Flash Gordon (1980)

jlw 2013-08-25 00:34:19 UTC #1

frogworth 2013-08-25 00:58:34 UTC #2

And then there's this...

Heather 2013-08-25 00:58:50 UTC #3

I couldn't be more happy that it was a discussion with me that prompted that post. I love Flash Gordon as much today as I did when I was four.

mike_sean 2013-08-25 01:42:26 UTC #4

Campy as it is, I think it still holds up. But I'm also blinded by deep nostalgia -- HBO had this on heavy rotation in the early '80s and it became a staple of my childhood. Of course it became one of the first DVDs I bought.

Even as a kid, I remember finding it weird that Ming had never heard of Earth, "an obscure body in the S-K system," yet when they cut to a shot of his 'dashboard of disasters,' nestled between options for "Hot Hail" and "Typhoon" is a button clearly labeled "Earth Quake."

Herbie 2013-08-25 01:45:33 UTC #5

Oh totally. I've seen this movie about 50 times, maybe more (thanks, HBO). When I got the blu-ray and, I'll admit it, enjoyed an herbal remedy (which I hadn't in years because of anxiety) it was a religious experience. Being a massive Queen fan doesn't hurt, either. Then I saw "Ted" a week later and thought, "Seth MacFarlane could possible have been my brother." I'ma go watch this again right now.

Herbie 2013-08-25 01:47:05 UTC #6

Never noticed that! I was always too busy trying to say "Earth" like Ming.

Indubitably 2013-08-25 02:12:44 UTC #7

"Flash! ooh-aah-aah Frickin' Awe-ah-some."

phew

removes fist from stump

Shatneriffic 2013-08-25 02:50:53 UTC #8

I like how the soundtrack was used in Observe and Report.

Shatneriffic 2013-08-25 02:53:29 UTC #9

Klytus, are your men on the right pills?

Maybe you should execute their trainer.

paulzero 2013-08-25 03:10:13 UTC #10

This is the greatest movie of all time. Of all time!
Flash! Ah AH!...

SamWinston 2013-08-25 03:11:33 UTC #11

The spoof "Flesh Gorden" was pretty good. Not even really a porno, as it had harrysausen type stop motion creatures and somewhat decent low budget sets. The Penisaurus was especially good.

snowman 2013-08-25 04:01:04 UTC #12

There is no way Flash wouldn't start ahead of Mark Sanchez or Geno Smith this season.

newliminted 2013-08-25 04:39:41 UTC #13

I saw it at the drive-in. Fantastic! Nothing else compares.

knoxblox 2013-08-25 06:25:10 UTC #14

Am I the only one old enough to have seen this in the theater? Kind of feels like when I spoke up in film class, having to contradict the professor -- that yes, at least one of us had seen Star Wars on opening day.

retepslluerb 2013-08-25 06:30:50 UTC #15

Nope, I saw it - a German dub, of course - back then, too. Also The Empire Strikes Back.

hakan_koseoglu 2013-08-25 06:32:30 UTC #16

Every time someone mentions Flash, I think about The Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Smashers_of_the_Galaxy_Rangers). Brilliant spoof of Flash, especially the ending with the kiss.

Now off to have a breakfast with a slice of toast and some Cheddite.

knoxblox 2013-08-25 06:41:00 UTC #17

Wow, that had to be interesting.

buddybradley 2013-08-25 06:56:34 UTC #18

I also saw it in a theater at the time. Two things stick out for me:
1) Queen's music was an integral part of their marketing for this film. Every commercial featured the tagline: "Music by Queen!" I think it's too bad other films don't do that.
2) When [SPOILER ALERT] Flash kills Ming (duh), Ming bleeds green blood!

pelrun 2013-08-25 07:08:00 UTC #19

And regarding that bog-beast coming-of-age ritual: http://oglaf.com/riteofpassage/ (it's oglaf, so nsfw)

noahdjango 2013-08-25 07:38:53 UTC #20

even weirder, they're speaking to each other in flawless English.

anyway, I think the days of this type of rich, opulent mise-en-scene are long gone, which is the real star of Flash Gordon. You just don't see eye-candy like that anymore unless it's CG, which can be cool, but it's not the same thing.