Product Description

If ever there was an album worthy of inclusion in Eagle Vision’s Classic Albums series it is Queen’s breakout release A Night At The Opera. Released in 1975, this was not only the band’s first platinum album, but also the one that catapulted them into the spotlight as one of the biggest rock acts in the world.

Now for the first time, fans are offered an in-depth look at one of rock music’s seminal records with the Classic Albums DVD Queen — The Making Of A Night At The Opera.

• BRAND NEW INTERVIEWS with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor.
• COMMENTARY by original producer Roy Thomas Baker.
• ARCHIVAL PERFORMANCE and INTERVIEW FOOTAGE with late lead singer Freddie Mercury.
• INTERVIEWS and GUEST COMMENTARY by guitarists Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Ian Hunter (Mott The Hoople) and many more.
• NEW ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCES of ’39 and Love Of My Life by Brian May.
• DRUM and ACOUSTIC DEMONSTRATIONS of I ’m In Love With My Car from Roger Taylor.
• ANALYSIS OF THE RECORDING PROCESS of all12 tracks on the album.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15391 in DVD
• Brand: RED DISTRIBUTION
• Released on: 2006-03-21
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 100 minutes

Customer Reviews

A Brilliant Mix of Hard Rock, Pop, Opera, Music Hall Camp & Tradional Folk
This is a wonderful addition to the excellent "Classic Albums" collection. This was truly a ground breaking album in late 1975 and is broken down on this DVD in order of the original track listing. I am consistently pleased with the quality of sound and video of the "Classic Album" DVD's (this being my 4th; the others: Pink Floyd, Deep Purple & Stevie Wonder). This, like the others brings back key individuals that helped to make the album a success and a notch above others (i.e.: original engineers, music critics, fellow musicians and DJ's). They describe how no synthesizers were used for their sound. Multi-tracking, piano flourishes, a harp, a ukulele, and multi-layered guitars all combine for a great and unique sound.

A few highlights:

* A frustrated Freddie Mercury taking out his aggressions lyrically on their previous management in the opening song "Death on Two Legs". They had been taken advantage of financially previous to this album.
* A tale of the very shy bassist John Deacon who contributed very few songs in his career but they were critical and outstanding ones to the group. Brian and Roger tell of how he sheepishly introduces "You're My Best Friend" to them and Freddie. Of course they loved it and Freddie making it a classic vocal with John on keyboards.
* "'39". A "great" Brian May song that he revisits in great detail and sings in a new full acoustic version and in some original archived footage. This has always been one of my favorite songs by anyone but never realized it was about space travel. Now I know why it has some similarities to the Moody Blues "To Our Children's Children's Children" album also about space travel a few years earlier in 1970.
* "Love of My Life". Also one of my personal favorites and an incredibly beautiful song. This was a song Freddie had written about a "woman" he loved which it also explains in pictures. Not only is there some great footage on this but also some great bonus footage of him (appears to be at Wembley where he sings acoustically to a few 100 thousand people. What an incredible performance and performer! A MUST SEE! Also a touching new acoustic version by Brian on this track too.
* In depth details on "Bohemian Rhapsody". Music video footage, sound board separations and great archival live performances.

* Audio: 5 stars (new footage & studio recordings); 3-4 Stars (old footage)
* Video: 5 Stars (new footage); 3-4 Stars (old footage)
* Bonus Features: 5 Stars

Song List (as presented here):
* Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to ...)
* Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon
* I'm in Love with my Car
* You're My Best Friend
* '39
* Sweet Lady
* Seaside Rendezvous
* The Prophets Song
* Love of my Life
* Good Company
* Bohemian Rhapsody
* God Save the Queen

A Cool Masterpiece!...
It was really a pleasure to see this DVD and realise the renewed personalities of drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May. If you remember after that Freddie passed away (RIP), they were really in a dark, gloomy mood. I don't remember their tranquility and peace of mind in an interview, since all happened, 6 years ago.
This DVD really is illustrative with an extensive analysis of the recording process song by song with Roy Thomas Baker and Brian May (I don't know if it had would been better to add the comments of Roy Thomas Baker about the making of "Bohemian Rhapsody" that appear in "THE MAGIC YEARS" vol. I), special Roger's drum demostration (almost a clinic!... If you aren't a drummer, with these tips you can understand better the Roger Taylor style), with good introspective interviews (and the reason of the John Deacon's disappearing of the musical scene), with people that lived the bankrup of the band in '74, and finally, the making of an extraordinary masterpiece: the A NIGHT AT THE OPERA album. It's interesting see the live footage and performances between one and another interview, and a good example of this is the live track "SWEET LADY" from the DVD LIVE AT THE HYDE PARK, '76... Good Luck!

Buy it
This is a great DVD. For me, the original album gets only 4 stars. While brilliant, it has a couple of uninteresting tracks (Good Company, Sweet Lady and God Save The Queen). The rest though, Rocks!!!
The Making Of DVD is incredible. So interesting, I love hearing Brian and Roger talk. Watching them play is worth the price of the DVD alone.
I always thought '39 was about the Second World War. Silly me.
For me, I would love to hear the original 9 minute version of Bo Rhap and hoped it would be on here. It isn't which is a shame. Perhaps one day it will surface.
My version has the DVD of Night At The Opera (released on its own a couple of years ago) included, the 5.1 surround sounds amazing.
Hopefully they do A Day At The Races next as that is my favourite Queen and All Time album.