Flash Gordon

I watched parts of the new DVD version of this series, which I remembered with a certain fondness from the time it was on the air. It starts out looking good -- but that is only because it constantly borrows footage from the much better made-for-TV movie by Sam Peeples, Flash Gordon, the Greatest Adventure of Them All. The movie version was released second, but made first. When you get to the part written by Ted Pederson, the only good thing you can say about it is that it follows the Alex Raymond comic strip. But why watch the film when you can read the strip, which has been reprinted many times? The dialog is rudimentary, the animation is pathetic. When it is not borrowing footage from somewhere else, the animation often doesn't even fit the action, or the action takes place off stage so they can reuse some footage that doesn't really belong. For example, in the underwater sequence, the characters walk underwater as often as they swim, so the animator can reuse walking footage. Have you ever tried to walk upright under water? The second season, which introduces a cowardly baby dragon who is supposed to be cute but is only annoying, is even worse. The dragon is a rip-off of Godzookie, the Godzilla sidekick. I'm sorry to say, give this DVD a pass. Watch the Buster Crabbe serials instead -- they may be cheap, but at least they are fun.

Filmation's Flash Gordon is a richly realized, beautifully animated serial, a highpoint for television animation. Few animated series have even managed to approach its grace. Prior to it, perhaps The New Adventures of Huck Finn comes to mind, and after, IMO, it's only challengers have been Bravestarr (latter-day Filmation work), Don Bluth's The Pirates of Darkwater, and Batman: The Animated Series.

This version of Flash Gordon is unmatched, by either the wonderful 30s serial, or the camped up but fun Dino Delaurentis version, released the same year.

Filmation captured perfectly the splendor and spirit of Alex Raymond's strip, utilizing (for 1979) the best technology could offer: Body rotoscope, fx animation, moiré patterns, rotoscoping over motion control shots of model ships. The end result? A 16 chapter serial, which, while flawed with repetitive (at times) animation, delivered non-stop action, breathtaking animation and artistry with a truly "full" look and feel to it. Filmation managed this with their earlier Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle, basing it partly on the work of comics artist Burne Hogarth.

The first 8 chapters are virtually flawless, if you can put aside the repetition. The best among them are: "A Planet in Peril", "The Beast Men's Prey", "Vultan, King of the Hawkemen", and "To Save Earth". The serial blazes away in epic proportions: There are fighter ship battles (Ming's fleet annihilating the Hawkmen and Vultan's city is utterly brutal and has a tragic beauty), gunfights in grand palaces, exotic locations and alien creations. There is a slight, but noticeable dropoff in animation quality in the latter half of the serial (chapters 9-16), but the standards remain high, and ultimately the viewer is rewarded.

This magnificent series, and it's pilot film: Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All deserve to be preserved on DVD. Commentary from Filmation execs Lou Scheimer and Norm Prescott and living Raymond relatives would be GREAT extra features.

Additional notes: Sadly, the serial gained a small, but loyal following in it's first season, the bane of many great SF series. NBC decided that, rather than give the show a bit more time to develop a larger following, that a format change was in order. The serial format was scrapped in favor of 12 minute shorts, which have disappointing animation measured against the serial, juvenile stories, and an overly cute pink dragon named Gremlin added to the cast. Gremlin is up there near the top of sickenly over-cute characters, such as Barney, Jar-Jar Binks, Gurgi (from Disney's The Black Cauldron), and Elmo. On several occasions, for instance, he blows smoke hearts.

Lastly, if you think you have seen Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All having seen the serial, better think again. The animation standards are even higher here, and while some of the footage was used in the series, the vast majority of it will be new to you. It is an overwhelming, highly recommended experience which you won't regret seeking out. While it has not been officially released, it is fairly common among video traders.

The 16 episodes are without doubt one of best cartoons of the late 1970's. The graphics sometimes repeated themselves as you saw the same ship getting hit over and over again during some of the battle scenes. But, they had other scenes that were great and the overall story line was great. I only found out later that some of the great facial expressions were the actual actors who did the voices. It should have run more then just one season and the movie they made later. I don't count the 2nd season run later in 1980's as the new episodes were not as good as the ones from 1979. Being a Flash Gordon buff like I was. I loved this cartoon and wish it was available on DVD. I have videos of the originals from the 1930's and Movie made in 1980. I wish I had a copy of this. This was true to comic and the original story and deserves the 10 stars I gave it and two thumbs up.

