FLASH GORDON 4K UHD/Blu-Ray Restorations Coming in the USA from Arrow!

[Edmund Kattak]

I saw FLASH GORDON in the theater (Totowa, NJ I believe) as a 13-year old back in 1980. I bought (and still have) the original movie program that should go nicely with this set. Truth be told, though, I never was a huge fan of the movie originally based on that initial experience. Again, going back to the Star Trek The Motion Picture Syndrome, my attitudes have changed over the past decade. Seeing things now with the benefit of a 40-year distance of originally viewing, I have a new appreciation for the effort, style, and visuals. It truly feels like a coming book movie. It's not designed for high cinematic or dramatic importance, yet the participation of Max Von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed, and even Topol gave this movie some fun and enthusiasm. I just watched the 4K UHD and must say that it is the best that I've ever seen it, and likely to ever be. The colors and detail are just crazy and the special effects are much better than I remember. I recall being underwhelmed as a kid, especially in light of the Star Wars era special effects that had begun. But seeing the movie now like this reveals what I could not perceive or extrapolate when I saw it in the theater in 1980. I understand the craftsmanship a lot better than just dismissing it back then. Combine that with the benefit of 40 years of life experience and knowledge and it's a treat to watch again - schlocky moments and all.

Some screenshots I just took:

[AndyDursin]

Seeing things now with the benefit of a 40-year distance of originally viewing, I have a new appreciation for the effort, style, and visuals. It truly feels like a coming book movie. It's not designed for high cinematic or dramatic importance, yet the participation of Max Von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed, and even Topol gave this movie some fun and enthusiasm.

I had the same experience as a kid when we first rented the VHS. I don't think the movie is great by any means, but it's fun and the art direction/visuals give it a real, sparkling cinematic appearance. When I saw it for the first time, the characters didn't interest me much and I didn't like the Queen music. Plus the supporting cast outshines the two leads so much. It's just easier to look at the film as an adult and appreciate what it was trying to do.

Excellent extras on the Arrow release, including a long look at the Nicolas Roeg version that got fairly well along before Hodges got involved.

[Monterey Jack]

Flash Gordon was one of the earliest movies I have a very vague memory of seeing in the theater as a child (I would have been six). I don't remember anything about it other than a scene where someone sticks his hand into a hole in some rocks and gets bitten/stung by whatever's in there.

It's one of those 80's movies I should give a proper watch to one of these days, although I would imagine it'd be a rough sit without a comforting cushion of childhood nostalgia to soften the blow.

[AndyDursin]

It's one of those 80's movies I should give a proper watch to one of these days, although I would imagine it'd be a rough sit without a comforting cushion of childhood nostalgia to soften the blow.

Personally, I don't think it falls into that category because I don't think it made, generally, a big impression on kids. I never knew any kid growing up who ever talked about FLASH GORDON and I was 5 when it came out. I never knew anyone in elementary school or high school who ever talked about the movie -- or my cousins, who were all older and all of them into movies like me. The only time I would hear a reference to it was when someone was talking about Queen's music and/or the main theme.

What's in it would appeal to adults more than kids. The camp humor, the innuendo, the performances, the very stylized art direction and visuals -- these aren't things that kids would care about, but they give the movie adult appeal, and it was clearly geared on that level. And was probably much more successful in that area than in targeting a younger audience.

Even today, the following it has are many times viewers older than we are, in their 50s or 60s, who saw it originally -- the Queen fanbase as it were, which skews older. I don't typically see people going "that was my favorite movie when I was a kid", it's more people who saw it when they were older teens/adults or saw it when they were older and appreciated what it was trying to do.

I don't think you have that appreciation or fondness for it when you are really young, it doesn't captivate emotionally the way STAR WARS does. It's more just something to look at and listen to, if that makes any sense.

[mkaroly]

Great points Andy...totally nailed it. No one I knew back when it was released saw the film, and if they did no one spoke about it or raved about it. I only know the film because of Queen's music...and I still have never watched the whole thing!

I think for people who did see it back then and watch it now, there will probably be a nostalgic charm associated with it (something you can say about any film you saw when you were younger).

[Eric Paddon]

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).

I did an Amazon pre-order too late to guarantee getting a copy of this set. They haven't cancelled it but I know it will never be fulfilled so I had to reluctantly go the e-bay route and pay double the price. But having just got it today it was worth it. Finally great to see the superior US cut of the first film in anamorphic wide-screen let alone Blu-Ray and it's also amazing how as you say they outdid Criterion's Godzilla set by giving us EVERY version of all the films (whereas I have been forced to keep almost all of my old DVD copies of the Godzilla films for lack of a specific English dub or some other item that could have easily made for a supplement Criterion could have done).

[AndyDursin]

It really is a fantastic set, and as expensive as it was for you Eric, I don't think it would disappoint anyone. It's a remarkable release, one of the best Blu-Rays assembled so it was money well spent!

The Godzilla set is what it is. Thankfully there are the DVDs, and any number of "fan edits" where people have taken the U.S. dubs and cut them into various HD sources so you can find them "around". I'm sure Criterion would've produced a more "definitive" package if they could have but dealing with Toho is always difficult from what we've long read.

[Eric Paddon]

I have vague memories of watching these AIP versions on WPIX and I think WABC's 4:30 movie (yes in those days news never started before 6!). So I've been sticking with the English dubs on those for the most part and then giving the commentary tracks a try. The "War Of The Monsters" edit reminded me of how when I was a kid I remember being bored since there are so many long stretches without monsters but I have to admit as an adult it comes off as a solid entry in the series.

The only very minor blemish in the set which they had no control over was not getting access to the original negative for the US cut "Gammera The Invincible", forcing them to use a lower quality source. That is the version I prefer to watch simply because my system can not take those amateur "Americans" in the original version for the scenes at the Alaska air base. In the US version, it's really fun to see Dick O'Neill on the way up in his career as the Alaska base general because his reaction when he gets the report of a giant turtle being sighted is spot-on identical to his reaction a decade later in "The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three" when Robert Shaw tells him "Your train has been taken."