Flash Gordon (1981)
1. Flash's Theme
2. In the Space Capsule (The Love Theme)
3. Ming's Theme (In the Court of Ming the Merciless)
4. The Ring (Hypnotic Seduction of Dale)
5. Football Fight
6. In the Death Cell (Love Theme Reprise)
7. Execution of Flash
8. The Kiss (Aura Resurrects Flash
9. Arboria (Planet of the Tree Men)
10.Escape from the Swamp
11.Flash to the Rescue
12.Vultan's Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men)
13.Battle Theme
14.The Wedding March
15.Marriage of Dale and Ming (and Flash Approaching)
16.Crash Dive on Mingo City
17.Flash's Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations)
18.The Hero
Sometime around the release of the 1978 film Superman, Hollywood developed a sudden interest in resurrecting old comic book and TV heroes for the big screen. Some efforts were hits, others were misfires, and then there was Flash Gordon — a project that falls somewhere in the middle, but probably closer to the “novelty” end of the spectrum. I haven’t actually seen the film, so I can’t vouch for its cinematic merit, but Queen’s involvement alone makes it at least musically worth a glance.
In many ways, Queen was an inspired choice for the soundtrack. After all, their early material was drenched in fantasy, mythology, and over-the-top drama — all the qualities you’d expect from a space opera about a football player turned intergalactic hero. So it makes a certain kind of sense that they were tapped for the job. The unfortunate part is how little actual Queen music is on this album.
What you get instead is a lot of ambient filler, instrumental transitions, and long stretches of dialogue lifted straight from the movie. That may have served the film well enough, but as a standalone listening experience, it leaves you wishing for more. Occasionally, you can hear faint traces of Queen lurking in the background, but more often than not, the music is reduced to atmospheric sound design.
There are, however, a few moments where the band breaks through, and when they do, the results are impressive. The most recognizable track is Flash’s Theme, which opens the album and sounds unmistakably like Queen. The pulsing bassline, the overblown harmonies, and Freddie Mercury’s dramatic delivery of “Flash! Ah-ahhhh!” — it’s all wonderfully ridiculous and completely effective. The single version is arguably better, as it includes more dialogue snippets that give it added texture and campy charm.
You’ll have to sit through nearly the entire album before encountering another real “song,” but The Hero, penned by Brian May, is well worth the wait. It’s a full-throttle, soaring rock track that could have easily slotted onto a proper Queen record. It’s also the kind of song that makes you wish the band had done more actual songwriting for the project rather than functioning as glorified score composers.
There are a couple of other semi-highlights along the way. Battle Theme is a brief but fun interlude that adds some grit to the middle section, and The Wedding March is exactly what it sounds like — only with Brian May’s guitar roaring in place of the usual organ. You just know some die-hard Queen fans have insisted this version be played at their actual wedding. No judgment.
Realistically, this isn’t an album you’re going to play from start to finish unless you’re a completist or in the mood for something wildly niche. With digital music making it easier to cherry-pick, you might be fine just grabbing Flash’s Theme and The Hero and calling it a day. Still, even as a minor entry in Queen’s catalog, it’s a reminder that the band was always willing to take risks — even if that meant composing film cues for a caped alien football player.
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