I've had people literally backpedal away from me when I told them that one of my favorite movies is the 1980 Flash Gordon. (That, along with my belief that the horror flick Se7en should have been a musical.
I admit the film is more than a bit gay. The Queen soundtrack. The extravagance. The costumes. The guest spot by Richard "Rocky Horror" O'Brien. The brain-melting awfulness of former Playgirl Centerfold Sam Jones - born and raised in the USA, yet spoke English like a third language. Come on.
Flash was, in fact, my introduction to 'camp' and the pleasures of Badfilm (as SubGeniuses call it).
Which is all fine with me. Aesthetically, I'm one of those 'straight fags' or whatever the current term is. Play some Sylvester and I will bop my head and tap my foot unless physically restrained.
Back to Flash (aah aah)... Max von Sydow did a terrific job as Ming. The production values were wonderful. Who didn't want a set of Klytus' armor?
What really turned a lot of science-fiction fans off the film - apart from the dour, tight-assed pedantry such folks are known for - is not that the film was a betrayal of the classic Alex Raymond stories... but exactly the contrary.
It's an eye-opening to go back and actually read the original adventures of Flash, Buck, Cody and the rest. 'Camp' doesn't begin to cover it. There's wince-inducement of a quantity to knock John Waters off his feet. There are enough grating characters, bad writing, jaw-dropping plot holes and clanging dialog to make Phantom Menace look like The Left Hand of Darkness.
Not to mention some retro elements considerably less amusing - racism, crypto-fascist 'Strong Man' worship, etc.
Flash Gordon 1980 is a lot closer to Flash Gordon 1935 than most science-fiction devotees are willing to admit. Perhaps that's what bothers them so much?
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