Whether you watch weekly or want to join in for the big finish, get ready for these big Spring TV and streaming finales.
Related lists from IMDb users
Title: Flash Gordon (1980)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Sam J. Jones | ... | Flash Gordon | |
| Melody Anderson | ... | Dale Arden | |
| Max von Sydow | ... | The Emperor Ming (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 | |
Flash Gordon is an American football hero who is skyjacked aboard Dr. Hans Zarkov's rocketship along with his beautiful girlfriend Dale Arden. The threesome are drawn into the influence of the planet Mongo, ruled by Emperor Ming the Merciless. The evil Ming has been testing Earth with unnatural disasters, and deeming our world a threat to his rule. He also intends to take Dale as his concubine, attempts to execute Flash and intends to destroy Earth. Flash must avoid the amorous attentions of Ming's daughter, and unite the warring kingdoms of Mongo to rescue Dale and save our world. Written by David Thiel <d-thiel@uiuc.edu>
During the middle section of this movie, our hero 'Flash' Gordon, accompanied by Ornella "Most beautiful woman in the world" Muti, witnesses ex Bond Timothy Dalton giving ex Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan the sweet merciful release of death by putting him to the(cardboard) sword (offscreen). "Its an initiation" purrs the shapely Muti, "I just love initiations".
This 1980 version of the perennial Saturday morning sci-fi cliffhanger is a feast for the senses. That is, if your senses crave lashings of junkfood. With an eye meltingly lurid palette of colours and rocktastic Queen soundtrack Flash Gordon was the perfectly overblown movie for the start of an overblown decade. The costumes are extravagantly cheesy, the effects farcical, the acting hilarious.
Almost every minor character was hammed up to perfection by the cream (or perhaps custard) of character actors of the time including such luminaries as Rocky Horrors Richard O Brien, Phillip "I corrected them" Stone from the Shining and the half-man, half-beast that is Brian Blessed.
The only minor flaw in this popcorn delight is the fact that it is, in almost every way - a terrible, awful movie - I HIGHLY recommend it.