#STEPHEN FRY SLUGLINE MOVIE#
#STEPHEN FRY SLUGLINE TV#

As the closing credits roll, we see Ming re-emerge offscreen from his “magic” ring and start to cackle with evil laughter. The film sees Flash go from hero to zero to hero as he is killed (!) then resurrected, only to unite the tribes of Mongo and overthrow Ming’s rule.

#STEPHEN FRY SLUGLINE MOVIE#

The movie sees Flash (Sam J Jones) and his compatriots Dale and Zarkov (Topol) land on the Planet Mongo to try and stop the evil alien dictator Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow). So says Dale Arden (Melody Anderson) in what is to date the best live action version of the iconic pulp fiction character Flash Gordon. “Flash! Flash, I Love you, but we only have 14 hours to save the Earth!” The titular hero of several films is undoubtedly closely based on Doc Savage and other pulp heroes of the time! However, we do already have a “Doc Savage remake” in the form of none other than Indiana Jones. At the age of 80, Ron Ely is probably not a contender to reprise his earlier role. Notably, Frank Darabont and Sam Raimi have all tried to resurrect the project, but so far none have succeeded. Since 1975, several attempts to make a new Doc Savage film have failed. There were indeed plans for a sequel, but despite being directed by the great George Pal ( War of the Worlds) the film suffered from negative reviews and a sequel was abandoned. And the finale which features Doc employing dozens of different kinds of martial art, each with its own subtitle, will make the kid in you chortle for more.Īt the end of this rip-roaring adventure, we are told Doc Savage will return in Doc Savage and The Arch Enemy of the World. We see Doc pull a bullet out of a wall with such force that his bulging bicep tears his own shirt apart. What makes Doc Savage so good, however, is the hokey sense of humour. Doc assembles his team of – ahem – experts, including national stereotypes from around the world (the Brit carries an umbrella, the Irishman has red hair and carries a pig etc etc) to stop an evil cult unleashing animated green snakes on the population while they search for El Dorado. Also known as The Man of Bronze (he likes bronze things) we catch up with Doc meditating in the Arctic beside his own private igloo-come-secret-headquarters before he gets a message that the world is in peril.

#STEPHEN FRY SLUGLINE TV#

If Star Wars channelled the Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials of the 1930s, then Doc Savage channelled, well, Doc Savage! The mightiest of pulp heroes was reborn with former TV Tarzan Ron Ely stepping into the jodphurs. Magnificent poster… sort of pretty good film.

Stephen fry slugline