Flash Gordon Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Flash Gordon Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 8, 2020

Mike Hodges' "Flash Gordon" (1980) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the release include numerous vintage cast and crew interviews; production and promotional featurettes; audio commentary by Mike Hodges; audio commentary by actor Brian Blessed; Queen's soundtrack for the film placed on a separate CD disc; collectible booklets; and a lot more. In English, with optional English SDH, French, and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The target

If you pay attention to details you should be able to instantly name more than a dozen obvious similarities between Mike Hodges’ Flash Gordon and George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. The big oval flying device that monitors the captives while they are introduced to Emperor Ming (Max Von Sydow), for instance, also pops up in Lucas’ film carrying a big injection meant for Princess Leia. It is slightly modified, definitely larger, but it is the exact same device. What about the guards and their laser blasters? They look very familiar, don’t they? What does this all mean? Well, if the vintage Flash Gordon serials did not exist, you would have rightfully concluded that Hodges borrowed a few ideas from Lucas and then incorporated them in his film. But this isn’t what happened. It was Lucas, who was a huge admirer of the Flash Gordon serials, that actually incorporated original ideas and details in his film, which consequently made it look like an inspiration for Hodges’ film.

A careful examination of the screenplay Lorenzo Semple Jr. delivered to Hodges reveals other intriguing similarities. Consider the sequence in which Princes Aura (Ornella Muti) enters the chamber where the supposedly cold body of Flash Gordon (Sam J. Jones) is left to rest and then proceeds to resuscitate him with the help of the cheating doctor (Stanley Lebor). Moments later, she begins flirting with the hunk in ways that very much remind of Raquel Welch’s character in Fathom, which Semple Jr. scripted during the late ‘60s. In fact, there is so much flirting going on in Hodges’s film that if you dig deep and long enough you will likely discover that Muti has as much freedom to impress the hunk as the gorgeous females that are around Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again do, which is another early film Semple Jr. produced a script for.

You should be able to spot similarities even in some of the set decorations and lighting choices. For example, examine the lush outdoor vistas and especially the manner in which color and light are utilized there to produce that vintage cosmic ambience. What do these vistas remind you of? Byron Haskin’s Robinson Crusoe on Mars. Obviously, in Hodges’ film there is so much happening that the dynamic action actually brings a distinct contemporary quality to it, but the technical ingredients in these outdoor vistas are unmistakably Haskin-esque.

Of course, Flash Gordon has a unique identity of its own and one of the biggest reasons for its existence is the tremendous soundtrack Queen produced for it. It was the legendary rock band’s ninth studio album and the first of only two such complete film soundtracks they worked on during the years. (The second was produced for Russell Mulcahy’s Highlander). The soundtrack/album was crafted a lot like a rock opera, with dialog kept in it and allowed to freely interfere with the music for optimal effect. Unsurprisingly, the music and the drama are actually very closely intertwined and complement each other. (Conventional soundtracks work differently. Their primary function is to enhance the drama, which is the main reason why they are usually slightly incoherent. Queen’s soundtrack is a homogenous composition with operatic qualities that is just as effective on its own as it is while serving as a central piece in Flash Gordon).

*StudioCanal’s 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases of Flash Gordon are sourced from an exclusive new 4K restoration of the film which was supervised and approved by director Hodges. Below is an official statement about the restoration from the studio:

"For the new 40th Anniversary 4k restoration, Flash Gordon was scanned from the original 35mm negative to produce 4K files. Over 500 hours of manual restoration repaired serious damage that included image instability, scratches and intermittent flicker. The sound was scanned from the original track negative and underwent restoration to improve issues ranging from audio drop-outs throughout the feature and during reel changes, digital clicks and optical distortion. The film was colour graded for theatrical, home entertainment and 4K HDR release, using previous digital releases and 35mm prints as a reference. In line with the Director's vision and the original 35mm cinema release, VFX work was applied to remove the strings in all scenes where visible."

Flash Gordon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 0180p transfer, Flash Gordon arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal.

Note: The 4K content below also appears in our review of the 4K Blu-ray release of Flash Gordon. It is reposted here because it is relevant to the 1080p presentation of the film's recent 4K restoration.

