Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All (1979) by Filmation was an animated feature produced by Filmation for broadcast by NBC television in 1979, but not broadcast until August 21, 1982. The original film elements were apparently lost when ownership of the Filmation library traded hands in the 1990s.
This is what Flash Gordon was supposed to be before it was retooled for Saturday mornings in 1979-80. You can see the many parallels that it shares with the classic Sci-Fi Opera of the same time. I like that it is a period piece. Placing it roughly four or five years ahead of the original serials of 1936, Nazi Germany is getting assistance from Ming the Merciless, and Flash brings together the many races of Mongo to overthrow their oppressor. Take some time and enjoy this feature length jewel of American animation. Leave your thoughts bellow
Follow this link to watch this film, which only aired once, on Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/youtube-f6YhSjRiVio
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8 comments
I didn’t know this film existed! I recall the Filmation TV series as being a step above most of what was on Saturday morning at the time, at least as far as the writing…
This one is pretty fun.
Thanks for the link to this. It was great watching this for the first time in nearly 40 years. I believe this was my intro to Flash Gordon as a kid, and I remember that when I saw the live action movie from Dino De Laurentis a few years later i was disappointed that it wasn’t more like the cartoon.
I only wish that we can get a high definition copy released one day. Somebody has to have an original print.
This is wonderful! The rotoscoping really reminds me of the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons. It seems as if more attention was put into this than many of the Filmation cartoons of the day.
This and Tarzan were two of Lou’s favorite properties. You can really tell when you watch them.
I’m surprised that Flash Gordon wasn’t part of the Super 7 or (at least) a Tarzan/Flash Gordon hour.
I would have been in Nerdvana!