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Freddy Krueger at 40 – the ultimate horror movie monster (and Halloween costume)

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-daniel-301018">Adam Daniel</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p>Movie monsters have captivated audiences since the days of early cinema. They evoke fascination and terror, allowing audiences to confront their fears from the safety of the movie theatre or living room.</p> <p>Arguably one of the most enduring and captivating of these monsters is Freddy Krueger, the villain of the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087800/">A Nightmare on Elm Street</a> series who celebrates his 40th screen birthday this November.</p> <p>Memorably played by Robert Englund, Freddy quickly became a cultural icon of the 1980s and 1990s. Beyond his burned face and iconic bladed glove, Freddy’s dark humour and acidic personality set him apart from other silent, faceless killers of the era, such as Michael Myers in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077651/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2_tt_6_nm_0_in_0_q_halloween">Halloween</a> or Jason Vorhees in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080761/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Friday the 13th</a>.</p> <p>Written and directed by horror maven <a href="https://theconversation.com/wes-craven-the-scream-of-our-times-46915">Wes Craven</a>, 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street garnered positive reviews for its innovative concept: Freddy stalked and attacked his victims in their dreams, making him inescapable and allowing him to tap into their deepest fears. The series (seven films plus a 2010 remake and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329101/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Freddy vs. Jason</a> spin offs) blended supernatural horror and surrealism with a dark and twisted sense of humour.</p> <h2>Scary … but funny</h2> <p>Humour was key to Freddy’s “popularity”. Both sinister and strangely charismatic, Freddy’s psychological torture of his adolescent victims often oscillated between terrifying and amusing.</p> <p>A famous kill scene from 1987’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093629/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors</a> demonstrates this paradox.</p> <p>Aspiring actress Jennifer drifts off to sleep while watching a talk show on TV. In her dream, the host of the talk show suddenly transforms into Freddy, who attacks his guest before the TV blinks out. When Jennifer timidly approaches the TV set, Freddy’s head and clawed hands emerge from the device, snatching her while delivering an iconic one-liner: “This is it, Jennifer – your big break in TV!”</p> <p>Freddy turns his victims’ fears or aspirations – their dreams – against them.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dCVh4lBfW-c?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">‘Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep.’</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Creating a monster</h2> <p>Craven has shared how the character of Krueger came to life in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1510985/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy</a>, an oral history of the series.</p> <p>He described a childhood experience of seeing a strange mumbling man walking past his childhood home. The man stopped, he said, and looked directly at him “with a sick sense of malice”. This deeply unsettling experience helped shape Freddy’s menacing presence.</p> <p>The character’s creation also emerged from the filmmaker’s interest in <a href="https://www.iflscience.com/nightmare-on-elm-street-was-inspired-by-a-real-life-medical-mystery-60527">numerous reports of Southeast Asian refugees dying in their sleep</a> after experiencing vivid nightmares.</p> <p>In the film, Krueger’s origin story reveals him as a child murderer who was apprehended but released due to a technicality in his arrest. Seeking justice, the parents of his victims take matters into their own hands, and form a vigilante mob. They corner him in his boiler room and burn him alive. But Freddy’s spirit survives to haunt and kill the children of his executioners.</p> <h2>Cultural repression, expressed on film</h2> <p>Film critic and essayist <a href="https://www.cineaste.com/summer2019/robin-wood-on-horror-film-collected-essays-and-reviews#:%7E:text=Freudian%20theory%2C%20a%20crucial%20theoretical,the%20horror%20film%20perpetually%20enacts.">Robin Wood argued</a> horror films often bring to the surface elements society has repressed. These fears, desires, or cultural taboos are not openly acknowledged.</p> <p>But movie monsters act as manifestations of what society suppresses, such as sexuality, violence or deviant behaviour. American academic <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01956051.1995.9943696">Gary Heba</a> argues Freddy is:</p> <blockquote> <p>an example of America’s political unconscious violently unleashed upon itself, manifesting everything that is unspeakable and repressed in the master narrative (perversion, child abuse and murder, vigilantism, the breakdown of rationality, order, and the family, among others), but still always present in the collective unconscious of the dominant culture.</p> </blockquote> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UBrl4H0Uzng?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Actor Robert Englund calls Freddy Krueger ‘the gift that keeps on giving’.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>The monster decades</h2> <p>The 1970s and 1980s marked a golden era for the creation of horror film nasties like Krueger, Myers, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072271/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3">The Texas Chainsaw Massacre</a>’s Leatherface and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094862/?ref_=fn_al_tt_19">killer doll Chucky</a>.</p> <p>Since then, the landscape of horror has shifted, with fewer singular monsters emerging. The diversification of horror sub-genres (zombie virus horror, anyone?), the rise of psychological horror (<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7784604/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2_tt_4_nm_2_in_0_q_heredi">Hereditary</a>), and an emphasis on human-driven terror (<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416315/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_in_0_q_wolf%2520creek">Wolf Creek</a>) or supernatural forces all contribute to this shift.</p> <p>While modern horror continues to thrive, few characters have achieved the same iconic status as Freddy – although some would argue Art the Clown from the recent <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4281724/">Terrifier</a> franchise and the reinvigorated Pennywise from <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1396484/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_6_nm_1_in_0_q_it">IT</a> could join this exclusive group.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZuYoEtEI_go?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">‘Five, six, grab your crucifix.’ A 2010 Nightmare on Elm St reboot failed to fire.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Happy Halloween!</h2> <p>Despite a <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179056/">failed reboot in 2010</a>, the legacy of A Nightmare on Elm Street is strong, having influenced numerous filmmakers with its skilful mix of surrealism and slasher horror.</p> <p>However, it’s the orchestrator of the titular nightmares whose legacy is perhaps the strongest.</p> <p>With each Halloween, new fans choose Freddy for their costume. All it takes is a tattered striped sweater, a brown fedora hat, and a glove with sharp, finger-lengthening blades. Don’t forget makeup to re-create Krueger’s grisly facial burns. Sweet dreams!<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/240905/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-daniel-301018"><em>Adam Daniel</em></a><em>, Associate Lecturer in Communications, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: New Line Cinema - IMDB</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/freddy-krueger-at-40-the-ultimate-horror-movie-monster-and-halloween-costume-240905">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Movies

