Fully agree! A film in its very own category...pays homage to, yet trancending both the original material and anything else branded ‘SciFi’ at the time or since.
I met Sam J. Jones, who played the Titular Flash Gordon, at East Coast Comic Con. He was such a cool guy to talk to, he signed my white and red FLASH shirt, my DVD cover, and an 8×10 photo. At his Q&A panel, he mentioned that before he went into acting, he met an angel. Now, this story is incredibly paraphrased. My phone was on the charger so I could not record it. So the year is 1974-76, before he went to Hollywood and became an actor, he worked at a diner, I forgot what state he mentioned it was located in. While there, a man dressed in a business attire walked to the entrance. Sam walked up to him and asked if he could be seated. The man held up his hand, as if to say, 'Stop'. He then asked Sam, "What do you want to do with your life?" "What?" He just gave a stern look to Sam. Sam then enthusiastically replies, "Oh yeah, I want to Hollywood and you know, become a big name actor and..." the man puts his hand up, and Sam stops talking. The man then said. "THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? DON'T SAY YOU WANT TO BE, BE WHAT YOU WANT TO BE." Sam just stood there for ten seconds trying to take it in. Sam then turns around and walks to the pay counter to grab a menu, he came back only to find that the man was gone. Later that day, he asked his co workers if they had seen a man in a business attire. They all gave the same answer, "No." Sam specifically remembers asking them, "Wait, you are absolutely sure you didn't see me talking to a man with that description?" all of the co workers were sure. So the next week, he quit his job and went to Hollywood.
You're the one in the right. Anyone who thinks Flash Gordon is lame simply doesn't understand it. It was never supposed to be a rival to Star Wars; it's high camp, halfway to Barbarella or The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Intentionally comedic and ludicrous.
TitanFind Well, also it was right on the end of the disco crazy and all the weird colors and stuff would've really stuck if they had hit the mark better.
Chris Nefearian i love so much the creepy scences........star wars could have more scenes like that, would make it much better do you know its inspired by flash gordon? Since the comic is from the 30ies i believe.
Well, the difference is that "Star Wars" was intended to be more all ages or family friendly while "Flash Gordon" was clearly aimed at a much older audience. I mean the main character spends several scenes in nothing but a pair of leather shorts (small, tight, shorts). Can't image either Luke or Han doing that. :) The movie version is often compared to the porn version "Flesh Gordon" for a reason.
Which is why subsequent versions of Flash Gordon have been weak at best, especially the last one that aired on the SyFy Channel where they tried to make it realistic and such. It was really bad.
@@philv2529 Good point (and by Michael Fenton!). May did compose 8 tracks--more of it than the others. However, they each composed tracks that were included, and Mercury composed 5 tracks--the second most--and 2 of his are 2 of the best tracks of the film, IMHO: Vultan's Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men) and Football Fight. Those 2 always made the film for me, and were always my 2 favorite scenes due to the music, along with Battle Theme, by May, which is immediately after, and includes distinct references to Vultan's Theme--as do Marriage of Dale and Ming (and Flash Approaching), Crash Dive on Mongo City, Flash's Theme Reprise (Victory Celebration), and The Hero (in other words, every song after it, with the exception of The Wedding March--for obvious reasons.. Not to discount my love of and the importance of Flash's Theme, of course. And, don't forget, Howard Blake contributed a lot to the soundtrack, and at 83 now, he hasn't composed anything that's gone public in the current millenium. Then there's the problem that Queen, even with Mercury, wrote songs for the Highlander soundtrack, and they and the rest of it, by Michael Kamen, were pretty dreadful, IMHO. Of course, this time around, the atmospheric tracks were all composed by a classic orchestral soundtrack composer, with none composed by Queen. There's no denying that those songs and all of the rest of Queen's output post-Flash were very different (along with other changes for the band--wikipedia has a synopsis). I don't think that they could recapture the magic of style of Flash, even if Mercury were still around. But, maybe they're that flexible, if they really wanted to do it.
The beauty of this film is that it looks like a giant joke that everybody was in on EXCEPT for poor Sam J. Jones. Stage actors like Brian Blessed, Topol, Dalton, and Von Sydow are completely in their element and look to be having a great time chewing scenery. The inexperienced Jones, however, comes of as if he's going for an Oscar, or at least thinking his entire future as an actor depends on the gravity he can bring to his part. Still though, GREAT popcorn flick, and I agree, mostly due to the fantastic soundtrack.
saw this in the theater as a kid. I bloody loved it! people make fun of this film but it remains one of my favorites. nothing else like it. thanks for the retrospective.
Recall seeing this in the cinema being fucking horrified. But the years have been kind and I'm now a big fan. Guess we just weren't ready for this back in 1980.
Words fail in any attempts to relay how amused and pleased I was when I saw that you included the epic 'lying bitch' line at the very end of this well done video. I ADORE this goofy, fun, over produced, wonderful film...was lucky enough to see it in the cinema as a kid, and it holds up brilliantly to this day as a love letter from the campy, glitzy, wonderful 1980's...GREAT review (LOVED the Blessed clip, he was a truly entertaining entertainer), please keep them comin', Mr. Harper!
As a kid, I watched this movie always thinking about Flash Gordon as being a kind of He-Man like caracter (I was little obsessed by the cartoon back then). Even the character Klytus to me resembled a Skeletor like figure! Wonderful memories!
All the actors just seem to be having such a good time playing their parts and they know this movie is pure cheese but they don't care, their all having too much fun. A fun, silly, cheesy sci-fi adventure movie with a great cast and an awesome soundtrack.
Well, MY favorite line of dialogue is "While you await the ceremony, all monitors will display, for your entertainment, the execution of the traitors."
