StudioCanal, out 10 August UK (and in cinemas now) / Arrow in US/Canada, out 19 August

Football star Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Professor Zarkov blast off to the planet Mongo to find a way to save the Earth from the actions of the tyrannical Ming the Merciless.

If ever a film deserved a 4K HDR transfer, it’s Mike Hodges’ vibrant 1980s version of the classic Alex Raymond sci-fi yarns. And not only featuring a gorgeous UHD version, StudioCanal have pulled out all the stops to produce a multi-disc collectors’ set to offer the ultimate in Flash Gordon collectibles.

The hero 4K disc boasts the most stunning picture, with reds, greens and yellows testing the range of your TV’s colour pixels. Surprisingly, there’s only a 2.0 DTS-HD audio mix, but Queen do their best to blast away any concerns about limited sound channels.

So what do you get on the other discs? A Blu-day version of the film is supported by a new documentary Lost in Space: Nic Roeg’s Flash Gordon, audio commentaries by Hodges and actor Brian Blessed, a whole raft of behind-the-scenes production material, interviews, anecdotes and the final episode of the 1982 animated TV show.

An entire Blu-ray Disc is dedicated to Lisa Downs’ 2017 feature documentary, an honest account of Sam J Jones’ fall from grace during the production of the movie and the career and personal challenges he has faced since. There’s also, somewhat redundantly, a copy of the Queen soundtrack album CD, which surely any Flash Gordon fan will already have. A disc of Howard Blake’s orchestral cues would have been more of a treat.

The handsome, weighty package is rounded off with a 32 page booklet, A 16 page Titan mini book (The Story of Flash Gordon), a booklet of the first strip of original comic books, a poster of original artwork, a sew-on Flash patch and art cards.

Verdict: Like a party in a paint factory, Flash Gordon is brighter and dafter than ever before. A film of its time, a whole generation of fans (myself included) can reel off whole sections of dialogue, such an impression it made in the early 80s. The ultimate edition of a camp classic, I have no doubt that collectors will find space for this special edition on their shelves. 9/10

Nick Joy

Click here to order from Amazon.co.uk