Flash Gordon - WTF Happened To This Movie?

Hollywood has had its fair share of historically troubled productions. Whether it was casting changes, actor deaths, fired directors, in-production rewrites, constant delays, budget cuts or studio edits, these films had every intention to be a blockbuster, but were beset with unforeseen disasters. Sometimes huge hits, sometimes box office bombs.
In this episode we look at 1980's FLASH GORDON, based on the old comic strip serials (which eventually inspired George Lucas to make STAR WARS) and starring Sam J. Jones, Max von Sydow, Brian Blessed, Timothy Dalton, Melody Anderson and Ornella Muti. Directed by Mike Hodges (GET CARTER) and featuring a killer soundtrack from Queen, the film was a tumultuous mess during production with on-set fights, mixed-language crews, a constantly-revised script and star Sam J. Jones eventually leaving the production over a pay dispute and never returning, causing most of his lines to be dubbed. The film wasn't a critical success upon release, but over time has garnered cult status and the Queen soundtrack has stood the test of time. Let's jump back 40 years and find out WTF Happened to FLASH GORDON!
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#FlashGordon #WTFHappenedToThisMovie

[@56postoffice]

First of all, *RIP* to the great Max Von Sydow, secondly, this film is a guilty pleasure.

[@djshortefromphilly]

Cosigned!!!

[@RemyPorter]

There's no guilt at all. It's just pure pleasure, as long as they don't break out the bore woahrms.

[@simonbutterfield4860]

@@RemyPorter or the dragons of Skyrim

[@coleslaw1196]

What's with the "guilty"? .. . are YOU somehow FORBIDDEN to like THIS movie or something?

[@johnfic4751]

I personally loved this movie. And who can forget Sam Jones appearances on both Ted movies.

[@shanewright2772]

Nothing happened to it. The film is a masterpiece.

[@David_Creyke]

Facts.

[@lianaverwood9810]

Great movie but the guy playing flash did suck.

[@David_Creyke]

@@lianaverwood9810 Yeah but other than Max they were all terrible actors. It worked in a cheesy movie to me.

[@chrisperrien7055]

@@lianaverwood9810 Watch the movie "TED" , you'll get Sam Jones. He is a riot in that movie.

[@chrisperrien7055]

Ornella Munti strapped to that table was a masterpiece. LOL

[@anonb4632]

This films has ALWAYS been big in the UK. Brian Blessed's "Gordon's Alive" is a big meme and the Queen single is well remembered.

[@Skulldini]

The movie has a British DIRECTOR too, so happens.

[@HarryFlashmanVC]

I have a T Shirt that says "Squadron 40" and "who wants to live for ever"

[@jeffreychongsathien]

A permanent Christmas fixture for decades, like the Bond movies.

[@IanFindly-iv1nl]

Just to get it rectified here, Star Wars actually had NOTHING - or very little at any rate - to do with why THIS movie was made. No, THIS movie WAS ORIGINALLY supposed to be Dune. The producers were attempting to make a version of Dune in the early to mid 70s which got CANCELLED. They THEN made THIS flick instead, which happens to recycle and incorporate a lot of stuff from THAT aborted project (including things like set, costumes, and spacecraft designs and character concepts). There's even a documentary film called Alexandro Jodorowsky's Dune which tells you all about it.

[@adambowman5964]

I love Flash Gordon! The score performed by Queen is what truly made it for me.

[@Gerilyn2003]

Agreed. Pity you can't find the soundtrack without voiceover stuff included.

[@Gerilyn2003]

Agreed. Pity you can't find the soundtrack without voiceover stuff included.

[@wxx3]

Yes.

[@Albtraum_TDDC]

I made a cassette recording of the Queen soundtrack and took it with me every time we went to LaserLand to play Laser-Tag with my friends from school in the 1990s. They used to let us play our own music during our combat rounds. I usually used Flash Gordon soundtrack or the one from Highlander (also Queen).

[@dukecraig2402]

Everything about that movie made it great, cinematography, production, the cast, everything. Queen's soundtrack was just the icing on the cake.

[@DeereX748]

The film was perfectly executed, despite its problems. It is the perfect comic book movie. I saw this when first released, and still have the cassette of the first release to VHS, and look forward to the 40th anniversary release. I hope the original isn't ruined by a sequel that cannot hold up to it, I don't believe it can be done. This is an example of something that only works once.

[@christopherstudley9374]

An absolute classic !!

[@Bubbles99718]

Problems? Prepare yourself for the Bore Worms!

[@ejjaquez9849]

there has never been a more hilarious line than; "flash, i love you, but we only have 14 hours to save the earth."

[@grendelprime166]

Not enough time then.. you figure it out, I'm gonna hang with Ming's daughter.

[@kittyhawk9707]

erm ..nope .. " Don't call me Shirley" - Leslie Neilsen.. Airplane.... in fact the whole film :)

[@ianfindly3257]

"All creatures of mongo make merry .. . . . under pain of DEATH!!"

[@putinscat1208]

Vultan: "Gordon's alive?!"

[@terrybull2903]

Yes , many !

