FLASH GORDON(1980)*** out of **** Directed by Mike Hodges Starring Sam Jones,Melody Anderson,Chaim Topol,Max Von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed,Ornelia Muti,Peter Wyngarde, Mariangelo Melato,Richard O'Brian Rated PG 111 minutes Released by Universal Home Video(USA) and Momentum Home Video(UK)
For some,the 1980 film version of Alex Raymond's famous 1930's comicstrip character FLASH GORDON was an atrocity of a film due to it's campy script by notorious screenwriter Lorenzo Semple(TV's BATMAN series,1976 KING KONG remake,007 film NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN) and for others,the FLASH GORDON film was an enjoyably entertaining but flawed film especially because of that very same element of campiness.I find myself belonging to the second camp regarding this film,since the film for me is for the most part entertaining despite it's obvious shortcomings of casting(Jones as Flash) and too much campiness in the script.But the film's excellently outrageous production design by Federico Fellini's set designer Danilo Donati as well as the performances by Sydow as Ming, Brian Blessed as Prince Vultan and Timothy Dalton as Prince Barin and most especially the rock score by Queen make this film a real treat and so much enjoyable for both adults and grownups.
There are two official DVD releases of this film which are the 2007 US Region 1 release by Universal Home Video known as the "Savior of the Universe" DVD release that although it has an anamorphic widescreen format for the film,there are very few special features on this DVD such as a featurette/interview with comic book artist Alex Ross who currently draws the Flash Gordon newspaper comicstrip,trailers and the first episode of the 1936 FLASH GORDON serial. But the DVD to get regarding FLASH GORDON is the British Region 2 DVD release from Momentum Home Video called the "25th Silver Anniversary Release Version" which besides having the film in anamorphic widescreen and 5.1 Dolby DTS Stereo,also has two very entertaining audio commentaries which are one by director Mike Hodges and the other one by actor Brian Blessed who plays Prince Vultan,King of the Hawkmen in the film as well a featurette on the making of the film with interview of the film's director, Mike Hodges and the film's trailer and the first episode of the 1936 FLASH GORDON serial
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