20th Century Fox is developing a ‘Flash Gordon’ reboot, but that’s been struggling for years to get made. And for a legion of fans, there’s no point. There will always only be one FLASH! Ahhhhhhhhhh! The campy Mike Hodges-directed sci fi action/comedy has always had a cult following, but the film has enjoyed a resurgence in notoriety in recent years after the 1980 film and its star Sam J. Jones played a heavy role in the 2012 hit comedy ‘Ted’ directed by Seth MacFarlane. It seems the time is right to pay tribute to Jones and Gordon, courtesy of ‘Life After Flash’, a documentary directed by Kate Downs.
London-based AMP International has come aboard to help market ‘Life After Flash’. The first footage will screen next month in Berlin at the Europen Film Market. The doc includes archival behind-the-scenes footage from the making of ‘Flash Gordon’ plus interviews with stars Melody Anderson (who played female lead Dale Arden), Topol (Doctor Hans Zarkov), Brian Blessed (Prince Vultan), Deep Roy (Princess Aura’s pet), the late Peter Wyngarde (Klytus) plus Brian May from the legendary rock band Queen who crafted the film’s hit soundtrack. But the focus of the film is Jones. While ‘Life After Flash’ pays tribute to the legacy of Hodges’ film, it also chronicles a dispute between Jones and producer Dino De Laurentiis and his “roller coaster” life after the release of the film. (He famously posed naked in ‘Playgirl’ magazine.)
AMP’s Director of Global Sales and Acquisitions, James Norrie, called ‘Life After Flash’ “a glorious trip down memory lane, as well as a fascinating and as-yet untold cautionary tale. It’s going to be a treat to bring this gem to market.”
Director Downs stated:
“Flash Gordon is a film that affected me on so many levels. The characters transformed my life as a child, when the magic of movies was not just limited to the big screen, but unknowingly grew to be a part of me. I hope to transport the audience back to that moment when they felt the magic for the first time, and through Sam’s story hope to inspire, move, and surprise.”
The film will make its full-length debut at the Chattanooga Film Festival. It will likely make the festival circuit and eventually be released on VOD.
Source: Deadline
