Firstly, sorry, if this topic seriously disturbs anyone.
Tonight I listened to the Flash Gordon album for about the first time in ten years. For some inexplicable reason, it sounds better to my ears than ever before. Hope that if a DVD-A comes out, we can have a 'less cheese' option and be able to select listening to it without Sam Jones, Max Von Sydow, Timothy Dalton and Brian Blessed on it.
deleted user 28.11.2004 07:12
I'd even go as far as saying that it never was bad at all. The reason for the albums ongoing lack of popularity seems to be that many people tend to baulk at material that doesn't fall into conventional pop-song schemes.
Yeah, I don't mind the album at all. I always loved Football Fight and The Hero. It would be better without the dialogue though - that's for sure.
I bought the dvd of the movie recently and I was amazed at how bad it was :) So tacky and such appalling sets and costumes. Either it was incredibly low budget or they were going for a cheese thing, because Blade Runner was made only 2 years later, and that was a masterpiece in sci-fi sets and costuming. You would think Flash Gordon was made 10 years earlier at least.
I just read a review on the Internet Movie database. The user comment they post is from some guy who thinks Flash Gordon is the best movie of all time :) He's seen it OVER 300 TIMES!!!!! He must certainly be a fan of the soundtrack as well I'd imagine :)
deleted user 28.11.2004 07:39
Its not the one I always listen to, i like the ones you can really sing a long to, you cant really do that with Flash ! but it is a well composed song.
Flash Gordon is a kind of nostalgic homage. Most things the film is usually being criticized for were done intentionally. The whole concept of Flash Gordon is campy. You can't do a completely modern hi-tech sci-fi re-make without losing all its natural charm. It doesn't cater to all tastes, but from a cineastic point of view there's not much wrong with it. I can see why many "mainstream" viewers have difficulties with it. It's more like a flick for fans of genre, trash and exploitation-cinema. The entertainment-value of Flash Gordon can be huge.
It was a Dino Di Laurentiis epic, over the top and glitzy. Queen's music gave it some dignity.
I still love watching this movie. It was a tribute to the serials that came out in the 30s and 40s and the director did a great job. It was supposed to be campy and melodramatic at the same time and the cast did a wonderful job.
(BTW, any Di Laurentiis production was always larger than life, that was his trademark.)
FLASH GORDON was MEANT to be that way. It is obvious that they were trying to recreate 50's Sci-Fi movie series.
By the way, there is also a promo CD with Howard Blake orchestral soundtrack. Quite interesting, I might add.
Thank you all for your input so far.
Would anyone else prefer the option of listening to it with and without dialogue actually from the movie. I just think it could be considered more of a Queen album if the direct links to the film could be subtracted.
errrrmmmm, no - it's not getting beter with age - it's about the same as it's always been - okay, but better than hot space - which doesn't say much
deleted user 28.11.2004 19:08
I like the album but its not one i listen to as much as the others. The best tracks are Flashs theme, Football fight, The wedding march & the hero. I dont know about it getting better with age as i only bought the album a couple of years ago.
I remember reading an article in Mojo or Q some years ago. It was with a guy who was big within the electronica scene. He was listing his biggest influencies, and one of them was the FG soundtrack. He said it was one of the greatest ambient albums he had ever heard.
Here you had a band famed for not using synths, and they go and make an almost totally synth based OST album. Saying that some of the orchestral reprises in the movie that are based around Queen written themes are well worth the listen.
The Hero is the only descent song on the "album", but i just can't see it as a whole. Can't listen to it from the beginning to the end, it's just too boring and most 'songs' sound the same.
I listened to yesterday for the first time in probably 10 years and no it still sucks. It did inspire me to look up some stuff on the movie (which I actually saw in the theatre). The reviews seem to say it's either bad in brilliant kind of way, or just plain bad. From what I remember it was so cheese that it had to be on purpose...I hope.