[@Iamgoldygramz]

"FLASH!" "AAAAA-AAAAAAH" "HE'LL SAVE EVERYONE OF US!!😂

[@kellyweingart3692]

🎵king of the impossible🎵

[@mdm5216]

"He's for every one of us"

[@davidkymdell452]

Just a man....with a man's courage

[@bellmeisterful]

Goldy Ramirez I went to the theater and saw this 4 times when I was 11 when it came out.

[@CreepyUncleIdjit]

I read the second line as if it were a blood curdling scream. Then I read the third line and everything was all right. But now I'm thinking of some creepy dude in a trenchcoat yelling "FLASH" and making some poor woman scream.

[@LordRae]

The princess was the highlight of my childhood. I blame her for my attraction to the bad girls.

[@bigsonny45]

Me three!

[@GantzIsSloppy]

shit I was 4 & I guess that's why I'm attracted to sluts now LOL

[@aedwynn6474]

@@GantzIsSloppy This is the best comment I have ever read on anything ever. Thank you.

[@Bubbles99718]

That voice, it just dripped with sensuality

[@alanguages]

Ornella Muti was one of the most attractive woman, I had ever laid eyes on.

[@thetreblerebel]

The visuals of this movie is incredibly stunning. So shiny,and original. It looks like a 1940s comic book. It's incredible. It deserved an Oscar for set and costume design

[@richardkenan2891]

It's one of the most brilliant and faithful adaptations of a comic strip to live action movie of all time.

[@DuncanCaddick]

@@richardkenan2891 It is exactly that. A comic book in film form and it's fabulous!

[@donmackay7610]

Yes.

[@jcollins1305]

Loved this movie as a kid, and still do. A very underrated film!

[@JustMichael51083]

🎯👍

[@Jim_Jones_Guyana]

Flash Ah-ah Savior of the universe Flash Ah-ah He'll save every one of us Flash Ah-ah He's a miracle (This mornings unprecedented solar eclipse is no cause for alarm) Flash Ah-ah King of the impossible He's for every one of us Stand for every one of us He'll save with a mighty hand Every man, every woman, every child with a mighty Flash Flash Ah-ah (Gordon's alive) Flash Ah-ah He'll save every one of us *_Just a man, with a man's courage_* *_He knows nothing but a man_* *_But he can never fail_* *_No one but the pure in heart may find the golden grail_* Oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Flash, Flash, I love you But we only have 14 hours to save the Earth

[@Jim_Jones_Guyana]

@GAME 😁

[@zzygyy]

The best cheesy movie ever made. Pure gold!!!

[@davidwatson7919]

No.. it was cheesy gold. Max Von Sydow , Queen tunes, and silly costumes. Entertaining and add a little puffs of green smoke.

[@dougbennett8592]

Gold, like cheddar.

[@zzygyy]

@@ianfindly3257 who is comparing it to Star Wars?

[@coleslaw1196]

I think that QUIRKY would be a much better word to characterize THIS movie than "cheesy".

[@ianfindly3257]

@@zzygyy The asshat in the video? .. . ,HE only OPENED it with a SW reference as if IT has something major to do with FG.

[@spectacularmoments]

Ming's daughter is the hottest woman i've ever seen in a movie WOW

[@PeterSedesse]

Seriously, as someone in my early teens when this movie first came out..... well nevermind.

[@spectacularmoments]

hahaha I was only 5 in 1980 but I currently have this on blu ray =)

[@planetdisco4821]

@@PeterSedesse errr yes. same here lol....

[@spectacularmoments]

Yea Mings daughter has a prettier face than Ardala.

[@crystalglass7106]

Oh, Ornella Muti, definitely sweet eye candy

[@michaelevans3477]

I love this movie. It will never be surpassed in its artful application of camp, Queen, and sci-fi action.

[@a.barnard3205]

In other words, a movie like this, will NEVER be made again....

[@eolsunder]

it was amazing, beautiful women, fighting, flying warriors, great music. Like everyone said, an amazing movie for the time and will always be a great classic.

[@fdauhajre]

Ornella Muti + QUEEN + Max von Sydow... cant get any better than that.

[@davidbarnhart6228]

Ornella Muti is as, about as perfect, as a woman can get. Perfect!❤💕

[@Jim_Jones_Guyana]

I had a major crush on her when I was 10 years old.

[@annandalehighschoolclassof6600]

Incredibly sensual.

[@markg.7865]

@@Jim_Jones_Guyana I was 12 and enjoyed every scene with her, she was hot!

[@mr.sinjin-smyth]

Such a shame they never made a sequel. This movie had a unique kind of cheesy adventure fun that's virtually missing in today's movies.

[@ShallowDepression]

Ted was as close as we'll get to a sequel.

[@gdwnet]

No sequel. All too often the sequel sucks. I like that flash gordon is a one off, ridiculous, fun movie with a great soundtrack.

[@MrGlock509]

Was supposed to be 3 movies like airplane

[@daves4645]

Sequels all suck. What are we on with Spiderman now....#27?

[@marSLaZZ66]

Agreed! I love that movie!

[@rogermorris9696]

Btian Blessed, here in the UK is a living meme, who has punched a polar bear and is the reason Chick Norris will never come to UK out of fear,

[@jasonblalock4429]

There's plenty of fans of BRIAN BLESSED in America as well! :-) I absolutely love watching interviews with him.

