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Flash Gordon 1980

Flash Gordon is in the air. First Universal re-releases the movie on DVD, then the Sci-Fi Channel launched a new series. Sadly the new series is not very good in my opinion. For a full uncensored review of that train wreck click (Be warned adult language) here. Now, on to what is considered by many as the best version of Flash Gordon made.

I was eight years old when Flash Gordon was released on December 5th, 1980, the 80’s where a great decade for Science Fiction movies; Star Wars, Flash Gordon, Tron, The Black Hole, Blade Runner, Aliens, The Terminator, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn come to mind to name just a few.

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My Father is /was the kind of Dad that took us to the movies all the time. We saw every major and a lot of minor Sci-Fi and Action-Adventure films on the big screen weekend after weekend, but I had never seen my Dad truly “geek out” until the trailer played for Flash Gordon in our local theater.

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The Queen music surged and thumped as neon cutouts of Alex Raymond’s illustrations zoomed by between scenes from the movie. Names like Prince Barin, Prince Vultan, Doctor Zarkov, Ming The Merciless, Dale Arden and of course Flash Gordon zoomed by. My Dad was bouncing in his seat with excitement and so was I! It looked exciting and colorful, and if my Dad was excited I figured I should be too.

It turns out my Dad grew up “geeking out” over the Buster Crabbe Saturday matinées of Flash Gordon when he was around my age. It was his Star Wars. For those that do not know here is a quick breakdown of the history of Flash Gordon.

From Wikipedia:
"Flash Gordon is a fictional character, the hero of a science fiction comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond, first published on January 7, 1934. The strip was created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure

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Since its first appearance, Flash Gordon has been translated into a wide variety of media, including motion pictures, television and animated series.”

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In May of 1980 my world was rocked by the revelation that Darth Vader was Luke’s father and in December I was introduced to Flash Gordon. Perhaps introduced is not the right word, it was more like an initiation into secret esoteric mysteries that leave you profoundly changed forever. Melodramatic I know but it really means that much to me.

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It was just enough over the top that it was impossible not to fall into the film and get caught up in Flash’s adventure to save the Earth. It was pure good against pure evil and it was bright, colorful and bold; and it was a lot of fun. That is the key thing to understand when approaching this film is that it was inspired by/is homage to the 1930’s comic strip, thus the colorful, bold comic strip/book look of the film.

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When the film was over it left my already active imagination in overdrive, the characters, the design, the color, the music all got into your head and you couldn’t let it go. My Father and I went to go see it in the theaters about 6 times, something we had only ever done with the best of films like Star Wars or Indiana Jones. Thus Flash Gordon inexorably fused with my DNA and is still a huge part of me deep down inside to this day. It is one of those “bonding” experiences with my dad I still cherish to this day.

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So is it just nostalgia on my part due to the bond with my Dad or does this film really holds up after 27 years? In this man’s opinion, I think it does. In preparing this article I have seen the film no less than 30 times in the past month and it just doesn’t get old and still manages to put a smile on my face every time. Granted the optical effects are dated; you can see wires occasionally, matte lines are easily seen at points and models really do look like models but despite those limitations it still manages to succeed in transporting me to another world for the adventure of a lifetime.

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The Director Mike Hodges says in interviews that he was constantly referencing the original Alex Raymond strips when composing his shots and making color/design and story choices. It was that comic strips sense of purity and innocence that helped him set the tone for the film, keeping in mind that the original was created before man had walked on the moon.

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Flash is a noble hero and Ming a cruel villain. Flash is very much a fish out of water with his sense of honor and good moral character in the world of Mongo’s cruel tyranny. It is his “humanity” and goodness and always doing the “right thing” that ultimately unites the warring factions of Mongo to overthrow Ming for a better world. It is a very simple and straightforward formula really but it takes you on such a big, bold adventure in such a vividly imagined universe it’s hard not to be taken in by its pure sense of fun and adventure.

