''Flash Gordon Classic'' is a 2015

animated Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby image, still images are manipulated to create Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on cel, transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and e ...

fan film A fan film is a film or video inspired by a film, television program, comic book, book, or video game created by fans rather than by the source's copyright holders or creators. It is a form of fan fiction. Fan filmmakers have traditionally been ...

made by Robb Pratt. It is a remake of "The Tunnel of Terror", the second episode of the 1936 ''Flash Gordon'' serial.

Plot

Star quarterback

Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' ...

and his girlfriend

Dale Arden Dale Arden is a fictional character, the fellow adventurer and love interest of Flash Gordon and a prototypic heroine for later female characters, including Princess Leia and Padmé Amidala in ''Star Wars''. Flash, Dale and Dr. Hans Zarkov fight ...

are kidnapped by scientist Hans Zarkov and forced to join him on an intergalactic voyage to the planet Mongo. There, the trio are quickly captured by the forces of

Ming the Merciless Ming the Merciless is a fictional character who first appeared in the ''Flash Gordon'' comic strip in 1934. He has since been the main villain of the strip and its related movie serials, television series and film adaptation. Ming is depicted ...

. As Ming holds Dale captive, he sends Flash and Zarkov into the Tunnel of Terror, where they must engage in a gladiatorial battle against a giant monster. Flash uses a stone like a football to fend off the monster, but as it has him pinned to the ground with its claw,

Princess Aura Princess Aura is a fictional character in the ''Flash Gordon'' comic strips and serials. She is the selfish daughter of Ming the Merciless, the evil ruler of the planet Mongo and Emperor of the Universe. First appearing in the original 1934 ' ...

throws a ray gun, which Flash uses to kill the monster. Ming calmly reprimands his daughter for her actions, but she insists for him to keep Flash alive for her, as she eventually champions him to leading a rebellion against her father’s regime over Mongo.

Cast

* Eric Johnson as

* Joe Whyte as Hans Zarkov * G. K. Bowes as

John Newton John Newton (; – 21 December 1807) was an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery Abolitionism, abolitionist. He had previously been a captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade. He served as a sailor in the Royal Nav ...

* Jennifer Newton as

Production

In creating ''Flash Gordon Classic'', Robb Pratt drew inspiration from the 1930s ''Flash Gordon'' serial starring

Buster Crabbe Clarence Linden "Buster" Crabbe II (; February 7, 1908 – April 23, 1983) was an American two-time Olympic swimmer and film and television actor. He won the 1932 Olympic gold medal for 400-meter freestyle swimming event, which launched his c ...

after learning of it as one of the major influences behind ''

Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...

''. Realizing he could not replicate

Alex Raymond Alexander Gillespie Raymond Jr. (October 2, 1909 – September 6, 1956) was an American cartoonist and illustrator who was best known for creating the ''Flash Gordon'' comic strip for King Features Syndicate in 1934. The strip was subsequently a ...

's elaborate artwork from the comics, Pratt based his designs on 1940s science fiction pulp magazines. Like Pratt's previous works, ''Superman Classic'' and ''Bizarro Classic'', ''Flash Gordon Classic'' uses hand-drawn animation with digital paint and effects. The soundtrack consists of Clifford Vaughan's score from the ''Flash Gordon'' serials and Heinz Roemheld's score from the 1934 film '' The Black Cat''. Eric Johnson, who played the title character in the 2007 ''Flash Gordon'' TV series, loosely reprises his role in this short film. This also marks Pratt's third consecutive collaboration with

and wife Jennifer, who play Ming the Merciless and Princess Aura, respectively.

References

External links

*
Filmmaker's website
2010s American animated films 2015 science fiction films 2015 short films American animated science fiction films Flash Gordon films American animated short films 2010s English-language films English-language science fiction films English-language short films {{short-animation-film-stub