I am sorry, but if Columbia Pictures makes a new version of Flash Gordon and it is anything like the original I just can’t get excited about it. I know that is saying something blasphemous in a lot of circles, but I just did not enjoy that film. I thought it was cheesy and stupid. It seemed like more of an outlet to sell music by Queen than to actually make a cool movie.
So, when I hear Sony is pecking away at bringing a new version to the screen I really don’t get a jolt in anyway as much as I get a cringe. Considering Flash Gordon isn’t exactly the hip hero he was back in the ’80s they obviously can’t go the same route, but you never know. One thing I will say is that I would be able to respect a new version that at least goes against the current idea of what a superhero film should be. Who knows, maybe a campy outer space flick would work, but I doubt they would have the balls to try it.
The updated version will be scripted by writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharples. The film centers on the title character, a young polo player who is kidnapped and taken to the distant planet Mongo, where he and companions Dale Arden and Hans Zarkov embark on a series of adventures fighting a ruler named Ming the Merciless. Ming was easily the coolest thing about the original and he was played by Max von Sydow, which didn’t hurt matters. However, the cheese ball acting from Sam Jones (Flash) and Melody Anderson (Dale) turned me right off. Oh, but I should mention Timothy Dalton is pretty cool in the flick as Prince Barin, but not enough worth caring about.
Breck Eisner who directed the crap pile that was Sahara is set to direct and he has been attached since the project was being developed at Universal, at one point with Stephen Sommers developing back in 2005.
