Great Movie Scenes: The “Flash Gordon” Football Fight

“Go Flash go!”

Since Alex Raymond’s fearless hero Flash Gordon first made his debut in the funny pages in 1934, the character has been thrilling audiences. In the aftermath of the release of the original Star Wars — a film that itself drew considerable influence from the Flash Gordon comics and film serials — the decision was made to bring Flash to the big screen for audiences who were starving for sci-fi. The result was director Mike Hodges‘ 1980 cult masterpiece Flash Gordon, a campy and ridiculous film…and one that holds a special place in our heart.

Of the many scenes in this fun flick that make our jaws drop every time we see it, perhaps none is more effective than the infamous so-called “football fight” sequence. Featured above, it is a great introduction to the goofy fun that the movie does so well.

Although it under-performed in its theatrical run, the movie is now (rightfully) considered a classic, and even was a plot point in Ted 2. (So much so that a special Blu-ray release of Ted 2 pairs it with Flash Gordon).

Of course, any discussion of Flash Gordon must mention Queen’s amazing theme song for the film, featured below in a rare promotional music video:

He’ll save with a mighty hand every man, every woman, every child, he’s a mighty Flash!

This post originally ran in 2018 and we are reprinting it today to celebrate the Super Bowl!