The filmmakers were obviously aware of, and aimed to incorporate, everything attached to Flash Gordon—from Raymond’s comic strip, to the old Universal serials, to the semi-pornographic parody “Flesh Gordon,” to even the post-STAR WARS mythology that audiences in the eighties would expect. Surprisingly, for such a diverse melange, it actually works.
Unlike the other space movies of the time, this film emphasized sets and costumes rather than visual effects, and as a result its overall look dates less than many spaceoperas of the late seventies/early eighties. For those who dismiss it–and there are many–be aware that there are also many of us who love it and have re-watched more than you. It’s deligtfully rewatchable and nowadays is an indisputable example of what is termed a cult film.