Flash Gordon (1980)

If this film were made in the 1930's it would be somewhat impressive. Fifty years later the original novel was written, it's not. It should have been kept back in the age where it belongs, but they just had to do it, and the result is nothing but an embarrassing parody on the old style sci-fi/fantasy genre. Why embarrassing? Because it wasn't intended to be a parody. Mel Brook's Spaceballs made seven years later was, but is still less of a parody and much better made. In Flash Gordon of 1980 the whole production stinks of turkey, in particular considering the intention. The acting, all over, is just very bad, in particular from the main character, who must have been cast only due to his looks. The costumes and special effects are just as bad, together with the script. How could a could a actor like Max von Sydow get tangled up in this trash? Better than Star Wars? Must be someone born in 1915. The production designer has done a pretty good job, but in vane. It's all been ruined by bad light settings. Did they think they were in a theater or the opera? Dale, you look wonderful, really. - Ah, it must be the eye makeup. That's a line Mel Brooks would have been proud of.

This version of Flash Gordon is a real gem - a powerful, sometimes psychedelic visual trip and with the fantastic Max von Sydow, we get a worthy Emperor Ming the Merciless. Not to forget the beautiful Ornella Muti as Princess Aura and Timothy Dalton as Prince Barin. The soundtrack made superb by Queen, the visuals comic-like, this movie got everything: a great hero, epic fights, beautiful and sometimes deadly women, the fantastic creatures and folks of the planet Mongo - a fine movie who got the spirit of the original material from Alex Raymond's original comic strip (starting 1934) and imo can compete with the show from 1936 starring Buster Crabbe.Fantasy sci-fi & B-movie trash at its best.

by some of the reviews I've read, it looks like it doesn't take too much to entertain many of you.This was another one of Universal Studios' late 1970's attempts to throw another out a sci-fi adventure to ride the profiting coat tails of the Star Wars phenomenon that was still red hot. (Other big budget attempts by Universal Studios to ride the coat tails of Star Wars were Battlestar Galactica & Buck Rodgers in the 25 Century- of which both were double released as both a Television Show and Theatrical Movie). The only thing that Univeral Studios did different with Flash Gordon was that they never crossed it over from the big screen and into a TV series like they had done with Buck Rodgers & Battlestar Galactica.Queen's music soundtrack is as silly as this movie.The Good news is that I really believe that somewhere down the road (several years from now) someone is going to re-do this into a major big budget remake, with glorious space battles, great visual effects and lot and lots of action....The Bad new is that was what this 1980 version was supposed to be exactly what I described that the future version should be... and this movie fails on many many levels.The acting is terrible, the plot is okay(could have been better) the action is comical, music stinks and the special effects are the equivalent to a low budget film. - What were they thinking??So what was Universal Studios thinking?? - well I already answered that question with my first paragraph, they(Universal Studios) were thinking that had to get a sci-fi adventure film out into the market as quick as possible to ride the coat tails of the success of Star Wars an turn over a quick and easy profit, Universal Studios only purchased rights to the use name Flash Gordon because of its name recognition (they had done the same thing with Buck Rodgers in 1979)In 1980 Flash Gordon was not the first time in the late 70's/early 80's that Universal Studios tried to ride the coat tails of Star Wars. What is interesting is that it would be their last attempt to do it. After Flash Gordon was released in 1980 it was apparent that Universal Studios were never going to have their own Star Wars.Universal Studios attempts to ride the coat tails of the success of Star Wars1978 Battlestar Galactica (perhaps their best and most noble effort- in some ways it was better than star wars)1979 Buck Rodger in the 25th Century (pure plot less outer space disco)1980 Flash Gordon (you already know)1980 Galactica 1980 (why, O lord Why did they make this god awful show?)1981 Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century (it was revised for season two, only aired on the BBC in Great Britain - it was canceled in the U.S. in 1979

This movie is hilarious 'bad', but in the best way.From the opening this movie is hilarious bad/funny/good. It is so because Ming is told that the planet he will attack is "Earth" and on the control panel is a button for "Earthquake" - a button that only makes sense if you know Earth and attack Earth. Any serious movie would have made a button "Planet quake" :)All effects are similar - just enjoy it. Nothing explained. Watching this movie from 1980 now makes it so much funnier, as you can reflect upon many of the newer science fiction movies, that actually perform worse, despite all the perfect effects as none of them have proper acting and much too serious but still lack logic.In this movie our heroes drops directly into Emperors Mings world, have no idea where they are, but in no time runs around and manage to organize a fight to save earth in the very last second. All Aliens speaks perfect English and Ming gets a nice big stick through his body. Nice to see his blood is green, and his daughters is red.