StudioCanal have revealed that they are planning to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Mike Hodges' Flash Gordon (1980) with a brand new 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases of the recent 4K restoration of the film. The two releases will be available for purchase on August 3rd.
Also included with this announcement is a promotional trailer for the 4K restoration.
The main feature (1 hr 47)
New Lost in Space: Nic Roeg’s Flash Gordon (also iTunes extra)
Audio commentary with Mike Hodges
Audio commentary with Brian Blessed
Behind the scenes of Flash Gordon
Stills gallery (also iTunes extra)
Storyboards gallery (also iTunes extra)
Original theatrical trailer
BLU-RAY 2nd disc Special Features:
Interview with Mike Hodges
Interview with comic book artist Alex Ross TBC
Interview with screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr. TBC
Episode 24 of Flash Gordon (1979-1982): The Survival Game / Gremlin’s Finest Hour
Sam Jones’s acting start
Entertainment Earth on Flash Gordon merchandise
Bob Lindenmayer discusses deleted scenes and original endings
35thAnniversary Greenroom
35thAnniversary reunion featurette
Renato Casaro extended interview
Brian Blessed anecdotes
Melody’s musings
On the soundtrack (Brian May & Howard Blake)
Easter Eggs
5-DISC UHD/BLU-RAY ($63) Includes:
The UHD and 2 Blu-ray discs
Bonus Blu-Ray Disc of LIFE AFTER FLASH, the 2017 feature documentary celebrating the film and it’s star, directed by Lisa Downs
Original soundtrack by Queen & Howard Blake
32 page booklet
16 page Titan mini book (The Story of Flash Gordon)
Reproduced booklet of the first strip of original comic books
Poster of original artwork
4 artcards of various incarnations of Flash film posters across the years
1 sew on ‘Flash patch’
All versions of the film will be available on August 3.
I ordered the 3-disc UHD/Blu-Ray from Zavvi USA (has free ship on steelbooks), though I'll wait and see if Amazon UK or Amazon DE opens up and offers a lower price by the time we hit mid summer.
Arrow is releasing their own 4K UHD Special Edition and Blu-Ray for the US market! Awesome!
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:
– Brand new 4K restoration by Studiocanal from the original camera negative approved by director Mike Hodges
– 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
– Optional 5.1 and 2.0 stereo DTS-HD Master audio
– Archival audio commentary with Mike Hodges
– Archival audio commentary with Brian Blessed
– Interviews with actors Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Brian Blessed, Queen icon Brian May, composer Howard Blake, and poster designer Renato Casaro
– Behind the Scenes of Flash Gordon – an archival documentary on the making of the film
– Archival interviews with Mike Hodges, screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr., comic book artist Alex Ross
– Lost in Space: Nic Roeg’s Flash Gordon – a new documentary program exploring the version Roeg (The Man Who Fell to Earth) had originally planned to make with producer Dino De Laurentiis
– Gremlin’s Finest Hour – an episode from the animated Flash Gordon TV show written by J. Michael Reaves from November 1982
– Deleted scenes and original endings – prop collector Bob Lindenmayer discusses dropped sequences and sequel ideas
– 35th Anniversary Greenroom featurette – Mike Hodges meets the cast for the first time since filming at the 35th anniversary reunion
– 35th Anniversary Reunion featurette – the cast and crew discuss Flash Gordon
– Entertainment Earth on Flash Gordon merchandise
– Storyboards gallery
– Stills gallery
– Original Trailer
– Easter Eggs
– Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais”
THIS IS A PREORDER DISC THAT IS DUE TO BE RELEASED ON OR ABOUT 8/18/20
ALL ITEMS ORDERED TOGETHER WILL BE CHARGED AT THE TIME OF THE ORDER
AND SHIP TOGETHER WHEN EVERYTHING IS IN STOCK. PLEASE PLACE MULTIPLE
ORDERS IF YOU WISH TO HAVE ITEMS SHIPPED AS THEY ARRIVE
WE ONLY OFFER STORE CREDIT FOR THE CANCELLATION OF ANY PREORDER
ALL DETAILS, INCLUDING RELEASE DATE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
The 4K UHD of theirs is in a standard Amaray case (it's just the UHD, no Blu-Ray, but has all the extras on there from the 2-disc BD they're doing -- just not the Sam Jones documentary that's a bonus disc in the limited editions):
John, the Arrow US sets are NOT in Digipaks -- the box-sets (at least the 4K limited edition one I bought from Target that just came in) have the movie in a standard Amaray case inside the sturdy exterior box. It's like most every Arrow box -- none of them are Digipaks AFAIK
AndyDursin wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 5:42 pm
John, the Arrow US sets are NOT in Digipaks -- the box-sets (at least the 4K limited edition one I bought from Target that just came in) have the movie in a standard Amaray case inside the sturdy exterior box. It's like most every Arrow box -- none of them are Digipaks AFAIK
Can't vouch for the Studio Canal release.
Thanks for the update Andy.
Looks like the StudioCanal release has now sold out. Big prices being generated in the UK.
Not surprised, it has a lot more "stuff" in it -- CD soundtrack and those odds and ends I never care for but some fans like to collect.
In terms of the discs themselves, the Arrow USA release is superior, it has a number of solid, exclusive extras the Studio Canal release doesn't have (while you get all the Studio Canal extras at the same time).
The booklet in the Arrow release contains 4 or 5 awful essays concerning Flash Gordon. However, the addition the documentary Life After Flash makes the Limited Edition worth the extra few bucks. Life After Flash is a moving look at a flawed man and his late in life redemption. I would unhesitatingly recommend it, even to those who don't give a rat's ass about Flash Gordon.
I didn't bother to read them yet, but I've given up on Arrow's booklets completely, especially after the SIXTEEN CANDLES "apology essays" they cobbled together. They've gotten so "woke" it's a wonder they released that disc in the first place.
The only thing that would possibly be worse is if they kept hiring Kat Ellinger to do commentaries.
That said, Arrow's GAMERA box is awesome. I bought one of those from Target during a promo (ended up under $90) and it's a phenomenal set, with a huge, great booklet divulging each and every U.S. dub of the movie (and unlike the GODZILLA Criterion package, Arrow put EVERYTHING in there).
