FLASH GORDON (OST)

"Flash Gordon" is the ninth studio album of Queen that was released in 1980. It was made for the soundtrack of a film released in the same year. It's the soundtrack to the science fiction film "Flash Gordon", and features lyrics on only two tracks. It was the first time that the band produced the entire soundtrack for a film. So, it's the first soundtrack made by Queen. Queen only produced two film soundtracks. The other soundtrack was produced for the movie "Highlander".

As I wrote before, "Flash Gordon" is a soundtrack album with only two songs featuring vocals and the rest of the album has short instrumental tracks with lots of the dialogues taken from the film and where the "Flash's Theme" refrain appears in various moments all over the album. The album makes extensive use of the synthesizers, which Queen used for the first time on their previous eighth studio album "The Game", although to a much lesser extent than in this case.

In short, we can say that "Flash Gordon" is a film based on the comic strip of the same name created by Alex Raymond, an American cartoonist, in 1934. The strip was subsequently adapted into movie serials, television series and the 1980 film. For those who aren't familiar with the comic strip and the film we can say that the story follows the adventures of Flash Gordon, a polo player and Yale graduate and his companions Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov. The three travel to the planet Mongo, to defeat Ming, the evil ruler of Mongo. Ming wants to destroy the planet Earth with natural disasters.

While writing and recording "The Game", Queen was asked by renowned movie director Dino De Laurentis to provide the soundtrack for his upcoming sci-fi epic "Flash Gordon". The band accepted and promptly began working on both albums simultaneously. The majority of the music is instrumental, with dialogue from the movie in place of Freddie Mercury's singing, with two tracks with lyrics. Still, the song writing is still unmistakably Queen. However, many fans criticized "Flash Gordon" since it was released as an official Queen release rather than a motion picture soundtrack. I agree that the main problem with "Flash Gordon" is that it was released as a studio album, and not as a soundtrack. The music made by Queen fits perfectly with the film, but the campiness of the band goes hand on hand with the silliness and comic vibe of the movie. But, if you take away the film, and you just listen to the music as a standalone experience, well it just simply doesn't hold up, really. "Flash Gordon" soundtrack album is pretty much like the film.

Yes, it has its moments, and some parts are even more memorable than most of the songs of many bands of the 80's and 90's. There are also some fun tracks, but they're just that, funny. Unfortunately there's too much audio from the actual movie, something very uncommon for a soundtrack, and it just ruins the music, that it's not great, but at least it would be salvageable. At the end of the day, "Flash Gordon" remains one of the lowest points in Queen's career, really.

The opening track "Flash's Theme" was the only single to be released from the album, under the title "Flash". There are two versions of the opening track. The album's version "Flash's Theme" is the start for the film with the part of the dialogues from the first film scene. The single version "Flash" features parts of the dialogue taken from various parts of the film. "Flash" was written by Brian May and is sung as a duet between him and Freddie Mercury, with Roger Taylor adding the high harmonies. The track is noted for its pounding and repetitive bass line and where Brian May plays all of the music instruments, except for the rhythm section. "Flash" is an excellent song in the pure Queen's style. It's a great heavy rock song with the usual and unique operatic chorus and excellent musical arrangements. The other song that deserves special mention is "Hero" which closes the album. "Hero" is only a brief song, but offers us a final taste of the usual Queen's classic 70's hard rock bombast before they changed their formula up a bit for the rest of the decade. These are the only two songs deserving special mention. Sandwiched between these two songs are several instrumental tracks full of samples that make the album play like a musical re-enactment of the "Flash Gordon" film.

Conclusion: "Flash Gordon" is a very strange Queen's album. It has little to do with Queen's music, with the exception of the opening track "Flash Theme". I agree with those who say that we aren't in presence of a true Queen's album. And worst of all, "Flash Gordon" is a soundtrack for a silly and mediocre film. Yes, I was one of the victims that saw the film. However, we aren't here to review a film but an album. So, in the first place, I must confess that I never was a big fun of soundtracks made by progressive rock bands. Still, in this case, we can't consider Queen exactly one of the most progressive rock bands. In the second place, "Flash Gordon" isn't as bad as most of you consider. It's true that is very strange to hear this album as a Queen's album. The quality of the music isn't great, which is true, but it isn't also bad. I sincerely think that the worst on the album is hearing constantly the recordings of the scenes of the film, with its voices and the bombastic sounds of it. Anyway, "Flash Gordon" is one of the weakest Queen's albums. However, it isn't their worst musical work. Sincerely, their next tenth studio album "Hot Space" is even worse than "Flash Gordon" is, really.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Share this QUEEN review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to VianaProghead
• Report this review (#2938455)
• Buy QUEEN music online with PA partners
• Show all QUEEN MP3/Stream
• Go to QUEEN page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Flash Gordon (OST) page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for QUEEN related discussions