Flash Gordon

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

2.8K

YOUR RATING

Buster Crabbe and Jean Rogers in Flash Gordon (1936)

Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.

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Action Adventure Family Romance Sci-Fi

Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

2.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win total

Videos1

Trailer 3:10

Trailer

Photos42

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Storyline

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Trivia
Despite its large budget, this serial utilized many sets from other Universal films, such as the laboratory and crypt set from La Fiancée de Frankenstein (1935), the castle interiors from La Fille de Dracula (1936), the idol from La Momie (1932) and the opera house interiors from Le Fantôme de l'opéra (1925). In addition, the outer walls of Ming's castle were actually the cathedral walls from Notre-Dame de Paris (1923).

Goofs
When Flash first enters the shark men's craft he and Dale are soaked from being in the water. However, in the next shot they are completely dry.

Quotes
Ming the Merciless: I will destroy your earth in my own way!
Dr. Alexis Zarkov: Why destroy the Earth? Why not conquer it?
Ming the Merciless: [envisioning the suggestion] Why not? How did you enter my kingdom?
Dr. Alexis Zarkov: On a rocket ship of my own design.
Ming the Merciless: You are a remarkable man! I can use you.
Ming the Merciless: [directing his guards] Take him to a laboratory. Give him everything he requires... except his freedom!

Connections
Edited from Bombay Mail (1934)

Soundtracks
Les Preludes
(uncredited)
Composed by Franz Liszt

User reviews50

Featured review

The Good Old Days...

Vintage science fiction doesn't always age well, but time has been kind to "Flash Gordon." It transcends, becomes its own little genre of almost Victorian space opera and historical epic with its own internal logic, where Roman soldiers can fly around in sputtering rocketships and a mandarin-robed Ming can plot to rule the universe.

One of the things I love about "Flash Gordon" are the actors. Buster Crabbe and Charles Middleton ARE Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless, the perfect double image of selfless heroism and selfish villainy. We don't need to know about their inner demons or what makes them tick: it's enough to know that Ming exists to be evil and Flash exists to stop him. Crabbe and Middleton believe they are their characters, so we believe them, too.

Watching "Flash Gordon" is like slipping into a dream world, full of danger and adventure, with ruthless enemies and loyal friends. It's a quaint, fun ride, the same sort of magic George Lucas taps with his "Star Wars" movies, and a feeling you can never get enough of.