Phil V Yeah!!! ♫ He's for every one of us, Stand for every one of us, He save with a mighty hand every man, every woman, every child, with a mighty...Flash! ♫
Y'know, though? I love the 1980 Flash Gordon. I LOVE IT. Look - I know it's not a GREAT film. In fact it's cheesy as all hell. But - if it's cheese, it's the best, most pure Provolone you can imagine! And every actor in the film KNOWS it and is having a BLAST doing it, you can TELL! Max Von Sydow? Having a BALL chewing the scenery as Ming! Timothy Dalton is having SO much fun doing Errol Flynn AND hamming it up! Not to mention - *BRIAN BLESSED!!!* How can you not LOVE that man? (GORDON'S ALIVE!) Look - if you go into that film expecting a classic, straight take on Flash Gordon, you'll be disappointed. BUT - If you go in expecting to see - THE GREATEST FLASH GORDON COS-PLAY... EVER!!! Well then - you'll be highly entertained! Plus - QUEEN!!! (Flash! Aaaaahhh Savior of the Universe!)
He definitely enjoys his work and loves his fans. I like the enthusiasm he puts into his roles and the fact that he really enjoys talking to the fans as well.
This film was in itself an affectionate remake of the old serials starring Buster Crabbe, and only wants to be fun. It makes no pretense of realism or world-building, and the fakeness of the effects is, in a way, part of that campy charm, with old-fashioned rocket ships that have the texture of models ( I recall reading in Starlog how the model makers were instructed not to dirty down the models to invoke scale and realism as was typical FX practice.)
de Laurentiis had to rethink Flash after Star Wars. Lucas wanted to real the 3 Flash Gordon serials from the 30s in 1975, but de Laurentiis beat him to the rights. However Lucas beat him to the finish and made his serious adventure movie of his own version of Flash Gordon in 77. Then Flash couldn't be made serious and stand up. Therefore they made Flash as a campy retro comic book on film. A good approach, like Batman of the 60s. When he made Dune a little later, he got to do his serious space opera. What a dead dog that was. Best the way things worked out. BTW, go watch the old 30s Crabbe Flash and you'll see a lot of Star Wars, which Lucas freely admits.
The special effects TECHNIQUES in FG are just things like mattes, blue screens, miniature models, rotoscoping (for the lasers) .. . methods which were very common at the time it was made and used in every other space adventure flick of THAT same era ( including none other than big-britched high'n mighty Star Wars and all ITs wana-be imitators ). Anyway, I'd certainly take the special effects in FG over those stupid COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND ANIMATIONS that you see in every other movie made TODAY.
@@LandersWorkshop that movie was a dead dog and millions agree. Not the novel, but the movie was That 70s Show. I liked the princess as title sequence narrator, and that was it. The film was little better than 50s Science Fiction vaguely inspired by a great novel... with color. Sands blew and dozens of chapters were skipped. The entire purpose of the spice was either misunderstood or rewritten. The witches and the girl was almost comical. OK it was comical. Next Dune movie may be better.
I just watched Movie Fights on Screen Junkies channel and it was asked "defend your favorite movie as a kid." Nobody picked it... but THIS was my favorite movie as a kid. I saw it at age five or six on HBO. I'ts WHY, as an American, QUEEN IS MY FAVORITE BAND. And what's great was after that grey period in my teens, sometime in my twenties I watched it again and GOT ALL THE ADULT THEMES. All those sex innuendos went over my head as a six year old.... not when I'm twenty six. The costumes are so great.... The visuals.. and of course the music. The quotable lines.. "Flying blind on a rocket cycle?" I kinda laughed at the "scary parts" because I remember those.... and I remember those being absent in any TV viewing. All got cut for "time". I'm going to have to watch it tomorrow... just because :) Extremely underrated move.
Gary V .. blu ray edition with surround sound on a big high def tv will mindfuck you.. i saw this 3 times in the theater when it came out and it never looked this good.. fuck this movie was 10 years ahead of its time.
One of the few true camp classics. Everything that is clunky, or cheap, or overwrought, contributes to a coherent overall aesthetic, and the characters, though they may be comic, never look as though they are mocking or winking at the story they are in. To that extent, they play it completely straight. Obviously Queen are the definitive band for this film, because Mercury was a richly humorous man who was also a very serious musician; with a complete grasp of operatic grandeur, the raw power of rock music and the silly sparkle of disco, and knew that there didn't have to be any contradiction when juxtaposing or combining disparate elements of high and low art.
It is worth noting that Mariangela Melato turns in a sublimely hammy performance as the evil General Kala. She is clearly having a lot of fun. Everyone in "Flash" seems to be having a grand time, which is a big part of the film's appeal.
Hands down one of the very few films that actually stuck very close to the source material and brought it to vivid life. Seriously, the majority of the film feels EXACTLY like the original comic strip brought to life. The addition of the amazing Queen soundtrack is the icing on the cake for a very entertaining and enjoyable film.
for years my wife has had to listen to me talk about how me and my friends loved flash gordon as kids and she just didn't believe it until we saw Ted and that confirmed everything I always told her! LoL
A fantastic appraisal of a fantastic movie. I was 10 in 1980 & this movie and a couple of others helped create real magic in my life that I love to this very day.
I loved Sam J. Jones in the (Mad Max meets Airwolf meets Knightrider) "Highwayman" series with the time traveling helicopter trucks that just turn invisible on command.
Jesus, Highwayman, i vaguely remember a guy with an epic mullet. Something about weird looking trucks too, but time travel, really? I must have forgotten the details and i think i never saw more than a few episodes. Hmm now i'm going to have to look it up.
Currently watching her in the French-Italian '98 Mini-Series' The Count of Monte Cristo' with Gerard Depardieu. Really enjoying it thus far! What a stunning woman!!
When this movie came out, my friends and I all dropped acid and went to watch it at a drive-in. God, I laughed so hard I was afraid that I'd puke. Great movie.
I had a vhs of this movie when i was a kid. No dubbing or subtitles and i didn't understand a word of english. It didn't stop me from watching over and over again. I love this movie.
