I watched parts of the new DVD version of this series, which I remembered with a certain fondness from the time it was on the air. It starts out looking good -- but that is only because it constantly borrows footage from the much better made-for-TV movie by Sam Peeples, Flash Gordon, the Greatest Adventure of Them All. The movie version was released second, but made first. When you get to the part written by Ted Pederson, the only good thing you can say about it is that it follows the Alex Raymond comic strip. But why watch the film when you can read the strip, which has been reprinted many times? The dialog is rudimentary, the animation is pathetic. When it is not borrowing footage from somewhere else, the animation often doesn't even fit the action, or the action takes place off stage so they can reuse some footage that doesn't really belong. For example, in the underwater sequence, the characters walk underwater as often as they swim, so the animator can reuse walking footage. Have you ever tried to walk upright under water? The second season, which introduces a cowardly baby dragon who is supposed to be cute but is only annoying, is even worse. The dragon is a rip-off of Godzookie, the Godzilla sidekick. I'm sorry to say, give this DVD a pass. Watch the Buster Crabbe serials instead -- they may be cheap, but at least they are fun.
Review of Flash Gordon