4K BLU-RAY DISC

StudioCanal's 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases of Flash Gordon are sourced from an exclusive new 4K restoration of the film which was supervised and approved by director Hodges. Below is an official statement about the restoration from the studio:

"For the new 40th Anniversary 4k restoration, Flash Gordon was scanned from the original 35mm negative to produce 4K files. Over 500 hours of manual restoration repaired serious damage that included image instability, scratches and intermittent flicker. The sound was scanned from the original track negative and underwent restoration to improve issues ranging from audio drop-outs throughout the feature and during reel changes, digital clicks and optical distortion. The film was color graded for theatrical, home entertainment and 4K HDR release, using previous digital releases and 35mm prints as a reference. In line with the Director's vision and the original 35mm cinema release, VFX work was applied to remove the strings in all scenes where visible."

I viewed the new restoration in native 4K first and then performed various comparisons with the 1080p presentation. The 4K presentation excels in three specific areas. First, on my system the 4K visuals very clearly revealed superior density levels. Because of the nature of the cinematography -- there are obvious density shifts between visuals with unique stylistic identity -- in native 4K the entire film retains a 'tighter' appearance. So, when the shifts occur, they are not as prominent in 4K as they are in 1080p. (You can see examples of visuals with different stylistic identity in screencaptures #1, 5, 7, and 17). Second, the ranges of color nuances are expanded in 4K. However, while going back and forth between the 4K and 1080p presentations, I was genuinely surprised to see just how good saturation and balance remain in 1080p. In native 4K the entire color scheme simply gets a boost in lushness, which coupled with the expanded nuances produces the biggest upticks in quality. Also, darker areas reveal superior shadow definition, but even there the difference cannot be described as dramatic. Third, depth is better in 4K. However, this is another area that is still enormously impressive in 1080p. I also upscaled the 1080p presentation to see what type of difference(s) I would notice and on my system the 1080p content still looked very, very impressive. There are no traces of problematic digital adjustments. Needless to say, the entire film has a superb organic appearance. It looks immaculate as well. There are no specks, scratches, damage marks, blemishes, cuts, warped or torn frames to report. A magnificent restoration, indeed. (Note: The 4K Blu-ray release is Region-Free).

BLU-RAY DISC

The footage that I tested in 1080p looked outstanding on my system. (See comments above about upsclaing it as well). Some very minor grain fluctuations are easier to spot in 1080p, but the overall appearance of the visuals was as solid and consistent as I expected it to be. Delineation, clarity, and depth looked great, with the brighter footage in particular often producing the most memorable visuals. The darker footage is where some native limitations become more prominent -- these of course look better, meaning more balanced, in native 4K -- plus some less than optimal shadow definition tends to flatten select existing nuances. However, I still think that in 1080p the presentation is fantastic. The bottom line is this, folks: this new 4K master that was created for Flash Gordon is really, really good, and whether experienced in native 4K or 1080p it is exceptionally easy to tell that it is so. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free Blu-ray player in order to access its content).

Flash Gordon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are four standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, and French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH, German, and French subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I viewed the entire film with the English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track and then performed some random tests with the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track for the purpose of our review. I was very impressed with the quality of the quality of the lossless 2.0 track. Clarity, in particular, was exceptional and more than a few times I just blown away how clean and crisp Queen's music was. During the action footage there is some serious dynamic activity as well (certainly for a film from the early '80s). so if possible, when you view the restoration, turn up the volume for maximum effect. The lossless 5.1 track does open up the film a bit, again during the action footage, but in terms of dynamic intensity I think that it is on par with the lossless 2.0 track.

Flash Gordon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

BLU-RAY DISC ONE

• Audio Commentary One - in this audio commentary, director Mike Hodges explains why he had to improvise quite a lot during the production of Flash Gordon (primarily because he was not fluent in Italian but had to work with a large Italian crew), and discusses the nature of the special effects and animated sequences, Danilo Donati's spectacular production designs, the use of color throughout the film, the sexual overtones that permeate the film, etc.

