Flash Gordon - how long must we wait? (1 Viewer)

[Jim Barg]

An SE wouldn't feel quite right without that video...

And Stephen Sommers working on a new version? Works for me.

 

[CoreyII]

I met Mr. Jones a few months ago in the Los Angeles area. He is a true gentleman and was kind enough to autograph my widescreen laserdisc, cd, and DVD of the movie.

The 80's film was definitely corny and campy but it was and still is a lot of fun to watch. When I met Sam I asked him how could he pick Melody Anderson(Dale Arden) over Ornella Muti(Princess Aura).

I love watching this film and the nostalgic feeling it gives me,but I honestly hope Sommers makes a more serious Flash Gordon film with a kick-ass Flash and a truly menacing Ming the Merciless. It doesn't have to be a dark and violent film but something that is very adventurous and doesn't wink at itself. Something that could bring back the funk of the old school Star Wars trilogy. While we're on the subject, a new Buck Rogers flick would be nice also.

While I know that many of you on this forum really want a special edition release of the film, all of you should also be campaigning for a release of the Flash Gordon animated series by Filmation Studios. Like Batman and Superman: The Animated Series, the cartoon version of Flash Gordon kicked ass and ran circles around its live action counterpart. I remember watching this cartoon on Saturday mornings on NBC. I remember Ming having this bitchin sword that had a blade that ignited on fire.

I also recall the animated movie which took place during World War II and had Ming in an alliance with Adolph Hitler. It was the origin story that kicked off the Saturday morning series. What was really cool was that NBC played the film on a Saturday night.

If Stephen Sommers based his Flash Gordon movie off the Filmation animated series he'd definitely be stepping in the right direction. I also recall there were later incarnations of Flash Gordon as a cartoon. One series was called "Defenders of the Earth" in which Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Lothar, and Mandrake the Magician teamed up to fight alien invaders who I believe were commanded by Ming. From what I can remember the cartoon was pretty cool. After that I believe there was either a comic book version or another cartoon series in which Flash Gordon was a teenager.

I wonder what or who owns all of Filmations library which would include such series as Masters of the Universe, Blackstar, and Tarzan, to name a few.

Anyway, I got to get back to studying.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Errr... Have you seen any of Sommers' movies?

 

[Kevin M]

True, aside from Van Helsing (since I haven't seen it) every film Sommers has made so far has essentially been one long "wink/homage".

 

[Jim Barg]

Actually, I believe this was my first taste of Flash Gordon as a kid. My brother and I had the action figures (I had Flash, he had the Phantom), and I distinctly remember having a coloring book as well.

About the series itself - all I can remember is the pilot where Flash and Dale are married, she gets killed and he has to take care of their son. Ah, childhood memories...

 

[Sam Favate]

By most reports, Sommers' Van Helsing is not campy and treats the subject matter seriously. However, it's a horror flick, not an adventure movie like the Mummy (Mummies?).

I think he's a good choice for FG but I hope they avoid the over-the-top campiness of the 1980 film (which I liked and am awaiting as a SE DVD).

Interesting talk about the 1970s Filmation series. Did anyone see the young Flash cartoon circa '97? Was it any good?

 

[CoreyII]

If it was anything like James Bond Jr. or Conan the Adventurer then probably not. Those two animated series were enough to make Ian Fleming and Robert E. Howard rise up from the grave and walk among the living.

 

[TheBat]

here is my idea for the perfect flash gordon cast for the new movie.. I know its a fan's dream.. but I like this cast.. its not about the big star fitting the role.. please let know what you think of the cast..

http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/theab...ashgordon.html

the young FG series was complete and utter ******. it made the FG 1980 look like an oscar winner!
not trying to take away from the chat about the dvd.. perhaps when the new movie is out.. we will get a special edition.. happens all the time with the studios.

JACOB

 

[MichaelSloan]

Some one ought to put out special edition dvds of the Flash Gordon SERIALS. Maybe George Lucas could fund a digital restoration of them or something. The prints as they are seen on the current Image DVDs aren't in the best shape considering what's been done with films like Metropolis. I also don't see why more old films don't have 5.1 dolby digital sound. It wouldn't hurt as long as they don't change them at all. They could get historians to do commentaries on them, too, or something like that.

It's exciting to learn there will be a new movie. They ought to use WETA for the majority of its special effects.
Anyone got any ideas on good casting? Maybe Kate Hudson as Dale Arden? Eliza Dushku as Princess Aura? William H. Macey as Doctor Zarkov?

 

[TheBat]

michael.. with all due respect.. do you really want the cast of flash gordon look like they just got out of high school? I don't think so. flash gordon should be a type like viggo or christopher reeve type.. look his age and someone who is not in high school.. like jude law, johnny depp type. .. same with his leading lady.

JACOB

 

[Jonathan Kaye]

Quite simply because many older films do not have existing separate music, effects and dialogue tracks to enable one to do a proper 5.1 mix. There are audio techniques that upconvert the final mixed mono/stereo tracks to 5.1, but the end result is always less directional than a true 5.1 mix.

 

[Paul Arnette]

I often have the opposite thought:

Why DO old films have 5.1 Dobly Digital sound?

Or better yet...

Instead of just OAR, how about OAR and OAT (original audio track)!

 

[MichaelSloan]

I didn't say whoever plays Flash Gordon should be that young. As for Dale Arden and Princess Aura, the actresses playing them in the first serial were both only about 20 and I think it worked well enough in their case.

 

[Jim Barg]

I'm not sure, in some cases it works, others... not so much.

I'm going to guess that Metropolis may well be the only silent released that was improved with a 5.1 soundtrack (until we get a proper release of Napoleon, of course).

Back on topic, the idea of Stephen Sommers doing a Flash Gordon film sounds like it could be a lot of fun. I could easily see someone like Brendan Fraser stepping into that role (I've even heard others suggest Owen Wilson, which would be... interesting.)

 

[TheBat]

both fraser and wilson would suck they are much too young to play FG.. the ladies from the series might be only 20 years old when they made the movie, however they did not look 20.

JACOB

 

[Jim Barg]

Too young? Both are 35... how old do you think Flash has to be? 40 or so? Either would work for me - it's not so much about their age, as it is their charisma. Plus I think it'd be fun to see Wilson try to carry something like this.

 

[TheBat]

they look young.

JACOB

 

[Kevin M]

Well, strictly speaking that isn't the topic of this thread, the 1980 film getting a proper DVD release is.

...just throwing it out there for the hell of it.

 

[Jim Barg]

Ah, yes... my mistake. Now on to the real topic.

It'd be real nice to see this get the Anchor Bay 2-disc treatment or the Universal Ultimate Edition treatment. Something like this...

Disc 1:
5.1 Dolby Digital mix
Anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1)
Commentary by Mike Hodges
Cast commentary

Disc 2
Trailers
TV spots
Hodges interview (hopefully not cut)
New documentary
Vintage featurette(s)
Queen video
Poster gallery
(More than likely, a bit on the Sommers Flash as well, if Universal's habits continue...)

Is there anything else that I might have missed? That would be nice, but I'd gladly settle for a simple port of the French release...

 

[Kevin M]

Including the soundtrack along in the set would be great!

Also, I have always wanted to see the "Lizard Dale" scene they cut out, basically when Ming is psychically feeling Dale up in the main hall Flash jumps in and tries to save her, Ming uses his ring to turn Dale (either in Flash's mind or...) into a bright-green bug eyed Lizard creature that precedes to bust up Flash's karma.