Flesh Gordon Movie Review

Meanwhile, back on the planet Porno, the evil Emperor Wang is bombarding the Earth with his insidious sex ray. The streets are teeming with the bodies of coupling citizens unable to control their rampant desires. Is there no one who can save our planet from total carnal chaos? This 1974 relic from the Golden Age of midnight movies was originally conceived as a hard-core spoof on the sci-fi serial hero Flash Gordon. Seen today, the sex is perfunctory and the humor sophomoric with smutty, silly word-play. But its cult status is assured as the launching pad for a group of artists who would later revolutionize the art of special effects and make up, including Dennis Muren (E.T.), Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London), and Greg Jein (Close Encounters of the Third Kind). Craig T. Nelson, at the time a stand-up comedian, provides the voice of the scene-stealing, stop-motion animated beast (“A monster's work is never done”). Available in its original 90-minute uncut and unrated version. This “Collector's Edition” also features the original theatrical preview. The R-rated, 72-minute version is also available.

1972 90m/C Jason Williams, Suzanne Fields, Joseph Hudgins, John Hoyt, Howard Zieff, William Hunt; Cameos: Candy Samples; D: Michael Benveniste, Howard Ziehm; W: Michael Benveniste; C: Howard Ziehm; V: Craig T. Nelson. VHS, LV HTV, IME, MED