Sam J. Jones

Melody Anderson

Max von Sydow

Chaim Topol

Ornella Muti

Timothy Dalton

Brian Blessed

Peter Wyngarde

Mariangela Melato

John Osborne

Richard O'Brien

John Hallam

Philip Stone

Suzanne Danielle

William Hootkins

Bobbie Brown

Ted Carroll

Adrienne Kronenberg

Stanley Lebor

John Morton

Burnell Tucker

Robbie Coltrane

Peter Duncan

Ken Sicklen

Tessa Hewitt

Venetia Spicer

Francis Mughan

Oliver MacGreevy

John Hollis

Paul Bentall

Leon Greene

Graeme Crowther

Tony Scannell

David Neal

Bogdan Kominowski

George Harris

Colin Taylor

Doretta Dunkley

Sally Nicholson

Deep Roy

Michelle Mildwater

Marie Green

Imogen Claire

Kay Zimmerman

Frederick Warder

Stephen Brigden

Lionel Guyett

Ken Robertson

Andy Bradford

Bertram Adams

Terry Forrestal

Mike Potter

John Sullivan

Eddie Stacey

John Lees

Roy Scammell

Kathy Marquis

Sophie

Kathy September

Glenna Forster-Jones

Roseanne Romine

Snehal Patel

Magda

Shaka

Lindy

Viva

Beverly Andrews

Frances Ward

Kerry-Lou Baylis

Camella

Eddie Powell

Jill Goldston

Karen Johnson

Mike Hodges

Alex Raymond

Michael Allin

Lorenzo Semple Jr.

Howard Blake

Gilbert Taylor

Malcolm Cooke

Danilo Donati

Dino De Laurentiis

Brian May

Roger Taylor

Freddie Mercury

John Deacon

Vic Armstrong

Renee Heimer

Bernard Williams

John Graysmark

Giusy Bovino

Massimo De Rossi

Mario Di Salvio

Richard Mills

Jane Royle

David C. Anderson

Alexander De Grunwald

Brian W. Cook

William Kronick

Terry Needham

Michael Stevenson

Andy Andrews

Ted Clements

Ken Court

John Fenner

Len Furey

Tony Graysmark

Ted Michell

Giorgio Postiglione

Aldo Puccini

Tony Reading

Steve Spence

Jonathan Bates

Ian Fuller

Ivan Sharrock

Ken Weston

George Gibbs

Roy Ford

Bob Penn

Micky Wilson

Gordon Hayman

David Perry

Rita Burgess

Michael Greenleaf

David Hitchcock

Jeremy Hume

Derek Trigg

Robin Clarke

June Randall

Gordon Arnell

Len Barnard

June Broom

Barbara Markham

Science Fiction

Adventure

Action

Flash Gordon

Starling Films

Universal Pictures

Famous Films Productions

Flash Gordon Productions

DDL Cinematografica

Italy

Netherlands

United Kingdom

United States of America

One of the least appreciated movies made in my lifetime. Done right after the glory that was The Empire Strikes Back and released to a public that had forgotten who Flash Gordon was or what the 1930's serials with Larry "Buster" Crabbe represented. Although the public was drooling desire for more high tech special effects and serious Space Opera, Flash went in the opposite direction and brought Campy back with a style all his own. This movie PERFECTLY recreated everything that those early B&W serials threw at those screaming kids sitting up in the movie theater balcony. Not to mention that the actor recreations were done as if the drawn characters came to life and leaped out of the funny papers to star on the silver screen. Max von Sydow IS Emperor Ming. Brian Blessed IS Prince Vultan. Sam Jones and Melody Anderson came in as the unknowns they needed to be and stole the show. The ONLY downfall to this movie was the fact that it did so poorly at the box office and never received the sequel it hinted at in its ending.

Campy and fun science fiction fantasy-adventure flick has some cheesy but colorful and good production designs and the performances for the most part were fine, with Max Von Sydow lending prestige to a goofy character and Sam J. Jones was okay in the lead, but he's really not asked to do a whole lot (both in acting and fighting) while Melody Anderson was alright though the "romance" between her and Flash Gordon was a bit forced. And for its time, I thought the special/visual effects were adequate, superior to the likes of Superman 3 & 4 released years later (1983/1987). Enjoyable time waster and would probably revisit again. **4.0/5**

CinemaSerf

Now then, anyone who thinks that Max von Sydov's best film was "the Seventh Seal" (1957) really does need to get their priorities right: forget Ingmar Bergman - it has to be this marvellously camp effort from Mike Hodges and Dino de Laurentiis that allows him to act the megalomanic whilst dressing up like the best panto villain you're ever likely to encounter. Sam J. Jones is the eponymous hero who, alongside the rather hapless Melody Anderson ("Dale") and Topol's slightly demented scientist ("Zarkov"), falls prey to the mischievous games of "Ming the Merciless" as he toys with the Earth. Once the intrepid trio arrive on "Mongo" they must fight for their very survival. In the case of "Flash", the poor fellow - who spends much of the film like a startled rabbit in the headlights - has to defend his virtue from the positively predatory "Princess Aura" (Ornella Muti) who's supposed to be betrothed to "Barin" (Timothy Dalton) who is, himself, constantly sparring with Brian Blessed's "Vultan" - king of the hawk-men. Add in the wonderfully creepy Peter Wyngarde as "Klytus" and Margiangela Melato as his villainous deputy "Kala" and we have the perfect ingredients for almost two hours of classic comic book action in the best tradition of "thwack" and "pow". The thing is 40 years old now - hence it's re-release on the big screen - and it doesn't look like any efforts have been made to improve on the original. The effects are therefore pretty ropey, the CGI as obvious as the delightfully cheap and cheerful costumes of the lizard-men and the munchkins who are dressed much like the playing cards from "Alice in Wonderland". Freddie Mercury and Queen provide a bit of added "glamour" to the proceedings with their title song and the eagle-eyed amongst us might just spot a 30 year old Robbie Coltrane in there too. Escapist nonsense? Sure - but it is still all good, uncomplicated, fun with it's tongue in it's cheek and just about everything else in leather, lycra and/or tights!

English

FLASH GORDON 1980 and DUNE 1984 miniatures

Flash Gordon ≣ 1980 ≣ Trailer

Flash Gordon 1980 TV trailer #1