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USHE Announcement: Flash Gordon (Blu-ray)

post #1 of 23
3/18/10 at 4:48am
Thread Starter 
 flashbd.jpg
Promotion: Flash Gordon Blu-ray Release
Headline Date: TBA
Release Date: 6/15/2010
 
FLASH GORDON
 
Product Source: Theatrical
Theatrical Studio: Universal
Theatrical Release: 12/5/1980
Synopsis: Alex Raymond’s famous comic strip blasts to life in the action-packed sci-fi adventure Flash Gordon. When energy waves pull the moon out of orbit, New York Jets quarterback Flash Gordon (Sam J. Jones) unwittingly finds himself heading for the planet Mongo, where—with assistance from beautiful Dale Arden (Melody Anderson)—he’ll take on Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow) and rescue humankind. Featuring spectacular thrills, out-of-this-world special effects and unforgettable music by Queen, Flash Gordon is an exciting live-action adaptation of one of the most popular characters of all time!
 
Blu-ray Widescreen (61112072) : Disc 1 (Side A) 
 Format: Blu-ray UPC: 0-2519-20468-7-2
 Unit Type: Standard Number of Media: 1
 Street Date: 6/15/2010 PreOrder Date:  
 Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 52 Minutes  
 Language: English Disc Type: BD-25 (Single Sided)
 Packaging: Snap Case Layers: Single
 Audio:English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
 		 Subtitles: English SDH
French
Spanish
 
 Edition: - Picture: Widescreen
 Version: - Color/B&WCOLOR 
 Rating: PG CARA Rating: -
 Bonus Features: • Alex Ross, Renowned Comic Artist, On Flash Gordon
• Writing A Classic: Screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr.
• First Episode Of The Flash Gordon 1936 Serial
• My Scenes
• BD Live - Basic Download Center
 
 
DVD Widescreen  Saviour of the Universe Edition(61032983) : Disc 1 (Side A) 
 Format: DVD UPC: 0-2519-32983-2-4
 Unit Type: Standard Number of Media: -
 Street Date: 1/6/2009 PreOrder Date: 12/16/2008
 Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 52 Minutes  
 Language: English Disc Type: DVD-9 (Single Sided)
 Packaging: Top-Flap Box Layers: Single
 Audio:English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
 		 Subtitles: English SDH
French
Spanish
 
 Edition: Saviour of the Universe Edition Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen
 Version: - Color/B&WCOLOR 
 Rating: PG CARA Rating: [deleted]N/A
 Bonus Features: • Alex Ross, Renowned Comic Artist, on Flash Gordon
• Writing a Classic: Screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr.
• First Episode of the Flash Gordon 1936 Serial
• Flash Gordon TV Show Trailer
• Theatrical Trailer
 
 
DVD Widescreen  Saviour of the Universe Edition(61114228) : Disc 1 (Side A) 
 Format: DVD UPC: 0-2519-20646-5-4
 Unit Type: Standard Number of Media: 1
 Street Date: 5/4/2010 PreOrder Date:  
 Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 52 Minutes  
 Language: English Disc Type: DVD-9 (Single Sided)
 Packaging: Snap Case Layers: Single
 Audio:English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
 		 Subtitles: English SDH
Spanish
French
 
 Edition: Saviour of the Universe Edition Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen
 Version: - Color/B&WCOLOR 
 Rating: PG CARA Rating: -
 Bonus Features: • Alex Ross, Renowned Comic Artist, on Flash Gordon
• Writing a Classic: Screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr.
• First Episode of the Flash Gordon 1936 Serial
• Flash Gordon TV Show Trailer
 
 
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post #2 of 23
3/18/10 at 5:23am
"Bring me... the bore worms.", "No, not the bore worms!"

Luverly news Ron, one of me favourites. Should look great on Blu-ray.

Bugger, it looks like they aren't including the Brian Blessed commentary from the R2 release.
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post #3 of 23
3/18/10 at 7:21am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Christou View Post

Should look great on Blu-ray.

 


I hope so. I really do. The only thing that concerns me is this:

Quote:
 
BD-25 (Single Sided)
 

Maybe Universal will do a good job, but this is not the kind of film that I want to see squished onto a BD-25. It has a lot of texture and grain, and those are the first things to go when space is tight. Eagerly awaiting reviews.

