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Flash Gordon's Trip To Mars (1938) Country of Origin: USA Year of Production: 1938 Running Times: serial, 15 parts, 30 reels (also 82 mins feature) Format: black and white / tinted sequence Ratio: Sound: mono CREDITS PRODUCTION Production Company: Universal Pictures Associate Producer: Barney A. Sarecky SCRIPT Script / Story: Ray Trampe, Norman S. Hall, Wyndham Gittens, Herbert Dalmas Dialogue: Sarah K. Haney Comic Strip: Alex Raymond DIRECTION
Directors: Ford Beebe, Robert F. Hill, Frederick
Stephani (footage from Flash
Gordon (1936) - uncredited)
PHOTOGRAPHY Director of Photography: Jerome Ash EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION Editor: Joseph Gluck, Saul A. Goodkind, Louis Sackin, Alvin Todd MUSIC Music: Karl Hajos (from Werewolf of London (1935) - uncredited); W. Franke Harling (from Destination Unknown (1933) - uncredited); David Klatzkin (from Call of the Savage (1935) - uncredited); Sam Perry (uncredited); Heinz Roemheld (The Invisible Man (1933), The Black Cat (1934), Bombay Mail (1934) and Dracula's Daughter (1936) - uncredited); Clifford Vaughan (uncredited); Edward Ward (Great Expectations (1934) - uncredited); Franz Waxman (from Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and The Great Impersonation (1935) - uncredited) SOUND Dialogue Director: Sarah K. Haney DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION Art Director: Ralph M. DeLacy
CAST
Buster Crabbe (Flash Gordon)
Jean Rogers (Dale Arden)
Charles Middleton (Emperor Ming)
Frank Shannon (Dr Zarkov)
Donald Kerr (Happy Hapgood)
Beatrice Roberts (Queen Azura)
Richard Alexander (Prince Barin)
C. Montague Shaw (Clay King)
Wheeler Oakman (Tarnak)
Kenneth Duncan (palace airport commander)
Warner P. Richmond (Zandar)
Jack Mulhall (Stratosled pilot)
Anthony Warde (King of the Forest People)
Lane Chandler (death squad commander)
Ben Lewis
Earl Askam (Officer Torch in flashbacks - uncredited)
Hooper Atchley (Dr DuNord - uncredited)
James Blaine (Professor Richter - uncredited)
Thomas Carr (Captain Rama of the Forest People - uncredited)
George Cleveland (Professor Hensley - uncredited)
Al Ferguson, Fred Kohler Jr, Glenn Strange (soldiers - uncredited)
Priscilla Lawson (Princess Aura in flashback - uncredited)
Jack 'Tiny' Lipson (King Vultan in flashback - uncredited)
James Pierce (Prince Thun in flashback - uncredited)
Stanley Price (lab worker turned to clay - uncredited)
Kane Richmond (pilot captain - uncredited)
Edwin Stanley (General Rankin - uncredited)
Ray Turner (Zarkov's servant - uncredited)
Wheaton Chambers, George De Normand, Earl Douglas, James Eagles, Jerry
Frank, Jerry Gardner, Herbert Holcombe, Reed Howes, Louis Merrill, Eddie
Parker, Tom Steele, Bud Wolfe (bit parts - uncredited)
EPISODES
1. New Worlds to Conquer
2. The Living Dead
3. Queen of Magic
4. Ancient Enemies
5. The Boomerang
6. Tree Men of Mars
7. The Prisoner of Mongo
8. The Black Sapphire of Kalu
9. Symbol of Death
10. Incense of Forgetfulness
11. Human Bait
12. Ming the Merciless
13. The Miracle of Magic
14. A Beast at Bay
15. An Eye for an Eye
SUMMARYMing the Merciless, ruthless ruler of the planet Mongo returns with a death ray that he aims at the Earth. Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr Zarkov must again head for Mars where Ming has built a base and do battle with Queen Azura who turns people to clay. CAPSULE REVIEWThe extra three chapters do little to help this tedious follow up to Flash Gordon (1936). There are still plenty of low-tech effects (those spaceships are still wonderful!) and the Clay People are memorable monsters, but overall it's a drag and not a patch on the first film. AVAILABILITY USA Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures Video Distributors: Cable Video; Nostalgia Video; Questar Video Inc; Sinister Cinema; VCI Home Video TIMELINE
1938
February
8: USA - Chapters 1 and 2 copyrighted (copyright numbers: LP7796, LP7797)
14: USA - Chapter 3 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7822)
25: USA - Chapter 4 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7851)
March 11: USA - Chapter 5 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7880) 17: USA - Chapter 6 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7888) 21: USA - Chapter 7 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7902) 24: USA - Chapter 8 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7910) 29: USA - Chapter 9 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7917) April 7: USA - Chapter 10 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7940) 12: USA - Chapter 11 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7948) 21: USA - Chapter 12 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7978) 22: USA - Chapter 13 copyrighted (copyright number: LP7979) 29: USA - Chapters 14 and 15 copyrighted (copyright numbers: LP8018, LP8019) ALTERNATIVE TITLES Deadly Ray From Mars - feature version title Flash Gordon: Mars Attacks the World - video title Space Soldiers' Trip to Mars LINKSSEQUEL TO Flash
Gordon (1936)
SEQUEL TO Flash
Gordon Conquers the Universe
(1940)
SEE ALSO
Flesh Gordon (1972)
REFERENCESMAGAZINES
Look 15 March 1938 pp.59-61 (USA)
illustrated preview
Look 29 March 1938 pp.42-45 (USA)
illustrated preview
Look 12 April 1938 pp.54-56 (USA)
illustrated preview
Monthly Film Bulletin November 1950 pp.171-172
credits, review
Motion Picture Herald 19 February 1947 review
Radio Times 13-19 August 1988 p.66
credits
BOOKS Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.137 credits, review Reference Guide to Fantastic Films p.142 credits KEYWORDSspaceships; space travel; aliens; other planets; sequels; mars; death rays |