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"It was a pretty nasty bang": Freddie Flintoff airlifted to hospital

<p>Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff is recovering from a "nasty" accident while filming for <em>Top Gear</em>, according to his friend Piers Morgan. </p> <p>The former English cricketer, 45, was airlifted to hospital on Tuesday after receiving medical care at the scene, following a crash at an aerodrome in Surrey. </p> <p>Piers said he had spoken to Freddie's family, and said the TV host is remaining in good spirits. </p> <p>“I’m told it was a pretty serious crash and that Freddie’s going to be OK, but it might be a little bit more serious than first appreciated,” he told <em>talkSPORT</em>.</p> <p>“I’m told he’s going to be OK, which is great news, but I’m also told it was a pretty nasty bang and that he’s had surgery and is recovering now and we’ll have to wait and see."</p> <p>“I’ve been in contact with them privately but I just want to wish him and his family – Rachael, his wife – all the very best and I think we’re all just keeping our fingers crossed that the big man comes through all right.”</p> <p>It is understood that the crash did not happen at high speed, with all health and safety precautions said to have been in place.</p> <p>The health and safety watchdog said it was “aware and making inquiries” after the BBC reported the incident, as was standard procedure.</p> <p>A BBC spokesperson said at the time, “Freddie was injured in an accident at the <em>Top Gear</em> test track this morning, with crew medics attending the scene immediately. He has been taken to hospital for further treatment and we will confirm more details in due course.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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Lost Freddie Mercury song released by Queen

<p dir="ltr">Queen has released a lost song that was originally recorded in 1988, which features the late frontman Freddie Mercury.</p> <p dir="ltr">The track, titled <em>Face It Alone</em>, was written and recorded for the band’s album called <em>The Miracle</em>, but didn’t make it onto the final track listing and was shelved. </p> <p dir="ltr">The song was later rediscovered when the band’s production and archive team returned to the sessions to work on the upcoming reissue of the album. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Face It Alone</em> is the first new song released featuring Freddie Mercury since 2014’s <em>Queen Forever</em> album. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 2014 album included three previously unheard tracks with the singer: <em>Let Me In Your Heart Again</em>, <em>Love Kills</em> and <em>There Must Be More to Life Than This</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking of the rediscovered track, Queen guitarist Brian May said: “I’m happy that our team were able to find this track.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“After all these years, it’s great to hear all four of us, yes, (former bass player) Deacy is there too, working in the studio on a great song idea which never quite got completed... until now.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Drummer Roger Taylor added, “We’d kind of forgotten about this track but there it was, this little gem.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s wonderful, a real discovery. It’s a very passionate piece.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The song’s resurgence comes ahead of the reissue of the band’s 13th album <em>The Miracle</em>, which was first released in 1989.</p> <p dir="ltr">The album - which included tracks<em> I Want It All</em>, <em>Breakthru</em> and <em>The Invisible Man</em> - reached number one in the UK at the time of its initial release. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Music

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Iconic horror house hits market with help of Freddy Krueger