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THE MERCHANDISE

And here is where the heartbreak hits for the 8-year-old kid in me. There where never any toys from the line. In hindsight I understand why, the film was a commercial flop when it came out in the States (though still considered one of the top-grossing films of all time in the UK). But it still sucked as a kid and as a fan that there were no little plastic incarnations of my new favorite heroes. What was available is as follows (special thanks to Jason Lenzi from BifBangPow! for being an invaluable resource for this section of the article):

  • Photo Storybook
  • Movie Program
  • Whitman comics adaptation, 3 single issues and a hardback compilation
  • Some buttons and puffy stickers
  • Lonestar in the UK made a die-cast cap gun, in a box, which was a re-use of an old mold they had, but it's white with blue and red highlights and the Flash Gordon logo sticker on it. The box has images of Ming and Flash from the European poster.
  • Weetabix cereal in the UK did sets of photo cards, and then you had to send away for the mini album to paste them in. Thanks to Jason Lenzi for the pics below.
  • weetabix00weetabix01weetabix02

  • The paperback novelization.
  • And of course, the Queen soundtrack, which was preceded by the 7" single 'Flash', in a blue sleeve with the Flash Gordon logo on it.

Not very exciting is it? Needless to say, since Christmas was just behind the release of Flash Gordon I was pretty disappointed not to find any movie related Flash Gordon figures under the tree. How could Santa blow that? But what I got where the Filmation animated series figures and the inflatable rocket ship. Cool toys in their own right but not the movie stuff I wanted, though the Prince Vultan looked similar to Brian Blessed. But no matter how hard I wished no sign of movie toys ever emerged and my desire to own the slickest ride in all of sci-fidom, the Hawkman Rocket Cycle with Flash figure went unfulfilled.

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Skip ahead 26 years later, Josh and I run across BifBangPow! at Toyfair 2007 and their prototypes for a series of 7 inch tall Flash Gordon figures sculpted by Alex Ross, Ming Plush Doll and Bobbleheads. Now personally I am not a bobblehead kind of guy but I know there are a lot of collectors who are, but you can count me in on those 7 inch Alex Ross designed figures and that plush doll. C’mon who doesn’t need a cute, cuddly Ming? Bobbleheads are out now and the 7 inch figures and plush Ming are due in October. You can order any and all Flash Gordon toys here.

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If you have ever remotely enjoyed the film I ask (actually I’m begging, seriously I am on my knees as I type this) that you go buy those Flash and Ming figures because the guys making them are pretty darn cool and I have it on very good authority that if they sell well there will be more characters added to the lineup and I want a Hawkman Rocket Cycle. The 8-year-old kid in me NEEDS a Hawkman Rocket Cycle so please help a brother out… pre-order.

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Time is short as the figures are a limited run so when they are gone they are gone. As Klytus would say, "You have until the sands..."

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"...run up."
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I thank you for taking this stroll down memory lane with me. If you have never seen the film and you’re the type that can enjoy a good yarn whether it was made yesterday or 27 years ago check it out and if you are a fan of the film know that it is back out on DVD (though the UK release actually has better special features).

Now to prove I am not the only one with Flash Gordon ingrained in his DNA I leave you with this..."No one but the pure of heart could find the Holy Grail Ah Flash"

Seen the film? Love or hate it let us know what you think in the comments section.


Posted 25 August, 2007 - 19:06 by Atom

Comments

9 comments posted
Wow. I was not yet 6 years

Wow. I was not yet 6 years old when this movie came out and I totally remember the action figures....that were apparently from the tv show. At that age, I guess my imagination just took over because all this time I remembered them as being from the movie.

I haven't seen this movie since that time, but I should revisit it. Honestly, my favorite Flash was the old serials. I'm a real sucker for old timey stuff. (Also, Flesh Gordon rules...)

Can't wait for the Xanadu review! :)

"This must be settled the way nature intended....with a vicious, bloody fight!"
Onyx Blackman
Principal, Flatpoint High

NekroDave's picture
Posted by NekroDave on 24 August, 2007 - 14:53
You know i will totally do a

You know i will totally do a xanadu review.