[@wstine79]

He was great as Boss Nass in The Phantom Menace.

[@shallendor]

Brian Blessed was the real star of Flash Gordon!

[@paulmurgatroyd6372]

@@jasonblalock4429 Sorry but that's just not accurate. You do not interview Brian Blessed. You introduce him to the stage and then he talks until you stop him. Let us look at Richard Herrings' ''interview' as a sobering example.

[@Serai3]

His laugh is loud and brings down mountains.

[@jimbrown5091]

It's terrifying that I remember all these movies/shows like it was yesterday...the early 80's were great!!!

[@dannyr2976]

The 80s were great, Period!

[@stephenchappell7512]

@@dannyr2976 Nah Not the bland late bit

[@Toddcinca]

80s were the best for an anything goes wherever your mind takes you creativity. Not only that there was still a wholesomeness to it all. We were still trying to create art and uplift society rather than denigrate and destroy as Hollywood is now doing.

[@thevillainy1783]

The worst thing to ever happen to me was growing up and becoming an armchair critic instead of enjoying a movie with the mind of a child who cared about nothing else but adventure, discovery, and creation. THIS was why Flash Gordon, along with everything else from yesteryear, made my childhood unforgettable. Realizing that I watched movies nowadays trying to find a flaw in character or story or whatever...was when I knew my childhood was gone. Back then I didn't give a damn...and this is why these flicks were perfect.

[@tenryuta]

dont look for flaws, look for respect and sincerity in the work.. or maybe just sincerity, digital effects artists tend to have all the respect for their work, its the some/many directors, producers, writers, cast that just dont do their work justice.

[@waynegordon4975]

When i see the movie as a grown up the story is relatable. You have a narcissistic /psycho power mad emperor ming wanting it all and causing destruction and you have a regular earth man American football player flash with no super powers squaring up to him sorting out the rights and wrongs and ming seen flash as a threat as he was a smart young fit man and narcissistic psychos like ming don't like anyone getting in there way for seeing what they really are the inhabitants of mongo were frightened of ming as he was a frightening villain and Flash did not fear him that's why we see flash as a hero it's like todays crazy world we live in the regular guy like Flash standing up to the power crazy people who only care about themselves it's parallel with the James Bond character pitting his wits against the main villains who wanted power and domination.

[@AkshaySinghJamwal]

You've gotta love the fact that the movie doesn't take itself seriously. It puts the opera in space opera.

[@munsonman1]

Klytus, I'm bored. What play thing can you offer me today? An obscure body in the S-K System, Your Majesty. The inhabitants refer to it as the planet... Earth. I love the way he pronounces Earth, like he's never heard of it before. Meanwhile the machine Ming uses to attack Earth has a great big Earthquake button on it! rofl

[@a.barnard3205]

"Earth" is pronounced with *contempt* by Klytus.......

[@tomdumb6937]

And "hot hail"

[@toddboughn5168]

Don't forget hot hail.

[@makatron]

That soundtrack by Queen was just amazing, also for Highlander "Princes of the Universe"

[@tyraela115]

Also lets not forget this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXvXoZlug5p8eqc By the way have you seen this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXumdZWufLOAoc0

[@adambowman5964]

Only Queen could do movie scores. No other group was, is, or ever will be so talented.

[@josephwood499]

Remember watching the documentary on how the soundtrack was made. I was in aw! Like if that was yesterday.

[@phillippershing6315]

@@josephwood499 link?

[@a.barnard3205]

Do NOT discount the Orchestral Underscore by Composer Howard Blake because he skillfully picked up the cues left by Queen and brought them to a musical and logical conclusion.

[@blackbruno50]

Considering we launched for space on mushrooms a hour before the movie begin, this is still one of the best movies I've ever seen. For two months after watching that flick, my girlfriend would shout "Not the bore worms", every time I made a pass at her.

[@herbsuperb6034]

I love Flash Gordon. For a flick with so many obvious problems, it's REALLY fun to watch. I have to give Queen a lot of credit. The music was amazing. I liked a lot of the supporting cast, too.

[@tonywilliams6428]

In an odd twist, this is a movie I thought was corny as a kid, but rediscovering it as an adult I found it to be a delight.

[@amoeba1533]

I never found FG to be any cornier than Star Wars. MOST sc-fi space adventure flicks tend to be a bit "corny".

[@tonywilliams6428]

@@amoeba1533 There are different kinds of corny. Earnest corny, which SW may fall under, and corny w/a bit of a wink, which I think FG is closer to.

[@josebrown5961]

I was a young teen when this came out and ALL sci fi films were “corny” back then. Star Wars was corny. “Battle Beyond The Stars” was corny, based on “The Seven Samurai, but still corny. I saw “Flash Gordon “ because I was a fan, the independent station in my town played Commando Cody, and Flash Gordon shorts between monster movies on Saturday nights. 3:45

[@runlarryrun77]

I blame Ornella Muti's portrayal of Princess Aura for me liking nasssty girls.

[@markedwards5000]

runlarryrun77 haha ..

[@orlandoawilliams799]

😄

[@Torquemada70]

"I'll drop the flaps a little"

[@winstondeocampo699]

Her voice is just damn sexy.