<p dir="ltr">A piece of horror history is up for grabs, as the home featured in<span> </span><em>A Nightmare on Elm Street</em><span> </span>has been<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/house-from-a-nightmare-on-elm-street-hits-the-market-ahead-of-halloween-1098301/" target="_blank">listed for sale</a><span> </span>right before Halloween.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Los Angeles property served as the home of teenager Nancy Thompson (Heather Lagenkamp) in the classic 1984 horror flick about serial killer Freddy Krueger.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since the movie mostly used the exterior of the home - which retains its iconic green and white facade - the inside is less nightmarish than you’d expect.</p> <p dir="ltr">Inside the Dutch Colonial-style home you’ll find walnut floors throughout, patios, terraces, and French doors that open out to sights of the stunning grounds.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 640-square-metre property also comes with a detached guest house, which<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.elliman.com/california/sales/detail/512-l-564-81_21785216/1428-n-genesee-ave-spaulding-square-los-angeles-ca-90046" target="_blank">the listing</a><span> </span>describes as “charm personified”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Still, the realtors have enlisted the help of the horror icon to sell the home. On top of the typical shots of the property, agents Heather Roy and Learka Bosnak brought in a colleague<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dirt.com/gallery/locations/filming-locations/a-nightmare-on-elm-street-house-hollywood-1203432270/lb-a-nightmare-on-elm-street-house-4/" target="_blank">dressed as Freddy Krueger</a><span> </span>to appear in some additional photos while performing mundane tasks.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home has been listed by Douglas Elliman for $USD 3.25 million ($AUD 4.33 million), with offers due before the spookily appropriate date of October 31.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: New Line Cinema, Anthony Barcelo</em></p>

Real Estate

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“We were like brothers”: Queen’s Brian May opens up about his relationship with Freddie Mercury

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brian May, guitarist and icon of the powerhouse band Queen, recently opened up about his relationship with Freddie Mercury. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brain discussed his bond with the enigmatic Queen frontman with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> host Karl Stefanovic, 30 years after his death. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We were like brothers. We still are," he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"There are moments when he just broke the rules and he broke the rules constantly in what he would wear and what he said to the audiences. The risks that he took."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Freddie Mercury, famously open and proud of his sexuality, died from complications after his diagnosis with AIDS in November 1991. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brian went on to say he still gets overwhelmed at the everlasting success of Queen, and still gets starstruck meeting his own musical inspirations. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"To be honest with you, my heroes are still my heroes," he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"If I bump into Eric Clapton, he is my god in a sense, and I don't find it easy to talk to him because of that."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Between the years 1971 and 1991, Queen became one of the biggest names in music, selling over 200 million records, and continuing to have a huge global presence in popular culture. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brian has just released a remastered version of his debut solo studio album Back to the Light, which was first released in 1992. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Music

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Olympics legend’s home up for sale for only second time in history

<p>The home of Freddy Lane, Olympic gold medallist, is now up for grabs.</p> <p>Built for the legendary swimmer in the 1920s, the residence is three-levels and has long been registered with the National Trust as it remains an example of work by acclaimed architect Leslie Wilkinson.</p> <p>Lane won two gold medals at the 1900 Olympics in Paris and is known now for building the MacCallum Pool located in the eastern side of Cremorne Point.</p> <p>The home has the classic 1930s arches and columns that were typical throughout expensive, stylish homes of that era.</p> <p>Lane’s home was also dubbed the “skyscraper” as it was three-levels and resembled The Astore located in the CBD.</p> <p>Lane died in 1969 and the house was passed on to his daughter Jean Rosalind Rubensohn, who sold it in 1979 for $230,000 to former Vogue Entertaining executive editor Sue Fairlie-Cuninghame and her husband David Fairlie-Cuninghame.</p> <p>The home has maintained its gloriously perfect original finishes, including detailed picture plates and hanging staff bells on the kitchen wall.</p> <p>However, the cellar where Rees worked is now a 5000-bottle wine cellar.</p> <p>The self-contained studio above the garage that was once called home by the family’s chauffeur still sits, along with the bedroom behind the kitchen that had been built for the maid.</p> <p>The couple have listed the Cremorne Point home during on the strongest housing markets in Sydney as they plan to downsize on their Mudgee cattle farm and vineyard permanently.</p>

Real Estate

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“Too frail to get out of bed”: Elton John shares Freddie Mercury’s last days before passing away

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sir Elton John has shared on Queen legend Freddie Mercury’s final days before he passed away of AIDS at the age of 45.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">John explained in his new book </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Me: Elton John</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that Mercury kept his illness a secret from him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I visited him a lot when he was dying, although I could never stay for much longer than an hour,” John remembered.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It was too upsetting – I didn’t think he wanted me to see him like that."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also detailed Mercury’s appearance.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"He was too frail to get out of bed, he was losing his sight, his body was covered in Kaposi's sarcoma lesions, and yet he was still definitely Freddie, gossiping away, completely outrageous.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I couldn’t work out whether he didn’t realise how close to death he was or if he knew perfectly well but was determined not to let what was happening to him stop him being himself."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">John discusses how Mercury also helped him get sober, as they pointedly told John he was overdoing it on cocaine at the height of his addiction in the 1980s.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He has now been clean for nearly three decades.</span></p>

