Flash Gordon

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » April 29th, 2007, 4:35 pm

Bad news on the new Flash DVD...

4/27/07, the Digital Bits...

"First, Universal has sent over the specs on their new Flash Gordon DVD. We posted some of the details on Wednesday. The good news is that the film is presented in remastered anamorphic widescreen quality. The bad news is that the special features are... far less than special. Included on the disc will be 2 featurettes (Alex Ross, Renowned Comic Artist, on Flash Gordon and Writing a Classic: Screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr.) as well as Chapter One of the 1936 Flash Gordon serial with Buster Crabbe. And that's it. No commentary, no art galleries, no deleted scenes... none of the material that's on the current and previous U.K. and French DVD releases. As The Dude might say, "That's a bummer, man!" At least we'll finally have the film on DVD here in R1 in anamorphic widescreen, but that will be cold comfort to U.S. fans of the film. Told you the DVD wasn't going to match up to that cover art."

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As good a photo-ref artist as Alex Ross is, he's NOT what I wanted in extras! Really, really dumb Universal.

Shoulda ported the Euro-DVD extras. Lame.

At least the film is now anamorphic and has a much better print, too.

Gonna have to get serious about getting the Flash serials, too.

Post by **Ben** » April 29th, 2007, 5:28 pm

Going on what's out there, this should/could have been a three/four-disc mega set for fans to die for.

1) Flash "Ahhh-ahhhhh" in gorgeous anamorphic widescreen like the French edition. Two commentaries by director Mike Hodges, and star Brian Blessed.

2) Extras! The half-hour interview with Hodges, the featurettes revealed for this new release, archive making of material, something on Queen's music and the "Flash" music video, trailers, a couple of vintage "Flash Gordon" serials.

3) "Flash Gordon" serials. This could be a flipper disc (ugh) with all the episodes, since they all seem to want to include these. Would instantly add value and put this on par with a "Superman" type of release, or...

4) ...either drop the serials and have this as a third disc or add it for four: the Queen soundtrack on CD, just as the French edition has.

THAT's the kind of treatment "Flash Gordon" should get. If "SuperGirl" warrants a two disc set originally, then this should get much more based on how many people have been waiting for it for so long.

Sorry, but pitch/speed hating as I am with 4% PAL speedup, I see no reason to buy this over the outstanding French StudioCanal+ issue with the CD and the very snazzy packaging.

"Flash! Uh, ohhhhhhhhh..."

Post by **Randall** » April 29th, 2007, 11:19 pm

This is seriously lame. It would have been better for them to have put out a barebones release (but for the new anamorphic transfer) and priced it ten bucks cheaper. For what they're charging, this "special edition" is an insult. I'm a huge Ross fan, but the only place he belongs on this disc is on the cover. I could see including his interview as one of many extras, but as the main one? Lame, lame, lame.

I'll be waiting for the price drop.

Post by **rebelrex** » September 5th, 2007, 8:09 pm

Has anyone caught the new version of Flash Gordon on sci fi? I've heard something about an 80's film, but never saw it. This show is actually pretty good, the same actor from Smallville is on it also...

Post by **Daniel** » September 9th, 2007, 3:00 am

I've been meaning to see an episode, but I keep missing it! From the commercials I've seen, it looks cool.

Post by **rebelrex** » September 11th, 2007, 3:38 pm

Yeah, it's a re-imagination...so there are some updates, but it's still a good time. And, the girl that plays Princess Aura is kinda cute!