FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE (1940) *** First off, there's a reasonable argument that serials don't constitute a film, but.you would, after all, watch them in a movie theater, or someone did. It's a lot of fun, Buster Crabbe never setting the standard too high and everyone wandering around in those classic hats. A film of many grand hats replete with inelegant plumage. I also like the way they battle with swords against laser guns, leaving small cinematic synapses for the likes of George Lucas to leap. Jean Rogers is good, and I really like that diamond thing in the middle of Ming the Merciless' head. The Robin Hood guys, and the rock guys (I didn't realize they were wearing uniforms at first, and liked them better), it's glorified sandbox games set to celluloid. Never enough of that going around, I tell you. Not just lightweight amusement either, chock full o' observations on fascism, if anyone would have listened.
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