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post #4 of 23
3/18/10 at 7:29am
There's also a German version coming in May that includes the Mike Hodges commentary:

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.kinowelt.de/blu-ray/flash_gordon-blu-ray&ei=3diYS7fdC8uNjAelv5T4Dw&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CA4Q7gEwAg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dflash%2Bgordon%2Bblu-ray%2Bkinowelt%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1C1GGLS_en-GBGB364GB364
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post #5 of 23
3/18/10 at 7:38am
Which means I'm better off waiting until the UK Blu-ray arrives and compare reviews. I want this film to look as good as possible.
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post #6 of 23
3/18/10 at 8:51am
Likewise. I want this on BD, but I want the best possible version, and hopefully the UK and German versions won't be region locked.
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post #7 of 23
3/19/10 at 5:51pm
You guys must see something in some of these flicks that I missed. I saw this in its initial theatrical run and my memory of the film is that it wasn't all that impressive. The one thing I really remember about this flick was the Queen soundtrack, especially the finale to the film. Other than that, I remember it as basically a cheese-fest of a flick. I'm curious what people saw in the film beyond Queen, because I'm wondering what I was dense enough to miss. 
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post #8 of 23
3/19/10 at 8:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwin-S View Post

I'm curious what people saw in the film...


Not to speak for anyone but I think alot of it is the nostalgia factor. They enjoyed it when they were growing up and so they still enjoy it now.
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post #9 of 23
3/20/10 at 5:05am
Some of us like "cheese fests".  Also, the film has a very unique visual look.  That combined with the great Queen soundtrack should result in lots of eye and ear candy along with the cheesy fun of the film itself 

Vincent

Edited by Vincent_P - 3/20/10 at 7:19am
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post #10 of 23
3/20/10 at 9:51am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwin-S View Post
  I'm curious what people saw in the film beyond Queen, because I'm wondering what I was dense enough to miss. 
 
Flash Gordon is light, breezy sci-fi fun.  It may have not been your cup of tea then, but give it another shot, you may dig it now.

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post #11 of 23
3/20/10 at 10:47am
A well done "Cheese fest" is worth it's weight in gold and can be worth more to many viewers then the lastest Criterion highbrow if not more so. This movie is like comfort food....just plain enjoyable and fun and who doesn't need more fun. Flash ahhhh!!! He'll save ev'ry one of us!!
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post #12 of 23
3/20/10 at 3:36pm
What is that second listing in the press release?

 
DVD Widescreen  Saviour of the Universe Edition(61032983) : Disc 1 (Side A) 
 Format:  DVD  UPC:  0-2519-32983-2-4
 Unit Type:  Standard  Number of Media:  -
 Street Date:  1/6/2009  PreOrder Date:  12/16/2008
 Run Time (HH:MM):  1 Hour 52 Minutes    
 Language:  English  Disc Type:  DVD-9 (Single Sided)
 Packaging:  Top-Flap Box  Layers:  Single
 Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
 		  Subtitles:  English SDH
French
Spanish
 
 Edition:  Saviour of the Universe Edition  Picture:  Anamorphic Widescreen
 Version:  -  Color/B&W COLOR 
 Rating:  PG  CARA Rating:  [deleted]N/A
 Bonus Features:  • Alex Ross, Renowned Comic Artist, on Flash Gordon
• Writing a Classic: Screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr.
• First Episode of the Flash Gordon 1936 Serial
• Flash Gordon TV Show Trailer
• Theatrical Trailer

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post #13 of 23
3/21/10 at 7:43am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwin-S View Post

I'm curious what people saw in the film beyond Queen, because I'm wondering what I was dense enough to miss. 

I saw a LOT of Ornella Muti, particularly in one scene. 

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post #14 of 23
3/23/10 at 3:43pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertR View Post




I saw a LOT of Ornella Muti, particularly in one scene. 

 


I dug up a few clips of this film on YouTube. Unfortunately, I think this is the answer.  