[@Torquemada70]

@@winstondeocampo699 - Well she does, after all, have her own secret pleasure moon

[@brandonmurphy301]

Brian Blessed is a treasure!

[@stevejauncey3086]

He's alive!

[@brandonmurphy301]

I thought he was great in Black Adder. He was also Boss Nass in Phantom Menace.

[@tanyakasim3988]

Yes, he is. Who knew that Brian Blessed would go on to star in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace as, Boss Nass? 😏😁

[@QuackersAhoy]

This film is one of my all time favourite movies. The look, the sets, the costumes, the music, all absolutely exquisite. And Von Sydow is one of the greatest villains in sci-fi movie history. Also the high camp vibe running through it gives it a huge sense of fun that's lacking from a lot of over serious sci-fi movies that came after. Love every minute of it.

[@Jim_Jones_Guyana]

I've got *_Flash Gordon_* on VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray & Digital Download. 🥰 (& I have Queen's "Flash" theme MP3 & .WAV) I also have Queen's *_Flash Gordon&_* vinyl record, but it's 42 years old & has too many scratch to play. Needless to say, I love the move!

[@greggriffin8020]

I love Flash Gordon! An iconic 80s classic.

[@V0lk]

Ornella Muti is hot AF in this movie.

[@shainewhite2781]

2:28, Ming the merciless is no more. He passed away at the age of 90 early this year. RIP, Max Von Sydow.

[@ronofthesea5953]

"The Lions Ate Him!" (different movie, ikr)

[@kellyweingart3692]

“Pathetic earthlings, hurling your bodies out into the void, with no idea of who or what is out there”

[@Sidragrosm]

"Father Merrin..." Ave atque Vale.

[@ericpelote998]

Great actor !!

[@ianfindly3257]

"Seize the Earth woman and prepare her for our pleasure!!!"

[@muddfoot69]

I loved this movie as a kid....was always scared of that woodland creature (when he had to stick his arm into the stump)

[@jackochainsaw]

What a film. Ornella Muti, phwoar. Melody Anderson, phwoar. Brian Blessed, Gordon's alive! Queen tunes, yeah! Sam J Jones, Hell yeah! Max Von Sydow, best baddy ever. Timothy Dalton, legend.

[@doctorlolchicken7478]

Top 5 things about Flash Gordon: 1. The score. 2. The sets and costumes. 3. The casting 4. Princess Aura (fking autocorrect) 5. The dialogue

[@Leadblast]

Her name was Aura! Princess Aura! Remember it, or you shall be sent into the bore worms!

[@kadashiuzubara2226]

​@@Leadblast that princess 😍😍😍😍

[@Bubbles99718]

Aura deserves her own category

[@evilzzzability]

This movie is a masterpiece. Brian Blessed chomps through the scenery.

Easily the best character by far. Hawkmen Die!

[@a.barnard3205]

I LOVE when Mr. Blessed just cracks himself up over cracking up Mings foot soldiers!

[@MrPomdownunder]

He had so much fun making that film....

[@russellward4624]

The princess deserved her own film. I would have loved to see a prequel. Her character was so interesting and man she was seriously hot.

[@masterofpuppets7295]

Pretty sure she nuded up for a couple of movies too

[@somerandomvertebrate9262]

That's actually a fantastic idea.

[@Adventure_Bum]

"Not the bore worms!!!"

[@brianbullivant4753]

@@Adventure_Bum She had a lot of "worms" wanting to "bore" her! Melody Anderson as well.

[@garykish8951]

She has lots and lots of pornos.

[@Locadel2003]

Sam Jones cameo in ted was an hilarious brilliant thing🤣

[@kodiiayyeee256]

Flash... We are gonna party like the 80s. Ted... Show us how, Flash! Flash... Easy. We just gonna nail a lot of girls named Stephanie.

[@Freakinger81]

Hope you aren't mad that you didn't got the part of Flash, Arnie. 😁

[@zzygyy]

Man crush hilarious

[@PhantomFilmAustralia]

TED: "If you can punch a hole through this wall, you really are Flash Gordon!" FLASH: "I'm gonna punch through it."

[@NiamhCullen]

Never saw the movie

[@RtB68]

As a teenage boy canI 't remember how many times I thought about Ornella Muti and Dale together in a, er, special screening. This was a seminal movie to be sure.

[@jeffharden2797]

I’ve loved this movie forever! The camp, the costumes, the music and beautiful woman! I mean, they couldn’t pull this off ever again.

[@dilbertjunkmail]

@Jeff Harden re:"they couldn't pull this off ever again" The truth of that comment is painful because I now fear they might try! There is no "Heart" in the producers, writers of move craft today! We've all seen the rubbish created today. Remakes literally ruin legacy film! I need to add this movie to my digital library before the WOKE police bring out the BORE WORMS!

[@markg.7865]

@@dilbertjunkmail What does woke have to do with it, move to Florida where DeSantis can tell you what to watch, learn or read.

[@dilbertjunkmail]

@@markg.7865 And may you enjoy Cali-Vax-ifornia. Don't forget your mRNA Booster passport or you might be denied access to your kindergarteners Drag queen festival on campus! Watch your step, I hear the people poop pickup doesn't come until Thursday!

[@johnashley327]

Best thing about this movie is the soundtrack and Ming.

