Monday, March 15, 2021

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Serial) (1940)

The evil Emperor Ming (Charles B Middleton) has returned to threaten the Earth with a new plague (no not Covid). After his rocket ships are seen spraying a purple mist in the atmosphere, Flash Gordon (Buster Crabbe), Dale (Carol Hughes) and Dr Zarkov (Frank Shannon) head off to stop Ming all over again. They link up with old friends and infiltrate Ming's palace (rather easily it must be said).

Ming is holding the general of a new faction from the frozen North of Mongo captive and he must be rescued too as well as stopping the production of the purple mist. But Flash gets chucked down a large hole in the first of this serial's cliffhangers...

In some ways a bit of a retread of the original Flash Gordon serial and not quite as good, the action is not quite as dramatic with a bit too much padding out of the story. The addition of Frigia, and it's Arctic like wastes, is good for variety but overall this is a decent but not brilliant serial.