The Freddie Mercury documentary, “The Great Pretender”, has been nominated for an Emmy Award.
The Rhys Thomas-produced feature has a nomination in the Arts Programming category; winners will be announced at the 41st International Emmy Awards Gala in New York on November 25.
The film was released last fall on DVD and Blu-ray.
Life-long Queen fan and expert, Thomas turned his attention to the Freddie archive, going back as early as 1976 in search of vintage gems which reveal more than ever before the inside story of Freddie's life and career and the solo projects he worked on outside of Queen.
The extensive archive footage is drawn from rare interviews with Freddie, concerts, video shoots and personal material, much of it being seen for the first time, along with newly-filmed contributions from fellow Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen manager Jim Beach, soprano Montserrat Caballe, composers David Arnold and Mike Moran, lyricist Tim Rice, comedian and lifelong fan Matt Lucas and many more.
From it emerges a portrait of a man who was very different to his flamboyant onstage public persona.
Among the treasures to be anticipated, "The Great Pretender" includes for the first time ever Freddie and Rod Stewart singing their demo for "Take Another Piece of My Heart," an unreleased song from 1984, a snippet of the unreleased Michael Jackson / Freddie Mercury collaboration "There Must Be More To Life Than This," and Freddie with the Royal Ballet 1979 – never seen in full before.
Rhys, whose extensive scouting for lost material turned up a copy of the band's first TV appearance among the belongings of late comedian Dick Emery, brings to the light Freddie's earliest filmed interview from 1976 unearthed in Australia and another unseen interview from 1976 filmed by NBC in the USA.
Rhys also found 10 cans of Freddie's 39th Black and White birthday party in Mrs. Henderson's nightclub in Munich in 1985. Originally filmed for the video for "Living On My Own," and promptly banned by Freddie's record company because of its cross-dressing theme, there's much to be enjoyed in watching Freddie and his friends go full out in their efforts to help Freddie celebrate his last birthday before turning 40.
On top of this, "The Great Pretender" has a feast of outtakes from the video shoots for "I Want To Break Free," "One Vision," "Days of Our Lives," "I Want It All," "A Kind Of Magic," "Princes of the Universe," "Living on My Own," Born To Love You," "Great Pretender," "Made In Heaven," and "Who Wants to Live Forever."
As bonus features, the set includes "Freddie Mercury Goes Solo" and an extended interview with Montserrat Caballe.
See also:
Queen guitarist hints at new album with unreleased Freddie Mercury tracks
Queen: Schools Will Rock You comes to North America
Queen team with Angry Birds for Freddie For A Day 2013
Queen announce AIDS Benefit in support of The Mercury Phoenix Trust
VIDEO: Queen preview Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert DVD
Queen guitarist Brian May undergoes knee replacement surgery
Queen drummer finishes first solo album in 15 years
Queen: Freddie Mercury’s duets with Michael Jackson to be released
Queen: Sacha Baron Cohen quits Freddie Mercury biopic
Queen: Freddie Mercury gorilla returns to Norwich after facelift
Queen: Freddie Mercury gorilla art update
Queen guitarist enters Freddie Mercury gorilla art controversy
Queen: Freddie Mercury gorilla art removed over copyright issues
Queen: Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert reissue due this fall
Queen: Limited-edition Icon collection due next week
Queen guitarist slams The Voice
Queen: The Queen Chronology book now available
“Queen On Fire: Live At The Bowl” DVD reissue due next month
Black Sabbath and Queen guitarists discuss possible collaboration
Queen musical We Will Rock You to launch North American tour
Queen honored with PRS For Music Heritage Award
Black Sabbath and Queen guitarists to team up for album
Queen: Live At Wembley Stadium 25th anniversary edition reissue coming
Queen: New owner reveals plans for Freddie Mercury’s Rolls Royce
Queen: Freddie Mercury’s Rolls Royce sets record at auction
Queen: Freddie Mercury’s 1974 Rolls Royce up for auction
Queen releases 40 Years Of Queen ebook
Rock News Artist Of The Year #10: QUEEN
Queen announce Queen Extravaganza North American tour
Queen drummer Roger Taylor to release solo album
Queen provide update on Freddie Mercury film
Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live In Budapest DVD due next month
Led Zeppelin, Queen & Iron Maiden members rock Sunflower Jam
Queen’s Freddie Mercury becomes an Angry Bird
VIDEO: Queen rock the Olympics finale
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody voted UK’s favorite #1 single
Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender coming to DVD this fall
VIDEO: Queen + Adam Lambert – Watch complete Kiev concert
VIDEO: The Queen Extravaganza opens tour in Quebec City
Freddie Mercury to appear in Queen show next week
Queen and Adam Lambert announce third London show
VIDEO: Queen rock second night of American Idol
VIDEO: American Idol’s Top 6 perform Queen classics
VIDEO: Queen rock American Idol
VIDEO: Queen Extravaganza promo
Queen returning to rock American Idol
Queen to play four shows with Adam Lambert
Queen top UK’s best-selling albums of all time
VIRAL VIDEO: Drunken man sings Queen classic in police cruiser
VIDEO: Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody featured in new TV commercial
VIDEO: Blue Oyster Cult guitarist covers Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody by himself
