Flash Gordon (1980)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Mike Hodges

Writers:

Alex Raymond (characters)
Michael Allin (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

5 December 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

He'll save every one of us!

Plot:

A football player and his friends travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyrant, Ming the Merciless, to save Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Prince | Flash Gordon | Emperor | Scientist

Awards:

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Sam J. Jones	...	Flash Gordon
Melody Anderson	...	Dale Arden
Max von Sydow	...	The Emperor Ming / Ming's Floating Servant (as Max Von Sydow)
Topol	...	Dr. Hans Zarkov
Ornella Muti	...	Princess Aura
Timothy Dalton	...	Prince Barin
Brian Blessed	...	Prince Vultan
Peter Wyngarde	...	Klytus
Mariangela Melato	...	Kala
John Osborne	...	Arborian Priest
Richard O'Brien	...	Fico
John Hallam	...	Luro
Philip Stone	...	Zogi, the High Priest
Suzanne Danielle	...	Serving Girl
William Hootkins	...	Munson

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

UK:A (theatrical rating) | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Airstrip, Breakish, Skye, Highlands, Scotland, UK

Company:

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)

Trivia:

Ming's symbol (which Klytus also wears on his gauntlets) is borrowed from the Freemason's square and compass. Ming also makes a Masonic gesture during the course of the movie.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: After General Kala announces the execution of Zarkov and Barin, there is a small scene when the gold faced guards are lined up and ordered to march by their superior (in some distorted voice). The distorted voice matches the mouth movements of the superior for several words, then doesn't as his mouth is closed. However, the voice continues to sound off.

Quotes:

[first lines]
The Emperor Ming: Klytus, I'm bored. What play thing can you offer me today?
Klytus: An obscure body in the S-K System, your majesty. The inhabitants refer to it as the planet Earth.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Strongbad_email.exe: Disc Five (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Flash

Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun

I know that the popular consensus has tagged this movie as campy and cheesy, but in the case of Flash Gordon, I don't think that's a bad thing at all. I was like 5 years old when I first saw this movie, so for me, it's not only a great film, it also brings me back to some of the happiest moments of my childhood when my imagination was limitless. Just listening to the soundtrack is enough to bring me back to my own personal "good ol' days," so I'll always have a soft spot for this movie in my heart. However, even viewing it as an adult, I have to say that I don't see quite as much cheese as the harsh critics see in the movie. I mean, yeah, there's that "cringe in your seat" moment when Melody Anderson side shuffles, claps her hands and cheers "Go, Flash, Go!" and her equally embarrassing, "Oh, Flash" when he saves Prince Baron from falling into the abyss, but beyond that, I think it's an awesome movie. I thought that all of the actors were very good in their respective roles, particularly Ming the Merciless, played by Max Von Sydow. He's very convincing in this role and not even remotely campy (IMHO). Klytus is also great. You gotta love his nonchalantly smooth manner of speaking. However, if I were to point out one thing that I believe made Flash Gordon the cult classic that it is today, it would HAVE to be the soundtrack. Right from the first scene when Ming starts pressing buttons that wreak havoc on the Earth, you hear the beat. Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun, then they hit you with that campy-as-hell "Flash! A-haaaaa!" before they break into song. The wedding march was exceptionally evil and just all of the music in between made the movie so memorable. Plus, the music helped freeze the movie permanently in 1980, which I love. If you've never seen this movie, DEFINITELY rent it and check it out. It's just a great flick.