I remember an earlier Starlog issue was talking about a possible sequel to Flash Gordon. They even hinted at the projected outlook being bleak not because of the box office numbers but because of the skirmish w/ Sam Jones. I still believe to this day, if Sam Jones was committed to the project, there would've been a sequel.
Retrospective review is by far the greatest thing on CZcams. I queue them all up on 'watch later' and listen to then before going to sleep rather than have the tv on! Keep up the fantastic work marte!
Now I can't unsee Timothy Dalton as that one villain from Chuck, and it's funny to think about how Brian Blessed and Max von Sydow have now been in Star Wars movies.
6:50 - 6:58, it's funny that you mentioned that. I somewhat disagree with you, Oli. In the 70s-90s, a new trend was coming forward were alot of films started to focus on not only anti-heroes, but outright villains. We had Scarface, Jaws, Darth Vader, the Xenomorphs, and a boatload of horror film slashers. Even the Burton Batman films were notorious for promoting the villain, also the star of the movie was Jack Nicholson. You could conceivably build a film around a villain, but on your behalf it was risky venture to do so for family movies.
One of the best adaptations of Flash Gordon I think was the Filmation animated film and tv series. they featured a lot of rotoscoping and reusing of animation cells. But the creativity and imagination I thought was impressive.
Jones´s Flash Gordon has an incredible good look! i think there are many guys who appreciate that by saying to themselves, "I´d like to be that guy at least for one day!´
Another great review, Mr. Harper. I got to this movie very late, although I remember the promotional pinball game (shows you about how old I am). I agree with your comment that the roles played straight helps a lot- that we laugh along, instead of laughing specifically at the camp and the cheese. This is much why I enjoy the original Xanadu, but had no interest in the later stage play (which was acted very cheesily).
I was 11 years old when I watched this movie in the cinema back in early 1981, when it premiered in my country. This is a very fond memory from my childhood. Thanks Oliver for sharing this review :) "Gordon´s Alive ?....Flying blind on a rocket cycle.." (Prince Vultan / Brian Blessed).
Luxeley ..actually its not bad at all... see it on blu ray on a big high def tv with surround sound.. this movie looks and sounds fantastic, will blow you away. Every aspect of this movie is spot on and true to the scource material. .remember, what you are seeing in this film is not happening in the real universe, its in the comic book universe. .. its science fiction without science, its outer space without outer space, 1935 is in full effect.
I love this movie to ridiculous amounts and have since I was a child! I know every bit of it by heart! I cannot explain how happy it makes me to see others here in the comments loving on this movie. The football fight scene remains one of my favorites of the film to this day...ah, god, Queen's music, Dale's cheerleading, Prince Vultan's hilarious assistance to Flash's outright defiance, so good! Go, Flash, Go!
This and Excalibur are my two favorite films. Yes. They are very different in tone. But they are both visually very rich. With strong characters that have to be reminded of virtue’s purpose. Both films filled to the brim with fantastic acting talent and both are filled with temptations and the swaying of power over generations. Flash handles it’s comedy times right next to genuinely emotional growth. Great arcs all throughout.
Saw this as a kid under ten and it was simply the most awesome thing I'd seen since Star Wars. The colors, the sounds, the action, the sets, the music, the worlds, hawkmen, arboria...I mean I could go on here. Too cool for school. The rock music with the attack on Ajax General is staying in my brain forever.
Regardless of many comic movies that out these days Queens soundtrack is the first ever hard rock music to be put to film and the first ever rock band to put music to a comic movie and despite its over the top use its fucking amazing
I saw this movie as a kid and i just love it to this day. I've had it on VHS, then Dvd and now on Bluray :-) I love it bacause, one - the music, two - the costume design, and three - the poster! The poster is one of the most beautiful movie posters ever made.
I don't know if it's the haircut or eyes or what but the guy who plays Flash Gordon reminds of Caitlin Jenner when she was Bruce during this and the late 70s time period
The greatest thing about this movie is the DVD that has a commentary by BRIAN BLESSED. I saw it in blockbusters once and had to listen, a magnificently wonderful complement to the film. For a fatal drinking game, take a shot every time Brian mentions the colours... czcams.com/video/QtMulYBE-m0/video.html (Also the Defenders of the Earth theme tune was awesome!)
yeah I have the CD album. It was part of Queen's catalogue so it shouldn't be hard to track down. eBay is a good bet. But the Howard Blake score to the movie is out of print.
Oliver Harper LA LA Land Records should re-release Howard Blake’s score, or both this, along with Queen’s soundtrack as a special, 2-CD set or re-release it digitally, on iTunes.
My girlfriend & I watched this again recently and we both enjoyed it so much. It's just such a fun movie, & we both remarked how visually similar it is to the film "Barbarella".
This movie is one of a kind. From the rad Queen music to the artwork design and visuals... just nothing else like it! (Not to mention Princess Aura, who is a feature all by herself...!)
holy cow I was at that brian blessed interview it was at the sfx weekender I think 2013 ? but he was amazing. going to next year's one as well Si fi weekender 2016 and he's going to be there again. Thanks for bringing back the memories.
holy cow I was at that brian blessed interview it was at the sfx weekender I think 2013 ? but he was amazing. going to next year's one as well Si fi weekender 2016 and he's going to be there again. Thanks for bringing back the memories. 😀
The person who dubbed the voice of Flash Gordon is british actor Peter Marinker. He did alot of voice acting work for anime that was dubbed and released by Manga Entertainment UK during the 1990's.
this is the great production of Flash , with such fun camp performances , which came as a accident as directors and crew didn't speak the same language , the late and great Von sydow thoroughly enjoyed the role as emperor MING , Brian Blessed give his most famous line , "Gordons Alive," a small phrase that will live in cinema history. and i love the throwaway. "give me the remote control " . supported by Timothy Dalton before his 2 Bond appearances , " tell me of this Houdini " an appearance from richard o'brien who wrote rocky horror show , ornella muti as princess adala . gave a well sexy interpretation . , Topol as zarkov was also cool casting going through his life experiences in flash frames jump cuts comparing the history of the holocaust to all dictatorial empires. . Peter wyngarde as the henchman from hell Klytus . and this did surprise me the renowned playwright John osborne ,as a arboreal priest, ( Mike hodges director had used john in get carter .) . Music from Queen was 45 minutes of fab music. in spite of some realy horror moments that give the narrative a much needed boost . this film became a bank holiday favourite to spent a idle day with .. . . flash oooh aaah great clip of a fan meeting with brian blessed , ..
