johnnyboy
Founding member
Top of the Pops
Bohemian Rhapsbody's video was knocked together quickly for airing on that week's TOTP I believe. Quicker to edit on tape as well, plus the feedback effect you see could only be done on video (as IIRC it was done on the fly). If they had more time they may have decided to do the video on film, but...
As an uber-Queen fan, I remember my Mam and Dad telling me that everyone remembered and loved the BoRhap video when it came out and it was part of the reason it stayed at No 1 for 9 weeks.
Of course, it it essentially a stage performance video with the exception of the opening section and the mock opera section whose appearance is inspired by the Queen II album cover. And it was those sections and the rudimentary special effects which got people so excited, I'm told.
They were worried that people would get sick of it after 4-5 weeks and they released a second version. The second version is remembered for the flame but the biggest change is actually in the stage performance section which is full of new camera angles.
Has anyone ever spotted the mistake in the original BoRhap (flameless) video just after the song exits the opera section and enters the heavy rock section?