Flash Gordon (1980)

Director:

Mike Hodges

Writers:

Alex Raymond (characters)
Michael Allin (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

5 December 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

He'll save every one of us!

Plot:

A football player and his friends travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyrant, Ming the Merciless, to save Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Prince | Flash Gordon | Emperor | Scientist

Awards:

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Sam J. Jones	...	Flash Gordon
Melody Anderson	...	Dale Arden
Max von Sydow	...	The Emperor Ming / Ming's Floating Servant (as Max Von Sydow)
Topol	...	Dr. Hans Zarkov
Ornella Muti	...	Princess Aura
Timothy Dalton	...	Prince Barin
Brian Blessed	...	Prince Vultan
Peter Wyngarde	...	Klytus
Mariangela Melato	...	Kala
John Osborne	...	Arborian Priest
Richard O'Brien	...	Fico
John Hallam	...	Luro
Philip Stone	...	Zogi, the High Priest
Suzanne Danielle	...	Serving Girl
William Hootkins	...	Munson
Bobbie Brown	...	Hedonia
Ted Carroll	...	Biro
Adrienne Kronenberg	...	Vultan's Daughter
Stanley Lebor	...	Mongon Doctor
John Morton	...	Airline Pilot
Burnell Tucker	...	Airline Co-Pilot
Robbie Coltrane	...	Man at Airfield
Peter Duncan	...	Young Treeman
Ken Sicklen	...	A Treeman
Tessa Hewitt	...	Hawk Woman (as Tessa)
Venetia Spicer	...	Hawk Woman
Francis Mughan	...	Wounded Hawkman
Oliver MacGreevy	...	Klytus Observer No. 1
John Hollis	...	Klytus Observer No. 2
Paul Bentall	...	Klytus' Pilot
Leon Greene	...	Colonel of Battle Control Room
Graeme Crowther	...	Battle Room Controller
Tony Scannell	...	Ming's Officer
David Neal	...	Captain of Ming's Air Force
Bogdan Kominowski	...	Lieutenant of Ming's Air Force
George Harris	...	Prince Thun of Ardentia
Colin Taylor	...	King of Frigia
Doretta Dunkley	...	Queen of Frigia
Sally Nicholson	...	Queen of Azuria
Deep Roy	...	Princess Aura's Pet, Fellini
Michelle Mildwater	...	Special Movement
Marie Green	...	Special Movement
Imogen Claire	...	Special Movement
Kay Zimmerman	...	Special Movement
Frederick Warder	...	Special Movement
Stephen Brigden	...	Special Movement
Lionel Guyett	...	Special Movement
Ken Robertson	...	Special Movement
Andy Bradford	...	Hawkman (as Andrew Bradford)
Bertram Adams	...	Hawkman
Terry Forestal	...	Hawkman
Mike Potter	...	Hawkman
John Sullivan	...	Hawkman
Eddie Stacey	...	Hawkman
John Lees	...	Hawkman
Roy Scammell	...	Hawkman
Kathy Marquis	...	Sandmoon Girl
Sophie	...	Sandmoon Girl
Kathy September	...	Sandmoon Girl
Glenna Forster-Jones	...	Sandmoon Girl
Roseanne Romine	...	Cytherian Girl
Sneh	...	Cytherian Girl
Magda	...	Cytherian Girl
Shaka	...	Cytherian Girl
Lindy	...	Cytherian Girl
Viva	...	Cytherian Girl
Beverly Andrews	...	Cytherian Girl
Frances Ward	...	Cytherian Girl
Kerry-Lou Baylis	...	Cytherian Girl
Camella	...	Cytherian Girl
Miranda Riley	...	Frigian Girl
Lorraine Paul	...	Aquarian Girl
Carolyn Evans	...	Aquarian Girl
Celeste	...	Aquarian Girl
Tina Thomas	...	Aquarian Girl
Ruthie Barnett	...	Aquarian Girl
Joe Iles	...	Ardentian Man
Trevor Ward	...	Ardentian Man
Alva Shelley	...	Ardentian Man
Nik Abraham	...	Ardentian Man
Leonard Hay	...	Ardentian Man
Glen Whittler	...	Ardentian Man
Jamalia	...	Serving Girl in Ming's Chamber
Jill Lamb	...	Serving Girl in Ming's Chamber
Sunanka	...	Serving Girl in Ming's Chamber
Karen Johnson	...	Serving Girl in Ming's Chamber
Gina	...	Exotic Girl in Ming's Bedchamber
Raquel	...	Exotic Girl in Ming's Bedchamber
Fai	...	Exotic Girl in Ming's Bedchamber
Malcolm Dixon	...	Dwarf
Tiny Ross	...	Dwarf
Mike Edmonds	...	Dwarf
John Ghavan	...	Dwarf
Rusty Goffe	...	Dwarf
Richard Jones	...	Dwarf
Mike Cottrell	...	Dwarf
Peter Burroughs	...	Dwarf
John Lummiss	...	Dwarf (as John Lummis)
Kenny Baker	...	Dwarf
Bob Goody	...	Azurian Man (as Robert Goody)
Daniel Venn	...	Azurian Man
Peter St. James	...	Azurian Man
Steve Payne	...	Azurian Man (as Steven Payne)
Max Alford	...	Azurian Man
Stephen Calcutt	...	Azurian Man
Anthony Olivier	...	Azurian Man
Jim Carter	...	Azurian Man
Stuart Blake	...	Azurian Man
Nigel Jeffcoat	...	Azurian Man
Chris Webb	...	Ming's Brute
Leslie Crawford	...	Ming's Brute (as Les Crawford)
Peter Brace	...	Ming's Brute
Terry Richards	...	Ming's Brute
John Gallant	...	Ming's Brute
Eddie Powell	...	Ming's Brute
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sean Barry-Weske	...	Rabbi in Montage (uncredited)
Richard Bonehill	...	Extra (uncredited)
Kevin Hudson	...	Hawk Man (uncredited)
Derek Lyons	...	Arborian Priest Assistant (uncredited)
Ralph Morse	...	Arborian (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Hodges

