Flash Gordon with Wine
- Tony Elvin
- May 4
- 6 min read
Hail Flash! Thanks to everyone that joined us on Mongo (The Mockingbird) for Flash Gordon with Wine. Whilst we managed to shake off Ming on the day, I do fear that we haven't seen the last of him. He did seem fairly fed up that inferior earthlings had been drinking his wine. Hopefully Vultan will help us out once again!
The Cellar of Ming the Merlot-less
As promised, these are the wines liberated from Ming's cellar. All off the beaten track wines.
Ribolla Gialla - ancient yellow skinned white grape variety, primarily grown in Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in foothills of dolomites. Citrus, green apple, and floral notes.
Also known as Muscat of Alexandria, one of the oldest grapes on planet Earth, deriving from North Africa, then from Egypt to Greece, drunk by Queen Cleopatra and then to Sicily where it is known as Zibibbo. This grape loves a hot climate. Floral notes, with citrus and Mediterranean herbs. Actually tastes of grapes, and sold as a table grape too.
Tokaji from Hungary is one of the most famous dessert wines in the world, this is the result of making a dry wine from the same Furmint grape. Often compared to dry Riesling or Chablis. Rounded and aromatic, with elderflower and orange peel aromas, tropical mango and pineapple on the palate.
Full-bodied red wine, with flavours of juicy cherries and plums, blended with vanilla and spices. Made using Georgia's signature Saperavi grape, from vineyards in Kakheti Province, by Zviad Loladze, who ages a small portion in oak.
This last wine is just like Vultan - fresh but fruity, and really packs a punch. Floral aromas, flavours of cherry, blackberry and raspberry. Bold red wine from Portugal. May not have heard of Touriga but if you’ve tasted Port you’ve tasted Touriga, an important grape in the blend, making some of Portgual’s finest red wine. This from Alentejo. Unoaked.
CCTV Footage from Ming's Palace on Mongo
The Book of Mong (Flash Gordon trivia)
🚀 1. Queen Powered the Whole Thing
The soundtrack by Queen wasn’t just background music—it drives the film. Their operatic rock style perfectly matches the camp, larger-than-life tone, making scenes feel like music videos before that was even a thing.
🎤 2. Freddie Mercury Was All In
Freddie Mercury adored the film’s flamboyance and reportedly pushed hard for Queen to take on the project—bringing genuine enthusiasm that shines through every note.
👑 3. Ming’s Commanding Presence
Max von Sydow approached Ming like a Shakespearean tyrant, giving gravitas to a role that could easily have tipped into parody—his performance anchors the film. Von Sydow also stars in The Exorcist, Minority Report, Shutter Island, The Force Awakens and plays the three eyed raven in Game of Thrones.
🏈 4. An Unlikely Hero Casting
Sam J. Jones was a relative unknown when cast as Flash, chosen more for his physical presence than experience—adding to the character’s all-American, earnest charm. The part of Flash was turned down by Kurt Russell for being too light hearted, he made Escape from New York instead. Arnold Scwarzenegger and John Goodman both auditioned and were both rejected in favour of Sam J. Jones.
🎙️ 5. The Voice Behind the Hero
Due to disagreements during post-production, much of Jones’ dialogue was dubbed by another actor, creating one of the film’s more unusual behind-the-scenes quirks.
🎬 6. A Bold Directorial Vision
Director Mike Hodges deliberately leaned into comic-book absurdity rather than realism, resisting pressure to make it darker or more serious.
💥 7. Colour Over Realism
The film’s vivid reds, golds, and neon tones weren’t accidental—they were designed to mimic the bold palette of the original comic strips.
🗯 8. Problems on set
The tilting disc fight took so long to film. The silver paint kept coming off onto the actors and they had to keep stopping to clean them up.
There was a considerable language barrier due to a mix of both English and Italian Crews. The script was translated by a woman who screenwriter Lorenzo Semple described as a horrible translator. One example was that the script says ‘a tall beautiful woman walked into the room’, Lorenzo found text like ‘Oh, what a beautiful cat’.
🗣️ 9. “Gordon’s Alive!” Echoes Forever
Brian Blessed didn’t hold back as Prince Vultan—his booming voice and physical performance turned the character into a scene-stealing legend.