[@wstine79]

Don't forget Brian Blessed.

[@johnashley327]

True.

[@reneelopez604]

Hawk men battle

[@Football__Junkie]

That sky background was pretty trippy

[@JayInDecent]

I'm 43 I never seen it but I want to who is ming

[@cheddarcheese7928]

This movie was the most European thing since..Europe..The Movie’s is like if really strong ass Weed and Italy had a Baby..

[@wstine79]

"You fools. He thinks it's some barbaric game. Now, match him like this."

[@zzygyy]

Football!!!!

[@Brad772006]

Are you sure your men are on the right pills? Maybe you should execute their trainer.

[@Iamgoldygramz]

Lol! Yeah I was "Like WHAT?!!" 🤷🏽‍♂️🤣

[@kellyweingart3692]

lol

[@me3333]

"Go Flash, Go. Go Flash, Go!"

[@danajorgensen8943]

Think what you will, but I will always be thankful for this movie, as it gave me my first exposure to Brian Blessed.

[@thannaske5371]

GREAT movie! Camp fun! Terrific effects, entertaining acting, beautiful people...An explosion of sound, color and fun. Killer soundtrack!

[@Formakiwi]

Dino DeLaurentis is responsible for some of the most outrageous cinematic follies ever committed to celluloid; the willingness to combine blockbuster budgets with art-house talent and give creative control to avowed counter-culture thugs helped to produce some of the most unique and influential pictures of his era. Never made money, never had a successful franchise, but without him it's likely Western popular cinema would be a much drabber, more aesthetically conservative place.

[@diablorojo3887]

art before money

[@andrewsreed03]

Unfortunately, David Lynch did not get final cut for Dune.

[@stephenconnell]

@@andrewsreed03 But he gave us such gens as Eraser Head,Lost Highway ,Naked Lunch and so on.

[@tomkandy]

How did he continue to get projects funded if he never made money?

[@somerandomvertebrate9262]

Dino DeLaurentius, the man to produce Conan the Barbarian as well as Caligula. Oh o.

[@rosewatersaffron8430]

I freaking love this movie soooo much. A big draw for me are set design, costumes, main actor and Max von Sydow but also the incredible soundtrack. Watch it every year. I don't understand how some of these Laurentiis mega productions were box office fails. He produced many of my all time fave movies. If I hadn't been a toddler back then would have loved to watch them on the big screen.

[@Freakinger81]

I love this Movie, it's so weird. I watched it with a Girl who had never seen it before and we just laughed our butt's off. Really fun and enjoyable.

[@dekkacat8517]

T It's a hilarious movie! It's weird how many don't get its suppose to be funny.

[@grendelprime166]

This movie was so damn fun. One of the most watched films of my childhood just for the sheer craziness and spectacle and that hot italian actress. OMG. The Fight Scene on the Disc is still pretty awesome to this day and worth whatever time it took to shoot.

[@mikeg4972]

"Flash, Flash, I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!"

[@ianfindly3257]

"All creatures of mongo make merry .. . . . under pain of DEATH!!"

[@lv2465]

The story is dicey the FX dated. The costumes eyebrow raising but regardless of its flaws it's a brilliant film with Queens score and beautiful colours very rich. And then there's the women Mings daughter is smoking hot. It's aged like wine and it's one of those films you will sit and watch at any point if it's on TV. Gordon's still Alive!

[@superomegaprimemk2]

The effects maybe dated somewhat at least they hold up pretty well today along with the visuals

[@flagflow1232]

The sets and costumes were supposed to bring up the colorful and weird nature of the comicbook, and they've done it perfectly.

[@pheonix5597]

By "FX dated" this a-hole means to say that the visuals in THIS movie do not resemble COMPUTER GRAPHICS like you see in every other movie made TODAY.

[@paulheap1982]

@@pheonix5597 calm your tits. The effects were dated way before that.

[@Martin_Daniel]

Well, go tell it to The Hunger Games people.

[@StanAlter]

Flash! Ahah.. hes a billygoat! Thats what we thought Queen was saying when we heard the song as kids.

[@Shadowman4710]

" This just in...Margaret Thatcher has died but GORDON'S ALIVE!!!!!!"-Brian Blessed.

[@OldManTheseDays]

A moment of appreciation for Ornella Muti's Aura.

[@uriadelavaro3956]

That moment lasts since I was 15. I am 54 now ...

[@frbe0101]

I have lots of nostalgia for this movie when I watched it as a kid, it was just silly campy fun to me.

[@a.barnard3205]

I was 17 when FLASH GORDON was released and I totally got what the producers did with this movie. The word "cheesy" wasn't even in my vocabulary- I just *got* it.....

[@doriangraye1971]

I was 9 when I saw this in the theater. Made a HUGE impression on me in so many ways. Still a beloved movie. It wasn't until around the year 2000 that I was able to find a copy on DVD that I had to import from the UK that I was able to see it again.

[@tucsonorganist]

I have the BluRay and watch it periodically. Love it!

[@finnflash23]

The soundtrack by Queen happened. Awesome and legendary soundtrack btw!

[@a.barnard3205]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpfQo3uKmb2agZY

[@rogueveteran77]

Word

[@pattyjay9999]

The woman playing Ming the Merciless daughter was so fine back in the day.

