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Flash Gordon 1936
Plot Summary
In
1936, Flash Gordon was among the most popular comic strip characters in
America when Universal Pictures first brought his planet-hopping exploits to
the big screen in the 13-episode serial Flash Gordon, one of the most lavishly
produced and wildly popular "chapter-plays" of its day. Flash
Gordon's Space Soldiers, the title of the original serial's home video release
(the title was changed in the early 1950s to avoid confusion with a
short-lived Flash Gordon TV series), features all 13 installments in their
entirety. The world is in a state of panic when it is discovered that a planet
has fallen out of its normal orbit and is destined to collide with Earth in a
matter of days. Brawny adventurer Flash Gordon (Buster Crabbe), his girlfriend
Dale Arden (Jean Rogers), and renowned scientist Dr. Zarkoff (Frank Shannon)
blast off into space in hopes of setting the runaway planet back on course.
However, they discover  that it was all a ruse cooked up by the wicked Ming the
Merciless (Charles Middleton), despot of the Planet Mongo, as part of his
latest plot for galactic domination. Flash soon finds himself battling Ming
both for the fate of the Earth and the hand of the lovely Miss Arden, though
Ming's daughter, Princess Aura (Priscilla Lawson) appears to have amorous
ideas of her own for Flash. The producers of the serial stretched its budget
by utilizing sets, costumes, and music from several of Universal's
better-known horror films of the period, including The Bride of Frankenstein;
the serial was also later edited into a feature film, entitled Flash Gordon:
Rocketship. -- Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
| Number of Chapters: |
13 Chapters |
| Studio: |
Universal |
| Color: |
b/w |
Chapter Titles
| 1) |
Planet of Peril |
| 2) |
The Tunnel of Terror |
| 3) |
Captured by Shark Men |
| 4) |
Battling the Sea Beast |
| 5) |
The Destroying Ray |
| 6) |
Flaming Torture |
| 7) |
Shattering Doom |
| 8) |
Tournament of Death |
| 9) |
Fighting the Fire Dragon |
| 10) |
The Unseen Peril |
| 11) |
In the Claws of the Tigron |
| 12) |
Trapped in the Turret |
| 13) |
Rocketing to Earth |
Credits
| Director: |
Frederick Stephani |
| Screenwriter: |
Frederick Stephani, George Plympton, Basil Dickey |
| Cast |
| Flash Gordon |
Larry "Buster" Crabbe |
| Dale Arden |
Jean Rogers |
| Emperor Ming |
Chales Middleton |
| Princess Aura |
Priscilla Lawson |
| Dr. Zarkov |
Frank Shannon |
| Prince Barin |
Richard Alexander |
| King Vultan |
John Lipson |
| High Priest |
Theodore Lorch/Lon Poff |
| Prof. Gordon |
Richard Tucker |
| Prof. Hensley |
George Cleveland |
[ Flash Gordon ] [ Trip To Mars ] [ ConquersThe Universe ]
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