Queen Flash Gordon Soundtrack CD

Queen: Freddie Mercury (vocals, synthesizer), Brian May (guitar, synthesizer, vocals), John Deacon (bass, guitar, synthesizer), Roger Taylor (drums, synthesizer, vocals).

All songs written by members of Queen.
While writing and recording The Game, Queen were asked by renowned movie director Dino DeLaurentis to provide the soundtrack for his upcoming sci-fi epic Flash Gordon. The band accepted and promptly began working on both albums simultaneously. Although at first many fans criticized Flash Gordon since it was issued as an official Queen release rather than a motion picture soundtrack, it has proven to be one of rock's better motion picture soundtracks over the years. The majority of the music is instrumental, with dialogue from the movie in place of Freddie Mercury's singing (only two tracks contain lyrics), but the songwriting is still unmistakably Queen. Highlights abound, such as "Football Fight," "Vultan's Theme (Attack of the Hawkmen)," "The Wedding March," and the heavy metal roar of "Battle Theme." But it was the two more conventional songs that were the album's two best tracks -- the anthemic U.K. Top Ten hit "Flash's Theme" and the woefully underrated rocker "The Hero." With Queen involved, Flash Gordon is certainly not your average, predictable soundtrack. ~ Greg Prato
FLASH GORDON was the motion picture soundtrack for the 1980 movie, released just a few months after one of Queen's most commercially successful albums, THE GAME. More synthesizer-heavy than previous releases, FLASH GORDON is comprised mostly of short instrumentals, with a pair of more traditional Queen songs bookending the album. With dialogue from the movie inserted throughout, it is easy for the listener to grasp the storyline, and to tell which scenes the songs represent.
"Flash's Theme" was the soundtrack's anthemic single, which begins the album on a high note. Then the onslaught of instrumentals begins. The majority can be appreciated outside the story's context--such as "Football Fight" and "Vultan's Theme (Attack Of The Hawk Men)." Others are closely linked to the storyline--"In The Space Capsule," "In The Death Cell," "The Kiss" and "Marriage Of Dale And Ming"--but are still enjoyable. Although it doesn't quite match the majesty of an official Queen album, FLASH GORDON contains plenty of first-rate compositions, including one of their most underrated tunes, "The Hero," which closes the soundtrack.Which CD - Performance 7 / Sound 8