I must have been during this film. I haven't seen it in years. I'll have to give it a rent if the local rental store gets a copy in.
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post #15 of 23
3/23/10 at 5:54pm
Didn't appreciate this back in 1980 because the gold standard at that time was being set by Empire Strikes Back, which got richer and more mature with each viewing I gave it. In contrast this looked like a cheesy, visually vulgar SW/Superman hybrid cash-in. It was an easy pass at the time.
However I rediscovered the film when I was collecting laserdiscs...and had been to art school. I came to it with an eye towards enjoying the production design and over the years, the irreverent, sly tone, wonderfully fun performances from the supporting cast, and generally anti-SW nature along with the brightly theatrical euro-feeling PD, have turned me into a BIG fan of the film.
I 'm greatly looking forward to upgrading this. Hopefully the atrocious EE that is on the remastered disc will be significantly lessened on the Bd, but I'm skeptical of that happening based on some of their other releases.
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post #16 of 23
3/24/10 at 4:55am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul_Scott View Post

Didn't appreciate this back in 1980 because the gold standard at that time was being set by Empire Strikes Back, which got richer and more mature with each viewing I gave it. In contrast this looked like a cheesy, visually vulgar SW/Superman hybrid cash-in. It was an easy pass at the time.
However I rediscovered the film when I was collecting laserdiscs...and had been to art school. I came to it with an eye towards enjoying the production design and over the years, the irreverent, sly tone, wonderfully fun performances from the supporting cast, and generally anti-SW nature along with the brightly theatrical euro-feeling PD, have turned me into a BIG fan of the film.
I 'm greatly looking forward to upgrading this. Hopefully the atrocious EE that is on the remastered disc will be significantly lessened on the Bd, but I'm skeptical of that happening based on some of their other releases.

+1.

Also, how can you not love a film with dialogue like:

"Priest: Do you, Ming the Merciless, Ruler of the Universe take this Earthling, Dale Arden, to be your Empress of the hour?

Ming: Of the hour, Yes.

Priest: Do you promise to use her as you will?

Ming: Certainly.

Priest: Not to blast her into space?

Ming: (silence)

Priest: ....Until such time as you get the whim?

Ming: I do.

Dale: I DO NOT!!"


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post #17 of 23
3/24/10 at 5:03am
The movie is a hell of a lot of fun, not least of which is the visuals. Will be holding out til reviews surface on the BD.
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post #18 of 23
3/26/10 at 12:42pm
This is what one might refer to as a Camp Classic.  It is completely silly but in a completely fun way.
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post #19 of 23
3/28/10 at 6:51am
I'll go with what everyone else said: goofy technocolor fun.  Plus, it was very influential on me back in the day and the man I've become.  Great Queen soundtrack, wonderfully quotable dialogue, scenery chewing dialogue and um...yeah...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwin-S View Post

You guys must see something in some of these flicks that I missed. I saw this in its initial theatrical run and my memory of the film is that it wasn't all that impressive. The one thing I really remember about this flick was the Queen soundtrack, especially the finale to the film. Other than that, I remember it as basically a cheese-fest of a flick. I'm curious what people saw in the film beyond Queen, because I'm wondering what I was dense enough to miss. 


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post #20 of 23
3/28/10 at 7:39am
Like many here, I didn't fully appreciate the camp elements of Flash Gordon on its initial release (I was 9 @ the time), but repeat viewings increased my appreciation. The irony of it is that Dino DeLaurentiis doesn't appear to have been in on the joke, because this is big-budget camp. I can't be sure, though, because DeLaurentiis also produced Barbarella and Danger: Diabolik, which were equally lavish and campy.
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post #21 of 23
3/28/10 at 4:33pm
Flash Gordon 01.jpg
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post #22 of 23
3/30/10 at 4:58am
Not sure how we could have got so far into this thread without this:





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post #23 of 23
6/13/10 at 9:52am

 

Quote:
Hopefully the atrocious EE that is on the remastered disc will be significantly lessened on the Bd,

 Just got this in yesterday and in the case of the halos, they are diminished in severity. I just sold off my SE DVD so I can't do a direct comparison but I seem to recall,  besides the obvious halos, some of what I assume to be lower frequency ringing (instead of a white halo, this is a  thicker, more  ghostly looking fringe). This is now completely absent.

 

As far as DNR goes- in some scenes/shots skin did have a slightly plasticized texture. In other shots, not so much. There also seemed to be evidence of DNR slurring in some movement, but again not anything that seemed consistently bad.

 

Didn't watch the whole disc yet, so I could be in for a rude  disappointment. Otherwise it seems to be par for the course for the entire format- not as good as it could/should be, but not unwatchable either- and a good step up from the only previous decent home video release.

 

I've had this on Laserdisc, on a region 2 French edition with forced subs, on the R1 SE remaster, and now on Bd. There is absolutely no contest. Despite the flaws, the Bd is a major leap over every other (flawed) incarnation.

 

Happy to have it, and even happier it only cost $15 from DD with the current sale.

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Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › Blu-ray › USHE Announcement: Flash Gordon (Blu-ray)