• Audio Commentary Two - in this audio commentary, actor Brian Blessed, who plays the character of Prince Vultan, discusses his involvement with Flash Gordon, the film's vintage quality (supposedly a 1930s vibe), the comedy in key dramatic scenes, the special effects and use of colors, etc.

• Lost in Space: Nicolas Roeg's Flash Gordon - this new program examines the conception and production of Flash Gordon. Included in it are new interviews with writer Michael Allin, costume designer John Bloomfield, and special effects supervisor John Richardson. In English. (28 min).

• Behind the Scenes pf Flash Gordon - this archival program focuses on the production of Flash Gordon and features interviews with star Sam J. Jones, producer Dino De Laurentiis, and Topol, amongst others. In English. (15 min).

• Stills Gallery - a gallery of original stills from Flash Gordon.

• Storyboard Gallery - a gallery of original storyboards for Flash Gordon.

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for Flash Gordon. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

BLU-RAY DISC TWO

• Interview with Mike Hodges - in this archival interview, director Mike Hodges discusses his youth years and how he fell in love with cinema during the 1950s, the evolution of his career, the quality of his early work, his professional relationship with Dino De Laurentiis, the production of Flash Gordon, etc. In English. (32 min).

• Flash Gordon Episode 24: The Survival Game/Gremlin's Finest Hour - in English. (25 min).

• Sam J. Jones - in this video interview, actor Sam J. Jones talks about his career in the film industry and involvement with Flash Gordon. In English. (5 min).

• Entertainment Earth on Flash Gordon Merchandise - in this video interview, Jason Labowitz (Entertainment Earth) and Jason Lenzi (Bif Bang Pow!) discuss the line of merchandise they launched in 2007, as well as their love for Flash Gordon. In English. (5 min).

• Bob Lindenmayer - Bob Lindenmayer discusses unseen deleted and alternate scenes for Flash Gordon. In English. (2 min).

• 35th Anniversary Green Room - at the 35th Flash Gordon reunion in London in 2015, Mike Hodges saw the cast again for the first time since filming. Presented here is footage from the event. In English. (9 min).

• 35th Anniversary Reunion Featurette - presented here is footage from a Q&A session with cast and crew members that was held during the the 35th Flash Gordon reunion event in London in 2015. In English. (7 min).

• Renato Casaro - presented here is an extended interview with poster designer Renato Casaro, who recalls how he was contacted by Dino De Laurentiis and offered the opportunity to work on the publicity/promotional campaign of Flash Gordon. In Italian, with English subtitles. (6 min).

• Brian Blessed Anecdotes - in English.
  
  1. Brian Blessed Proves His Point. (2 min).
  2. Brian Blessed Loves Dwarves. (2 min).
  3. Brian Blessed's Own Special Effects. (4 min).
  4. Brian Blessed on Sam as Flash. (3 min).
  5. Brian Blessed's Raffle. (1 min).

• Melody's Mussings - on English.
  
  1. Melody Anderson on Her Wedding Dress. (2 min).
  2. Melody Anderson on Improvisation. (2 min).
  3. Melody Anderson on Her Hardest Scene. (2 min).

• On the Soundtrack - in English.
  
  1. Brian May on Dino. (4 min).
  2. Brian May on Recording the Soundtrack. (2 min).
  3. Howard Blake on Brian May and Mickey Mouse. (3 min).

Flash Gordon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have said it multiple times in the past and I am going to keep repeating it when appropriate because it is true: this is a very special time to be a film collector. Watch the bonus features where older fans of Flash Gordon step before the camera and describe how just over a decade ago they could not find a proper DVD release of their favorite film and you will see that I am not exaggerating. We are living in the Golden Era of film collecting, folks, so support what the studios are doing and make it last so that the next generation of films lovers can have it just as good as we do now. If you wish to add Flash Gordon to your collection, my advice is to seek the 4K Blu-ray Collector's Edition while it is available. The Blu-ray release still offers a terrific technical presentation of the new 4K restoration of Flash Gordon, but the 4K Blu-ray release is just an all-around incredible package. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.