British rock band Queen has announced that its iconic Budapest concert will be shown in IMAX cinemas worldwide from October 7.
And Queen: Budapest isn’t just coming to IMAX. Their spectacular 1986 concert will also be released on physical media, including a version in full 4K glory. The entire 4K restoration was carried out by the Hungarian FilmLab in—appropriately enough—Budapest. The concert was originally captured using 17 35mm film cameras, resulting in around 40 kilometres of film footage.
You can also listen and (or) watch at home, thanks to seperately sold medai. There is the 4K Blu-ray that’ll cost $29.98, while a standard Full HD Blu-ray will be available for $26.98. Even DVD enthusiasts haven’t been forgotten, with that version priced at $24.98. Vinyl fans can opt for a three-LP edition of the concert for $79.98, while a CD set will be available for $19.98. All audio has been newly remixed for these releases using the original multitrack recordings.
The Budapest concert was remarkable for several reasons. For one, it was the first concert film to be broadcast throughout the former Eastern Bloc, as well as in China and Mongolia. It was also screened in 59 Hungarian cinemas on New Year’s Day 1987.
Perhaps most significantly, the Budapest show formed part of the final tour featuring Freddie Mercury. Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar in 1946, the legendary Queen frontman died just a few years later, in 1991, from complications related to AIDS, for which effective treatment was not yet available at the time.