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CollectionDX Admin

JoshB's picture
Posted by JoshB on 24 August, 2007 - 15:59
Greatness!

This movie is tops. I remember being scared witless by the tree-stump beast, and blown away when Kitus gets chucked onto the spikes, eyes a-bulge and all. I also just got the re-release, and am setting aside time to watch it this weekend.

I approve, sirs.

-----
"Hey, uh...let's volt in."

Gigamach's picture
Posted by Gigamach on 24 August, 2007 - 18:05
I used to watch this movie

I used to watch this movie all the time. might just get the latest dvd. edit: Just checked Amazon and saw a link for "Monster Squad 20th anniversary edition". 20 yrs!?!? holee molee.
"Dinobots, destroy Devestator!"-Optimus Prime TFTM

Goldenage's picture
Posted by Goldenage on 25 August, 2007 - 01:42
Just read this review...

Nicely done, Atom! Thanks so much for sharing this little piece of your nostalgia with us. It's always great to see that sort of passion about something come through in the writing--even if the reader doesn't necessarily share the obsession, it's easy for him or her to see where the love comes from!

I'm in the same boat as Nekrodave--I remember liking the movie as a kid, but I never really got that into it. I'm definitely planning on picking up this new release.

And maybe even some toys! ;)

--
Sanjeev

Sanjeev's picture
Posted by Sanjeev on 25 August, 2007 - 15:54
Great article! I also like

Great article!
I also like Flash Gordon. My dad was out of the country
when this came out in cinema's and he wrote a letter to my mom, telling her that she
should take me to see this movie... it's seems that my dad was a Flash Gordon
fan as a kid eh? (the black and white edition maybe or from the comic strips? hehe)
Anyways, yeah, I can still remember that year, 1980, so my mom, as dad had instructed
took me out to see Flash Gordon. There are really good scenes but what really held my
breath was when they took turns inserting their hand in that thing that snaps something
on the wrist...can't remember what it's called though, nasty creature.
I only had the chance to see Flash Gordon once in the movies and twice on TV that's
why I'm out to get the DVD.
I'll help endorse the toys to some friends too, I'm curious to see if Atom gets his
wish! haha!

birdlog's picture
Posted by birdlog on 27 August, 2007 - 08:59
I hated this movie

I remember hating this movie for some reason. I saw it on Starz a few months ago, and it was the first time in over 20 years I had seen it, it probably had to do with the really cheesy special effects, goofy 80's synth-rock, and campy dialogue. I guess it was supposed to turn out like that. I was probably just comparing it to Star Wars, which only had campy dialogue.

The only thing I remembered about this movie as a kid was when Destro's (that guy with the metal face) eyes bugged out of his mask, and that Princess Aura was excruciatingly HOT. Oh and "DYIIIIIIVE!"

Heavyarms
thatsjustprime.blogspot.com
addictedtoplastic.blogspot.com

Heavyarms's picture
Posted by Heavyarms on 27 August, 2007 - 13:11
This is one of my Favorite

This is one of my Favorite movies of all time. I never got to see it in the theater but I watched it many times on HBO when we first got cable. I was mesmerized from the start by the sense of the design in this film. The atmosphere it creates, from the set design to the costumes, even the amazing QUEEN soundtrack. I am sitting here trying to figure out my favorite part of the movie and I can't decide on one. Whether it is the final attack on Ming's Fortress or the battle on the spiked platform. The movie hit me at such an impressionable time in my life. The movies that were made during this time period are the ones that really had an effect on me.




I was always dismayed that there never were any toys for the movie. How I would have loved action figures of flash, ming and the rest, but up until Toy Fair 2007 I had all but given up hope. Thats when we completely spazzed out when we saw the Biff Bang Pow booth. Figures of Flash and Ming are the things dreams are made of.

If you haven't seen this movie, you are doing yourself a disservice. It's just an amazing film that doesn't get the credit it deserves.

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CollectionDX Admin

JoshB's picture
Posted by JoshB on 29 August, 2007 - 13:18