REVIEW: Flash Gordon

“Bring me the Bore Worms!” General Klytus

“Flash! Ah-ah!”

Seriously, if you’ve never seen the 1980 version of Flash Gordon, you’re missing out on one of the wildest rides in cinema history. When it first hit cinemas, people weren’t really sure what to make of it. Was it a serious space adventure? A joke? A desperate attempt to ride the Star Wars hype train? Well, forty years later, it turns out it was all of those things at once. Back then, critics called it “too much,” but today, we just call it a masterpiece of camp.

While every other film in the 80s was trying to be “gritty” and “realistic,” Flash Gordon basically said, “Screw that, let’s use every colour in the crayon box.” It didn’t care about being plausible; it wanted to be a living comic book, and it nailed it.

The plot is gloriously simple. You’ve got Flash (the ultimate chin-and-chest American football player), Dale Arden, and the wonderfully eccentric Dr. Zarkov. They get sucked into space and end up on the planet Mongo, where they have to take down the tyrannical Ming the Merciless. That’s pretty much it. There are no confusing multi-verse plot holes or three-hour exposition dumps here. It’s just heroes being noble, villains being evil, and adventure happening every five minutes.

And the visuals? Absolutely insane. The film is drenched in neon reds, golds, and greens. Mongo isn’t some sterile space station; it’s a series of lavish, over-the-top fantasy kingdoms. The costumes are just as loud—Ming looks like a decadent emperor, and the rest of the cast is dressed in outfits that scream “1930s pulp fiction.” It’s theatrical, it’s artificial, and that’s exactly why it works.

Speaking of Ming, Max von Sydow is a legend in this role. He could have played it for laughs, but instead, he plays Ming with total, dead-serious conviction. He’s arrogant, cruel, and completely convinced he’s the center of the universe, which makes him ten times more entertaining to watch. Then you have Sam J. Jones as Flash. Some people say his acting is “simple,” but that’s the point! Flash is supposed to be a sincere, optimistic hero. He’s the straight man in a world gone mad.

And we can’t forget the supporting cast. Timothy Dalton is great as Prince Barin (long before he was 007), and Ornella Muti as Princess Aura adds a great layer of seductive drama. But the real steal is Brian Blessed as Prince Vultan. This man is a human megaphone, and his level of enthusiasm is infectious. He’s basically the soul of the film.

Of course, we have to talk about the music. Queen’s soundtrack is an absolute banger. The “Flash!” theme is an icon on its own, but the rest of the score gives the film an energy that would have been impossible with a standard orchestral score.

Sure, if you look closely, you can see the wires and the miniatures, but that’s the charm. CGI can’t replicate the tangible feel of 1980s special effects.

In the end, Flash Gordon is a triumph because it dares to be exactly what it is: a colourful, romantic, loud, and joyful piece of art. It doesn’t try to be “realistic” or “deep.” It just wants to inspire wonder and entertain the hell out of you. And honestly? It succeeds perfectly.

Above: Original drawings of General Klytus by Alex Ross.

Peter’s Role General Klytus

“You’re a dead man, Gordon!”

Okay, maybe that’s not exactly how Klytus says it, but that’s the energy Peter Wyngarde brings to Flash Gordon (1980). Everyone loves to talk about Brian Blessed basically shouting his way through the film as Prince Vultan, or Max von Sydow being an absolute icon as Ming the Merciless, but we really need to give Peter his flowers. He plays Klytus, and honestly, he’s the secret weapon that keeps the film from feeling like just a colourful comic book.

Think about it: the man is wearing a giant metal mask. He has zero facial expressions to work with. Most actors would just disappear behind a prop like that, but Peter actually uses it to his advantage. He becomes this unsettling, rigid presence. He doesn’t need to fidget or look panicked; he just glides around with this “I own the universe” confidence.

And his voice? Absolute gold. It’s smooth, rich, and totally sinister. While everyone else in the film is basically performing an opera, Peter is playing it cool. He doesn’t have to scream to get your attention, which actually makes him scarier. Even when Ming is taking over the scene, Klytus is just… there, lurking in the background, reminding you that the empire has a very efficient way of getting rid of people.

Left: Peter without the Klytus mask during rehersals

The best part is that he doesn’t play Klytus as some mindless thug. He’s the brains—the political operator who actually keeps the wheels turning. You can tell Peter is playing him as a strategist. Every line feels like a calculated move in a chess game. He’s not loyal to Ming because he’s a fanboy; he’s loyal because he’s smart enough to know where the power is.

Because of the mask, there’s this great mystery to the character. You’re forced to pay attention to his posture and his tone, which makes him feel almost inhuman. It adds a layer of depth to what could have been a boring “right-hand man” role. He represents the cold, heartless side of Ming’s regime.

You can tell Peter’s theatrical background helped here. The film is totally over-the-top—it’s basically a neon-coloured fever dream. If he had tried to be “realistic,” he would have looked ridiculous. Instead, he leans into the campiness but keeps enough discipline to make the character believable.