Music

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Exploring Freddie Mercury: The man behind the film Bohemian Rhapsody

<p>Freddie Mercury knew he was destined for something more. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KsBq9P3iuM">Classmate Chris Smith</a> recalled that Mercury sat glumly at a pub one night.</p> <p>“I’m not going to be a pop star. I’m going to be a legend!”</p> <p>And become a legend he did.</p> <p>As the front man of <em>Queen</em>, Mercury quickly shot to super stardom. With hits such as “<em>We Are The Champions</em>”, “<em>I Want To Break Free</em>” and much loved classic “<em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em>” showcasing Mercury’s vocal talent, it’s easy to see why these songs resonated with the people.</p> <p>That was just Mercury’s vocal talent. In concert, he was able to capture the attention of thousands, with an odd mix of strength, seduction, outrageous outfits as well as regal glamour in the mix.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf_WPhWg5m3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf_WPhWg5m3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">#Queen #freddiemercury #live #legend</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/mercury_motg/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Freddie Mercury</a> (@mercury_motg) on Mar 6, 2018 at 9:15am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>It’s been more than 27 years since Mercury died of complications relating to AIDS, but some would argue he’s more popular than ever.</p> <p>This is due to the new release of <em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em>, the blockbuster film with Rami Malek portraying the late singer. The film is the highest-grossing biopic in history, with old and new fans alike falling in love with Queen.</p> <p>BBC broadcaster Paul Gambaccini, a longtime friend, told <a href="https://people.com/music/freddie-mercury-real-story-bohemian-rhapsody-queen-film/"><em>PEOPLE</em></a>:</p> <p>“Queen are even bigger than when they originally put the records out, and Freddie would love it,” Gambaccini said.</p> <p>“He would just flip his hand and say, ‘It’s fabulous, darling!’”</p> <p>As Mercury desperately tried to fill the yawning void in his soul that came with being sent to boarding school in India, which was thousands of miles away from his parents in Zanzibar, music quickly became the answer. Once the family emigrated to London, Mercury wasted no time in throwing himself into the scene of the Swinging Sixties.</p> <p>Mercury had his eyes on a trio called Smile, and once their vocalist quit, he wasted no time in showing off what he could do.</p> <p>It didn’t take long for the band to be renamed to <em>Queen</em>, which of course, was Mercury’s idea. Mercury told <a href="https://people.com/archive/the-mercury-thats-rising-in-rock-is-freddie-the-satiny-seductor-of-queen-vol-8-no-23/"><em>PEOPLE </em>in 1977</a>:</p> <p>“The whole point was to be pompous and provocative, to prompt speculation and controversy.”</p> <p>Mercury’s fashion choices are known for being equally dramatic and androgynous. Designer Zandra Rhodes, who created some of Mercury’s best-known costumes during Queen’s early period explains:</p> <p>“I think he’d seen my chiffons with feathers and exotic sleeves and extreme approach to fashion,” she tells <em>PEOPLE</em>.</p> <p>Rhodes’ most famous look for Mercury was a batwing cape shirt, which initially started off as a wedding dress.</p> <p>“He and Brian came to my tiny Bayswater attic studio, incognito. I asked Freddie to look along my rail of clothes and he chose an exotic pleated bridal top I had on the rail! He danced around in it in my studio.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bog7V7rFq06/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading&amp;utm_campaign=embed_locale_test" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bog7V7rFq06/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading&amp;utm_campaign=embed_locale_test" target="_blank">@ramimalek is Freddie Mercury. • #freddiemercury #queen #bohemianrhapsody @bohemianrhapsodymovie</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/mercury_motg/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading&amp;utm_campaign=embed_locale_test" target="_blank"> Freddie Mercury</a> (@mercury_motg) on Oct 4, 2018 at 7:26am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Despite his outrageous stage presence and incredible vocals, Mercury was known in his close circle to be very shy and private. Brian May told <a href="https://people.com/music/brian-may-queen-in-3d-interview/"><em>PEOPLE </em>in 2017</a>:</p> <p>“Freddie was very extrovert onstage, as we all know, but he was very shy in his private life and liked to be private,” May explained.</p> <p>“He liked those moments of just having a couple of his close friends around. We’d known each other a long time and we were almost like family. We had no airs and graces with each other.”</p> <p>Are you a fan of Queen? Let us know in the comments.</p>

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