Product Details

• Actors: Brian May, Paul Rodgers, Roger Taylor
• Directors: David Mallet
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Hollywood Records
• DVD Release Date: October 18, 2005
• Run Time: 140 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000B8IAOY
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,634 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Queen + Paul Rodgers - Return of the Champions" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

RETURN OF THE CHAMPIONS - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for Queen Fans!, October 20, 2005

By 

LI Techie (Long Island, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Queen + Paul Rodgers - Return of the Champions (DVD)

I might never have even looked at this video if not for my older daughter, who wasn't even born when Queen was at their height. She watched some of my old videos that I recorded in the '80s and was fascinated (as are others of her generation, it seems) by some of Queen's videos and each of the band members. So when Queen+Paul Rodgers came to the Jersey Meadowlands just this last Sunday I took her to her first Rock Concert! It wasn't something I was anxious to do. I watched Queen's rise and was frankly bummed out when Freddie died of AIDS. As talented as the other band members are, what would Queen be without Freddie?

Well, I figured this might be her last chance to see what was left of Queen live so we went. Was I ever surprised. To answer the most obvious question, Paul Rodgers is not Freddie Mercury, but to his credit, he IS a major talent and he doesn't try to be a substitute Freddie. His performance recalls how the master did it, but doesn't overdo it.

In fairness this should have been called "Half of Queen and Paul Rodgers," but the production (the Concert I saw AND this DVD) is masterfully conceived and arranged. It is a fine touch that they don't try to give us a sentimental retrospective but a lively performance strengthened by long time backup performers. Brian and Roger sing lead on several songs and give us a good dose of what they do best on drum and guitar. Paul Rodgers performs some of his '60s hits, including "All Right Now" which was fabulous with Queen as the band backing it up.

Of special note was the performance of "Hammer to Fall." If you ever doubted what the song was really about (no, it's not nuclear war) the way Brian May (who wrote it) performs the first half, as a slow ballad on acoustic guitar, brings the message home in a very affecting manner. Then Paul Rodgers comes in as lead, and the band breaks into the power of the hard rock version we are more familiar with. A powerful performance.

So, if you buy this as nostalgia, so be it. But a lot of the audience was too young to be nostalgic about Queen; they were there for the music, the performance, the energy. This is not Memory Lane; it is the work of a band that is full of life and talent. The production values of the live performance are well reflected in this video. A must MUST-have for Queen fans ... and those who will be.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Queen + Paul Rodgers = Extraordinary, May 6, 2006

By 

A. Kulcsar "akulcsar" (Ypsilanti, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Queen + Paul Rodgers - Return of the Champions (DVD)

I missed the tour as it rolled through Michigan, and I lament the fact that I could not see this incredible show. As another mentioned here, Paul did not attempt to serve as a stand-in for Freddie. He made the songs his own and performed admirably. No simple feat by any means...to take songs like "The Show Must Go On" and "We Are the Champions" and make them your own songs...but he did it.

It really was hard for me not to shed some tears to see Freddie on the screen performing the first Act of "Bohemian Rhapsody," to hear Roger Taylor lead the crowd in a fantastic version of "Radio Ga Ga," or to hear Brian May perform a marvelous solo on "Love of My Life." All of the artists sound amazing...it was particularly cool for me to see Roger take center stage and sing like he always wanted to. If for no other song, this DVD is worth hearing "I Want It All" performed live.

This was not a Queen concert with some Bad Company covers, nor was this a Paul Rodgers concert covering Queen songs. It was the show that it was billed to be and it lived up to my very high expectations: Paul Rodgers fronting Queen doing some of their best songs.

Not sure what some of the reviewers were missing...this DVD is presented both in stereo and in DTS 5.1. The picture is gorgeous in 16:9 letterbox format. The live sound was mixed almost perfectly with a scant few spots where it was difficult to hear vocals. The mix is well above average for a live video.

Purists will be upset, to be sure...but if you take it for what it is, this is great music.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Humbling., October 22, 2005

By 

Rod Torkelson (Augusta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Queen + Paul Rodgers - Return of the Champions (DVD)

I have to admit, when I first listened to the Return Of The Champions CDs, my initial reaction was bordering on disappointment. After hearing the opening two numbers "Tie Your Mother Down" & "I Want To Break Free", my impression was "not bad, but...(insert any number of reasons, many involving the late Freddie Mercury)".

A few songs later, I warmed up to it a bit more...I started realizing it was less a concert trying to pass itself off as Queen, and more an all-star lineup celebrating the legacy of one of rock's greatest bands. It was after this realization I decided that purchasing the DVD would be a no-brainer.

After watching it, I can say it looks superb for the most part, and it does a nice job re-creating the vibe of the performance. Both the band & the fans look like they're happy as hell to be there, and as a result it adds a positive charge to the songs. The lights are captured in all their glory, and it makes for some great eye candy. Last but not least, both Paul Rodgers & Brian May seems to have discovered the fountain of youth, 'cuz they still look & move around like they're in their 30's.

Add in a DTS surround mix, and you have a DVD that any self-respecting Queen (or Paul Rodgers) fan should have in their collection. Nah, it's not the "definitive" Queen, but it'll definitely satisfy the jones....