From the Thursday DigitalBits Twocents:
"Momentum Pictures in the U.K. is preparing a Flash Gordon: Silver Anniversary Edition DVD... for release in the U.K.. We're trying to find out if this will also be released in the States and, if so, who will handle the distribution (we understand that there's some confusion as to who owns the U.S. release rights - we've got questions into Universal, so hopefully we'll know more soon). The DVD will street on 10/10 in the U.K., featuring anamorphic widescreen video, Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 audio, audio commentary by director Mike Hodges and an interview with him as well, a second audio commentary with actor Brian Blessed, a photo slideshow, the original Queen theatrical trailer, and the first episode of the original 1940s serial Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe."
Rats, it's a campy film, but I want a decent R1 release of it! I have the soundtrack and still occasionally play that CD... The film is also the first and only time Timothy Dalton dressed up as Robin Hood but was the first time he did his Errol Flynn impression. Can anybody guess the SECOND film in which Dalton played Flynn?
BTW, if anybody wants the original 1930s and 1940s Flash Gordon serials, Image has the best copies on the market available in a boxset for $40. A lot of the copies of these serials on public domain DVDs are the feature-length edited versions or are mastered from poor-quality source films.
Between the Flash Gordon serials and Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress, you pretty much have most of the "unique, new" ideas Lucas used in the original Star Wars trilogy!
