Flash Gordon, George Lucas style

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-04-30 10:16am

Well, I've heard countless times that George Lucas filmed Star Wars only because Dino de Laurentiis already had bought the rights for Flash Gordon and George Lucas was forced to make his own space opera instead.

Is this rumour true, and even if it isn't - what if George Lucas secured the rights to Flash Gordon and had made a Flash Gordon remake instead of Star Wars?? How would the sci-fi genre have been today?? What would these forums be like??
And would Carrie Fisher have played Dale Arden or Princess Aura??
Would Queen have made the soundtrack??

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-04-30 04:04pm

Why no replies?

EmperorMing · Post by **EmperorMing** » 2003-05-01 01:50am

I never heard this. Do you have a source?

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-05-01 02:58am

EmperorMing wrote:I never heard this. Do you have a source?

This review:

http://www.eccentric-cinema.com/cult_mo ... gordon.htm

It states:

"George Lucas had apparently been interested in adapting Flash for the silver screen, but the rights fell through. Hence, Star Wars was born."

PainRack · Post by **PainRack** » 2003-05-01 10:02am

Who knows?Perhaps we might see a Flash with anti-Vietnam and debunking the technology myth{something the ewoks are supposed to represent} but who knows?

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 2003-05-02 04:18pm

In Star Wars we see far more influences than just Flash Gordon, but it would have been interesting.

He probably wouldn't have hired Queen to do the soundtrack though, which was the only thing that made Flash Gordon: the movie truly inspiring. ; )

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-05-02 04:26pm

PainRack wrote:Perhaps we might see a Flash with anti-Vietnam and debunking the technology myth{something the ewoks are supposed to represent} but who knows?

I can't imagine a Flash Gordon movie with a hidden anti-Vietnam War political message.

Kurgan wrote:In Star Wars we see far more influences than just Flash Gordon, but it would have been interesting.

It's obvious that Flash Gordon isn't the only influence on Star Wars - he was also influenced by Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress, various other movies, mythology and there is some real-life parallels too - the Galactic Empire is somewhat inspired by the Roman Empire. (Well, Gaius Julius Caesar certainly has many similarities with Emperor Palpatine)

He probably wouldn't have hired Queen to do the soundtrack though, which was the only thing that made Flash Gordon: the movie truly inspiring.

Maybe a good idea, because the 1980 Flash Gordon movie wasn't even intended seriously. Star Wars, despite occasional cheesiness, was intended somewhat seriously.

Still, the idea of a Queen-scored Star Wars is so weird that you can't help raise a smile.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 2003-05-02 08:07pm

During the pre-AOTC hype-waiting I dreamt one night that Tom Petty had been announced as the composer of the musical score...

; )

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2003-05-02 09:23pm

Simon H. Johansen wrote:It's obvious that Flash Gordon isn't the only influence on Star Wars

DUNE, people, he also ripped off Dune! Frank Herbert was so pissed that he took a hilarious potshot at it in Heretics of Dune. To paraphrase, a 3-PO is a cheap knock-off.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-05-02 09:49pm

Frank Hipper wrote:
Simon H. Johansen wrote:It's obvious that Flash Gordon isn't the only influence on Star Wars
DUNE, people, he also ripped off Dune! Frank Herbert was so pissed that he took a hilarious potshot at it in Heretics of Dune. To paraphrase, a 3-PO is a cheap knock-off.

Knock-off from Dune?

I thought the R2-D2 and C-3PO characters were taken from Hidden Fortress.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2003-05-02 10:24pm

neoolong wrote:
Frank Hipper wrote:
Simon H. Johansen wrote:It's obvious that Flash Gordon isn't the only influence on Star Wars
DUNE, people, he also ripped off Dune! Frank Herbert was so pissed that he took a hilarious potshot at it in Heretics of Dune. To paraphrase, a 3-PO is a cheap knock-off.
Knock-off from Dune?

I thought the R2-D2 and C-3PO characters were taken from Hidden Fortress.

Got it backwards there, SW has 16 points of similarity to Dune, at least according to Herbert.
In Heretics, copyrighted in '84, he makes a jab at this with his 3-PO bit. It really is funny.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2003-05-04 12:23pm

During the 80's there was an animated serial version of Flash Gordon that was very good. Haven't seen or heard of it since though.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-05-04 01:03pm

Tsyroc wrote:During the 80's there was an animated serial version of Flash Gordon that was very good. Haven't seen or heard of it since though.

Was it a direct spin-off from he original comic strip by Alex Raymond... or a spin-off from the 1980 movie with a Queen soundtrack?

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-05-04 02:26pm

neoolong wrote:
Frank Hipper wrote:
Simon H. Johansen wrote:It's obvious that Flash Gordon isn't the only influence on Star Wars
DUNE, people, he also ripped off Dune! Frank Herbert was so pissed that he took a hilarious potshot at it in Heretics of Dune. To paraphrase, a 3-PO is a cheap knock-off.
Knock-off from Dune?

I thought the R2-D2 and C-3PO characters were taken from Hidden Fortress.

Hidden Fortress came out long before dune and had the fat and thin peasants with nearly identical personalities.

I also saw elements in Yojimbo:
Sanjero: You look cute, pretending to be all tough, when your just helpless babies.
Scared Bandit: I'll have you know were dangerous, we're wanted men. I have the death penalty on me in several providences.
*Fight ensues*
*Sanjero cut's off scared bandit's arm*
*Bloody arm found on ground still holding short sword/dagger*

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2003-05-04 02:30pm

Simon H.Johansen wrote:
Tsyroc wrote:During the 80's there was an animated serial version of Flash Gordon that was very good. Haven't seen or heard of it since though.
Was it a direct spin-off from he original comic strip by Alex Raymond... or a spin-off from the 1980 movie with a Queen soundtrack?

It looked more like a spin-off of the comic strip. It definately did not have the Queen soundtrack and everything was seriously done.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2003-05-04 10:21pm

Tsyroc wrote:
Simon H.Johansen wrote:
Tsyroc wrote:During the 80's there was an animated serial version of Flash Gordon that was very good. Haven't seen or heard of it since though.
Was it a direct spin-off from he original comic strip by Alex Raymond... or a spin-off from the 1980 movie with a Queen soundtrack?

It looked more like a spin-off of the comic strip. It definately did not have the Queen soundtrack and everything was seriously done.

Until they put the miniature pink Godzooki. Then it all went downhill.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-05-06 09:37am

Tsyroc wrote:
Simon H.Johansen wrote:
Tsyroc wrote:During the 80's there was an animated serial version of Flash Gordon that was very good. Haven't seen or heard of it since though.
Was it a direct spin-off from he original comic strip by Alex Raymond... or a spin-off from the 1980 movie with a Queen soundtrack?

It looked more like a spin-off of the comic strip. It definately did not have the Queen soundtrack and everything was seriously done.

Just a question: How big is the difference between the comic strip and the 1980 movie? (aside from the serious tone that is devoid in the movie - and the Queen soundtrack, of course)

The Emperor's masked henchman Klytus wasn't in the 1930s serials nor in other Flash Gordon adaptations than the movie, so I suspect that he wasn't in the comic strip.