Times 2 - UK (2020-07-31)

the times | Friday July 31 2020 1GT 3

arts

they used the same technique more

successfully on Vultan’s stool scene.

Fans of the film all recall its

dialogue. Although actually, since

almost none of its memorable lines

involve actual exchanges, dialogue

isn’t quite the right word. The nearest

we get is possibly when the nubile

Princess Aura is being tortured and

her tormentor tells an underling to

“bring me the bore worms”, to which

she responds: “Not the bore worms!”

And frankly, what more do you need

to know?

But the best-known line is Dale’s

urgent reminder to her temporarily

distracted boyfriend: “Flash, I love

you, but we only have 14 hours to

save the Earth!”

Star Wars, with its mock solemnity

and its cod philosophising, was never

so much fun. By contrast, Flash

Gordon gave us almost the best

theme song in movie history — the

soundtrack is by Queen with Howard

Blake — then disappeared without

sequel. As we all should.

Flash Gordon is in cinemas from

July 31 and on Blu-ray, Steelbook,

DVD and digital from August 10

paratroopers kitted out with actual

wings and wearing lederhosen cut

horribly high in the thigh. At one

point, when Vultan sits down

energetically astride a silver stool,

it is hard to see how everything can

possibly be contained. There are no

Hawkwomen, and it’s not at all

obvious how this race is perpetuated

or maintained because it spends all its

time carousing and fighting.

Nevertheless, the final mass attack

of the Hawkmen, diving down from

magenta and pink skies like brawny

Stukas to attack Ming’s main space

vehicle, is one of the most celebrated

scenes in the movies. It is also the one

that delayed a remastered re-release.

As the director, Mike Hodges

(who took over from the original

director, Nicolas Roeg, after a

falling-out), says, the pre-CGI

Chroma key compositing that

allowed the creation of backgrounds

so it looked as though a man can

fly was fine, but you then had to

eliminate the wires holding up the

Hawkmen from the print. With some

prints this didn’t quite take “and the

wires would be back again”. Maybe

Opera

other talented young singers

will go on, rain or shine, so

come prepared. Fancy dress —

pirate chic? — is optional.

Opera Holland Park, London W

(operahollandpark.com), Sunday

The Pirates of Penzance

A reduced and relaxed

performance of Gilbert and

Sullivan’s model of a comic

British operetta. The outdoor

show starring Daisy Brown and

Film

(Monday), Aladdin: Live Action

(Tuesday), Bohemian Rhapsody

(Wednesday) and The Lion

King: Live Action (Thursday).

Pre-show quizzes and

refreshments are available.

Troubadour Meridian Water,

Edmonton, London N

(thedrivein.london)

The Drive In

Enjoy outdoor movie nights at

the Drive In, inspired by 1950s

America. Screenings include

Peter Rabbit and Spider-Man:

Into the Spider-Verse (today),

Beauty and the Beast

(tomorrow), Black Panther

(Sunday), The Terminator

Exhibition

which have been extended at

least until the autumn. Book

a timed ticket before your visit

— facemasks are strongly

encouraged.

(tate.org.uk), today, tomorrow

and Sunday

Tate galleries

All four Tate galleries have

reopened this week. Indulge in

the etched fantasies of Aubrey

Beardsley, left, at Tate Britain or

reacquaint yourself with Andy

Warhol at Tate Modern, both of

Outdoor art

rivers, woodland and even

a historic watermill, and you

can admire the work of

contemporary British landscape

painters and traditional

European landscapes of the

20th-century. The Molecey

Mill Gardens, West Deeping

(moleceyestates.com), today,

tomorrow and Sunday

Comedy

Irish comedian whose name

they won’t reveal (tonight),

and Milton Jones and Sara

Barron (Sunday at 3pm).

Court Theatre, Tring,

(get-stuffed.biz), tonight and

Sunday

Get Stuffed Outdoors

After a successful first show

last Sunday hosted by Arthur

Smith, the Hertfordshire club

is back in the open air with

shows featuring Ivo Graham,

left, Cally Beaton and an

Theatre

Audiences will be seated four to

a table, and even if the weather

turns bad it will go ahead.

The Watermill, near Newbury,

Berkshire (watermill.org.uk),

today until Aug 8

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sherlock Holmes gets the al

fresco treatment in this socially

distanced version of

the Conan Doyle yarn, given

a comic twist by a cast of three.

TV & RADIO7-DAY

page 19GUIDE

Saturday August 1 2020

Th

Behind the scenes Burning Man

of the legendary desert festival

Miss Piggy and me: Caitlin Moran

on the return of the Muppets

The hot list

Your guide to the week ahead

In Saturday Review tomorrow

Gladwell & Patterson

One of the oldest art galleries

in London and an RHS Show

regular, Gladwell & Patterson,

has launched a pop-up show

at the Molecey Mill gardens

in West Deeping, Lincolnshire.

It is set against 20 acres of

blond crush

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