Flash Gordon on PAL Laserdisc

Dom Robinson reviews

Flash Gordon Distributed by
Pioneer Entertainment Europe

• Cat.no: PLFEB 37191
• Cert: PG
• Running time: 107 minutes
• Sides: 2 (CLV)
• Year: 1980
• Pressing: 1998
• Chapters: 29 (15/14)
• Sound: Dolby Surround
• Widescreen: 2.35:1
• Price: £19.99
• Extras : None

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Director:

Mike Hodges

(Black Rainbow, Get Carter)

Producers:

Dino De Laurentiis

Screenplay:

Michael Allin

Music:

Queen

Cast:

Flash Gordon: Sam J. Jones (Enter The Shootfighter, From The Edge, Maximum Force, Silent Assassins)
Emperor Ming: Max Von Sydow (Dune, The Exorcist, Judge Dredd, The Seventh Seal, What Dreams May Come, Until The End Of The World, TV: “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles”)
Prince Barin: Timothy Dalton (Cromwell, Framed, Licence To Kill, The Living Daylights, The Rocketeer, TV: “Jane Eyre”, “The Lion In Winter”, “Scarlett”)
Vultan: Brian Blessed (Henry V, Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, TV: “Blackadder”, “I Claudius”, “Sherlock Holmes”, “Till Death Us Do Part”, “Z Cars”)
Dr. Hans Zarkov: Topol (Fiddler On The Roof, TV: “War And Remembrance”)
Dale Arden: Melody Anderson

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Flash Gordon is an incredible adventure fantasy based on the legendary comic strip by Alex Raymond. This imaginative Dino De Laurentiis production features an all-star cast including Max Von Sydow, Topol, Brian Blessed and Timothy Dalton.

The evil Ming the Merciless is wreaking havoc is the planet Earth from his distant home on Mongo. Dr. Hans Zarkov wants to counter attack, and gets some unsuspecting help in the form of Flash Gordon and travel agent Dale Arden when their jet crashes near the strange scientist’s laboratory .

When the trio takes off for Mongo, Ming sets about kidnapping them for his own terrible purposes. From that moment on, it’s a thrill packed battle of wizardry and wits as Flash Gordon fights to save Dale from Ming’s clutches, and Earth from annihilation.

The stunning costumes are by two-time Academy Award winner Danilo Donati and special effects by sci-fi special Oscar winner, Frank Van Der Veer. Finally, the film is topped off by a futuristic musical score performed by Queen.

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Gladly, for a screen adaption of a comic book story, the picture quality is excellent as it is brimming with sharp and vivid colours, not to mention the extravagant set-pieces which are done perfect justice. The widescreen framing of 2.35:1 is essential for such a film, emulating the original theatrical ratio.

The sound quality is on a par too and, like Highlander, is chock-full of Queen rock classics. Also, the dialogue comes across clearly and any fans of The Orb not familiar with this film will note that the dialogue from the first scene, featuring Ming, is used on a track from their “Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld” album from 1991.

There are 29 chapters to the disc which is good for a 107-minute film, but note that the back cover states 28 and that you should add one to each of those listed on the back, so chapter 1, which is therefore not listed, is the opening monologue, later sampled by The Orb, plus the opening credits.

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Aside from the well-known actors on display here, one wonders what happened to the career of Flash himself, aka Sam J. Jones, as he went off to star in straight-to-video limbo.

Overall, this is a very entertaining adventure, even if it is rather cheesy at times. It looks and sounds great and for just a penny under twenty notes it’s well worth checking out. Its only competition is a widescreen video tape, but the picture quality can only be technically half as good as it is on PAL laserdisc. FILM : **** PICTURE QUALITY: ***** SOUND QUALITY: ***** EXTRAS: 0 ——————————- OVERALL: ***½

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1998.

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