Writing credits
Alex Raymond		(characters)
Michael Allin		(adaptation)
Lorenzo Semple Jr.		(screenplay)

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	producer
Bernard Williams	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Howard Blake

Cinematography by
Gilbert Taylor		(as Gil Taylor)

Film Editing by
Malcolm Cooke

Production Design by
Danilo Donati

Art Direction by
John Graysmark		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Danilo Donati

Costume Design by
Danilo Donati

Makeup Department
Giusy Bovino	....	hair stylist
Massimo De Rossi	....	makeup artist
Mario Di Salvio	....	makeup artist
Betty Glasow	....	hair stylist
Richard Mills	....	makeup artist
Jane Royle	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Anderson	....	production manager
Alexander De Grunwald	....	production manager
Clifton Brandon	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brian W. Cook	....	first assistant director (as Brian Cook)
William Kronick	....	second unit director
Terry Needham	....	second assistant director
Michael Stevenson	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Tom Adams	....	artist: skies & clouds
Emanuela Alteri	....	illustrator
Andy Andrews	....	property master
Ted Clements	....	assistant art director
Ken Court	....	assistant art director
Count Ul De Rico	....	artist: skies & clouds
Galliano Donati	....	sculptor
John Fenner	....	assistant art director
Len Furey	....	construction manager
Tony Graysmark	....	construction manager
Dennis Griffin	....	production buyer (as Denis Griffin)
Arthur Healey	....	sculptor
Mentor Huebner	....	illustrator
Giovanna Lombardo	....	illustrator
Ted Michell	....	scenic artist
Giorgio Postiglione	....	assistant art director
Aldo Puccini	....	construction manager
Tony Reading	....	assistant art director
Vic Simpson	....	construction supervisor
Steve Spence	....	assistant art director
Giulio Tamassy	....	sculptor (as Giulio Tomassy)
Jack Towns	....	stand-by propman
Peter Voysey	....	sculptor
Andy Aitken	....	scenic plasterer (uncredited)
Dennis Murray	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Keith Short	....	sculptor (uncredited)
Bill Stallion	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Michael Crouch	....	footsteps editor
Ian Fuller	....	dialogue editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	dubbing mixer
John Iles	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Robin O'Donoghue	....	dubbing mixer
Ivan Sharrock	....	sound mixer
Ken Weston	....	boom operator
Don Banks	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Derek Botell	....	special effects flying
George Gibbs	....	special effects supervisor
Chris Kelly	....	special effects editor
Glen Robinson	....	special effects consultant
Pierre Tilley	....	special effects assistant
David Watson	....	special effects assistant (as Dave Watson)
Michael White	....	special effects assistant
Garth Inns	....	senior special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Martin Bower	....	model maker
Diana Bull	....	administrative assistant: Van der Veer Photo Effects
Richard Conway	....	special effects: models and skies
Jerry Cormier	....	administrative assistant: Van der Veer Photo Effects
Norman Dorme	....	art director: models
Lyn Gerry	....	optical technician
Ralph Gordon	....	optical technician
Louis Lichtenfield	....	matte painter (as Lou Lichtenfield)
Bill Lindemann	....	laboratory coordinator: Van der Veer Photo Effects
David Litchfield	....	camera operator: skies & clouds
Ray Monahan	....	optical cameraman
Barry Nolan	....	special photographic effects assistant
Harry Oakes	....	lighting camera: skies & clouds
Christine Overs	....	model maker
Terry Pearce	....	focus: skies & clouds
Bill Pearson	....	model maker
Dick Ramirez	....	optical technician
Rick Rothbart	....	optical technician
Don Sargent	....	model maker
Robert Scifo	....	matte painter (as Bob Scifo)
Frank Van der Veer	....	special photographic effects supervisor
Greg Van der Veer	....	blue screen composites
Hugh Wade	....	optical cameraman
Jon Sorensen	....	visual effects miniatures (uncredited)

Stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts (uncredited)
Graeme Crowther	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kevin Hudson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Deep Roy	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Budd	....	focus puller
Roy Ford	....	camera operator
Maurice Gillett	....	supervising electrician
Gordon Hayman	....	camera operator
Bob Penn	....	still photographer
Peter Taylor	....	focus puller
Harry Waxman	....	additional photographer
Micky Wilson	....	gaffer electrician
Carlos Melville	....	electrician (uncredited)
Geoff Mulligan	....	aerial camera operator (uncredited)
Jimmy Worley	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Michael McLean	....	casting: USA
Mary Selway	....	casting: U.K.