Stan Lee wrote the theme for Defenders of the Earth, and worked on the series. Peter Renaday (Mandrake the Magician) talks about the show for a brief moment when he was interviewed by Rob Paulsen on Talking Toons which is on project alpha.
One thing of note in the film is the multi-colored gaseous nature of the skies in the movie. This is supposed to be aether, or, luminous aether, what some early sci-fi writers of the time believed one would see in space, or at least the upper atmosphere, before space travel, similar to the phlogiston described in the D&D Spelljammer books.
It wasn't a hit in America, but it was a big hit in the Uk and Europe. A great 80s fun Sci fi film from my childhood and a shame they never made the sequel.
Agreed on all points Oliver! This film is fun to watch and underlines film's transition from the golden 70's to the sterling 80's. The artwork and special effects were ground breaking for the time and I have always enjoyed their practical nature. Flash is in my collection for sure!
I've heard that Brian Blessed story so many times - through working o DoctoWho I have been at a few events with Brian - and you always know he is in the building!!!!
I love Flash. I will go back and watch this at least once a year. Great soundtrack. Flash's Theme is great and love the beginning of the movie with the old comics. Max von Sydow!! He is some of my favorites: Flash, Conan, Dune and oh yeah The Exorcist. This people is a Sci-Fi movie!
This movie is aging like wine! The older it is, the better it looks. Make us all realize it was a little gem when it first came out.
Fully agree! A film in its very own category...pays homage to, yet trancending both the original material and anything else branded ‘SciFi’ at the time or since.
I don't think it's possible to hear "FLASH!" and not go "AHH AHH" afterwards
Challenge excepted.
FLASH!
@@Strideo1 AHH AHH
@@AJKiesel S A V I O R O F T H E U N I V E R S E
You can't go wrong with queen. ❤
"Not the bore worm !"
At that exact instant, puberty kicked in.
Wouldn't you like to bor ornela muti
I met Sam J. Jones, who played the Titular Flash Gordon, at East Coast Comic Con.
He was such a cool guy to talk to, he signed my white and red FLASH shirt, my DVD cover, and an 8×10 photo.
At his Q&A panel, he mentioned that before he went into acting, he met an angel.
Now, this story is incredibly paraphrased. My phone was on the charger so I could not record it.
So the year is 1974-76, before he went to Hollywood and became an actor, he worked at a diner, I forgot what state he mentioned it was located in. While there, a man dressed in a business attire walked to the entrance. Sam walked up to him and asked if he could be seated. The man held up his hand, as if to say, 'Stop'. He then asked Sam,
"What do you want to do with your life?"
"What?"
He just gave a stern look to Sam.
Sam then enthusiastically replies, "Oh yeah, I want to Hollywood and you know, become a big name actor and..." the man puts his hand up, and Sam stops talking. The man then said.
"THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? DON'T SAY YOU WANT TO BE, BE WHAT YOU WANT TO BE."
Sam just stood there for ten seconds trying to take it in. Sam then turns around and walks to the pay counter to grab a menu, he came back only to find that the man was gone.
Later that day, he asked his co workers if they had seen a man in a business attire. They all gave the same answer, "No."
Sam specifically remembers asking them, "Wait, you are absolutely sure you didn't see me talking to a man with that description?" all of the co workers were sure.
So the next week, he quit his job and went to Hollywood.
Sorry if my grammar was crap.
B1G B0SS It was just fine. And that’s a bloody brilliant story! Thanks for sharing it!
Wow, that is incredible.
I don't care what anyone says, I just love this movie so much. :)
You're the one in the right. Anyone who thinks Flash Gordon is lame simply doesn't understand it. It was never supposed to be a rival to Star Wars; it's high camp, halfway to Barbarella or The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Intentionally comedic and ludicrous.
TitanFind Well, also it was right on the end of the disco crazy and all the weird colors and stuff would've really stuck if they had hit the mark better.
TitanFind
i like both star wars and flash gordon. Klythos is a bit like Vader. At least Emperor Ming will be in star wars VII in a way. :D
Chris Nefearian i love so much the creepy scences........star wars could have more scenes like that, would make it much better do you know its inspired by flash gordon? Since the comic is from the 30ies i believe.
Well, the difference is that "Star Wars" was intended to be more all ages or family friendly while "Flash Gordon" was clearly aimed at a much older audience.
I mean the main character spends several scenes in nothing but a pair of leather shorts (small, tight, shorts). Can't image either Luke or Han doing that. :)
The movie version is often compared to the porn version "Flesh Gordon" for a reason.
10:45 freddie mercury sitting on darth vader with a flash gordon t shirt. Dont see tht shit everyday
Any reboot of Flash Gordon will suffer in comparison because it won't have QUEEN.
Which is why subsequent versions of Flash Gordon have been weak at best, especially the last one that aired on the SyFy Channel where they tried to make it realistic and such. It was really bad.
