|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on May 22, 2008 20:25:27 GMT -8
Buster Crabbe ... Flash Gordon
Jean Rogers ... Dale Arden
Charles Middleton ... Ming the Merciless
Priscilla Lawson ... Princess Aura
Frank Shannon ... Dr. Alexis Zarkov
Richard Alexander ... Prince Barin [Chs. 5-13]
Jack 'Tiny' Lipson ... King Vultan [Chs. 5-13]
Theodore Lorch ... High Priest #2 [Chs. 8-11, 13]
Richard Tucker ... Prof. Gordon [Chs. 1, 4, 9-13]
George Cleveland ... Prof. Hensley [Chs. 1, 4, 9-13]
James Pierce ... Prince Thun [Chs. 2-9, 12-13]
Duke York ... King Kala [Chs. 2-5] (as Duke York Jr.)
Muriel Goodspeed ... Zona [Ch. 4]
Earl Askam ... Officer Torch
House Peters Jr. ... Shark Man [Chs. 3-4]
John Bagni ... Hawkman throne room guard [Chs. 5-9]
Carroll Borland ... Woman in Ming's Palace (uncredited)
Lynton Brent ... Transcontinental pilot [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Don Brodie ... Earth Radio Scientist [Chs. 4, 9-10, 12]
Lane Chandler ... Sharkman [Ch. 4] / Ming Soldier
Howard Christie ... Man (uncredited)
Jim Corey ... Man (uncredited)
Ray Corrigan ... Orangopoid [Ch. 8] (uncredited)
William Desmond ... Hawkman lookout captain [Chs. 5-9]
Al Ferguson ... Spaceograph operator [Chs. 2, 4-5, 9]
Jerry Frank ... Sharkman [Chs. 3-4] (uncredited)
Saul A. Goodkind ... Various Characters (voice)
Olive Hatch ... Aura's handmaiden [Ch. 10] (uncredited)
Fred Kohler Jr. ... Robot / Ming soldier (uncredited)
George Magrill ... Ming soldier (uncredited)
Charles McMurphy ... Atom Furnace slavedriver [Chs. 5-9]
Monte Montague ... Ning soldier [Chs. 12-13] (uncredited)
Bull Montana ... Monkey man [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Eddie Parker ... Ming Soldier (uncredited)
Lon Poff ... High priest #1 [Chs. 1-3] (uncredited)
Sana Rayya ... Priestess of the Tigron [Chs. 11-12] (
Constantine Romanoff ... Monkey man [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Fred Scott ... Soldier with drugged wine [Ch. 9]
Cap Somers ... Sharkman [Chs. 3-4] (uncredited)
Glenn Strange ... Robot / Ming soldier / Gocko (uncredited)
Bunny Waters ... Sharkman [Chs. 3-4] (uncredited)
Slim Whitaker ... Prison guard (uncredited)
Harry Wilson ... Ugly sentry [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
that is some list of characters. still, i'll keep thinking that the Queen song should be played. i haven't seen this in many years. i did see several episodes in WV, on channel 20 WDCA, of course.
1. The Planet of Peril
2. The Tunnel of Terror
3. Captured by Shark Men
4. Battling the Sea Beast
5. The Destroying Ray
6. Flaming Torture
7. Shattering Doom
8. Tournament of Death
9. Fighting the Fire Dragon
10. The Unseen Peril
11. In the Claws of the Tigron
12. Trapped in the Turret
13. Rocketing to Earth
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Jun 21, 2008 19:54:14 GMT -8
Mongo is on a collision course with Earth. Dr. Zarkov is dismissed as a quack and the world is in a panic. Flash's plane is destroyed, but he helps everyone bail out, including the scared Dale. they land right near Zarkov's iconic rocket. Zarkov asks Flash to go with him to save the Earth, and Dale goes along with them.
they manage to land relatively safely on Mongo. a giant lizard menaces them. Flash rescues Dale while the lizards have a powwow. another spaceship arrives and blasts the lizards.
two robots and a lackey come out and have a brief tussle with Flash before taking them to see "The Emperor". Ming tells them he is in complete control. Ming also makes a play for Dale, causing a bit of a row with Flash.
into the arena Flash goes. and of course, Aura wants him if he survives the arena. three terrific beast men appear and the battle starts. he beats all three, and Aura pleads his case for survival, but then they are dropped into... The Pit!
next~ The Tunnel of Terror
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Jul 10, 2008 21:45:57 GMT -8
Flash and Aura escape from the pit. Ming wants Dale. he also wants Zarkov to keep working for him.
