The Film
Queen has always been one of those bands that people seem to take for granted. Much of that is acknowledged and explained in the new documentary, Queen: Days of Our Lives.
Divided into two parts, this doc starts with the band's humble beginnings and goes on to dissect the group's struggles, successes, sexuality, boredom, and much more. Those stories are told through various clips, music videos, and new interviews with Roger Taylor and Brian May.
Even casual Queen fans will be familiar with some of the content that's covered here. Singer Freddie Mercury and his illness are two of the most obvious items connected with the band's history. However, this documentary displays even the most well-known tales in a personal way that will make the content seem fresh. More importantly, however, is how even casual fans know the music. Wayne's World and sporting events aside, the band had a massive collection of hits. If anyone is deserving of a documentary, it's Queen.
According to the Blu-ray box for Queen: Days of Our Lives, this is the first time that surviving members of the band have told their story. Who are we to argue? After 40 years and countless hits, this band deserves your respect and 221 minutes (including the extras). This documentary is another winner from Eagle Rock.
The Picture
Queen: Days of Our Lives arrives in 1080i, which probably helps the image somewhat. A lot of the film is made up of old video and photos. There are some new interviews, but out of all of Eagle Rock's recent rock docs, this one probably relies more on the older footage than most. There are tons of flecks and fuzz -- and that's the good stuff. Some of the flashbacks look downright horrible, but that's just the nature of the beast. The new interviews look fine, but probably don't warrant having the film in HD unless you won't accept anything less.
The Sound
Every Eagle Rock title seems to default to the LPCM track, and this one is no different. Well, it is to some extent, since that's all there is. There are no surround options here. It's a little disappointing, since there's a good amount of music throughout the film. That said, the music is mainly present to deliver the message. There are no full tracks, so you shouldn't miss it all that much. It just would have added a nice punch. Otherwise, the music sounds just fine. Even better, the dialogue, which is the film's main focus, does sound great, in clips from the past and present.
The Extras
The first part of the documentary begins automatically after the disc loads, instead of offering the main menu first. However, once the film ends, the menu appears and has a hearty collection of extras. The Additional Videos section highlights seven different songs. Some are music videos, while others show recording sessions and live footage. The 12 Additional Scenes and 10 Bonus Interviews appear to be outtakes from the film. Overall, there's a decent amount here, but it's strictly for serious Queen fans.
Final Thoughts
If you have yet to discover the greatness of Queen or maybe need a refresher course, Days of Our Lives is the perfect place to start. The audio and video could pack a slightly better punch overall. However, Eagle Rock has delivered another interesting, in-depth rock documentary that shouldn't be missed.
Product Details
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