[@vine01]

Ornella Muti is 65 and still kickin ass of most younger women. Monica Belluci another example of Italian beauty maturing, not aging..

[@deefrash9806]

Still one of my ALL time favs. I remember watching this on HBO as a kid at my buddies house. We were both huge Queen fans and the soundtrack along with the sci-fi special effects, as cheesey as they are, was just pure eye candy to me. I didn't pick up on all the sexual undertones until some years later, but this will ALWAYS be up there in my top films and a must see for anyone who hasn't yet.

[@lilymarinovic1644]

Flash Gordon was so popular as a comic in Australia that our Prime Minister of the time, Robert Menzies, was nicknamed 'Ming the Merciless' . And his tine in office - 20-odd years - was nicknamed 'the Ming dynasty' 🤣

[@Iamgoldygramz]

Wow! I literally JUST randomly watched this movie again last night!! Being older now, Its loaded chock full of cheese and hokey dialogue! Add the hair and the back drop synth score and QUEEN and you have the epitome of movie madness that was the 80s!! Actress Melody Anderson is one of the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes on! Ever! She harkens back to the days of Silver Screen beauties of Hollywood before women resorted to surgery to become unnatural science projects. Fuck I miss those days!

[@mangoMango-ck3et]

Well said,,,so true ,those beautiful women , from the classic eras,,I luvd the 80s too.

[@ianfindly3257]

THIS flick isn't really very representative of the 80s. It was MADE in 1979 (though RELEASED in 1980).

[@kadashiuzubara2226]

ornela muti was the princess right?

[@somecolbyguy1833]

Literally my favorite movie of all-time. I saw it in the theater with my dad when I was a kid. I'm a bit older now, but can honestly say I've seen this film (credit-to-credit) well over 200 times. A true classic. So over-the-top cheesy, it became good lol! :)

[@Frank-Einstein-Madman]

I remember seeing the ending of this film as a kid and lived in hope that they would one day make a sequel... Its not too late is it?

[@Marinanor]

I don't know, but they might make a Live Action Willow adaptation soon, and that was made back in 1988.

[@johnmunro4952]

Sadly Max is no longer with us....and I can't accept anyone else as Ming!

[@JayInDecent]

@@Marinanor isn't there already a live action Willow movie LOL

[@emancoy]

SpongeBob show's the French voice "40 years laterrrr..."

[@johnpaulvanson5170]

I attended a Comic Con last year that had Sam Jones in attendance and chatted with him about this and other things (hardly any one else at his booth, sadly). (If you ever have a chance to meet him, do so. A real fans oriented guy who'll treat you like an old friend he hasn't seen in years.) There were plans for a sequel, but it was trapped in development hell for years and years and just kind of fizzled out. The premise of the sequel that had the most effort put into making something of it was with the general (?Kala?) being the one to pick up the ring at the end. The general would then be the initial antagonist in the sequel.

[@PungiFungi]

This explained why Princess Aura’s pet was named Fellini.

[@floryda4281]

This movie has the best line ever: "Calculate the anglevector of the MOOON!"; it has the best soundtrack, and Ornella Muti is just ....WOOW!

[@KevinArdala01]

I'm not gonna lie, I love this movie, just ordered the Zavvi steelbook...genuinely can't believe this is a PG given how sexy Ornella Muti was..! 😜

[@mrmaxaxl]

The most underrated comic book movie ever!! Love this movie!!

[@mose717]

Saw this in the theater. Now I have it on Bluray. Absolutely love this movie.

[@IanFindly-iv1nl]

Just to get it rectified here, Star Wars actually had NOTHING - or very little at any rate - to do with why THIS movie was made. No, THIS movie WAS ORIGINALLY supposed to be Dune. The producers were attempting to make a version of Dune in the early to mid 70s which got CANCELLED. They THEN made THIS flick instead, which happens to recycle and incorporate a lot of stuff from THAT aborted project (including things like set, costumes, and spacecraft designs and character concepts). There's even a documentary film called Alexandro Jodorowsky's Dune which tells you all about it.

[@gryffin120]

What do you mean WTF? It's perfect! Especially when you listen to Queen's Flash Gordon. What the heck man? This was amazing as it is!

[@zillsburyy1]

Flesh Gordon happened

[@plushpuppy32]

Also Jason and the Gonads

[@marSLaZZ66]

Never seen that one! It looks cheesy too!

[@simonbutterfield4860]

@@marSLaZZ66 There is a sequal to that too though I never saw it.

[@aaroncrilly2005]

Can you do one on David Lynch Dune and Jordoskys Dune

[@wstine79]

And the SYFY channel mini series.

[@BrandonIT1337]

THIS. Those films are such interesting contradictions of each other in style in my opinion. And the Dune books are just... bruh... that must've been some good drugs.

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

"Dispatch war rocket Ajax to bring back his body."

[@gregboyington4896]

The 1979 animated movie Flash Gordon the Greatest Adventure then serialized Saturday morning tv show was awesome! Someone posted them on KZbin.

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

@@gregboyington4896 my dad recorded that TV movie and I still have it.

[@ashdoglsu]

"What do you mean Flash Gordon approaching" I love this movie.

