In the initial moments of The Great Pretender, a journalist asks Freddie Mercury if he gets intimidated when facing audiences of 300,000 people or more, to which the legend jeers, “No. The bigger the better… in everything!” I love this opening remark because, “the bigger the better,” is one of the only umbrella phrases that can be used to summarize a man who, over the span of his career, has been deemed nearly every superlative in the book.
Director Rhys Thomas begins the documentary by investigating Mercury’s decision to make a solo album in 1985 after 13 years of success as the front man of Queen. While “I Want To Break Free” plays in the background, the wonderfully warm and playful Mercury explains, “I wanted to do different things; I wanted to write a batch of songs that came out under the name Freddie Mercury.” Then while winking, he continues, “You know, something on the side.”
The film, on Blu-ray and DVD, is sprinkled with interviews and previously unseen footage and photos, including a demo of Mercury and Rod Stewart, as well as a recording of him and Michael Jackson. Both, for whatever reason, went unreleased despite their greatness. It makes me quiver to think of all the wonderful tracks certain musicians have made that our ears will never know.
There are dozens of charming moments that portray aspects of Mercury’s character that lay hidden underneath the theatrical man we knew from the stage – his whimsical, self-deprecating humor; humble nature; facetious tone; and flirtatious personality.
For instance, there is a scene in which he laughingly describes the moment when the members of Queen find out “Bohemian Rhapsody” has gone to #1 on the charts. They are in an elevator, or lift as Mercury denotes, and they, As the singer describes it, “start jumping up and down and the fucking lift stopped. So I thought, oh my God, here we are the number one group in England and we are going to suffocate in this damn lift.”
Thomas also delves into Mercury’s interests beyond music, which really helps the viewer understand how this man could continually reinvent himself. So many great musicians simply become stale with time because all they know is music. Mercury went to college for graphic design. He became obsessed with the ballet; in fact, he performed with the Royal Ballet at the London Coliseum. He fell in love with Disco, Donna Summer, and the New York City club scene. He developed a passion for opera. All these layers served as creative collateral for a career of constant reinvention.
There are also incredibly candid glimpses into Mercury’s personal life. He opens up: “There comes a point where you want to share you life with somebody, but nobody wants to share their life with me. The more I open up, the more I get hurt, so basically what happens is I’m just riddled with scars.” All the while, live footage of him performing a haunting rendition of “Somebody to Love” plays in the background.
Have you ever played the “what if” game with friends in which you choose a group of people, alive our dead, that you’d invite to your dream dinner party? Well after watching, The Great Pretender, I, without a doubt, would have Freddie Mercury at my table. Rhys Thomas does a masterful job of highlighting the many shades that paint this complex creature.
At one point during an interview Mercury explains, “I don’t like to write message songs. I’m not like a John Lennon or a Stevie Wonder. I’m into writing songs about what I feel about, and basically what I feel very strongly about is love and emotion. And I think my solo album is filled with that.”
I find it fascinating how someone so brilliant can be so lost to their own genius, because whether he calls them “message” songs or not, I can think of no better message to spread through the gift of music than love-which is highlighted through the lens of this forthright documentary.
Whether you are a die-hard Freddie Mercury fan or simply a person who likes a handful of Queen hits, this documentary explores the man behind the myth in a factually fun way that makes The Great Pretender a must-see for anyone who enjoys the history of classic rock and music in general.
~ Sara Escalante
