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IMDbPro

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe

  • 19401940
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 3h 40m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
Buster Crabbe, Carol Hughes, and Charles Middleton in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov return to the planet Mongo for an antidote to the Purple Death, which wreaking destruction on Earth. However, Ming the Merciless has other plans for them.
Play trailer1:13
1 Video
56 Photos
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Sci-Fi
Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov return to the planet Mongo for an antidote to the Purple Death, which wreaking destruction on Earth. However, Ming the Merciless has other plans for t... Read allFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov return to the planet Mongo for an antidote to the Purple Death, which wreaking destruction on Earth. However, Ming the Merciless has other plans for them.Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov return to the planet Mongo for an antidote to the Purple Death, which wreaking destruction on Earth. However, Ming the Merciless has other plans for them.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Ford Beebe
    • Ray Taylor
  • Writers
    • George H. Plympton(screenplay)
    • Basil Dickey(screenplay)
    • Barry Shipman(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Buster Crabbe
    • Carol Hughes
    • Charles Middleton
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Ford Beebe
    • Ray Taylor
  • Writers
    • George H. Plympton(screenplay)
    • Basil Dickey(screenplay)
    • Barry Shipman(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Buster Crabbe
    • Carol Hughes
    • Charles Middleton
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 16User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:13
    Trailer

    Photos56

    Buster Crabbe and Carol Hughes in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Buster Crabbe, Anne Gwynne, Carol Hughes, Charles Middleton, and Frank Shannon in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Buster Crabbe, Carol Hughes, and Charles Middleton in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Buster Crabbe, Carol Hughes, Charles Middleton, and Frank Shannon in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Buster Crabbe, Carol Hughes, and Charles Middleton in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Buster Crabbe, Carol Hughes, and Charles Middleton in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Buster Crabbe and Frank Shannon in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Buster Crabbe, Donald Curtis, and Roland Drew in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
    Charles Middleton and Don Rowan in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Buster Crabbe
    Buster Crabbe
    • Flash Gordon
    • (as Larry 'Buster' Crabbe)
    Carol Hughes
    Carol Hughes
    • Dale Arden
    Charles Middleton
    Charles Middleton
    • Emperor Ming
    Anne Gwynne
    Anne Gwynne
    • Sonja [Chs. 2, 6-12]
    Frank Shannon
    Frank Shannon
    • Dr. Alexis Zarkov
    John Hamilton
    John Hamilton
    • Prof. Gordon [Chs. 1, 4]
    Herbert Rawlinson
    Herbert Rawlinson
    • Dr. Frohmann [Chs. 1, 4]
    Tom Chatterton
    Tom Chatterton
    • Prof. Arden [Chs. 1, 4]
    Shirley Deane
    Shirley Deane
    • Princess Aura
    Lee Powell
    Lee Powell
    • Capt. Roka
    Roland Drew
    Roland Drew
    • Prince Barin
    Don Rowan
    Don Rowan
    • Capt. Torch
    Victor Zimmerman
    • Lt. Thong
    Edgar Edwards
    Edgar Edwards
    • Capt. Turan
    Ben Taggart
    Ben Taggart
    • Gen. . Lupi [Chs. 1-2]
    Michael Mark
    Michael Mark
    • Prof. Karm [Chs. 5-10]
    Earl Dwire
    Earl Dwire
    • Janda [Ch. 1]
    Harry C. Bradley
    Harry C. Bradley
    • Keedish [Chs. 6-7]
    • Directors
      • Ford Beebe
      • Ray Taylor
    • Writers
      • George H. Plympton(screenplay)
      • Basil Dickey(screenplay)
      • Barry Shipman(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Chapter Titles:
      • 1. The Purple Death
      • 2. Freezing Torture
      • 3. Walking Bombs
      • 4. The Destroying Ray
      • 5. The Palace of Peril
      • 6. Flaming Death
      • 7. Land of the Dead
      • 8. The Fiery Abyss
      • 9. The Pool of Peril
      • 10. The Death Mist
      • 11. Stark Treachery
      • 12. Doom of the Dictator
    • Quotes

      Emperor Ming: Flash Gordon!

      Flash Gordon: You didn't think you'd get away with it, did you Ming?

    • Connections
      Edited into Peril from the Planet Mongo (1966)
    • Soundtracks
      Les Preludes
      Written by Franz Liszt

      Used behind main title and throughout the serial

    User reviews16

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Great to finally see one of the origins of Lucas/Spielberg's future visions!
    I love and have a great affinity for serials from the golden age of cinema, and this was definitely one of the better ones I have seen. Previously, I had really enjoyed Buster Crabbe's presence in the post-Weissmuller era of Tarzan, and I have had the DVD of Hodges' 1980 'Flash Gordon' for eons, but wanted to first get to the root of the phenomenon by checking out the serials. Fortunately, in purchasing a 50-film pack, 'Nightmare Worlds' from Mill Creek, it was included.

    The 12 episodes of the 220-minute serial were well-edited into the fine flow that this version I saw had, and the special effects and production values were quite decent--you could tell it had been made both by a high-quality studio, in Universal, and by directors quite used to the serial format, in Ford Beebe and Ray Taylor.

    There are some goofs (for example, when Ming's henchmen are looking at a mountainside for the four protagonists, and five are shown), but it's action-packed, with interestingly stylized wipe-edits, and I can see how it later influenced the likes of both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

    As well, it's very interesting how the filmmakers were subtly able to use the film to offer social commentary to the growing Nazi/Fascist movements worldwide that were wreaking havoc across the globe in the Axis of Evil. Heartily recommended to anyone who enjoys the fun side of cinema.
    helpful•4
    0
    • talisencrw
    • Apr 9, 2016

    FAQ1

    • Watch this film online

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 9, 1940 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Space Soldiers Conquer the Universe
    • Filming locations
      • Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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