Well, Brian May is still alive and he's probably the one that composed it
@@philv2529 Good point (and by Michael Fenton!). May did compose 8 tracks--more of it than the others. However, they each composed tracks that were included, and Mercury composed 5 tracks--the second most--and 2 of his are 2 of the best tracks of the film, IMHO: Vultan's Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men) and Football Fight. Those 2 always made the film for me, and were always my 2 favorite scenes due to the music, along with Battle Theme, by May, which is immediately after, and includes distinct references to Vultan's Theme--as do Marriage of Dale and Ming (and Flash Approaching), Crash Dive on Mongo City, Flash's Theme Reprise (Victory Celebration), and The Hero (in other words, every song after it, with the exception of The Wedding March--for obvious reasons.. Not to discount my love of and the importance of Flash's Theme, of course. And, don't forget, Howard Blake contributed a lot to the soundtrack, and at 83 now, he hasn't composed anything that's gone public in the current millenium.
Then there's the problem that Queen, even with Mercury, wrote songs for the Highlander soundtrack, and they and the rest of it, by Michael Kamen, were pretty dreadful, IMHO. Of course, this time around, the atmospheric tracks were all composed by a classic orchestral soundtrack composer, with none composed by Queen. There's no denying that those songs and all of the rest of Queen's output post-Flash were very different (along with other changes for the band--wikipedia has a synopsis). I don't think that they could recapture the magic of style of Flash, even if Mercury were still around. But, maybe they're that flexible, if they really wanted to do it.
Or Gil Taylor
i rathe rliked the intro o the french made cartoon series ^^
The beauty of this film is that it looks like a giant joke that everybody was in on EXCEPT for poor Sam J. Jones. Stage actors like Brian Blessed, Topol, Dalton, and Von Sydow are completely in their element and look to be having a great time chewing scenery. The inexperienced Jones, however, comes of as if he's going for an Oscar, or at least thinking his entire future as an actor depends on the gravity he can bring to his part. Still though, GREAT popcorn flick, and I agree, mostly due to the fantastic soundtrack.
24 y/o Ornella Muti - the sexiest woman I've ever seen!
Hellz, Yeah!!!! You, sir have Fantastic Taste in Bad Girls.
saw this in the theater as a kid. I bloody loved it! people make fun of this film but it remains one of my favorites. nothing else like it. thanks for the retrospective.
Recall seeing this in the cinema being fucking horrified. But the years have been kind and I'm now a big fan. Guess we just weren't ready for this back in 1980.
*this came out while i was in middle school...*
Only lefties tend to make fun of it. They don't like it being masculine and based.
@@LandersWorkshop true.
Timothy Dalton looks like Space Robin Hood. XD
Reminds me of his role in The Rocketeer.
He was playing it "as Errol Flynn", so there's that...
I was Thinking the same Thing
@@KonElKent yeh never re,ky thought of the Errol Flynn's inspiration in Timothy's performance
@@KonElKent Timothy dies lokk like Errol in way I guess
Words fail in any attempts to relay how amused and pleased I was when I saw that you included the epic 'lying bitch' line at the very end of this well done video.
I ADORE this goofy, fun, over produced, wonderful film...was lucky enough to see it in the cinema as a kid, and it holds up brilliantly to this day as a love letter from the campy, glitzy, wonderful 1980's...GREAT review (LOVED the Blessed clip, he was a truly entertaining entertainer), please keep them comin', Mr. Harper!
"YEAH!!!"
Flash Jump!
Guardians of the Galaxy is the closest thing to Flash Gordon we have had in recent times don't you think
Both are great films!
BeautifulAngry Yeah. It has the same pulpy, space-opera feel to it. Same thing with "John Carter".
BeautifulAngry Not at all. Far less inventive and campy. Closer to Riddick.
>Reads this comment
>About to interject
>Checks time comment was written
>Thor Ragnarok hadn't come out
Oh, carry on then.
Yes I Agree!!
As a kid, I watched this movie always thinking about Flash Gordon as being a kind of He-Man like caracter (I was little obsessed by the cartoon back then). Even the character Klytus to me resembled a Skeletor like figure! Wonderful memories!
All the actors just seem to be having such a good time playing their parts and they know this movie is pure cheese but they don't care, their all having too much fun. A fun, silly, cheesy sci-fi adventure movie with a great cast and an awesome soundtrack.
I think the end of the fight between Flash and Barin is one of the best scenes in film history.
"Where you go, I follow"
Agreed! ; )
Gives me chills every time, especially his speech that follows. It made me want to join in the fight!
Well, MY favorite line of dialogue is "While you await the ceremony, all monitors will display, for your entertainment, the execution of the traitors."
Brian Blessed doesn't't really need a microphone... true.
"Long live Flash. You've saved the Earth. Have a nice day."
Phil V Yeah!!! ♫ He's for every one of us, Stand for every one of us, He save with a mighty hand every man, every woman, every child, with a mighty...Flash! ♫
"All creatures make merry under pain of death!"
Y'know, though? I love the 1980 Flash Gordon.
I LOVE IT.
Look - I know it's not a GREAT film. In fact it's cheesy as all hell. But - if it's cheese, it's the best, most pure Provolone you can imagine! And every actor in the film KNOWS it and is having a BLAST doing it, you can TELL! Max Von Sydow? Having a BALL chewing the scenery as Ming! Timothy Dalton is having SO much fun doing Errol Flynn AND hamming it up! Not to mention -
*BRIAN BLESSED!!!*
How can you not LOVE that man? (GORDON'S ALIVE!)
Look - if you go into that film expecting a classic, straight take on Flash Gordon, you'll be disappointed. BUT -
If you go in expecting to see - THE GREATEST FLASH GORDON COS-PLAY... EVER!!!
Well then - you'll be highly entertained!
Plus - QUEEN!!! (Flash! Aaaaahhh Savior of the Universe!)
Fuck yoo! .. . FG IS a GREAT film! And I think that QUIRKY is a better word for it than "cheesy".
WHAT exactly makes a movie "great" in YOUR head anyway?
Blessed seems he's like forever an eight year old boy!:D
+Morten Rolfson Nah, he's just having a helluva good time with his fans.
