Olga and I went for a long walk on the Heath yesterday. It was chilly but clear and pleasant, and as usual she was insane with squirrel-chasing energy. While she ran and ran, I spent my time photographing peculiar leaves.
We found a couple of pumpkins sitting outside someone's garden gate. I couldn't tell if they were being given away or meant as decoration -- but you'd think if they were decorative, someone would have removed the stickers. Olga was trying to figure them out. I think she thought they were footballs. We left them there.
After our walk, Dave and I went to see "Bohemian Rhapsody," the new movie about Queen and Freddie Mercury. (You may remember I came across Freddie's house in Kensington several years ago.) It's a good movie. I was never a huge Queen fan, but I had their greatest hits album at some point, and I had the single of "Killer Queen" when I was a kid -- someone gave it to me. Anyway, the film is rather obviously Hollywoodized in a few places and the prosthetic teeth that Rami Malek wears seem WAY too big, but aside from that, it gets two thumbs up from us.
A large part of the film's ending focuses on Queen's performance at Live Aid, which occurred in July 1985. You know, I remember all the buzz about that event, but I don't think I watched it at the time. I was in college, had just moved into my first apartment with a roommate, and I guess I was just too busy. I did buy a 12-inch single of "We Are the World," so I did my part!
This morning, Olga is not moving very fast. I think she's still recovering, chasing squirrels in her twitchy dog dreams.
Queen came to my university in 1975. They weren't such a big deal back then. I couldn't even be bothered to go into the concert hall. Instead, I stayed in the bar room - drinking beer and talking to friends. But I did watch them live on TV at the Live Aid concert in !985. In ten years they had become a major force in popular music. The sight of the crowd clapping their hands above their heads to "Radio Gaga" was a memorable scene.
ReplyDeleteI saw Queen in 1977 when they came to Houston. When they did Bohemian Rhapsody the stage fogged up and the band receded and the middle part was a recording because of course, they didn't have the orchestra with them to do that part. I'd like to see the movie but will wait til it comes out for rent.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous leaf in it's decay.
Queen never held any interest in me. I liked my music down and dirty, I guess. I don't know. But of course now I do appreciate what they did.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Olga ever catches the squirrels in her dreams or if it's just like the dreams we humans have where we just can't seem to get to the goal we are trying to achieve no matter what we do.
ReplyDeleteI didn't listen to Queen back in the day. But they definitely struck a universal chord with Bohemian Rhapsody. Such a great piece of music. Will wait for the movie to come to one of the streaming sites and looking forward to watching it.
ReplyDeleteOlga looks plumb tuckered out in that final picture. I think if I lived in England I'd be more of a fan of THE Queen.
ReplyDeleteI used to work in an academic office that processed and submitted research proposals for faculty members. Whenever we finished compiling a proposal, we would play "Another One Bites The Dust" and dance around. If the proposal submission was successful, we'd play "We are the Champions." Fun place to work1
ReplyDeleteQueen as a band wasn't much on my radar at the time of their big success, but the hits that were aired on the radio were familiar. But a couple of months ago I fell down the internet rabbit hole listening to their music and watching a movie on YouTube of the Freddie Mercury story (made for TV, maybe?) and gained a better understanding and appreciation for their music (which was pretty much HIS music, I gathered; I could be wrong, but I thought he was the creative genius behind the whole thing). The official Queen YouTube site has great videos.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised Olga didn't try to carry off one of those pumpkins :)
Nice leaf! And strange about the pumpkins. My partner loves Queen's music, but I was never a big fan. They're alright and very popular now. It was a good film. I saw a documentary about Mercury awhile ago.
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