BY GABRIELLE BARBER ’23
With the release of “Bohemian Rhapsody” in Nov. 2018, followed by “Rocketman” in May 2019, Hollywood seems to be entering a new era defined by the music biopic. By cinematically portraying the formation of Freddie Mercury and Elton John’s careers, these successful films mark the start of a new age in Hollywood.
According to IMDb, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, grossed over $903 million worldwide. While it only scored 61 percent from Rotten Tomatoes critics, the film garnered an audience score of 86 percent.
I found the film enjoyable and interesting. It highlighted many of Queen’s hits, such as “Radio Gaga,” “Don’t Stop Me Now” and, of course, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” As someone not quite as versed in the music or life of Mercury as a diehard fan might be, I felt the film was a nice bridge between Mercury’s personal life, band life and music. The film appeals to two possibly overlapping audiences: those who are fans of Queen and those who enjoy a compelling story of hardship and triumph.
While not as high-grossing — over $194 million worldwide according to IMDb — “Rocketman,” chronicling Elton John’s journey to stardom, achieved a “certified fresh” ranking from Rotten Tomatoes for its score of 89 percent from critics. Paired with an 88 percent audience score, it is evident that those who saw the movie enjoyed it.
I certainly did, and even decided to listen to hits such as “Crocodile Rock,” “Your Song” and “Benny and the Jets” long after my movie rental ended.
Taron Egerton leads the film as Elton John and, despite some awkward transitions into musical numbers, managed to rock not only the stage, but his sequined jumpsuit, too. Overall, “Rocketman” gave a compelling glimpse into the early life and career of Elton John, a treat for fans eager to learn more about their idol.
Perhaps the glimpse into Hollywood and a peek behind the curtains is what makes music biopics so appealing. Now, with studios producing more biopics, people across the country have the opportunity to see what really happens when the spotlight isn’t shining. A look into the land of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll could be what the world has been waiting for.
Beyond “Rocketman” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” plenty of other biopics have recently been released: “Hidden Figures” (2016), “I, Tonya” (2017) and “On the Basis of Sex” (2018) are just a few examples. According to Screen Rant, there are even more examples of this crowd-pleasing genre on the way, including “Judy” about Judy Garland and “Respect” about Aretha Franklin, set to hit theaters Sept. 27 and Aug. 14, 2020, respectively. Several other music biopics are in the works, such as an untitled film about Elvis Presley, slated for release in 2021. The site also noted Sony’s 2018 announcement of upcoming films about the lives of Gucci Mane and David Bowie.
Hollywood has certainly realized that biopics can be a lucrative genre. According to No Film School, a website covering all things movie-related, biopics are more attractive to big-name actors because the genre provides the opportunity to play someone the public at large knows. Take “Rocketman” for example: both Elton John’s and Egerton’s names are attached to the movie. If Elton John’s name isn’t enough to attract a viewer, maybe Egerton’s is, or vice versa. No Film School also points out that the more popular an actor is, the bigger the production budget a movie will have, resulting in a movie released in more places with a better chance of reaching and winning awards.
For example, ABC news notes that “Bohemian Rhapsody” won four Oscars, more than any other film at the 2019 Academy Awards. Taking into account the awards “Bohemian Rhapsody” won and the list of other music biopics coming in the next few years, it is evident that there is something special about the music biopic.
The music biopic is nothing new; 2015 saw the release of “Straight Outta Compton” about the rap group N.W.A, 2005 witnessed Johnny Cash’s story in “Walk the Line” and 1978 saw “The Buddy Holly Story.” However, Hollywood is now entering an era that will be defined by biopics, musical or not.