He definitely enjoys his work and loves his fans. I like the enthusiasm he puts into his roles and the fact that he really enjoys talking to the fans as well.
He had a fascinating life too, especially while growing up. Met him at a con years ago. Lovely guy.
Morten Rolfson there’s an interesting interview with him called panther on the kitchen table or something like that x
@@alucard624 and Brian was acthully fanboy of flash Gordon growing up
This film was in itself an affectionate remake of the old serials starring Buster Crabbe, and only wants to be fun. It makes no pretense of realism or world-building, and the fakeness of the effects is, in a way, part of that campy charm, with old-fashioned rocket ships that have the texture of models ( I recall reading in Starlog how the model makers were instructed not to dirty down the models to invoke scale and realism as was typical FX practice.)
de Laurentiis had to rethink Flash after Star Wars. Lucas wanted to real the 3 Flash Gordon serials from the 30s in 1975, but de Laurentiis beat him to the rights. However Lucas beat him to the finish and made his serious adventure movie of his own version of Flash Gordon in 77.
Then Flash couldn't be made serious and stand up. Therefore they made Flash as a campy retro comic book on film. A good approach, like Batman of the 60s.
When he made Dune a little later, he got to do his serious space opera. What a dead dog that was. Best the way things worked out.
BTW, go watch the old 30s Crabbe Flash and you'll see a lot of Star Wars, which Lucas freely admits.
The special effects TECHNIQUES in FG are just things like mattes, blue screens, miniature models, rotoscoping (for the lasers) .. . methods which were very common at the time it was made and used in every other space adventure flick of THAT same era ( including none other than big-britched high'n mighty Star Wars and all ITs wana-be imitators ). Anyway, I'd certainly take the special effects in FG over those stupid COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND ANIMATIONS that you see in every other movie made TODAY.
@@STho205 Dune was no dead dog my dude.
@@LandersWorkshop that movie was a dead dog and millions agree. Not the novel, but the movie was That 70s Show.
I liked the princess as title sequence narrator, and that was it. The film was little better than 50s Science Fiction vaguely inspired by a great novel... with color.
Sands blew and dozens of chapters were skipped. The entire purpose of the spice was either misunderstood or rewritten. The witches and the girl was almost comical. OK it was comical.
Next Dune movie may be better.
Flash Gordon is a perfect storm of action, fun, campiness that could never be truly duplicated.
I just watched Movie Fights on Screen Junkies channel and it was asked "defend your favorite movie as a kid." Nobody picked it... but THIS was my favorite movie as a kid. I saw it at age five or six on HBO. I'ts WHY, as an American, QUEEN IS MY FAVORITE BAND.
And what's great was after that grey period in my teens, sometime in my twenties I watched it again and GOT ALL THE ADULT THEMES. All those sex innuendos went over my head as a six year old.... not when I'm twenty six.
The costumes are so great.... The visuals.. and of course the music. The quotable lines.. "Flying blind on a rocket cycle?"
I kinda laughed at the "scary parts" because I remember those.... and I remember those being absent in any TV viewing. All got cut for "time".
I'm going to have to watch it tomorrow... just because :) Extremely underrated move.
Gary V .. blu ray edition with surround sound on a big high def tv will mindfuck you.. i saw this 3 times in the theater when it came out and it never looked this good.. fuck this movie was 10 years ahead of its time.
One of the few true camp classics. Everything that is clunky, or cheap, or overwrought, contributes to a coherent overall aesthetic, and the characters, though they may be comic, never look as though they are mocking or winking at the story they are in. To that extent, they play it completely straight. Obviously Queen are the definitive band for this film, because Mercury was a richly humorous man who was also a very serious musician; with a complete grasp of operatic grandeur, the raw power of rock music and the silly sparkle of disco, and knew that there didn't have to be any contradiction when juxtaposing or combining disparate elements of high and low art.
Brian Blessed is amazing!!!!
Total Classic movie.
They need bring this back out in the cinema, then planetary peace will follow...
It is worth noting that Mariangela Melato turns in a sublimely
hammy performance as the evil General Kala. She is clearly
having a lot of fun. Everyone in "Flash" seems to be having
a grand time, which is a big part of the film's appeal.
Always have and always will love this movie. Classic
Hands down one of the very few films that actually stuck very close to the source material and brought it to vivid life. Seriously, the majority of the film feels EXACTLY like the original comic strip brought to life. The addition of the amazing Queen soundtrack is the icing on the cake for a very entertaining and enjoyable film.
Loved this film when it came out and I think it still holds up today too...
This is a brilliant film.
I have spent my life trying to figure out if either Flash Gordon or Excalibur are my favorite movie.
Those are two underrated films. The lack of attention Excalibur gets is shameful.
I'm surprised Oliver hasn't done a retrospective on Excalibur
A great question.... 🤔
@@NemeanLion- I have excaliber on DVD acthully
Always thought I was the only one who liked this movie, until I saw "Ted". Excellent review and I could not agree more.
for years my wife has had to listen to me talk about how me and my friends loved flash gordon as kids and she just didn't believe it until we saw Ted and that confirmed everything I always told her! LoL
I'm still waiting for the sequel.
A fantastic appraisal of a fantastic movie. I was 10 in 1980 & this movie and a couple of others helped create real magic in my life that I love to this very day.
I loved Sam J. Jones in the (Mad Max meets Airwolf meets Knightrider) "Highwayman" series with the time traveling helicopter trucks that just turn invisible on command.
Jesus, Highwayman, i vaguely remember a guy with an epic mullet. Something about weird looking trucks too, but time travel, really? I must have forgotten the details and i think i never saw more than a few episodes. Hmm now i'm going to have to look it up.
@@Bonez0r It was pretty-based. But short-lived.
ORNELLA MUTI
Currently watching her in the French-Italian '98 Mini-Series' The Count of Monte Cristo' with Gerard Depardieu. Really enjoying it thus far! What a stunning woman!!
