1980’s Flash Gordon is a sci fi movie guilty pleasure that brought the iconic character into the blockbuster age with tongue firmly planted in cheek.
What Is It?
This 1980 feature film is based on the 1930s comic strip of the same name created by Alex Raymond, but it brings the character into contemporary times. Football star Flash Gordon and reporter Dale Arden survive after a meteorite hits their plane and causes it to crash. They are then kidnapped by Dr. Hans Zarkov who forces them into his spaceship heading to the planet Mongo because he believes that is the source of the natural disasters currently occurring on Earth. Once there, the three are captured by the tyrannical ruler of the planet, Ming the Merciless, but his daughter Princess Aura falls in love with Flash and helps him escape. Flash then forms an uneasy alliance with several other rulers from the planet and they make plans to end Ming’s evil reign.
Cast: Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Ornella Muti, Max von Sydow, Topol, Timothy Dalton, Mariangela Melato, Brian Blessed
Crew: Mike Hodges (Director), Lorenzo Semple Jr. (Writer), Dino De Laurentiis (Executive Producer)
Original Release: December 5, 1980
Legacy
This 1980 addition to the early blockbuster era did not quite grab audiences the same way as the sci fi blockbusters that preceded it like Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, and Alien, but it still stands out as a camp classic that never took itself too seriously and that actually reveled in its own cheesiness. It may not typically make it into the upper rungs of the “Best of” rankings for sci fi movies, but it is a fondly remembered throwback to a simpler era for the genre and is well-remembered as a fun movie and genre guilty pleasure.
A Closer Look
In 1980, just as the sci fi boom in the cinemas was kicking into high gear, this big-budget adaptation of the comic strip/movie serial hero Flash Gordon hit theaters and reinvented the genre icon for the Blockbuster Era. All of the familiar characters of the Gordon canon came along as well including Dale Arden, Dr. Zarkov, Ming the Merciless, Prince Barin, and of course the sultry Princess Aura stealing the show with a steamy performance by Ornella Muti. And to cap it all off, the movie sported a driving soundtrack by rock superstars Queen whose over-the-top music added just the right camp flourish to this tongue-in-cheek updating of the Flash Gordon mythos.
Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark recaptured the spirit of the old movie serials of the 30s, 40s, and 50s and added the production values that those films never had. But Flash Gordon actually went straight back to those roots and redid one of the original sci fi heroes on a blockbuster budget. It stayed close to much of the camp appeal of the source material, though, and played it much more tongue-in-cheek than George Lucas or Steven Spielberg did with their movies. It may not count as cinematic art (perhaps pop art?), but Flash Gordon manages to escape the mind-numbing category (unlike the Buck Rogers TV series that hit the airwaves a year prior), in part because of its self-mocking attitude and in part because of the choice performances of all involved (with outstanding reads from the supporting cast such as Max Von Sydow, Brian Blessed, and Topol). And while Sam Jones and Melody Anderson were ostensibly the leads of the film, they found themselves in the position of playing straight man/woman to all the more colorful alien characters (and the madcap Dr. Zarkov). But the cast in total is impeccable, each perfectly suited to their roles and each fully aware that they were not trying to deliver Shakespeare or Dickens with this movie, just an entertaining bit of sci fi fun. Don’t go looking to Flash Gordon for high-brow, thought-provoking science fiction. Just take it for the enjoyable bit of fluff it is, and you will find that it goes down quite easily.
What About That Soundtrack?
Probably almost as well-known as the movie is it’s soundtrack. Queen was asked to do the music and there probably is not a more perfect match of a band to a film. Those British rockers were known for their over-the-top music that ventured into camp and music hall at times, and their rock-inflected soundtrack with a sense of grandeur kept the action moving along. “Flash’s Theme” became a worldwide hit and still makes its way into the radio rotation these days from time to time. The album itself also did well in the charts and it is a well-remembered addition to that band’s catalog.
Buy the Flash Gordon soundtrack on CD, Vinyl, and MP3.
Should It Be Rebooted?
The 1980 Flash Gordon film is such a perfect piece of pop culture from its era that there is no sense in trying to redo what was done at that time. But the Flash Gordon character and universe is certainly ripe for a reboot and has been revisited multiple times since the film premiered. Shortly before the movie hit theaters, the animated series The Adventures of Flash Gordon debuted on NBC on Saturday mornings and provided an excellent adaptation of the property. Two more animated series would feature the character–1986’s Defenders of the Earth and 1996’s Flash Gordon–but neither did the character much justice. 2007’s live-action series on the Sci Fi Channel would also vary far from the source material and disappeared after one season. Dynamite Entertainment did a comic book series that draws some inspiration from the 1980 movie, but is not considered a direct continuation. And the Flash Gordon character still has plenty of potential to lead a new TV series or feature film and will likely be back in the public eye at some point in an all-new version.
Interesting Facts
Flash Gordon was the first leading role for Sam Jones and it sure seemed like it would lead to a fruitful career in film and television. And while the movie did not count as a huge hit at the Box Office, it did well enough and a sequel was actually planned. But Jones butted heads with executive producer Dino de Laurentiis which killed the plans for the second movie (more about that at this link) and sent his career in a tailspin. He did get one of the lead roles in the non-sci fi Irwin Allen series Code Red and also later in the short-lived series The Highwayman. But as far as films, he quickly found himself starring in B-Movies and direct-to-video releases and never managed to get himself back to the A-List of stars. Eventually, he took on a job as a high-end security professional which became his main source of income between acting roles. Jones’ plight was well-documented in 2017’s Life After Flash which you can watch on Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, and more.
Before beginning on Star Wars, George Lucas had originally wanted to remake Flash Gordon, but could not secure the license for the property. Thus, he ended up creating his own universe, but one that drew much inspiration from Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and many other early sci fi sources. If Lucas had managed to get the rights for the character, imagine how different the sci fi landscape would have been without Star Wars and without the 1980 Flash Gordon film.
Where Can You Watch It?
The movie is widely available on DVD and Blu-ray and it has also had a relatively recent 4K Ultra HD release. It is also available to rent or purchase VOD from multiple sources. It is not currently available on any of the major streaming services.
Further Reading
Wikipedia
IMDb.com
Flash Gordon: The Official Story of the Film
