The consequences of the Pussy Riot trial in Russia at the moment are a stirring reminder of the ability of something as simple as a gig to pose socio-political challenges. Over 25 years ago, Queen conducted a record-breaking, controversial stadium concert in the Eastern Bloc three years before the Berlin Wall came down. Hungarian Rhapsody is a re-release of the footage, which is made all the more significant by the fact that the 1986 Magic Tour was also Freddie’s last.
Booming, Technicolor footage of their biggest smashes (One Vision, We Will Rock You, et al) is preceded by a half-hour doco following the band from Live Aid through studio takes for the Highlander soundtrack and hilariously on to Budapest where Mercury performs a Hungarian folk song reading the lyrics off his palm.