Flash Gordon (1930s film serial): Difference between revisions

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In the 1930s and 1940s, three [[Film Serial|film serials]] were made based on the ''[[Flash Gordon (Comic Strip)|Flash Gordon]]'' comic strip. They starred Buster Crabbe as Flash Gordon, Charles Middleton as Ming the Merciless, Jean Rogers as Dale Arden, and Frank Shannon as Dr Hans Zarkov.
In the 1930s and 1940s, three [[Film Serial|film serials]] were made based on the ''[[Flash Gordon (comic strip)|Flash Gordon]]'' comic strip. They starred Buster Crabbe as Flash Gordon, Charles Middleton as Ming the Merciless, Jean Rogers as Dale Arden, and Frank Shannon as Dr Hans Zarkov.


The three serials were:
The three serials were:
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* ''Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe'' (1940)
* ''Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe'' (1940)


The serials were syndicated on US television during the 1950s, under the title ''Space Soldiers'' to distinguish them from the 1954 ''[[Flash Gordon 1954 (TV)|Flash Gordon]]'' TV series starring Steve Holland.
The serials were syndicated on US television during the 1950s, under the title ''Space Soldiers'' to distinguish them from the 1954 ''[[Flash Gordon (1954 TV series)|Flash Gordon]]'' TV series starring Steve Holland.


These serials were among those that influenced the style of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' movies, particularly their use of an [[Opening Scroll]].
These serials were among those that influenced the style of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' movies, particularly their use of an [[Opening Scroll]].


{{tropelist}}
=== The 1930s film serials provide examples of: ===

* [[Cat Fight]]: Aura and just about every other female character at some point.
* [[Cat Fight]]: Aura and just about every other female character at some point.
* [[Clothing Damage]]: Certainly close to an [[Ur Example]] for [[Sci Fi]]. It happens in the very first installment to Flash, leading to him [[Dressing As the Enemy]].
* [[Clothing Damage]]: Certainly close to an [[Ur Example]] for [[Sci Fi]]. It happens in the very first installment to Flash, leading to him [[Dressing as the Enemy]].
* [[Defeat Means Friendship]]: Thun the Lionman joins forces this way.
* [[Defeat Means Friendship]]: Thun the Lionman joins forces this way.
* [[Deflector Shields]] (in 1936!): The "Resistoforce" on Barin's ship.
* [[Deflector Shields]] (in 1936!): The "Resistoforce" on Barin's ship.
* [[Detective Mole]]: Ming tasks his High Priest of Tao with uncovering a traitor who provided Flash information. Of course, the Priest is the one who did so.
* [[Detective Mole]]: Ming tasks his High Priest of Tao with uncovering a traitor who provided Flash information. Of course, the Priest is the one who did so.
* [[Dramatic Unmask]]: Ming's [[In the Hood|masked]] champion swordsman is revealed to be Prince Barin.
* [[Dramatic Unmask]]: Ming's [[In the Hood|masked]] champion swordsman is revealed to be Prince Barin.
* [[Dressing As the Enemy]]: Flash.
* [[Dressing as the Enemy]]: Flash.
* [[Electric Torture]]
* [[Electric Torture]]
* [[Everything's Worse With Bears]]: Vultan's pet Urso.
* [[Everything's Worse with Bears]]: Vultan's pet Urso.
* [[Flynning]]
* [[Flynning]]
* [[Freud Was Right]]: The rocketships are largely remembered for their phallic similitude these days.
* [[Freud Was Right]]: The rocketships are largely remembered for their phallic similitude these days.
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* [[Non-Indicative Name]]: ''Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe''. The final installment features a tortured rationalization of the title that does not involve any actual universe-conquering.
* [[Non-Indicative Name]]: ''Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe''. The final installment features a tortured rationalization of the title that does not involve any actual universe-conquering.
* [[Opening Scroll]]: Invented it.
* [[Opening Scroll]]: Invented it.
* [[The Other Darrin]]: Carol Hughes took over as Dale in ''Conquers the Universe''.
* [[People in Rubber Suits]]: Almost twenty years before [[Godzilla]].
* [[People in Rubber Suits]]: Almost twenty years before [[Godzilla]].
* [[Public Domain Soundtrack]]: Besides music cribbed from various previous Hollywood films, the score includes pieces by Brahms, Chopin, Elgar, Liszt, [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky]], and [[Richard Wagner]].
* [[Public Domain Soundtrack]]: Besides music cribbed from various previous Hollywood films, the score includes pieces by Brahms, Chopin, Elgar, Liszt, [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky]], and [[Richard Wagner]].
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* [[Slurpasaur|Slurpasaurs]] are the first of Mongo's denizens Flash faces.
* [[Slurpasaur|Slurpasaurs]] are the first of Mongo's denizens Flash faces.
* [[Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace]]: Flash and Thun [[Wedding Smashers|crash]] Ming's [[And Now You Must Marry Me|wedding to Dale]] before the gong is sounded the requisite 13 times. Which amounts to the same thing.
* [[Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace]]: Flash and Thun [[Wedding Smashers|crash]] Ming's [[And Now You Must Marry Me|wedding to Dale]] before the gong is sounded the requisite 13 times. Which amounts to the same thing.
* [[Syndication Title]]: In the 1950s the serials were syndicated on TV under the title ''Space Soldiers'' (there being an actual made-for-TV ''[[Flash Gordon 1954 (TV)|Flash Gordon]]'' series also airing at the time).
* [[Syndication Title]]: In the 1950s the serials were syndicated on TV under the title ''Space Soldiers'' (there being an actual made-for-TV ''[[Flash Gordon (1954 TV series)|Flash Gordon]]'' series also airing at the time).
* [[Trap Door Fail]]: Inverted, as the door works fine on Flash, only Ming's daughter is inadvertently dropped, too.
* [[Trap Door Fail]]: Inverted, as the door works fine on Flash, only Ming's daughter is inadvertently dropped, too.
* [[We Will Use Manual Labor in The Future]]
* [[We Will Use Manual Labor in the Future]]


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:Films of the 1930s]]
[[Category:Films of the 1930s]]
[[Category:Films of the 1940s]]
[[Category:Films of the 1940s]]
[[Category:Flash Gordon Serial]]
[[Category:Flash Gordon (1930s film serial)]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:Film]]

Latest revision as of 17:03, 2 May 2017

In the 1930s and 1940s, three film serials were made based on the Flash Gordon comic strip. They starred Buster Crabbe as Flash Gordon, Charles Middleton as Ming the Merciless, Jean Rogers as Dale Arden, and Frank Shannon as Dr Hans Zarkov.

The three serials were:

  • Flash Gordon (1936)
  • Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938)
  • Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)

The serials were syndicated on US television during the 1950s, under the title Space Soldiers to distinguish them from the 1954 Flash Gordon TV series starring Steve Holland.

These serials were among those that influenced the style of the Star Wars movies, particularly their use of an Opening Scroll.

Tropes used in Flash Gordon (1930s film serial) include:
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