FLASH GORDON

OUT 10 AUGUST / CERT 15 / 101 MINS

Based on the 1936 Saturday morning serial that inspired George Lucas (denied the remake rights, he made Star Wars instead), Flash Gordon fizzled on its initial release but, in the 40 years since, has transitioned to cult classic. Blond he-man Sam J. Jones is the eponymous hero, a star quarterback propelled into the void on mad scientist Hans Zarkov’s (Topol) homemade rocket, alongside cheerleading love interest Dale Arden (Melody Anderson), with only

“14 hours to save the Earth” from Max Von Sydow’s pantomime villain, Ming The Merciless. Despite a troubled production, director Mike Hodges (who replaced Nicolas Roeg) succeeded in crafting an extravagant, riotously entertaining slice of space camp, complete with gaudy design, corking Queen soundtrack, and a booming Brian Blessed (“Gordon’s alive!”), as well as a kinky undercurrent that was clearly aimed at older viewers.