QUEEN - FLASH GORDON SOUNDTRACK (1980)

"When you're young, you think this movie's great. Then you become a teenager and realize that it's actually bad. Then you become an adult and realize that, no, it really IS great, although not necessarily for the same reasons you had in mind when you were a kid."

I read this particular diagnosis of the film Flash Gordon in a YouTube 'Comments' section, and find it to be both accurate and succinct. Thank you "KaitainCPS", whoever you are, for summing it up so gracefully.

Left: "Flash Gordon. Quarterback, New York Jets."

This movie kicks more ass than any movie realistically should. Much like Starcrash was a boiled-down, low-budget re-imagining of Star Wars, so is Flash Gordon a deliciously re-inflated, big-budget version of Starcrash, maintaining all of the integrity, swordfighting, cheez factor, and camp value of the former despite its grand-scale Hollywood trappings. Pure sci-fi/fantasy magic, Flash is, although the debate as to exactly how much of its camp was intentional has not yet been settled.

Trailer:



Posers: Go watch Flash Gordon in its entirety via YouTube playlist here.

A legendary film, to be sure, but its finest element by far is the majestic score by Queen. Peppered by dialogue and sound effects from the film, this is 35 minutes of absolute operatic rock genius, the exact idea that the Queen legacy was built upon.
Whether due to embarassment or sheer honest neglect, I believe I have failed up until now to mention the fact that Queen is my favorite rock band of all time. And resultingly, the Flash Gordon OST is probably one of the best film soundtracks of all time as well. I really wish Queen had performed the soundtrack for EVERY sci-fi/fantasy film between the years of 1972 and 1985. It would have been an improvement for ANY movie, and I'll stand by that statement to my dying day.
Sure, the Highlander soundtrack was pretty weak, but that was an album cobbled together out of previous AND original Queen recordings, not an actual SCORE written by the band for the film. It doesn't count. Flash does, and it serves to prove the point that in 1980, Queen could do no wrong. Total fucking musical perfection.
IF YOU'RE NOT INTO METAL QUEEN, YOU ARE NOT MY FRIEND.

Download HERE
Purchase (including incidental music by Howard Blake) HERE