[@ellessandraramsay1841]

@@ashdoglsu Open fire! All weapons.

[@ryansta]

Ha, could never make out that line as a kid, best I sorta heard / got it too was 'Dispatch Warlock Ca'n Ajaks to bring back his body'.

[@BigBubbaloola]

Humble brag of the day: My cousin, Betty Glasow was the hairdresser on this film. Her career was incredible (incl looking after the Beatles famous hair in A Hard Day's Night and Help! as well as films like Alfie and Titanic) but Flash Gordon is still the one I wanted to talk to her about.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Fuck humility, this is just cool af.

[@kadashiuzubara2226]

is she still alive? :)

[@mrf19741]

Loved watching this movie on Sunday afternoons with my Mother! I'll never get tired of watching it! RIP, Max "Ming The Merciless" Von Sydow.

[@HarryFlashmanVC]

I loved this film as a 9 year old... still love its outrageous campness especially the performance of von Sydow

[@sandal_thong8631]

I wanted to see it when it came out when I was 9; I got excited every time I heard the ad on TV, "FLASH! Ah, ah." But I couldn't get Mom to take me. Seeing it as an adult was disheartening.

[@shainewhite2781]

6:30 the Austrian Strongman would later star alongside Max Von Sydow in Conan.

[@midnightmagnificent]

I loved the colourful design of Flash Gordon, and frankly, am kinda sad that all spaceships in the movies nowadays are all grey and silver. Dull. Sigh...

[@creepyskulldini581]

I happen to LIKE the VISUALS in THIS flick too! The vibrant multi-colored alien sky, the spectacular and motley lasers, (particularly during the hawkmen & war rocket Ajax battle sequence), the very weird and eccentric desighn of the spacecrafts costumes and sets, and also the very nifty animated title & opening credits sequence (which neatly incorporates illustrations from the old comic . .. they're often quite spectacular and stunning! . .. and highly original! I think the people that knock them are all just asshats who think that EVERYTHING should look just like SW. Well the world would be BORING if everything resembled frigging big-britched high'n mighty overrated SW!

[@schiltz371]

one of my favorite "B" movies of all time, right up there with Ice Pirates for me!

[@pheonix5597]

I don't know if you could accurately call FG a "B" movie. It cost a few million dollars to make and was released by a major studio after all.

[@schiltz371]

@@pheonix5597 its an expensive "B" movie then. i believe the term "B" movie in todays lingo simple means a lovable cheesy movie, this one also falls into cult classic status easily.

[@ianfindly3257]

@@schiltz371 I think "cult classic" is a better term for THIS flick.

[@AlejandroBelloRD]

So, Star Wars franchise succeeded in cloning Flash Gordon while the original became a sub plot of Ted.

[@creepyskulldini581]

Star Wars just has MASS MAINSTREAM POPULARITY, where's Flash Gordon here has CULT status, that's all.

[@robertstewart239]

I watched Flash Gordon on TV in the late seventies and as a Queen fan bought the soundtrack and rented the movie on VHS in the early eighties. I particularly enjoyed Brian May's battle theme. The film was quite good too. I never imagined all the problems that existed before the film was finally ready.

[@wstine79]

"GORDON'S ALIVE?!"

[@filippos13]

Dispatch war rocket Ajax to bring back his body!

[@hopelessent.1700]

live ive ive?! *FLASH*

[@Shadowman4710]

That meme NEVER gets old...

[@cursedmonkey1033]

Member the bit where princess Aura tries to seduce Flash in the rocket? I was eleven when I first saw that. I remember thinking it was, ah... pretty neat.

[@Tearsheet]

Ornella Muti is one of the many reasons I got to see this film, now that I think back about it. My dad was not made of stone.

[@maxsteel8031]

*I LOVED this movie. No other movie got the clunkiness of a robot goon army down so accurately until "Ice Pirates". And BRIAN BLESSED STOLE THE SHOW!! He was so awesome (compared to the rest of the cast) that I wanted to be a Hawkman.Queens song sealed the deal, and until I saw this video I always had a sneaking suspicion but could never confirm that they had written the song FOR this movie. Thanks Mr. Blow of Joe.if you read this, I'd like to request you cover "Time Bandits" next. (tell me if Agamemnon was Sean Connery and why he wasn't listed in the VHS credits/ plus was Lawrence Fishburn in it too, because I think he was listed as "Larry" F.)*

[@PlayaSinNombre]

Max Steel not just the song. They wrote the entire soundtrack.

[@eatmedrinkme9628]

Yes that was Sean Connery. Sean Connery as Agamemnon/Fireman. No to Laurence Fishburne though.

[@maxsteel8031]

@@eatmedrinkme9628 *CHECK AGAAAAAIN!, I know it to be true.*

[@eatmedrinkme9628]

@@maxsteel8031 I just watched the whole movie again, read all the credits. Didn't see Laurence Fishburne anywhere, or Larry. If you know it to be true, could you tell me where in the movie you think he is and I'll double check.

[@maxsteel8031]

@@eatmedrinkme9628 *I may be thinking of another movie. But I do remember there being a discrepancy between the VHS movie and the DVD.*

[@ianemery2925]

An excellent review - containing a lot of things I didnt know. A pity there are several sound glitches/lost audio sections though.