Aura takes Flash back to a ship, where he gets his silver underwear. he then takes off and is attacked by Ming's satellites of death. he crashes into Thun's ship, but they become friends. they go and attack Ming's fortress to rescue his friends.
as they enter, they hear the wedding gong. as Flash races to stop the wedding, he runs smack into a giant monster!
next~ Captured by Shark Men
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Jul 10, 2008 22:48:23 GMT -8
Thun zaps the Gorkon and saves Flash. they then run and stop Ming's wedding. they rescue Dale, but end up headed for the Shark Men. they don't even have fins!
naturally they get taken prisoner and taken to King Kala's palace. Flash and Dale witness an octisac in the deep water. it's very deadly and the Shark Men are worried about it.
Flash taunts Kala and gets him to engage in fisticuffs. Kala gets beat, and says to release Flash and Dale in the morning. however, Flash gets put in a small room and it starts filling with water, and Kala lets and octisac in there to make sure Flash is killed.
next~ Battling the Sea Beast
|
|
|
|
Post by Gwangi on Jul 17, 2008 21:31:25 GMT -8
I hadn't seen this one in years until I bought the DVD with all of the complete episodes just last year. And I have to say, what a whimp King Kala was! Really not much of a king but rather one of Ming's puppets. Give me King Vultan!
|
|
|
|
Post by Shonokin on Jul 18, 2008 8:30:48 GMT -8
Roy Kinnard has a book out on the making of all three serials. At the serial squadron forum everyone for the most part seems to like it quite a bit, but it's a little pricey for me at this time. If it ever gets down to under $20 then I'll probably get it. |
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 13, 2008 21:36:20 GMT -8
chee, it's been a while...
Flash battles the octisac (which seems to have two heads). Aura and Thun show up and save Flash. after a brief catfight, Aura gets the water out.
Zarkov is still doing experiments for Ming. he shows him a new use for his ray. meanwhile, Aura destroys the air supply (oh, how i love saying that) and Thun, Dale and Kala are slowly suffocating and the sea is crashing through!
next~ The Destroying Ray
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 13, 2008 21:53:52 GMT -8
Ming raises the palace above the sea. they decide to go to Thun's father for help. Prince Barin approaches Zarkov for help, and sends his rocketship to rescue our other heroes.
Thun and Dale are shot down over Voltan's place, who puts him to work in the fire pits. Dale revives, and Voltan is a bit taken with her. Barin's ship i approaches and Voltan uses his melting ray.
Voltan sets a bear skunk named Ursul on Dale. one final blast and the ship goes down!
next~ Flaming Torture
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 28, 2008 0:13:31 GMT -8
Voltan sends Ursal away, but then still wants to marry Dale. Flash arrives and our heroes get introduced to Voltan. he sets Zarkov to save his city.
naturally, Ming is a bit upset at all this. he sends his armada to teach Voltan a much needed lesson. Aura tells Dale how to save Flash, but it's mostly so she can have Flash.
naturally, Flash starts a rebellion in the furnace rooms. then Voltan has him tortured!
next~ Shattering Doom
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 28, 2008 23:13:35 GMT -8
Aura has Voltan stop Flash's electrocution. Zarkov revives him. Voltan courts Dale in his unique manner. Aura pleads her love to Flash, then threatens to blind him when he won't remounce Dale.
Flash breaks free but then gets put in the atom furnace again. then Ming's forces show up. Ming and Voltan palaver, but nothing goes well!
next~ Tournament of Death
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Dec 20, 2008 20:43:11 GMT -8
two and a half months? how did that happen? 
