Or should modern superhero movies be more like Flash Gordon?
Few could deny that protagonists with a penchant for capes are enjoying a golden age. You’d need a few powers of your own to avoid them at the moment. Nearly a decade after Iron Man kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe, regular releases are still being met with critical and commercial success (see: Marvel), or at least commercial success (see: DC). But unlike some of the titular titans, that buzz won’t last forever. The genre, I’d argue, must go back to basics. It must learn from one of the greats: Flash Gordon.
For pure, anarchic fun, the 1980 space opera centred on the blond-haired Jets quarterback has the modern-day do-gooders beat. Helmed by Brit Mike Hodges ( Get Carter, Croupier), and with design by double-Oscar-winner Danilo Donati, it’s a primary-coloured feast for the eyes, the lavish sets and costumes blasting the CGI-dependent newbies into another dimension.
And Gordon’s in no danger of taking itself too seriously; Flash saves the Earth, gets the girl and beats the big bad in just 111 minutes. By contrast, our bloated 21st Century cinematic universes need to learn the art of editing – easing back on the self-indulgent meta-ness and cynical franchise-building would be good places to start.
Hodges’ movie succeeds by keeping the story simple (if ridiculous); laying on great set-pieces (the wood-beast initiation, the spiky-floored duel, the hawkmen assault); having a deliciously dastardly villain in Max von Sydow’s Ming; a variety of scenery-chewing performances of the highest order (helmet tip to Brian Blessed); and a hilariously cheesy script (how many MCU zingers will we be quoting in 37 years?). And flying jetskis. All elements in which recent super-outings regularly fall short. Especially the jetskis.
Gordon also can’t be discussed without mention of its soundtrack, written and performed by Queen, a supergroup at the peak of its powers plus the perfect match for the movie’s glam campness. Any list of more memorable soundtracks would be a short one – and would include no other superhero films.
Put simply, if pitted against its younger contenders (“To the death!”), Flash Gordon would still be very much alive. Or is it just me?
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