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Flash Gordon is a 1980 science fiction film, based on the eponymous comic strip character Flash Gordon. The film was directed by Mike Hodges and produced by Dino De Laurentiis. It stars Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Chaim Topol, Max von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed and Ornella Muti. The screenplay was written by Michael Allin and Lorenzo Semple, Jr. It intentionally uses a camp style similar to the 1960s TV series Batman (for which Semple had written many episodes) in an attempt to appeal to fans of the original comics and serial films. The film is notable for its soundtrack composed by rock band Queen.

Trivia:

• There is a rumor that the monitor behind Hans Zarkov (Topol) as he is having his memory dumped shows scenes from Topol’s previous movies.
• Dino De Laurentiis originally hoped that Federico Fellini would direct this film. The director had actually contributed to the original Flash strip cartoon during WWII.
• Kurt Russell auditioned to play Flash Gordon.
• Sam J. Jones was cast in the role after being spotted by the mother-in-law of Dino De Laurentiis on an episode of “The Dating Game” (1965)
• At one point Ming the Merciless says when he destroys a planet, he calls upon “the great god Daizan”. Daizan is Japanese for “great cruelty”.
• Max von Sydow’s Ming costume weighed over 70 pounds and he could only stand in it for a few minutes at a time.
• The psychedelic color effects throughout the Ming universe were accomplished by swirling multicolored dyes through creatively-lit tanks of water.
• One of the feast items in the Hawkmen’s Kingdom was Twinkies colored with food dye.
• Nicolas Roeg was originally going to direct, but didn’t due to creative difference. One of his proposals was to excise the trademark cliffhangers and melodrama, seeing Flash as more of “a metaphysical messiah.”
• Dennis Hopper was considered for the role of Dr Zarkov.
• Leon Greene was re-voiced by David de Keyser.
• John Osborne only has two lines.
• Mike Hodges was the eighth director chosen.
• Director Mike Hodges, referring to the numerous production problems that plagued the film, once called it “the only improvised $27-million movie ever made”.
• The insignia on Klytus’s uniform is based on Masonic symbols.
• Princess Aura’s “pet” is named Fellini. Production Designer Danilo Donati worked on a number of Federico Fellini films.
• George Lucas had hoped to remake the original Flash Gordon (1936/I), but when he learned that Dino De Laurentiis had already bought the rights, he wrote Star Wars (1977) instead.
• Mike Hodges considered commissioning Pink Floyd to compose the music.
• First film of Jim Carter.
• The backstory of Flash’s T-shirt was that it was a gift from an anonymous female fan. Flash wore it a lot in the hopes that he would eventually meet the woman.
• In the original script, when Flash is sentenced to death by Ming, Dale bursts out that Ming is “absolutely merciless”. Ming is enthralled with the description, and immediately starts calling himself “Ming the Merciless”.
• According to the original storyline, when Dale is entranced by Ming’s hypnotic ring, she is having a vision of being on an erotic picnic with Ming in a 1920’s setting.
• Klytus and Kala, Ming’s two chief henchmen, were competitors for their ruler’s favor. Ming played them off against each other to keep them from teaming up against him. This was downplayed in the film to keep the storyline fluid.
• In the original script, Flash and Dale first meet at a Canadian resort called Dark Harbor. Although they flirt with each other, they don’t become acquainted until they’re sharing the ill-fated plane ride to New York City. Dale later talks briefly about Dark Harbor during her tear-filled meeting with Flash before his execution.
• Dr. Zarkov’s backstory was that he was a NASA scientist who was fired for his paranoid fantasies that Earth was going to be attacked from outer space. Sixty Minutes derided him as “A Poor Man’s Billy Mitchell”.
• Ming’s attack on Earth was accomplished by bombarding the moon with force beams, knocking it out of orbit. The meteors which disrupt Flash’s airplane flight were burning chunks of lunar debris.
• Sam J. Jones’ dark hair was bleached blonde for this role, and Melody Anderson’s blonde hair was dyed brown. Flash was also supposed to have blue eyes, but Sam could not wear the contact lenses.
• Ming’s symbol (which Klytus also wears on his gauntlets) is borrowed from the Freemason’s square and compass. Ming also makes a Masonic gesture during the course of the movie.
• The wristwatch Flash is wearing in the early scenes of the film is a Seiko automatic chronograph, model 6139-6002. The watch disappears when Flash gets to Mongo.
• All the main actors were signed for multiple films but the sequels were never made since the first movie didn’t do as well as expected.

THE NEW MAD MARTHA COMIC STRIP

NEW DESIGNS FOR T-SHIRTS, SIGNS, KEY CHAINS,  MUGS,  AND SO ON.

Hello! I just wanted to post my new avatar for my blog. It was drawn by my mommy and redrawn on the computer and then colored by my daddy. It is my comic strip self. I shall call it, “Cartoon Flurry”! Hehehe ^^ Isn’t it so cute? I know it is, because it looks like me. Anyway, I hope you like it.

Okay, goodbye!

-Flurry

© Copyright 2008 S. Leuck & J. Leow. All rights reserved.

Posted via email from The Vast

Posted via email from The Vast

Of course you do, and who am I to deny you? So forget the chatty chatty, lets have the good stuff… except to say I am well annoyed that I now have to start carrying ID as with my winter hat on I look about 12 so have been refused service in one of my locals and (or rather; AND) for cigarettes at the all night garage! Damn this bloody cold weather and damn this inability to grow decent facial hair! Oh just so you know that this is a valid rant; I’m two months off my 30th!

Oh… yeah… the good stuff. (Mostly more sketchbook roughs ).Enjoy.

The Silence of the Lambs.

Bird Strike

Mondrian's cat

Lions and Tigers and Beers

Sammy had worms.

 Thanks for stopping by.

Bx

Here’s a little late breakfast for you all. I really wanted to draw up some full colour ones today but alas I have to work so you’ll have to settle for these; scanned straight from the sketchbooks so no colours or adornments but at least you get the idea. 

Good things come to those who wait

Found Nemo

A Winter's Tail

Hitchcock's cat

"He's late, he's late."

Thanks for stopping by.

Bx

The Sunday strip rerunning on Gocomics.com today is a version of what is sometimes called a “wallpaper gag” because of the repeating images.

The drop panel above is a literal peek behind the scenes.

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Picasso's cat

Cat among the pig eons

Henry Moore's cat

That’s all for now folks but come back soon for more of the same only different. As always: thanks for stopping by.

My latest comic for the Tiger & Bear project, above.  I quite enjoyed illustrating a script from a 10 year old Korean girl, I’m thinking of asking her to write some Jesus of the West.

Apparently the project is going gangbusters, and is getting dropped in quite a few glossy lifestyley magazines over here, which is why I’ve been asked to push this one through.  Will yuz posted.

Okay so I know I said I’d done with posting for today but I just keep looking at the real work I have to do and thinking- ‘Nope, can’t be bothered.’ So as a distraction for us all here are some pics that have nothing to do with cats. All say ‘Yay!’

This was for an opening night card for 'As You Like It' at the Leicester Curve

Another opening night card, this time 'Yasser' at the Arcola

I asked the question; 'if you were to be made into a 'Creature Comforts' character what would you be?' We decided Hollie would be a meerkat- so here she is in all her glory. (Yes; it's a meerkat. No; it's not a kangaroo.) Me as a chameleon still to come.

Self portrait doodled on the pad next to my computer

Enough already, I am weak and need time to replenish. Go then but I know you’ll be back.

Thanks for stopping by.

Bx