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Alpha Video's two Flash Gordon TV show DVDs...

posted 18 years ago by Kevjess74
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(each with 4 assorted episodes) are both superior to the Flash disc I got from Critics' Choice (also with 4 assorted episodes) beforehand. Which kind of surprised me since Critics' is a big company. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised though since their bread and butter is NOT making DVDs of obscure old TV & cinema. Making those cheapies is the forte of Alpha Video. So while Critics' Flash offering gives me pretty faint video, difficulty skipping around (my computer can't do fast-forward or rewind for any ep. on that disc), ONE really worthwhile episode ("Deadline at Noon"), and bland packaging, Alpha's Flash collection gives me crisp video (although there are a few picture anomalies), complete compatibility with my DVD players, six fun episodes ("Deadline..."; "The Claim Jumpers"; "Akim the Terrible"; "...Race Against Time"; "...Forbidden Experiment"; "...Return Of The Androids"), and colorful packaging (although whoever wrote the liner notes forgot to reference the 1st disc's second ep.).

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] fabriziopelizza 18 years ago

Hello!!! Anyone out there can tell me if the flash gordon's tv from alpha vol. and vol. 2 are both closed captioned???!!! and the episodes are the same of the dvd Flash Gordon - 4 Classic Episodes - The Claim Jumpers / Akim The Terrible / The Breath Of Death ??? thans a lot ! and also there is some serial on dvd that is cloced captioned?? Thanks , again!!!

[–] Kevjess74 18 years ago

Sorry for the late reply but here goes: Not only are the Alpha discs without close captioning, the "extras" for each are just an episode index and promo for other Alpha releases. Alpha's "Flash Gordon" has these four episodes: "Deadline at Noon"; "...Race Against Time"; "...Forbidden Experiment"; "The Brain Machine". Alpha's "Flash Gordon Volume 2" has these four episodes: "...Return Of The Androids"; "The Claim Jumpers"; "Akim the Terrible"; "The Subworld Revenge". I have DVDs of all three uncut Flash Gordon serials, and their only extra is chapter selection (for choosing from the many chapters originally released one at a time).

[–] Kevjess74 18 years ago

Sorry for the late reply but here goes: "Flash Gordon and The Race Against Time" is about the G.B.I. ensuring that an Earth delegate gets to a Galactic Council meeting in time to cast a decisive vote against legislation that could lead to new interplanetary warfare. "The Brain Machine", also on Alpha's 1st Flash TV disc, is where the mad witch of Neptune drains knowledge from Zarkov and Commander Richards after kidnapping them to Saturn. And yeah, that story really did get continued. The follow-up episode is "Flash Gordon and Struggle To The End" and can be found in the Critics' Choice Flash disc. [Btw, "Brain Machine" itself looks like a continuation of some other ep. It starts off with recaps same as "...Struggle To The End".]

[–] OldTimerTwo 18 years ago

As I remember, from watching these as a kid (a LONG time ago), some of the shows were two-parters, if that helps.

It would be nice to see someone do a decent job with these old shows and actually put them out as complete seasons, in the order they were originally broadcast/produced). The problem is that the copyright holders have often either died or made no claim on them (they are all still within the original copyright period, so i'm not sure why many of these shows are not being protected from cheap copying).

Current copyright law in the U.S., extends protection for seventy-five years (or it did - I don't know if Disney got that extended to protect "the mouse" or not). These shows are all well within that time frame.

[–] ccmiller1492 17 years ago

I was under the impression that the original copyright on a work was 35 years and could be renewed once, but had to be appied and paid for by the original owner unless sold. Most films other than the well-known, award-winning films and shows did not have their copyrights renewed, especially if not in syndication. Perhaps this is why some of the "Flash" shows have turned up. I also seem to recall reading somewhere that the the 8 we now have are all that remain because the rest have been lost or destroyed. I believe this also happened t one of my other favorite shows almost as old: "Tales of the Vikings" starring Jerome Courtland. I've only been able to unearth 3 of these in years of searching.

[–] Coolshows101 12 years ago

You mean the Witch of Neptune.

The Race Against Time is about how half of the planets are lined up to strip the GBI of its authority and distribute its secrets amongst them. Earth casts the deciding vote in favor of keeping the GBI in control and selects Commander Richards to deliver the vote to the Galaxy Council on Mars. Krybian, the evil representative of Pluto, conspires with a master criminal to prevent Richards from voting, thus ensuring that GBI will lose its power...

Your thinking of, The Witch of Neptune, The Brain Machine, and Struggle to the End. All the episodes we have to day except for one are in this play list I created. Those are included.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL25D0D40C9E13E8F0&feature=view_all

I am a SUPER FAN of Flash Gordon 1954!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have any questions about Flash Gordon I will try to answer them.

[–] darrell4562000 16 years ago

I just returned from WALMART after purchasing 2 DVDs from their DVDs for a $1
rack. Both were released trough DIGIVIEW. Vol. 1 Contains; Planet of Death, 5Akim the Terrible, 10Return of the Androids, and Vol. 2; 17The Lure of Light, 21The Brain Machine, 22Struggle to the End, 24Saboteurs From Space, 36Deadline at Noon, 39Subworld Revenge. Quality was Very Good. For a Buck a piece, I hope the release
more!

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] tozaiminka 15 years ago

I remember this show from when I was a kid (back when we wrote on stone tablets :-D ). I currently own 11 titles and know of a 12th out there. I have:
Panet of Death
Akim the Terrible
The Claim Jumpers
Return of the Androids (scared me as a kid...pretty hokey now)
Lure of the Light
The Brain Machine
Struggle to the End
Sabateurs From Space
Forbidden Experiment
Deadline At Noon (One of my favorites, "giant aliens" Flash & Co. shown 7' tall riding, standing with head and chest through the sunroof of a Volkswagon van through post WW11 Berlin, Germany circa 1954.)
The Subworld Revenge
and one more that's out there that I don't have (yet):
Breath of Death (Another favorite Flash has to fight AND hold his breath to keep from breathing a poisionous atmosphere.)
It's possible there are more somewhere as there were, I think, 39 total. I collect rare films and hope to find more as I search.

"It's just television, get over it!" - David Letterman