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Franco Antonelli	....	costumer
Ron Beck	....	wardrobe supervisor
Julian Gilbert	....	costume maker
Giampiero Grassi	....	costume maker
Renee Heimers	....	wardrobe assistant (as Rene Heimer)
Michael Jones	....	costume maker
Bruno Lenzi	....	costume maker
Keith Morton	....	wardrobe assistant
David Perry	....	costume design assistant
Riccarda Pierconti	....	costume maker
Janet Tebrooke	....	wardrobe mistress
David Terry	....	costume maker
Patrick Wheatley	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Rita Burgess	....	assistant editor
Michael Greenleaf	....	assistant editor
David Hitchcock	....	assistant editor
Jeremy Hume	....	assistant editor
Derek Trigg	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Howard Blake	....	music arranger
Robin Clarke	....	music editor
Alan Douglas	....	music recordist
Brian May	....	musician (as Queen)
John Richards	....	music recordist
Eric Tomlinson	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Gerald Makein	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Gordon Arnell	....	publicist
Len Barnard	....	production accountant
Mary Breen-Farrelly	....	assistant accountant
June Broom	....	publicist
John Burgess	....	drama and dialogue coach
Richard Greenberg	....	title producer/designer: main and end titles
William Hobbs	....	coordinator: action and movement (as Bill Hobbs)
Josephine Knowles	....	production assistant
Charles Lippincott	....	marketing director (as Charley Lippincott)
Barbara Markham	....	drama and dialogue coach
Sandy Molloy	....	personal assistant to director
Denis Postle	....	director: Zarkov brain drain sequence
June Randall	....	script supervisor
Golda Offenheim	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Philip Sharpe	....	effects technician (uncredited)

Production Companies

• De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)
• Starling Films

Distributors

• EMI Distribution (1980) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• AMLF (1981) (France) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1981) (Australia) (theatrical)
• BMG Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• Cinema Classics (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Laser Paradise (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Studio Canal (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Classics

Special Effects

• Van der Veer Photo Effects (optical effects)
• R/Greenberg Associates (additional optical effects)

Other Companies

• King Features Syndicate  licensed by
• Music Centre, The  music recorded at
• Anvil Recording Studios  music recorded at
• The Town House  music recorded at (as The Town House Studios)
• Advision Studios  music recorded at
• Theatre 3 Productions  electronic sound effects
• R/Greenberg Associates  main and end titles produced and designed by
• Twickenham Film Studios  recorded at
• Lee Lighting  lighting equipment supplied by (as Lee Electric Lighting Equipment Ltd.)
• Fiat  cars supplied by (as Fiat Motors)
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by (uncredited)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

UK:A (theatrical rating) | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Airstrip, Breakish, Skye, Highland, Scotland, UK

Company:

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)

Trivia:

All the main actors were signed for multiple films but the sequels were never made since the first movie didn't do as well as expected.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Flash and company first arrive at Ming's palace and see the floating orb droid for the first time, three wires holding it are clearly visible. Later as it floats down the hallway two holes punched in the extended pieces are seen where the wires are threaded through.

Quotes:

[first lines]
The Emperor Ming: Klytus, I'm bored. What play thing can you offer me today?
Klytus: An obscure body in the S-K System, your majesty. The inhabitants refer to it as the planet Earth.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Deconstructing Precrime and Precogs (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Flash

It all works in this case

Some people aren't too fond of this version; it failed at the box office and many fans hate the camp, which, for me, works in this case. Unlike the Christopher Reeves SUPERMAN and others, the camp makes fun of the heroes, and not the villains (some of us like to take our villains seriously, and do not like them to made to look silly, thank you very much).

The filmmakers were obviously aware of, and aimed to incorporate, everything attached to Flash Gordon---from Raymond's comic strip, to the old Universal serials, to the semi-pornographic parody "Flesh Gordon," to even the post-STAR WARS mythology that audiences in the eighties would expect. Surprisingly, for such a diverse melange, it actually works.

Unlike the other space movies of the time, this film emphasized sets and costumes rather than visual effects, and as a result its overall look dates less than many spaceoperas of the late seventies/early eighties. For those who dismiss it--and there are many--be aware that there are also many of us who love it and have re-watched more than you. It's deligtfully rewatchable and nowadays is an indisputable example of what is termed a cult film.