[@mardigrasbeads]

I re-watched the movie earlier this year and realized something about Princess Aura. She grows up exposed to her father's toxic attitude to pretty much all living things. She's pursued by Clytus, who probably wants her because she's Ming's daughter. He tortures her, AND expects to marry her when she comes back from exile. (Oh, yeah, bore worms! That's what women like!) No wonder she was such a self-involved biatch for most of the movie. Now that I understand where she's coming from, I don't despise her, but rejoice that's she's also been freed from Ming's control and can become her own person. Rather profound character arc for a cheesy, campy movie.

[@ianfindly3257]

Well who ever said that a "campy" movie can't be PROFOUND in the first place? Also, THAT is something else unique about FG, .. . is how the VILLAINS in the film all seem to have an element of SEXUAL PERVERSITY to their character. It's displayed in the FLOGGING scene ("We don't enjoy doing this at all!") and in lines of dialogue like "You tortured her didn't you?!" . . "Yes. Very interesting girl! I do think she rather enjoyed it!" . .. not exactly lines of dialogue you'd hear Darth Vader or The Emporer utter in a wholesome Star Wars epic, huh?

[@MrChupacabra555]

It was thanks to this movie and "Highlander" that I first learned of the music of Queen ^_^

[@MrPrice2U]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN "FLASH GORDON APPROACHING"!?

[@1975aeiou]

I’ve seen this film over and over my entire life. I know all it’s faults, yet, I love it all the same. I love it enough that it gets several reviewing.

[@chrisclinton5424]

All the actors knocked it out of the park! Not a weak performance in the whole movie! ⚡

[@NiamhCullen]

Max Von Sydow a beautiful actor. I was devastated when I heard the news of his death. He is the only Ming the Merciless. When the movie was released my older brother had promised to take me. I was 9 and so excited. But when he went to see the movie he said he wouldn't take me with. That he lied to make me be quiet. I cried because I wanted so desperately to see Flash Gordon. Our mom attempted to soothe me by holding me and telling me I could stay home with her and watch The Love Boat. Because she loved me and loved spending time with me. It's still one of my favorite movies. I watch it once a week.

[@NiamhCullen]

@@paulhunter1525 And yet it seemed not long enough. I didn't get to enjoy him nearly as long as I should have.

[@lhfinatl7068]

Flash Gordon happened to us and we were all blessed for it. It's one of the reasons why 'Thor: Ragnarok' is one of my favorite Marvel movies because it totally emulates the flashiness and comic pulp camp of 'Flash Gordon', making it just a fun ride without any pretense.

[@peterbenson2185]

Thor's entrance with the Led Zeppelin "Immigrant song" was apparently a direct homage to this movie.

[@stephenlyles2911]

Flash gordon was one of the worst movie l ever saw sam Jones was flat cut borning

[@leegoodwin9312]

What and F'ing good film! Queen soundtrack, Topol, Max Von sydow even Duncan from Blue Peter plenty of fit women, Awesome film!!

[@LaurenMiddleton28]

Just saw this movie on some strange cable channel a few years ago... i loved it!! Sam Jones was dubbed the entire movie is crazy! I couldn't see the dubbing.

[@paulhunter1525]

This film only major movie Sam Jones did feature role. He got the big head and producers Blacklisted his Ass.

[@phoneboxchicken4108]

This film is a massive camp masterpiece. Queen do the soundtrack, it has Brian Blessed and Max Von Sydow. What is not to like?

[@twotonsosalt9638]

"What do you mean, Flash Gordon Approaching!??!" One of my favorite movie lines ever.

[@creepyskulldini581]

I rather prefer "While you await the cerimony, all monitors will display, for your entertainment, the execution of the traitors Baron and Zarkov."

[@chrisbarrett8377]

Cocaine....cocaine is what happened

[@betacrest10]

Ben Kingsley could pass as Emperor Ming if they decide a remake.

[@JediRouge]

I would never thought of that!!!

[@coleslaw1196]

Can't we discuss, or even so much as hear about, ANY movie more than five years old WITHOUT hearing some asshat utter the word "remake" anymore?

[@grapeshot]

Disney's Black Hole🤦🏿‍♂️🤦🏿‍♂️🤦🏿‍♂️🤦🏿‍♂️ although I did like the musical score at the beginning.

[@wstine79]

I loved The Black Hole. I even have the picture book.

[@yomanwtfisthisshit]

Granted i was still a kid seeing it, but the movie had one of the most intimidating Sci-Fi characters ever without him saying a single word.

[@grapeshot]

@@yomanwtfisthisshit Maximilian

[@zzygyy]

Black Hole the first PG movie from Disney.

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

I always wanted to have a robot like V.I.N.CENT.

[@techniqueswithtodd]

A timeless classic. It's taken decades for it to get the love it richly deserves. Along with other such cult faves as Big Trouble in Little China, Escape from New York and Dune, this movie is one of the all time cult greats. In 100 years, this movie will still be fun.

[@Albtraum_TDDC]

I made a cassette recording of the Queen soundtrack and took it with me every time we went to LaserLand to play Laser-Tag with my friends from school in the 1990s. They used to let us play our own music during our combat rounds. I usually used Flash Gordon soundtrack or the one from Highlander (also Queen).