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BUM-BUM-BUM-BUM
—
FLASH!
AH-AHHHHHH!
Alex
Raymond's influential science-fiction comic-strip
hero, previously visualized on film through a
definitive trilogy of Universal serials, a mediocre
1950s TV series, and a late 1970s animated series
from Filmmation, burst back on to the screen in
the wake of Star Wars,
thanks to producer Dino De Laurentiis. (George
Lucas had apparently been interested in adapting
Flash for the silver screen, but the rights fell
through. Hence, Star Wars
was born.) Spurned by most Flash purists, this
1980 adaptation nonetheless has built a cult following,
thanks to outlandish costumes and sets, intentionally
campy scripting —
courtesy of Lorenzo Semple Jr., known for his
work on the Adam West Batman series —
and that unforgettable rock score by Queen.
With
the Earth under attack by forces from the planet
Mongo, daffy doc Hans Zarkov (Topol) hijacks New
York Jets quarterback "Flash" Gordon (Sam J. Jones)
and Dale Arden (Melody Anderson) aboard a self-built
space capsule to counterattack (wishful thinking,
with only Zarkov's handgun on board) the invaders.
Once on Mongo, Flash tries to unite the warring
Prince Barin of Arborea (a dashing, Robin Hood-esque
Timothy Dalton) and Prince Vultan of the Hawkmen
(boisterous, scene-stealing Brain Blessed) to
fight against the evil Emperor, Ming the Merciless
(Max Von Sydow). After a series of serial-style
adventures, spanning Mongo to Arborea to the floating
palace of the Hawkmen, Flash and company race
against time to prevent both the destruction of
Earth and Dale's enforced marriage to the diabolical
despot.
Surprisingly,
perhaps as a counterbalance to the film's garish
pageantry, our heroes are flat. Jones certainly
looks the part of Flash, but is far too limited
to inspire two warring races to form an alliance.
Anderson makes for a cute Dale
but leaves little impression, and Topol just doesn't
convince as Zarkov. The real meat can be found
in the supporting cast, however. Von Sydow is
wonderful as a sadistic, sexed-up Ming, oozing
evil from every pore; Blessed's thunderous Vultan
threatens to decimate every scene he's in, along
with his fellow performers; Ornella Muti is a
WOW in tight, revealing costumes as Ming's
seductive daughter Aura (even in today's skin-tastic
climate, she still gets our pulse racing); and
Peter (Burn, Witch, Burn)
Wyngarde, his deep British voice suggesting a
decadent evil, impresses as Ming's right-hand
man, the golden-masked Klytus.
Some
of the sets and costumes are marvelous; others
are in danger of collapsing under their heavily
imposed camp value. A fine line between decent
and lousy effects is walked —
the Hawkmen's flying scenes are well-conceived
and nicely evoke the original comic panels (which
are used to good, nostalgic effect in the opening
credit sequence), while some of the model work
is just plain laughable. And then there's Queen.
At times inappropriate, Queen's score nevertheless
punctuates the material surprisingly well. Yes,
I sing along with the theme, so sue me. I also
happen to like Tangerine Dream's Legend
score. While undeniably a mixed bag, Flash
Gordon is nonetheless a highly entertaining
campfest for the undiscerning sci-fi/fantasy fan.
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