Flash Gordon

One of the least appreciated movies made in my lifetime. Done right after the glory that was The Empire Strikes Back and released to a public that had forgotten who Flash Gordon was or what the 1930's serials with Larry "Buster" Crabbe represented. Although the public was drooling desire for more high tech special effects and serious Space Opera, Flash went in the opposite direction and brought Campy back with a style all his own. This movie PERFECTLY recreated everything that those early B&W serials threw at those screaming kids sitting up in the movie theater balcony. Not to mention that the actor recreations were done as if the drawn characters came to life and leaped out of the funny papers to star on the silver screen. Max von Sydow IS...

Campy and fun science fiction fantasy-adventure flick has some cheesy but colorful and good production designs and the performances for the most part were fine, with Max Von Sydow lending prestige to a goofy character and Sam J. Jones was okay in the lead, but he's really not asked to do a whole lot (both in acting and fighting) while Melody Anderson was alright though the "romance" between her and Flash Gordon was a bit forced. And for its time, I thought the special/visual effects were adequate, superior to the likes of Superman 3 & 4 released years later (1983/1987). Enjoyable time waster and would probably revisit again. 4.0/5

Now then, anyone who thinks that Max von Sydov's best film was "the Seventh Seal" (1957) really does need to get their priorities right: forget Ingmar Bergman - it has to be this marvellously camp effort from Mike Hodges and Dino de Laurentiis that allows him to act the megalomanic whilst dressing up like the best panto villain you're ever likely to encounter. Sam J. Jones is the eponymous hero who, alongside the rather hapless Melody Anderson ("Dale") and Topol's slightly demented scientist ("Zarkov"), falls prey to the mischievous games of "Ming the Merciless" as he toys with the Earth. Once the intrepid trio arrive on "Mongo" they must fight for their very survival. In the case of "Flash", the poor fellow - who spends much of the film li...