His chemistry with Max von Sydow is also spot on. Ming is the flamboyant emperor; Klytus is the grim administrator. They fit together perfectly, like a CEO and his terrifying Chief of Staff.

In the end, Klytus is a supporting character, but Peter makes him unforgettable. Long after the credits roll, you still remember that gleaming mask and that icy voice. Flash Gordon has become a cult classic because it knows how to have fun, and Peter’s performance is a huge part of that magic. He managed to turn a man in a metal mask into one of the most intriguing parts of the film.

Film Facts

Initially, producer De Laurentiis wanted Italian director Federicao Fellini to direct the picture; Although Fellini optioned the Flash Gordon rights from De Laurentiis, he never made the film. Having attempted to make a Flash Gordon film in the 1970s; unable to acquire the rights from De Laurentiis, Lucas decided to create Star Wars instead. De Laurentiis then hired Nicolas Roeg to make the film. Roeg, an admirer of the original Alex Raymond comic strips, spent a year in pre-production work. However, De Laurentiis was unhappy with Roeg’s treatment of Flash Gordon, and Roeg left the project. De Laurentiis also considered hiring Sergio Leone to direct the Flash Gordon film; Leone refused, because he believed the script was not faithful to the original Raymond comic strips. De Laurentiis then hired Mike Hodges to direct.

Lorenzo Semple, Jr wrote the script, and recalled: “Dino wanted to make Flash Gordon humorous. At the time, I thought that was a possible way to go, but, in hindsight, I realise it was a terrible mistake. We kept fiddling around with the script, trying to decide whether to be funny or realistic. That was a catastrophic thing to do, with so much money involved… I never thought the character of Flash in the script was particularly good. But there was no pressure to make it any better. Dino had a vision of a comic-strip character treated in a comic style. That was silly, because Flash Gordon was never intended to be funny. The entire film got way out of control”.

According to a 2012 interview in Maxim, Sam J. Jones had disagreements of some sort with De Laurentiis and departed prior to post-production, which resulted in a substantial proportion of his dialogue being dubbed by a professional voice actor, whose identity is still a mystery.

A sequel was proposed, but the departure of Jones effectively ended any such prospects. The airfield scene at the beginning of the film, although set in the U.S., was shot at the Broadford Airfield in Skye, Scotland.

Flash Gordon, in total, grossed well above double its $20 million budget, grossing $27,107,960 in North America, which was augmented by a very strong showing in the United Kingdom, grossing nearly £14 million (c. $22 million in 1980 dollars) there. Additionally, the film performed well in Italy, due to the two Italian actors prominent in the credits. The film found appreciation with the majority of critics, notably The New Yorker’s Pauline Kael. Kael described Flash Gordon as having “some of the knowing, pleasurable giddiness of the fast-moving Bonds. The director, Mike Hodges, gets right into comic-strip sensibility and pacing”. Von Sydow (Ming) received a good deal of praise for his performance, but Jones (Gordon) was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor. Before the film’s run in cinemas, a sequel was considered and according to Brian Blessed on the Region 2 DVD commentary for Flash Gordon – Silver Anniversary Edition, the sequel was going to be set on Mars, as a possible update of the Buster Crabbe serials.

Time Line

Flash Gordon has since become a cult classic with fans of science fiction and fantasy. It is a favourite of director Edgar Wright, who used the film as one of the visual influences for Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Acclaimed comic book artist Alex Ross names the film as his favourite film of all time. He painted the cover of the film’s 2007 “Saviour of the Universe Edition” DVD release, and starred in a featurette to talk extensively about his affection for the film. In Seth MacFarlane’s 2012 comedy Ted, the characters of Ted and John are fans of the film, and it is referenced several times throughout the film. Jones (playing himself) also appears in the film during a manic party sequence and in the film’s conclusion. He also appears in the sequel, Ted 2. Horror punk musician Wednesday 13 based the song “Hail Ming” on his 2013 album The Dixie Dead on the film.

Blessed’s performance as Prince Vultan lodged the veteran stage and screen actor into the UK collective consciousness for the utterance of a single line – “Gordon’s alive?!” – which, more than 30 years later, remains the most repeated, reused, and recycled quotation from both the film and Blessed’s career.

The Dynamite Entertainment comic Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist drew on several elements of the 1980 film, including the reappearance of the villain Klytus (who does not appear in the original comic strips). In this adaptation, Klytus again serves as Ming’s main henchman. The 2014 Dynamite Flash Gordon comic also contained several allusions to the film, including having Vultan speak the line “Gordon’s alive?!”.

The film was originally released in North America via Universal Studios. Universal has retained the domestic theatrical and home video rights, while the international rights passed on through different distributors, eventually landing with StudioCanal. However, the film’s UK distributor, Thorn EMI, controlled U.S TV rights. Although StudioCanal now holds those rights due to ownership of the EMI film library, they licensed them to MGM for U.S syndication, which explains why MGM’s logo appears on current television airings.