When this came out I was hooked 1979 aninated shows were very stale on saturdays then this came out. First thing I noticed was a shinyness to the look and it reminded me of a advanced Johnny Quest and then the story line that I found out from my Dad who saw the serial back in the Phillipines at the movies that, it was pretty true to the classic serial. Then I noticed wow the characters are very well drawn and animated. Later finding out that they were using horoscope to capture a more realistic look. Then at the end a cliff hanger. What? how cool gonna have to watch it episode to episode. So that hooked me. To me the animation even got better later. There is a bit of "that scene again "that's why a 9. Otherwise my choice for one of the best Saturday cartoons ever along w Johnny Quest.

"The New Adventures Of Flash Gordon",was a brilliant masterpiece of animation that was probably the greatest piece of animation that ever grace the late 1970's well into the early 1980's. This Saturday Morning cartoon series came out a full year before the theatrical version with Sam Jones and Max Von Sydow(just to let you know the cartoon version came out in 1979 and the theatrical version came out in 1980). But for sheer entertainment value you couldn't ask for more on an early weekend morning. And with this new installment of Flash Gordon,this was a excellent series that delivered the goods. This was the best adaption of the classic comic strip by Alex Raymond. The series captured both the look of the strip and it remained faithfully adapted to the adventures. Produced by Filmation Productions,the new installment of Flash Gordon is richly realized,beautifully animated and at the time this came out was a highpoint for television especially in the animation department. Filmation captured perfectly the splendor and the overall spirit of Alex Raymond's strip utilizing(for its time in 1979)the best technology could offer and was the first cartoon series to show new techniques in animation that were never before seen or presented to audiences on television. This was a series that featured body rotoscope,special effects animation,moire patterns that were rotoscoping over motion control shots of model ships. The end result? A 16-chapter serial that delivered some of the most breathtaking animation ever presented along with non-stop action and delivered a truly "full" look and feel to it not to mention some of the scariest monsters ever created. The 16-part serial format from the first season was incredible since it created excitement. And since some of the episodes ended in a cliffhanger of sorts,you'll probably had to tune in next week to see what happens next or find out what would happen. Expect the unexpected.

Speaking of the rotoscoping effect,Filmation managed to use this same method some three years earlier with the animation series "Tarzan,Lord Of The Jungle"(which was also a brilliant masterpiece as well using the splendor and spirit of Edgar Rice Burroughs'character),basing it partly on the work of comics artist Burne Hogarth. The new version of Flash Gordon went beyond what the theatrical version did not to mention bringing a more updated style of the comic strip with some of the best animators and writers around(one of the writers for this series was that of Samuel A. Peeples,who was also behind the scenes for Filmation's animated Star Trek series six years earlier)under the direction of Hal Sutherland. Of the 16 episodes that were produced for NBC-TV from September 8,1979-May 20,1980,the network repeated the episodes until 1981. In some of the episodes,and this was especially in the first season that each chapter was built on the previous one,with each adventure covering two episodes.

The first 8 chapters from the first season were not only virtually flawless but was masterpieces within there own right. The best among them are beginning with the pilot episode "A Planet In Peril". The rest included "The Beast Men's Prey", "Vultan:King Of The Hawkemen",and "To Save Earth". The serial blazes away in epic proportions leaving with as much non-stop action and adventure as anyone can handle and them some. There are fighter ship battles,gunfights in grand palaces,exotic locations,damsels in distress,not to mention alien creatures and creations that drop from out of a hat. The second part consisted of chapters 9-16,but during those chapters there is a slight drop in animation quality but what almost killed it was the adding one of the most infertile and annoying characters in the series...a overly cute pink dragon named Gremlin who was just a repulsive as anyone can imagine. As for voice work it was impressive featuring the voices of Robert Ridgely(who gave Flash the right All-American voice),Alan Oppenheimer(as the voice of Ming The Merciless and Dr.Zarkov),Diane Pershing(who gave a light touch to Dale although was in some of the episodes was mostly there to be rescued),and Melendy Britt(who gave a sultry voice to the vixen Aura).

This was one of the best Saturday Morning cartoons of the era,but its ratings were never that good. NBC however kept it on the roster until 1981. And it was one of the great serial cartoons shows that was made for pre-teens and kids alike but adults were watching this too.