Flash and Thun break free (again) but get caught and get sent to the execution room. good thing the city tilts again. Zarkov helps out the city on the condition that Flash and pals go free.
naturally Ming calls for a tournament of death for Flash. Flash battles the masked swordsman. Flash wins- the right to fight the mighty beast of Mongo,a huge orangapoid. the battle is fierce but the beast is too powerful for Flash and goes in for the kill!next~ Fighting the Fire Dragon
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Dec 20, 2008 21:13:16 GMT -8
Flash wins (with some help) and Ming promises to give Flash and Barin their freedom and choice of brides. Dale tells FLash she doesn't trust Ming, but he tells her not to worry. Zarkov tries to contact Earth but can't get through.
Aura still wants Flash. naturally this leads to complications. Aura knocks Flash out and takes him into the cave of the Fire Dragon. as soon as they entire, Ming's minion rings the gong to wake the Fire Dragon!
next~ The Unseen Peril
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Dec 28, 2008 21:57:35 GMT -8
Zarkov arrives in time to destroy the fire dragon with a grenade, but he is not sure if Flash will regain his memory. Flash is ordered to choose Dale or Aura as his bride. Barin realizes what has happened, but Aura takes Flash anyway.
Vultan says he will get Flash out of it, but is then taken prisoner as well. Aura and Dale try to "help" Flash regain his memories. Barin shows up and Aura tells Flash he is an enemy. naturally, a swordfight breaks out.
Barin knocks him out, and Zarkov zaps him with some rays to counteract the effects of the drug. the Earth calls while Flash is resting. this annoys Ming, who sends out the order to kill 'em all.
Flash revives, memories restored, just as Ming's men show up. they put him against the wall, but he disappears!
next~ In the Claws of the Tigron
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Dec 28, 2008 22:19:17 GMT -8
Zarkov tells Flash to look for himself, after the guards run off. he makes Flash visible again to satisfy Dale. but then Zarkov makes Flash invisible again so he can terrorize Ming. and he does so, with relish. he free Vultan as well.
eventually they plan to leave. while Flash and Vultan fight with Ming's men, he become visible again. Aura and her slave release the Tigron when they find Dale. it attacks her!
next~ Trapped in the Turret
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Jan 1, 2009 23:44:54 GMT -8
Flash runs to save Dale from the Tigron, and kills it. Barin talks Aura into helping the Earthlings. Flash and Dale are skeptical, but decide to trust her. Ming lies some more to our heroes.
as our heroes prepare to leave Mongo, Ming's flying tops are ready to stop them. suddenly, "Barin's" ship attacks them!
last chapter~ Rocketing to Earth
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Jan 2, 2009 0:09:07 GMT -8
the ship blasts our heroes, injuring Vultan. Ming thinks they are destroyed and sends Barin to the dungeons. good thing Flash is there already!
they get to Zarkov's lab, and he stops the villains momentarily, until Ming shuts his power off. the flying tops (gyroships) are from actually going to help our heroes!
Aura tries to stop Ming's men, but she has no authoritAH anymore. Ming brings them to the throne room to show how powerful he is. suddenly Thun and his Lion Men storm the room. Ming enters the Sacred Palace of the Great God Tael (i think) from which no man returns. so he's dead (sheh, right), our heroes have won!
Zarkov phones Earth and tells them they are planning to return soon. as they get ready, Ming's minion plants a bomb on the ship. he then gloats to the remaining heroes. Barin radios Flash immediately and they are on the ball and get rid of it and continue toward the Earth.
they land safely!
review: i was pretty surprised at how much the 1980 movie followed this serial. i can see why it's got such a good reputation, it's very true to the source material and quite enjoyable. the sets are well done and the acting decent. Dale is a gem, and if it weren't for the "eville" makeup on Aura she'd be nicer to look at.
they even had to have a cliffhanger in the last 4 minutes of the last episode!
|
|
