Flash Gordon (Saviour Of The Universe Edition)

[Killroy]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000PMGS8G.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PMGS8G/dreamindemon-20)
Flash Gordon (Saviour Of The Universe Edition) (1980)

Directors: Mike Hodges
Actors: Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Max von Sydow, Topol, Ornella Muti
Genres: Fantasy, Action, Adventure
DVD Release Date: August 7, 2007
Format: AC-3, Dolby, Original recording remastered, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Number of discs: 1
Rating: PG
Studio: Universal Studios
Run Time: 112 minutes
ASIN: B000PMGS8G

Amazon.com Plot Synopsis:
Dar, is the son of a king, who is hunted by a priest after his birth and grows up in another family. When he becomes a grown man his new father is murdered by savages and he discovers that he has the ability to communicate with the animals. After that, Dar begins his quest for revenge in this Conan-like movie.

On the eve of the long-awaited Flash Gordon DVD (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PMGS8G/dreamindemon-20%5D) re-release, I Figured I would make a thread about it and see who all here are fans of this film. Personally, I love the hell out of it and I cannot wait to finally show it to my son. I have had access to bootlegs and even the Region 2 version, but decided to wait and see if it would get a second release. Glad I did.

[Horrorholic]

I haven't seen this in a long time but I'm pretty skeptical about this release. The R2 releases have some great supplementals but this one only has these (as written by a fan on Amazon):
"What I am finding out about the Savior of the Universe (SotU) edition DVD is that it is lacking a lot of the cool stuff from the European Silver Anniversary Edition DVD. While you do get a remastered film with 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and 5.1 Dolby Surround it lacks in the really good special features from the European DVD. That one has commentaries by director Mike Hodges and actor Brian Blessed (the very charismatic hawkman ruler Vultan), deleted scenes, interviews, movie trailers and concept art. The SotU DVD has none of this.

What you do get is two featurettes. One is from Alex Ross (the guy who painted the DVD cover) on how much he loves the movie. The other featurette is called Writing a Classic by screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr. Sure the Silver Special Edition doesn't have these featurettes, but I think what you get is outbalanced by what you don't."

Also, here are the actual comparisons between the different versions of the film.
http://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=614

I think I will be hunting down a R2 copy of the film instead, now that my DVD players are region free.

[Killroy]

I'll take a remastered film with 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and 5.1 Dolby Surround over a version without it any day.

I don't care much for features (Trailers?) and the features I do like, such as deleted scenes and cast interviews, NONE of these versions have.

[gprime]

I've not yet bought this film, though I've been meaning to. Honestly, the US release is nothing special. I'd be more inclined to pick up the 25th Anniversary edition from the UK, which Xploited Cinema has for $20 (http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/flash-gordon-25th-anniversary-p-5500.html).

It still has a nice looking Anamorphic 2.35:1 picture and bother Dolby 5.1 and DTS tracks. Beyond the trailers, as Killroy made mention of, it has over a half an hour of interviews with the director, two audio commentaries, and an episode of the serial. It is simply a better disc, as is almost identical in cost.

[Killroy]

I've not yet bought this film, though I've been meaning to. Honestly, the US release is nothing special. I'd be more inclined to pick up the 25th Anniversary edition from the UK, which Xploited Cinema has for $20 (http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/flash-gordon-25th-anniversary-p-5500.html).

It still has a nice looking Anamorphic 2.35:1 picture and bother Dolby 5.1 and DTS tracks. Beyond the trailers, as Killroy made mention of, it has over a half an hour of interviews with the director, two audio commentaries, and an episode of the serial. It is simply a better disc, as is almost identical in cost.

I guess I am just one of those happy to see a Region 1 release. I don't need the commentaries nor the interview (besides, you have his commentary), and the new release has two new featurettes on Alex Ross (Artist) and Lorenzo Semple Jr (Screenwriter) plus the same original serial contained in the UK Anniversary DVD. But again, I don't need any of the extras, and I just like having Region 1 DVD's if possible.

[gprime]

I guess I am just one of those happy to see a Region 1 release. I don't need the commentaries nor the interview (besides, you have his commentary), and the new release has two new featurettes on Alex Ross (Artist) and Lorenzo Semple Jr (Screenwriter) plus the same original serial contained in the UK Anniversary DVD. But again, I don't need any of the extras, and I just like having Region 1 DVD's if possible.

Well, to each his own. I find that strange, as to me, the benefit of not being confined to a particular region means being able not only to get films unavailable on North American DVD, but also to get superior editions when they exist.

[Killroy]

Well, to each his own. I find that strange, as to me, the benefit of not being confined to a particular region means being able not only to get films unavailable on North American DVD, but also to get superior editions when they exist.

I'm not confined, as I own a region free DVD player and do buy region 2 if there is no comparable region 1. In the case of Flash Gordon, I feel the new region 1 is comparable to the existing region 2.

Also, having a region 1 helps when I am taking a movie to someone else's house. I don't look at the features of a DVD as I rarely watch them (aside from deleted scenes or alternate endings), I am just interested in the movie itself. But like you said, to each his own.

[CPL CHUD]

I loved this flick as a kid. I'm definitely going to pick this up.

The plot synopsis that's listed is wrong. It's actually for the movie Beast Master.