DVD Review: Flash Gordon

Flash Gordon
[DVD Flash]

This 1980 film is one of my guilty pleasure films. It first played in theaters while I was in high school, and I saw it twice on the big screen, before buying it on VHS when that was the home video format in vogue.

The movie is a campy adaptation of the groundbreaking serialized sci-fi adventure comic strip that started in the 1930s (and continued in various forms until the early 21st century). In this film, Sam J. Jones plays Flash, superstar New York Jets quarterback, Melody Anderson is his beautiful girlfriend Dale Arden, and Topol is the eccentric scientist, Dr. Hans Zarkov. From the far distant planet Mongo, its despotic rule, Ming the Merciless (Max Von Sydow) has been using his own super-science to wreak natural disasters upon the Earth. Flash, Dale and Zarkov are snatched from the Earth and brought into Ming’s realm, where Flash must fight numerous battles, forge alliances with other kingdoms fighting against Ming (led by handsome Timothy Dalton and winged Brian Blessed), and hold off the amorous advances of Ming’s lascivious daughter Prince Aura (Ornella Muti). Meanwhile, Ming plans to take Dale as one of his concubines, and Dr. Zarkov is being help captive to assist Ming in his intergalactic plans of conquest and destruction — if he can’t have Earth, he’ll destroy it.

It is all comic-book style action and adventure, with technicolor sets and garish costumes, and outrageously over-the-top acting. And the best part is that the rock band Queen created the soundtrack, which is unforgettable!

Flash! Ah-ah Savior of the universe!

Flash! Ah-ah He’ll save everyone of us!

In all honesty, there’s really not a lot to recommend about this cheese-fest, but on the other hand, if you grew up in the 1980s, it is one of the more indelible sci-fi/fantasy film memories you can have. And that Queen music was marvelous!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the syndicated Flash Gordon series that ran for one season, 2007-2008, out on DVD.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Flash Gordon web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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