SunnyHello Nice effects though.

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

JohnHowardReid Directors: FREDERICK STEPHANI, RAY TAYLOR. Screenplay: Frederick Stephani, George Plympton, Basil Dickey, Ella O'Neill. Based on the comic strip "Flash Gordon" (or "Speed Gordon" as it was known in Australia) created and drawn by Alex Raymond. Photography: Jerome "Jerry" Ash, Richard Fryer. Film editors: Saul Goodkind, Edward Todd, Alvin Todd, Louis Sackin. Art director: Ralph Berger. Special effects: Norman Dewes. Music adapted from Franz Waxman's score for The Bride of Frankenstein. Producer: Henry MacRae.A Universal serial in 13 chapters of two reels each. U.S. release: 6 April 1936. Copyright by Universal Productions, Inc. Chapter titles and copyright dates: The Plant of Peril, 18 March 1936; The Tunnel of Terror, 23 March 1936; Captured by Shark Men, 9 April 1936; Battling the Sea Beast, 17 April 1936; The Destroying Ray, 23 April 1936; Flaming Torture, 30 April 1936; Shattering Doom, 6 May 1936; Tournament of Death, 14 May 1936; Fighting the Fire Dragon, 20 May 1936; The Unseen Peril, 27 May 1936; In the Claws of the Tigron, 3 June 1936; Trapped in the Turret, 10 June 1936; Rocketing to Earth, 17 June 1936.The serial was cut down to a 97-minute feature version called ROCKET SHIP. I have also seen this listed as Spaceship to the Unknown and Atomic Rocketship. TV title: Space Soldiers.SYNOPSIS: Flash Gordon, Dr Zarkov and Dale Arden blast off to Planet Mongo where they encounter Ming the Merciless, who seeks to conquer the entire universe.NOTES: Sequels are Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938) and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940).COMMENT: This legendary serial is still great fun today. Of course it doesn't have its original impact. Although the sets are still impressive (some refurbished from Bride of Frankenstein), the special effects and props look more than a bit tacky. Instead of breathtaking wonder, they now inspire amusement. Many of the thrills that once brought audiences out in a sweat, now bring chuckles and campy laughter. But there's no denying the pace and sheer energetic gusto of Flash Gordon. This was writer Frederick Stephani's first and last directorial assignment. Ray Taylor had to be called in to help him out, whilst no less than four film editors worked on assembling the footage - which now truly moves with a speed Flash would have been proud of. There are no seams. Stephani's visual flair admirably complements Taylor's vigorous action staging.The players may lack subtlety, even finesse, but Crabbe certainly looks the part, while Jean Rogers makes an attractive heroine. And who could fail to enjoy Charles Middleton's Ming and Priscilla Lawson's Aura?

JLRVancouver Flash Gordon was the first of the serials based on Alex Raymond's eponymous hero. This 13 part epic has everything a science fiction fan could ask for: strange new worlds, dinosaurs, spaceships, submarines, underwater cities, floating cities, ray-guns, invisibility machines, monsters, atom furnaces, and hunky guys in short shorts or/and hot girls in skimpy halter-tops. Buster Crabbe is all noble, jut-jawed hero and Jean Rogers makes a gorgeous, if somewhat ineffectual, Dale Arden, who spends most of the serial being threatened with a 'fate worse than death' by first Ming, then by a sharkman, then a hawkman (even the good guy Thun the lionman seems to 'cop a feel' while helping her escape in episode 5). The special effects, costly at the time, will seem quaint to modern viewers but that just adds to the charm as Flash makes his way from cliff-hanger to cliff hanger with the help or hindrance of some memorable secondary characters (although Jack Lipson's Prince Vulcan is a pale foreshadowing of Brian Blessed's booming presence in the 1981 version). 1936 saw the release of this serial and of William Cameron Menzies "Shape of Things to Come", archetypes of low-brow and high-brow science fiction: one's a silly, action packed adventure, the other a pedantic, philosophical bore. Probably not a tough choice to audiences of the time (especial the kids at whom Flash was aimed) and while I appreciate Menzies' vision, Flash is a lot more fun, and in the end, about as realistic. An added bonus is that watching this silly, innocent serial is the perfect segue into watching 1974's equally silly but much less innocent, "Flesh Gordon".

bull-frog I watched the first few episodes a short while back and felt I couldn't take it anymore. The horrible looking fight scenes are the worst I've ever scene in my life. About one-third of each episode is dedicated to Flash Gordon and his "mighty" fight moves. I know fight choreography from that era isn't exactly up to par with today's standards, but this is ridiculous. They don't even try to make it look realistic. Flash Gordon, who hardly resembles a fighter, uses his drunken slow moves and bare fist to knock out four or five guys with knives, guns, and other weapons. Give me a break! There's also a scene where he does some similar act while in the water. Basically every episode has scenes similar to that. As for the rest of the episode, there's not much else I remember. I basically viewed it out of curiosity on what science fiction looked like 70 years ago.

vampi1960 i originally seen the flash Gordon serial on PBS,and thought it was fun and awesome,i overlooked the special effects of the rocket ships with sparklers,and the big dragon monster with lobster claws,who cares this is 1936 and it was a serial,so each week they would show a new chapter, buster Crabbe played flash Gordon 3 times,in all 3 serials.then in 1939 he played buck rogers,in 1933 he played Tarzan the fearless.he was a very busy actor.beautiful jean rogers played sexy dale Arden.frank Shannon as professor zarkov,and Charles Middleton played the evil ming the merciless.he makes Darth Vader look like a boyscout.the serials were very close to the Alex Raymond comic strip.space travel was just a pipe dream at the time.not to mention ray guns and television.this one stands out as the best serial ever.the sequel flash Gordon's trip to mars is 2 chapters longer,the next flash Gordon conquers the universe is only 12 chapters.and then there's the natives of mongo..,hawk-men, lion-men,shark-men.the feature version leaves out the shark-men scenes. for the full effect you must see the complete serial.i heard George Lucas was inspired by flash Gordon when he did star wars.flash Gordon was from universal studios.and the music on the soundtrack is from many universal movies like bride of Frankenstein,werewolf of London,Dracula's daughter,etc;even today flash Gordon continues to delight people young and old.10 out of 10.