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Aug 14 07 11:56 AM
Aug 14 07 9:34 PM
Quote:My wife was soooo happy about that one.
Aug 16 07 6:29 PM
Aug 19 07 12:48 AM
Burgomaster
Aug 19 07 1:33 AM
Sep 19 07 12:43 PM
Sep 20 07 10:22 AM
Sep 20 07 10:29 AM
Quote:At least it has its own sense of style
Jan 23 08 5:19 PM
Jan 23 08 6:52 PM
Jan 23 08 7:55 PM
Jan 23 08 11:12 PM
Jeez, we have to disagree here, Earl. I generally enjoy watching the Flash Gordon film, but for hardly any of the reasons you mention. To quote from my web page on Flash Gordon:
Of course, no review of Flash Gordon's career can ignore the 1980 feature movie--as much as one might wish to. Featuring a catchy theme song by the rock group Queen, and starring Sam Jones as a mediocre Flash, Melody Anderson as a cute Dale, Topol as an inspired Dr. Zarkov, Max von Sydow as a nearly perfect Emperor Ming, Timothy Dalton as an overly serious Prince Barin, Brian Blessed as a delightful Vultan, and the delicious Ornella Muti as a breathtaking Princess Aura, Flash Gordon is extremely enjoyable as a laugh-out-loud cult favorite, but fails miserably as a retelling of the Flash Gordon story. Although it's fairly faithful in following Alex Raymond's original storyline, poor acting, dated and ludicrous dialogue, phony-looking set design and special effects, and a complete absence of the sense of romance and adventure so prominent in the Flash Gordon comic strip prevents the movie from being seriously considered as anything other than a parody. The only reason one can think of to justify watching this movie more than once is the beautiful and sultry Ornella Muti as Princess Aura. Cult movie lovers (of which I consider myself one) may relish the movie for its sheer badness, and the skimpy attire worn by Ornella Muti appears to defy science, but it would be difficult to recommend the movie to a general audience. Except, perhaps, to have a look at the luscious Ornella Muti--or have I already mentioned that?
Jan 24 08 12:09 AM
Thrills, romance and adventure are indeed at the heart of Flash Gordon, whether under the auspieces of Raymond's exquisite draftsmanship or at the mercy of low-budget German TV. And De Laurentiis' film has those things in spades, in my honest view at least...those things with one other vital addition; a true sense of wonder. Verily, a quality that cannot be consiously instilled, and admittedly it's not always intentional, but one endowing all the best fantascapes in fiction and film. The Raymond strip had it, as did, to some extent, the Crabbe serials and sundry minor adaptations...but De Laurentiis' transcendental FLASH most of all. While remaining totally faithful to its source material, it is an autonomous tour de force in its own right. I sincerely don't think De Laurentiis mocks the material...he has fun with Flash, rather than makes fun of him...for what is this but a meticulously-crafted, gazillion dollar tribute to a character the producer loved? He even lent Semple his personal, all-in-Italian hardbound Flash anthology for purposes of research! As a kid, I took every moment in dead earnest. Now I laugh at parts of FLASH...and BATMAN too...but never, never in that arrogant "crikey, this is so stupid" kind of way. That would be an incalculably cruel thing to do to my formative idols. The adventure and heroism inherent in both are still there, augmented with an added depth of appreciation. Or sophistication, if this old man may be permitted to flatter himself. I think that's what the creators intended. There's a very wide berth between the goodhearted guying of FLASH and the mocking parody painfully evident in something like William Dozier's failed WONDER WOMAN pilot. I love the innocent joy of enterprises such as these.
Jan 24 08 12:49 AM
And De Laurentiis' film has those things in spades, in my honest view at least...
Well, we're certainly seeing the film with different eyes. To me, it's Flash Gordon by way of Barbarella. Worth a laugh, but absolutely no sense of wonder. Bonking Flash on the head with the globe-thingy wasn't making fun of the character? Having Flash crash the commuter plane into Zarkov's laboratory, making a greasy spot of Munson, was totally faithful to the source? The gaudy, psychedelic, unconvincing miniatures that represent Mongo capturing Raymond's exquisite draftmanship? I'm not seeing what you're seeing.
Jan 24 08 1:14 AM
Jan 24 08 1:26 AM
Roeg found a note with his plink slip "We are making a comedy not Shakespeare." (or something to that effect).
Jan 24 08 1:42 AM
cjh5801 wrote: And De Laurentiis' film has those things in spades, in my honest view at least... Well, we're certainly seeing the film with different eyes. To me, it's Flash Gordon by way of Barbarella. Worth a laugh, but absolutely no sense of wonder. Bonking Flash on the head with the globe-thingy wasn't making fun of the character? Having Flash crash the commuter plane into Zarkov's laboratory, making a greasy spot of Munson, was totally faithful to the source? The gaudy, psychedelic, unconvincing miniatures that represent Mongo capturing Raymond's exquisite draftmanship? I'm not seeing what you're seeing.
I see what you're saying, Clark; I'm not suggesting the film is perfect by any means. I was indifferent to the more obvious slapstick-type of stuff as a kid and now regard those bits as weaknesses. But that doesn't change the overall highly successful experiment in sensory immersion, thrills and adventure the film offers, nor its status as a faithful adaptation of Raymond. It is a straight adventure film in addition to anything else. I think it might help one's appreciation of the film if he sees it first in childhood, when one will be largely ambivalent to the humorous content. The rush of colorful adventure overwhelms all other factors. Coming into the thing with all the expectations of adulthood might produce quite a different reaction. Truth be told, the Wood Beast sequence actually scared my five year old self...
Jan 24 08 2:07 AM
Jan 24 08 1:56 PM
a total disdain for the source material.
It's unfortunate that it's regarded as a turkey, but it realkly is quite faithful to the spirit of Flash Gordon. I guess in a post-Star Wars world it just didn't cut the mustard with mainstream moviegoers.
Jan 24 08 6:30 PM
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