Say it with me, nerds (or hear it loud and clear)…
FLASH! AHHH-AHHHHHHHHHHH!
Savior of the Universe!
Take a Hans Zimmer score. They average 96% on the #MatrixMeter. But when you think of sci-fi soundtracks — music with songs, words, themes — there are none that hearken memories of running around in your underwear shooting up fake aliens (that may or may not look like your little sister) as you go ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ style over the couch than Flash Gordon.
Queen is easily one of the most prolific bands in Rock & Roll history. And we will have a review of Bohemian Rhapsody, an A-List of music biopics, and something else coming as a result of Freddie Mercury’s shadow. That notwithstanding, we have an excuse to talk about Mr. Bulsara because of today’s news.
The intriguing Nazi horror flick, J.J. Abrams flick Overlord is ready to hit the big screen November 9. And at the helm of the “Call of Duty: WWII” zombie story-mode movie is Julius Avery, who is making a headline of his own.
Paramount has announced he is writing and directing a reboot of the 1980 cult classic Flash Gordon!
The movie, if you haven’t invested the precious time in your life to see it, was the bomb…wrapped up in some of the most ham-handed visual effects and laughable dramedy acting to hit the screens in quite some time.
But, it had money, an all-star cast (i.e., Max Von Sydow, Topol, Timothy Dalton, Melody Anderson, Sam J. Jones), the legacy of a ’50s TV show and ’40s comic, and oh yeah… QUEEN!
It was destined for such greatness. Then, it came out and floundered at the box office earning $8 million under budget. To date, Metacritic gives it a 58, IMDB says it’s a 65, and Rotten Tomatoes skyrocketed to a meh 82. Yet, this movie makes a nerd’s heart beat and a sci-fi geek’s pulse race. And, did I already mention that soundtrack?!
Evidently, Avery knows all this stuff and is stoked about remaking this paradigmatic space race to the dork beyond. As Deadline quotes:
[Avery] grew up in Australia loving the Flash Gordon comic. He pitched his take and the studio sparked to it and set him.
There’s an obvious aura about this concept based on the 1934 comic of a charmed college athlete turned outer space pulp action hero who screams into space with Dr. Zarkov to save the world from the diabolical Ming the Merciless on the planet Mongo.
It was a dull TV show in black-and-white, then it took 30 years to bring it to life in movies. That was the historic moment. Syfy tried to resurrect the voyage into space for TV again in 2007 but it sucked. Badly. And so, it’s back.
Why does a failed movie get so many chances to succeed? Come closer…
Because critics, no matter how they wax eloquent and rant about its thumbs, tomatoes, and observations, aren’t always right. And sometimes are full of more crap than a Christmas turkey!
This movie was every bit as good as an Oscar winner, but for far different reasons. And now, it’s meeting the technology and hype bandwagon of the 21st century! Yeah, this will be a geek paradise in B-movie heaven.
We have Kingsman and Kick Ass maker Matthew Vaughn producing (formerly directing), Thor screenwriter Mark Protosevich scribing, and now Avery helping put his pen to paper and directing.
Now, if only Freddie Mercury was still alive. God rest our loving souls! AHHHHHHH!
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