(1938)
4
Bruce Eder
Universal had a tough act to follow in the wake of the success of its 1936 Flash Gordon serial; that chapterplay had propelled audiences into a world of space-fantasy that, heretofore, had only existed properly on the comic strip page, and it was tough to know how to do better. Alex Raymond's own Flash Gordon comic strip provided the answer, in the guise of the evil Queen Azura of Mars, and a whole new canvas on which to stage an adventure. Larry "Buster" Crabbe, now with a couple of years' more acting experience under his belt, was even more confident in the role of Flash Gordon, and Frank Shannon, slipping into the role of a more avuncular, less eccentric Dr. Zarkov, was poised to make the most enduring screen portrayal of his career. Beatrice Roberts made a convincingly aristocratic villain as Queen Azura, and Charles B. Middleton was fully in his element as the master villain, Ming the Merciless, even plotting against the lives of his own compatriots. There were no supporting players as memorable as John Lipson's King Vultan or James Pierce's Prince Thun from the first movie, but Richard Alexander was back as Prince Barin, Ming's rival for the rule of Mongo, and C. Montague Shaw gave an astonishingly eloquent and poignant performance as the Clay King, ruler of the cursed Clay People. The element of the plot represented by the Clay People and their hatred of Azura and the magic that imprisons them added a special urgency, indeed, almost a degree of topicality -- recalling the nationalistic pressures of the late '30s in places such as India and Burma, not to mention the Middle East -- that makes Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars especially satisfying to modern viewers of serials. Coupled with the superb special effects for their time and the spirit of fun that runs through much of the serial, the result is a surprisingly enduring piece of 1930s entertainment.
releases for Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars [Serial] on AllMovie
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars [Serial] (1938)
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Title/Studio |
Release Date |
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Flash Gordon: Trip to Mars
Image Entertainment
More
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March 28, 2000 |
![Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars [Serial]](http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/1/adg/cov250/drt000/t056/t0561833ixk.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)