A comic book adaptation, written by Bruce Jones and illustrated by classic Flash Gordon artist Al Williamson (himself not a fan of the movie due to its overall campy nature, numerous script changes and resulting alterations to his artwork), was released by Western Publishing to coincide with the film’s release. It was serialised in three issues of the Flash Gordon comic book (No. 31–33) and released in a single large format softcover and hardcover editions.

A novelization by Arthur Byron Cover of the movie script by Lorenzo Semple Jr. was published in 1980.

A video game adaptation for the Atari 2600 was developed by Sirius Software and published by 20th Century Fox Games in 1983.

The film was released in 1981 on VHS, Betamax and MCA DiscoVision, and re-released in 1998 on both LaserDisc and Region 1 DVD via Universal. It was released in Region 2 in 2001 (Japan) and again in 2005 (UK/Europe); with the 2005 release including commentary by Brian Blessed winning the “Commentary of the Year” award from Hotdog Magazine for his humour and enthusiasm.

In October 2007, a high definition transfer of the film premiered on the MGM HD cable/satellite channel.

In November 2007, Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson together created a new commentary track for the StudioCanal DVD edition of the film. Flash Gordon was released on Blu-Ray on 15 June 2010.

2019 saw the release of the documentary, ‘Life After Flash’ on DVD and BluRay.

‘Flash Gordon – The Official Story Of The Film’ was published in November 2020 by Titan Books.

Also in 2020, it was announced in the British press that ‘Flash Gordon’ was Queen Elizabeth II favourite film.

In 2021, a 40th Anniversary 4K BluRay collectors box set was released.

A New Audience

For many years, Peter was primarily recognised by television audiences for his iconic portrayal of Jason King in Department S and the subsequent spin-off series, Jason King. However, as the decades passed and the original broadcasts receded into history, a different role began introducing Peter to new generations of admirers: the sinister and unforgettable Klytus in the 1980 science-fiction fantasy film Flash Gordon. Peter appeared alongside an impressive cast that included Sam J. Jones, Max von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed, and Topol.

Although Klytus is a supporting character, he remains one of the film’s most visually striking creations. Clad in black robes and concealed behind a gleaming metallic mask, Klytus serves as the chief enforcer and trusted lieutenant of Ming the Merciless. His presence creates an immediate impression, while his cold authority and menacing delivery ensure his status as one of the film’s most memorable villains.

Klytus is particularly significant in the context of Peter’s career because Flash Gordon has never entirely vanished from popular culture. Upon its 1980 release, the film established itself as a colourful and distinctive science-fiction adventure. Over time, it developed a substantial cult following, sustained by repeated television screenings, home-video releases, and special anniversary editions. Furthermore, the film’s soundtrack by the rock band Queen has helped maintain its visibility among younger audiences who may have been unfamiliar with the classic British television programs that established Peter’s reputation.

As younger viewers discovered Flash Gordon, many became intrigued by the actor behind the golden mask. Unlike audiences of the late 1960s, these viewers often encountered Peter as Klytus before discovering his work as Jason King. This introduction served as a gateway to a fascinating body of earlier work; fans who initially knew him only as Ming’s ruthless enforcer soon discovered his celebrated performances in Department S, Jason King, The Champions, The Prisoner, The Innocents, and numerous stage productions.

The enduring popularity of Flash Gordon is especially noteworthy because the film appeals to viewers across multiple generations. Older audiences remember it from its original cinema release, while younger fans have embraced it through home media, science-fiction conventions, streaming platforms, and social media discussions. Consequently, Klytus has acted as a bridge between generations; a teenager discovering the film today encounters the same charismatic screen presence that audiences enjoyed more than four decades ago.

The character’s memorable dialogue and striking appearance have also ensured his continued relevance in popular culture. Even among the film’s large cast of eccentric characters, Klytus stands out. His opening exchanges with Ming, his role within Mongo’s secret police, and his constant air of menace ensure that he remains one of the film’s most recognizable figures.

Most importantly, Klytus demonstrates Peter’s extraordinary versatility as an actor. Audiences who later discover his work as the flamboyant and witty Jason King are often surprised to realise it is the same performer beneath the mask. The contrast between these two roles reveals the remarkable range that characterised Peter’s career.

Ultimately, Klytus is more than simply another entry on Peter’s résumé. Through the continuing popularity of Flash Gordon, the character has introduced countless younger viewers to one of Britain’s most distinctive actors, encouraging them to explore a career that spanned film, television, and theatre, and ensuring that Peter’s work continues to find new admirers.

Critics Comments

“But above all these is Peter Wyngarde who plays Ming’s evil sidekick and confidante Klytus. His delivery and tone is perfect, shame he’s only in it for an hour…” R2

“Lively comic strip addition to the increasing numbers of such things at enormous expense fifty years after their prime.” Halliwell’s Film Guide.

“Klytus is actually my favourite character, with his (relatively) calm demeanour and restrained performance. Even with his entire head encased in gold-plated plastic, one can taste the withering sneer every time he says “Pathetic…” Jonathan Ross, Film Critic.

The Awards