if you have not seen it yet; or you might want to re-watch it if you have already seen it once. Either way, we have you covered, but before that, let us tell you a little bit about the story of the film.
What is Bohemian Rhapsody About?
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ recounts the life of Freddie Mercury, along with the meteoric rise of Queen, and Freddie’s untimely death when he succumbed to AIDS. The film starts off by showing London in 1970, and we see Farrokh “Freddie” Bulsara (Rami Malek), an Indian Parsi refugee hailing from Zanzibar. He works as a baggage handler at the Heathrow Airport and happens to live with his parents and sister. He sees the band Smile perform at a pub and meets Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton). He later also meets Roger Taylor, the drummer, and Brian May, the guitarist. Since their lead singer has quit, Freddie offers to be the singer, showing them his vocal prowess. He and Mary also begin to date.
John Deacon joins in as the bassist, and the band is soon complete and happens to sell out tickets in Britain. However, Freddie has bigger dreams and wants to record their debut album. He also changes the band’s name to Queen and legally changes his name to Freddie Mercury. They sign with John Reid, Elton John’s manager, and Freddie and Mary become engaged. However, their popularity leads to a sold-out tour in the USA, where he begins to question his sexuality. In 1975, they come out with their fourth album which includes one of their most iconic tracks, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. However, creative differences with the recording label prompts Mercury to get a DJ to promote the song on the radio. It becomes a smash hit, and Queen begins their world tour.
This is when Mercury starts an affair with Paul Prenter, the day-to-day manager of the band. He breaks off his engagement with Mary and comes out to her as a bisexual, though Mary is convinced that he is gay. Anyway, they remain friends, and Mary even moves in next door when Freddie buys an extravagant property. Meanwhile, all is not well with the band, as Freddie is urged by Paul to break off and do his own thing. The strain rises when Freddie tries to get the band to expand and go into disco and club music. Deacon is the only one open to the idea, and we have ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ during this time. The relationship takes a further hit when MTV bans ‘I Want to Break Free’ because the band appears in drag. Finally, Freddie breaks up with the band and goes his own way.
This proves to be a big mistake, as he finds himself increasingly being manipulated by Paul, and loses himself in a haze of drugs, alcohol, and orgies. He also becomes extremely ill. Mary, who is concerned about him, urges him to reunite with his band for the Live Aid benefit concert at the Wembley Stadium. When Freddie finds out that Paul withheld this news from him, he cuts off ties with him, and Paul lashes back by going public about Freddie’s sexual encounters.
Freddie later reunites with the band but discovers that the AIDS outbreak has affected him. His band members are supportive but shocked to hear this, but Freddie believes that pity is only a waste of time. A good chunk of the movie is dedicated to the songs in the concert as Queen takes the stage. Their performance makes the benefit a roaring success. The movie ends with inter-titles detailing how Freddie succumbed to AIDS-related pneumonia at the age of 45, and the Mercury Phoenix Trust was founded in his honor to help those who are living with AIDS.
Such was the life of one of the greatest stars to have graced the world, and now let us tell you where you can watch ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
Is Bohemian Rhapsody on Netflix?
Netflix has a lot of content, and some of it is related to music. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ might not be on the network, but try out ‘The Dirt‘, which is an intimate look at the rock and roll lifestyle of Motley Crue, as the movie traces their rise to superstardom.
Is Bohemian Rhapsody on Hulu?
Hulu has a library that caters to various needs, and while ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is available on the platform, it comes with a slight caveat. Hulu subscribers have to add the HBO pack to their existing plans at $14.99 per month. This allows them to access all HBO content including ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Check it out here.
Is Bohemian Rhapsody on Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime has a library that cannot be easily bested. In this case, Prime subscribers are in luck, because ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is available on the platform, on a slight condition: you have to add the HBO pack to your existing Prime subscription for $14.99 a month. Alternately, you can buy the movie for $19.99. We suggest you opt for the HBO pack since it gives you access to all their content. Check it out here.
Where Can I Stream Bohemian Rhapsody Online?
No Hulu or Amazon Prime subscription? No worries. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ can still be streamed online. Head over to HBO Go or HBO Now and you can stream the movie if you have subscriptions to these platforms.
Where Can I Watch Bohemian Rhapsody Online For Free?
Wondering if you can watch ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ for free? Well, wonder no more, because we have the solution for you. Head over to Amazon Prime and add the HBO pack for a free one week trial period. Since it is just one movie, you should be done before the week is up.
However, we would urge you to pay for any art that you consume.
Read More in Movie Guides: A Star is Born | Rocketman
