i originally see the flash gordon serial on pb and and think it be fun and awesome and i overlook the special effect of the rocket ship with sparkler and and the big dragon monster with lobster claw and who care this be 1936 and it be a serial and so each week they would show a new chapter and buster crabbe play flash gordon 3 time and in all 3 serial . then in 1939 he play buck rogers and in 1933 he play tarzan the fearless . he be a very busy actor . beautiful jean rogers play sexy dale arden . frank shannon a professor zarkov and and charles middleton play the evil ming the merciless . he make darth vader look like a boyscout . the serial be very close to the alex raymond comic strip . space travel be just a pipe dream at the time . not to mention ray gun and television . this one stand out a the best serial ever . the sequel flash gordon trip to mar be 2 chapter longer and the next flash gordon conquer the universe be only 12 chapter . and then there the native of mongo . and hawk men and lion men and shark men . the feature version leave out the shark men scene . for the full effect you must see the complete serial . i heard george lucas be inspire by flash gordon when he do star war . flash gordon be from universal studio . and the music on the soundtrack be from many universal movie like bride of frankenstein and werewolf of london and dracula daughter and etc while even today flash gordon continue to delight people young and old . positive .