Zarkov and The Tunnel of Terror -- The Music of Flash Gordon

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 00:22:34 09/28/11 Wed
Author: Tim
Subject: Zarkov and The Tunnel of Terror

Recently I have revisited chapter two, The Tunnel of Terror, since it is being prepared for Halloween.

Dr Zarkov describes Ming's laboratory by saying "It's a scientist's paradise."

Zarkov also tells Ming that the core (or the store, unsure which he says) "of radioactive energy here is great enough to conquer the Universe." (a hint of the title of the 1940 serial perhaps?)

Ming replies, "Which I intend to do with your aid, Zarkov."

(In the previous chapter, "The Planet of Peril" Zarkov had said to Ming, "Why destroy the Earth, why not conquer it?" Of course Zarkov was only trying to save the Earth from destruction.)

Ming has another great line before he exits the lab with "Science will overcome all things, even the human emotion."

One source mentions that Ming's laboratory is a set from Dracula's Daughter (1936).

The Oracle of Tao footage is from the Fox film Just Imagine (1930), although a couple of sources have inaccurately credited it to the Universal silent film The Midnight Sun (1926). The Music of Flash Gordon (this site) notes that footage from the 1926 film is used for the sky-city banquet scene in chapter six.

I saw Just Imagine on television once several years ago.

I assume The Midnight Sun, like many silent films, no longer exists. It does have a page at the imdb, but another website lists its survival status as "unknown".

Sergeant Tim

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> Re: Zarkov and The Tunnel of Terror -- Rick, 04:08:07 09/28/11 Wed [1]

"The Midnight Sun" was made and released in 1926 and Universal re-released in 1931 with modifications to the soundtrack, I believe. The stock footage with Laura La Plante was seen in chapter 6 at Vultan's banquet ("March Bombay #3" is heard from the 1934 train-mystery film).

Hard to say what happened to the 1926 silent film. There could be a print that still exists, but trying to locate it at one of Universal's vaults could be profitless. Films like this would be given intertitles and imported to Europe, with new foreign titles prepared for overseas release. So far, nothing has shown up. It only survives in the 1936 serial to this day.

Rick

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Re: Zarkov and The Tunnel of Terror -- Rick, 04:11:35 09/28/11 Wed [1]

The 1931 print was a non-dialogue version for US and foreign markets.

Rick

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]

Re: Zarkov and The Tunnel of Terror -- Officer Torch, 08:30:23 09/28/11 Wed [1]

Ok, let's get serious here....word has it that Ming is contemplating some bash at the catacombs, the so called Tunnel of Terror, and various cavernous regions beneath the palace. He is all wound up about this from stories and video from earth. Halloween.

It is rumored that Ming plans a ride thru thing, as in amusement/theme parks...people moving devices for crowd control and high volume usage. It will be like a fun house of sorts with various pop ups, monster noises, spooky themed songs, like "The Monster Mash" and others. The Addams family and their extended family relatives and friends (soldiers in costumes of course) will guide the tours and provide some fright.

The admission will be 50 Mingols per person, 25 for kids, and no charge for Claymen or Zuggs (Ming figures they will add to fright nite fun by just showing up.) Zarkov is preparing to barricade his lab to avoid tricks. (Ming has not supplied treats, so there is some concern.) This is all I could find for now, but it is early yet...however, should you come across some new rumors, present them here. Mongonians are always interested in news articles.

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]

Re: Zarkov and The Tunnel of Terror -- Tim, 10:14:47 09/28/11 Wed [1]

Sounds like the Halloween bash of the century, courtesy of Sire Ming!

The Addams clan always make good guides, and with Fester around you never need a flashlight.

Of course Cousin It is even harder to understand than those Rockmen with their Rocktalk, but butler Lurch will gladly translate!

Sergeant Tim

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]