Watch her in Oscar with Sylvester Stallone.
When this movie came out, my friends and I all dropped acid and went to watch it at a drive-in. God, I laughed so hard I was afraid that I'd puke. Great movie.
Silentotto so did you have have a hlaacunation trip
I had a vhs of this movie when i was a kid. No dubbing or subtitles and i didn't understand a word of english. It didn't stop me from watching over and over again. I love this movie.
One of my all time favourite films, nice to see you're a big fan of it too.
Klytus always looked like a Gold-faced Skeletor to me.
Talia that and kind if golden Darth Vader but without the lightsaber
I remember an earlier Starlog issue was talking about a possible sequel to Flash Gordon. They even hinted at the projected outlook being bleak not because of the box office numbers but because of the skirmish w/ Sam Jones.
I still believe to this day, if Sam Jones was committed to the project, there would've been a sequel.
Retrospective review is by far the greatest thing on CZcams. I queue them all up on 'watch later' and listen to then before going to sleep rather than have the tv on! Keep up the fantastic work marte!
Now I can't unsee Timothy Dalton as that one villain from Chuck, and it's funny to think about how Brian Blessed and Max von Sydow have now been in Star Wars movies.
classic ... hope they never remake it ..........long live Flash
I don't think it would be impossible to reboot it well, especially as a tv series, but Brian Blessed would have to be in it.
@@Stormwern yeh maybe have Brian as the narrator and long live max von sydow
Awesome, awesome, awesome film. It's everything a great cinema adventure should be. :)
6:50 - 6:58, it's funny that you mentioned that. I somewhat disagree with you, Oli. In the 70s-90s, a new trend was coming forward were alot of films started to focus on not only anti-heroes, but outright villains. We had Scarface, Jaws, Darth Vader, the Xenomorphs, and a boatload of horror film slashers. Even the Burton Batman films were notorious for promoting the villain, also the star of the movie was Jack Nicholson.
You could conceivably build a film around a villain, but on your behalf it was risky venture to do so for family movies.
Awesome review. Loved it. And this flick. Great Job.
With the 40th anniversary approaching in a few months, I would urger a remake 30 minutes +.
One of the greatest most underrated movies EVER!
Thumbs up a hundred times!
One of the best adaptations of Flash Gordon I think was the Filmation animated film and tv series. they featured a lot of rotoscoping and reusing of animation cells. But the creativity and imagination I thought was impressive.
such a fun movie that never took itself too seriously.
I saw this with my girlfriend at university when it came out. Her verdict on Ornella Muti? "What a piece of yum!"
@Jess Jones lol.
@J Jones yeh that's kind of of lesbian remarks for the guys girfreknd to say
Legtus hedlius so I'm guessing your grifreind kinda questioned her sexuality after seen ing the princess get whipped
RIP Max you were great in this! (and in everything really)
Jones´s Flash Gordon has an incredible good look! i think there are many guys who appreciate that by saying to themselves, "I´d like to be that guy at least for one day!´
Another great review, Mr. Harper. I got to this movie very late, although I remember the promotional pinball game (shows you about how old I am). I agree with your comment that the roles played straight helps a lot- that we laugh along, instead of laughing specifically at the camp and the cheese. This is much why I enjoy the original Xanadu, but had no interest in the later stage play (which was acted very cheesily).
I was 11 years old when I watched this movie in the cinema back in early 1981, when it premiered in my country.
This is a very fond memory from my childhood. Thanks Oliver for sharing this review :)
"Gordon´s Alive ?....Flying blind on a rocket cycle.." (Prince Vultan / Brian Blessed).
Cheers mate!
love this film :) and it also features Robbie Coltrane as the guy who shuts the planes door at beginning of the film :)
Brian ! We put in the special effects !! Thanks So much for this. Crying with laughter.
This movie is sooo bad that it is actually a genuine classic. And it also explains why the New York Jets still don't have a decent QB.
Luxeley ..actually its not bad at all... see it on blu ray on a big high def tv with surround sound.. this movie looks and sounds fantastic, will blow you away. Every aspect of this movie is spot on and true to the scource material. .remember, what you are seeing in this film is not happening in the real universe, its in the comic book universe. .. its science fiction without science, its outer space without outer space, 1935 is in full effect.
If it was bad, it wouldn’t be watchable. I play this movie all the time.
FLASH!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!
He'll save every one of us
He's for every one of us
FLASH!!! AAAAA-AAAAAHHHHHH!!!! Without the hyphen its just different : D
I love this movie to ridiculous amounts and have since I was a child! I know every bit of it by heart! I cannot explain how happy it makes me to see others here in the comments loving on this movie. The football fight scene remains one of my favorites of the film to this day...ah, god, Queen's music, Dale's cheerleading, Prince Vultan's hilarious assistance to Flash's outright defiance, so good! Go, Flash, Go!
This and Excalibur are my two favorite films. Yes. They are very different in tone. But they are both visually very rich. With strong characters that have to be reminded of virtue’s purpose. Both films filled to the brim with fantastic acting talent and both are filled with temptations and the swaying of power over generations. Flash handles it’s comedy times right next to genuinely emotional growth. Great arcs all throughout.
I've always thought the campy Flash Gordon movie is how Superman The Movie might have turned out if Richard Donner hadn't stepped in.
True. What worked for Flash Gordon I seriously doubt would have worked for Superman. Perfect example: Superman III.
Saw this as a kid under ten and it was simply the most awesome thing I'd seen since Star Wars. The colors, the sounds, the action, the sets, the music, the worlds, hawkmen, arboria...I mean I could go on here. Too cool for school. The rock music with the attack on Ajax General is staying in my brain forever.
Regardless of many comic movies that out these days Queens soundtrack is the first ever hard rock music to be put to film and the first ever rock band to put music to a comic movie and despite its over the top use its fucking amazing
I saw this movie as a kid and i just love it to this day. I've had it on VHS, then Dvd and now on Bluray :-) I love it bacause, one - the music, two - the costume design, and three - the poster! The poster is one of the most beautiful movie posters ever made.
