Why is FLASH GORDON such a great movie ?

[Mikey]

I just watched Flash Gordon last night for the millionth time.

I'm very happy to admit, I was one of the original people who seen it back in the day at my local theatre and recognized how cool of a film it was ---- LONG before it became a "cult classic".

Why is this movie so good ?

Was it because it wasn't MENT to be good ?

[palitoy]

I think it's a fun movie, pure and simple, I liked it in 1980 and I like it now.
It's not great science fiction but I have problems with people who say it's not as good as the serials, I love them but they are not high art.

[Riffster]

80's cheese...there's noting like it. i love the movie, my wife makes fun of it

[Mikey]

The film was pure serendipity .......

A 1930's serial remake ........

A 70's era sci fi film industry -- that decided to make their film look "'30's-ish"

Hire the main lead with basically no acting abilty what-so-ever .......

Back him up with a cast of professional and respected actors ......

Add Queen to do the score ...........

.. and then role the bones .......

I can't imaging that ever happening in this day and age.

[SUP-Ronin]

My favorite line - "Pathetic earthlings. Hurling your bodies out into the void, without the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you had known anything about the true nature of the universe, anything at all, you would've hidden from it in terror."

Flash Gordon (1980) - Memorable quotes

[david_b]

Hot young babes in erotic harum attire.. And Queen's soundtrack.

What else needs to be said..?

[palitoy]

The Queen soundtrack gives it a rock opera feel as well, I raced out and bought that record after the movie.

[Mikey]

The Queen soundtrack gives it a rock opera feel as well, I raced out and bought that record after the movie.

Me too.

I still have my original LP with Max as Ming give-away 12"x12" poster

[Earth 2 Chris]

Brian nails it. It's fun. It's a romp. It doesn't take itself seriously at all. It still has somewhat of an epic feel to it somehow though, even though it's kind of a satire. Like the Batman TV series when it was really firing on all cylinders, it works on several different levels. No surprise many of the same folks were involved.

And the Queen soundtrack just puts it over the top. It helps keep its cool quotient high.

Chris

[Collect 'em all!]

Brian nails it. It's fun. It's a romp. It doesn't take itself seriously at all. It still has somewhat of an epic feel to it somehow though, even though it's kind of a satire. Like the Batman TV series when it was really firing on all cylinders, it works on several different levels. No surprise many of the same folks were involved.

And the Queen soundtrack just puts it over the top. It helps keep its cool quotient high.

Chris

Totally!

It's utterly fun, and you just can't say that about 99% of the sci fi movies coming out these days.

Lorenzo Semple Jr, the master of camp, at his best!!!

The costume and set designs and Special Effects are absolutely marvelous!!! See what they were able to achieve in the good old days, all without CGI?

Max Von Sydow's performance as Emperor Ming is priceless! The sequence with Ming and his daughter Aura in Klytus's torture chamber is classic!

One of the funniest scenes in the movie is when Dale (Melody Anderson) has just escaped from Ming's harem, and she's tip-toeing along thru the palace carring her high heeled shoes--some of Ming's soldiers enter the hall, she delicately sets her shoes down on the floor, blasts 'em dead with her laser gun, and then picks up her shoes by the ankle straps and continues on her way.

Here's a shot of my Flash Gordon movie poster--awesome artwork by Richard Amsel.

"Flash Ah-Ahhh! Savior of the Universe! Flash!"

[fallensaviour]

Still one of my favorite sci-fi flicks today.Why I don't know it just is.
It has lasers,flying hawkmen,spaceships,Babes,rockets,sex appeal and football + kick butt music.It just plain rocks!!!
Go flash go,go flash go!!!

[Bo8a_Fett]

"Gordon...alive"...."DIIIIIIIIIVE!!!"
love it

[Seeker]

Queen and those 30s retro style ships. Maxs and Topals and Brians acting.

[Bionic Joe]

Haven't seen it in years but what i liked about it in 80 is why i still like it mostly because of the soundtrack by QUEEN

[The Bat]

I know it's Cheesey & corny...but I like it as well! When ever it's on, I can't stop watching it!