Ella Mitchell
Photography Editor
For two weekends in January, and with the help of modern movie theater technology, the world-famous rock band Queen partnered up with IMAX to bring a memorable concert experience from 1981 to Queen fans worldwide!
Announced in November 2023, Queen Rock Montreal in IMAX was promised to be an immersive experience using a remastered version of the band’s iconic concert filmed in 1981. The IMAX website describes the enhancements made to the film as containing “12-channel surround sound and crystal clear images.” Along with the concert release in IMAX, Queen fans received a short interview posted to the Queen social media accounts with Brian May and Roger Taylor, the two original band members who still perform with Queen + Adam Lambert today. This interview is incredibly valuable to fans because it includes commentary from May and Taylor, who are shown watching their younger selves in Rock Montreal in IMAX.
On January 20, 2024, I donned my vast collection of Queen Merchandise, including my Brian May earrings, necklace, and socks (can you tell I have a favorite band member?), and traveled to the Chattanooga Aquarium’s IMAX theater in downtown Chattanooga.
Photo courtesy of Ella Mitchell (C’27)
The concert was truly a treat for all Queen fans, especially the younger generation. As a young Queen fan, I knew when I first became interested in the band almost four years ago that I would never have the opportunity to see the original four members perform. Queen Rock Montreal transports viewers back to 1981 and gives them a front-row seat at the concert of their dreams.
Many aspects of this experience make it so unique. For instance, several moments interspersed throughout the concert focused on the original 1981 audience. This aspect enhances the concert experience even more because, especially in the IMAX setting, it extensively immerses viewers and makes them feel like they are part of the audience at some points in the film. It was truly magical to see the facial expressions and fashion styles of young adults in 1981 who attended the concert in Montreal.
Rock Montreal’s setlist includes some of Queen’s greatest hits, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Killer Queen,” “Somebody To Love,” “Under Pressure,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” and of course “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.” The set list also includes an extensive guitar solo by May and a drum solo by Taylor, along with other unique Queen tracks.
The concert in IMAX gives viewers a surreal experience, partly because of the excellent camera work. From the thunderous applause and the flash of lights at the start of the concert to the generous “goodbyes” and “goodnights” as the band takes their final bows, viewers receive beautifully detailed close-ups of the band members. The great scale of the IMAX screen enhances these close-ups even more. The experience offered to viewers is arguably better than actual concert seats at a real show because the remastered IMAX camera work puts the audience right on stage at certain moments in the show. At times, it feels as if you are singing alongside Freddie Mercury as he belts the opening to “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the piano on the side of the stage.
There is no doubt that the film’s close-ups of Mercury hold a lot of value to Queen fans in the audience. Watching such an intimate recording of Mercury performing on a giant IMAX screen is unreal. During Queen Rock Montreal, there are also several moments in which Freddie addresses the crowd and interacts with the other band members. It feels more personal, and it really shows him in his element. In the interview conducted with May and Taylor to promote the IMAX release, May said of the footage of Mercury in the IMAX concert: “It’s something you really treasure these days. You want to see every breath he takes. Why not? You know, it makes us very emotional seeing that.”
The sound quality in this film is also unbelievable. The technology used to remaster this film for IMAX is truly incredible. High-tech speakers offering surround sound of Queen playing live is something fans only dreamed about until this opportunity. John Deacon’s iconic bass lines in “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Under Pressure” sound like they are coming from somewhere in the theater with you. May’s famous “Bohemian Rhapsody” guitar solo is so crisp and clear that if you closed your eyes, it would feel like you were there in person. Taylor’s drum solos are full of passion and intention that echo throughout the IMAX theater. Mercury’s incredibly powerful voice gives viewers a surreal feeling because this IMAX film is the closest thing Queen fans have today to seeing the concert live.
Queen Rock Montreal in IMAX was truly a magical experience for Queen fans who were able to see the show. It’s wonderful that technological advancements have allowed previously filmed concerts to be remastered and shown on such a large scale in IMAX theaters. I know myself and many other fans have hopes for more IMAX concert experiences in the future.