I don't know if it's the haircut or eyes or what but the guy who plays Flash Gordon reminds of Caitlin Jenner when she was Bruce during this and the late 70s time period
The greatest thing about this movie is the DVD that has a commentary by BRIAN BLESSED. I saw it in blockbusters once and had to listen, a magnificently wonderful complement to the film. For a fatal drinking game, take a shot every time Brian mentions the colours... czcams.com/video/QtMulYBE-m0/video.html
(Also the Defenders of the Earth theme tune was awesome!)
Just watched on Bluray for first time in what must be a decade. It was BETTER THAN EVER!
"Dr Zarkov kidnapped them after their plane has crashed in the area..."
In the area, lol...
That's area being his freaking living room...😅
2nd favorite "B" movie of all time and i think I have seen it over 20 or so times. Just adore it more as I age.
Wasn't too bad a movie, but it sure felt like was made for TV.
yeah I have the CD album. It was part of Queen's catalogue so it shouldn't be hard to track down. eBay is a good bet. But the Howard Blake score to the movie is out of print.
Oliver Harper LA LA Land Records should re-release Howard Blake’s score, or both this, along with Queen’s soundtrack as a special, 2-CD set or re-release it digitally, on iTunes.
"Err, Brian...WE put in the special effects!"
God how I love that man.
I love how since you've done this review what with marvel and the MCU comic book films are finally starting to show there colour
My girlfriend & I watched this again recently and we both enjoyed it so much. It's just such a fun movie, & we both remarked how visually similar it is to the film "Barbarella".
This movie is one of a kind. From the rad Queen music to the artwork design and visuals... just nothing else like it! (Not to mention Princess Aura, who is a feature all by herself...!)
I saw this with my parents in the cinema - I was 7 or so, and remember it well , especially the "scary" scenes.Remember Klytus getting spiked!
Absolutely loved this movie, watched it so many times.
You say "I think" and "I believe" but you don't have to. You're spot on.
Great review. Loved this campy movie as a kid. I'm also glad I'm not the only one who was also freaked out by it too... 11:55
holy cow I was at that brian blessed interview it was at the sfx weekender I think 2013 ? but he was amazing. going to next year's one as well Si fi weekender 2016 and he's going to be there again. Thanks for bringing back the memories.
80's were awesome!
holy cow I was at that brian blessed interview it was at the sfx weekender I think 2013 ? but he was amazing. going to next year's one as well Si fi weekender 2016 and he's going to be there again. Thanks for bringing back the memories. 😀
The person who dubbed the voice of Flash Gordon is british actor Peter Marinker. He did alot of voice acting work for anime that was dubbed and released by Manga Entertainment UK during the 1990's.
this is the great production of Flash , with such fun camp performances , which came as a accident as directors and crew didn't speak the same language , the late and great Von sydow thoroughly enjoyed the role as emperor MING , Brian Blessed give his most famous line , "Gordons Alive," a small phrase that will live in cinema history. and i love the throwaway. "give me the remote control " . supported by Timothy Dalton before his 2 Bond appearances , " tell me of this Houdini " an appearance from richard o'brien who wrote rocky horror show , ornella muti as princess adala . gave a well sexy interpretation . , Topol as zarkov was also cool casting going through his life experiences in flash frames jump cuts comparing the history of the holocaust to all dictatorial empires. . Peter wyngarde as the henchman from hell Klytus . and this did surprise me the renowned playwright John osborne ,as a arboreal priest, ( Mike hodges director had used john in get carter .) . Music from Queen was 45 minutes of fab music. in spite of some realy horror moments that give the narrative a much needed boost . this film became a bank holiday favourite to spent a idle day with .. . . flash oooh aaah great clip of a fan meeting with brian blessed , ..
I love Flash Gordon as a kid. I been a big fan of Mike Hodges fan with films like Get Carter, Pulp, The Terminal Man & Black Rainbow.
flash gordon also looks amazing in black and white
Stan Lee wrote the theme for Defenders of the Earth, and worked on the series. Peter Renaday (Mandrake the Magician) talks about the show for a brief moment when he was interviewed by Rob Paulsen on Talking Toons which is on project alpha.
I actually got to see it in the theater. I was only 6, but, I was there 🤘y'all have a badass day🤘🍻🤘
One thing of note in the film is the multi-colored gaseous nature of the skies in the movie. This is supposed to be aether, or, luminous aether, what some early sci-fi writers of the time believed one would see in space, or at least the upper atmosphere, before space travel, similar to the phlogiston described in the D&D Spelljammer books.
The theme tune for D O T E .is Epic
It wasn't a hit in America, but it was a big hit in the Uk and Europe. A great 80s fun Sci fi film from my childhood and a shame they never made the sequel.
Agreed on all points Oliver! This film is fun to watch and underlines film's transition from the golden 70's to the sterling 80's. The artwork and special effects were ground breaking for the time and I have always enjoyed their practical nature. Flash is in my collection for sure!
I love how they see Earth for the first time ever, and then we see Ming has a button called 'Earthquake'!
This film's so bad, but so, so good.
I've heard that Brian Blessed story so many times - through working o DoctoWho I have been at a few events with Brian - and you always know he is in the building!!!!
Great review... you nailed it. The costuming is outstanding, the actors are excellent and its blast to watch. Cheers!
Quite simply my favourite film as a kid!
Favourite quote by zarkov to monson ".. Get your toothbrush and whatever."
I love Flash. I will go back and watch this at least once a year. Great soundtrack. Flash's Theme is great and love the beginning of the movie with the old comics. Max von Sydow!! He is some of my favorites: Flash, Conan, Dune and oh yeah The Exorcist. This people is a Sci-Fi movie!