Blessed’s delivery of this line became one of the most quoted moments in cult cinema—often shouted at events and screenings decades later.
⭐️ 10. Blessed destined for the role
Blessed was a huge fan of Flash since childhood and Vultan was his favourite character, so was delighted to play the part. He was paid £30,000 for the role.
🎨 10. Pop Art Inspiration
The film’s look draws heavily from pop art and pulp illustration, giving it a stylised, almost surreal visual identity.
👠 11. A Villain’s Daughter with Depth
Aura's shifting loyalties and emotional conflict add a surprising layer of drama to the story. Princess Aura was due to be played by Debbie Harry back when it was due to be directed by Nicolas Roeg, one of seven Directors previously attached to the movie, who left due to creative differences. Whilst considered to be a unknown, Orenlla Muti had starred in hundreds of European movies.
⚡ 12. The Star Wars What-If
Before making Star Wars, George Lucas tried to secure the rights to Flash Gordon—he made Star Wars because he couldn't make Flash .. imagine how different sci-fi history might look.
💫 13. More Star Wars Connections
John Hollis played one of Klytus' Observers, fitted with electronic "imager" device in place of his eyes. Hollis also had a role in Empire Strikes Back as Lando Calrissian's sidekick, Lobot. Ming and Prince Barin were the inspirations for Darth Vader and Han Solo.
Kenny Baker (R2D2) plays a dwarf in the torture chamber.
Max von Sydow is in The Force Awakens.
Brian Blessed plays Gungan Leader Boss Nass – Blessed warned George Lucas at the time about Jar Jar Binks concerns.
The movie is filmed by the original Star Wars Director of Photography Gilbert Taylor.
🛸 14. Massive Practical Sets
The world of Mongo was built physically on soundstages, with elaborate sets that gave actors something tangible to interact with—rare by today’s CGI standards.
💸 15. A Huge Financial Gamble
With a budget of around $20 million, the film was a major investment, especially given its unusual tone and visual style.
📉 16. Not an Instant Hit
Initial reactions were mixed, with some critics unsure how to take its camp tone—but audiences grew to love it over time.
🎶 17. A Theme That Never Died
“Flash! Ahhh!” has lived on in sports arenas, TV, and pop culture, becoming far bigger than the film itself.
📺 18. From Comic Strip Royalty
The story originates from the 1930s work of Alex Raymond, one of the most influential adventure strips ever created.
👗 19. Costumes Turned Up to Eleven
The extravagant costumes were designed to be bold, theatrical, and unforgettable—helping define the film’s unique tone.
🦅 20. The Hawkmen Spectacle
The flying battle scenes featuring the Hawkmen combined wire work, miniatures, and practical effects to create epic action sequences. The Hawkmen couldn't sit down because the costumes would hurt their backs. During breaks, the Hawkmen would be lying on their stomachs with wings, like they were ready to take off. According to Brian Blessed, he had to sit on a perch. One hawkman scene took 3 days to set up with dozens of hawkmen hanging in the air, Blessed's pew pewing with his cardboard bazooka made them take another whole day to reshoot.
🎥 21. Pre-CGI Craftsmanship
Everything from spaceships to explosions was done using practical effects, miniatures, and clever camera tricks.
🗡️ 22. Camp as a Creative Choice
Rather than accidental, the film’s campiness was intentional—embracing fun, humour, and theatricality over realism.
⚡️23. Early days of Flash Gordon
Became one of most popular Sunday comic strips in the 30s, leading to a radio series and three movies; starring Buster Crabbe: Flash Gordon (1936), Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938), and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940). Buster didn't like the new version 😕
🌍 24. A Global Cult Following
While it underperformed initially in some markets, it found huge success internationally and built a loyal fanbase. "Speed Gordon" in Australia, "Guy l'Éclair" in France, and "Roldán el Temerario" in Spain.
🏆 25. A Cult Classic Crowned
Today, Flash Gordon is celebrated as a fearless, unapologetically bold film that stands apart from typical sci-fi—proof that style and personality can outshine convention.
Thanks again to everyone that joined us on Mong to drink Ming's wine. So pleased that despite the circumstances, none of them were Ming-ing.
All the best, Flash, Vultan and the Wine Events Crew
Coming soon . .
Comments