It's bad in all the right ways for me.

Yes but you were 30 years old in the 80's right? It was a different time and people had different preferences and expectations for movies back then. A movie like flash gordon would not work at all nowadays unless it was a satire.
I love the movies you mentioned as well, not sure if I would love them if I saw them for the first time as an adult. Maybe im wrong, who knows.

I was 30 years old when I saw "Flash Gordon" in the theater, and I loved it enough to go back several more times!
I grew up reading "Flash Gordon" comic strips and occasionally getting to see the Buster Crabbe cliffhangers. I loved comic books and comic strips as a child, as a teen and in adulthood. I completely "got" this film~and still do!
I'm watching it right now for~well~it's been more than 100 times since 1980, and that number will continue going up because I'll watch it whenever it's on a cable movie channel or when I can locate my videotape of it. It would be great to watch along with "Barbarella". Toss in "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension" and "Big Trouble in Little China" for a truly fun-filled marathon.
"Flash Gordon" is eyeblastingly colorful and filled with terrific performances even by those not-so-great actors; they bring the characters I remember from my youth to cinematic life. I love everything about it, especially costume and set designs. Add to that Queen's fantastic music It takes me back to that theater (third row center) every time, immersing myself in the enjoyment.
Come to think of it, there are others that could keep that marathon going, including "Ice Pirates".
By the way: I also defend "Krull", which I saw in a theater way back when; since then, I have seen it 100+ times and look forward to every viewing. It has the best arachnid EVER in films: The Crystal Web Spider.
So, don't limit love for "Flash Gordon" to those who saw it as children. That isn't true!
EDIT: I gave it a 10!
(W)hat are we without our dreams?
Making sure our fantasies
Do not overpower our realities. ~ RC

You have to first see it as a kid to appreciate it. Of course youre going to find it ridiculous as an adult.

This message has been deleted.

The movie was intentionally campy and camp is not synonymous with bad so I would not label it "so bad it's good" more like it's "so fun it's good". No it's not realistic it's based on a comic strip from the 1930's for Gods sake! Go watch 2001 a Space Odyssey.
"Sorry I'm late guys. I was taking a crap."
Paul Newman

So 80'd bad that its awesome! dunno what you're smokin steviep
"I do not like mixing up moralities and mathematics."
Churchill

I'm afraid you didn't like it because you don't have any taste for camp. I'm so sorry for you

Is not. It's a FUN movie.

This message has been deleted.

Is not.

There's a saying that I think can apply here:
For those who enjoy it, there's no explanation needed.
For those that don't, no explanation will do.
This is all opinion, so there's no need to argue anything. But, someone above made reference to there being no plot. Really? The plot is laid out in front of you!
There was this fire, and I had to save it from a baby

I am going to have to watch this one again as I wasn't fully paying attention, sadly But what a surprise it was. Caught some of the weird sex references in there It's worth a re-watch just for those! And the constant Queen music through out it is just amazing. They even had a Queen version of the wedding song! Really good But not because it's a great movie, it's just I don't know, I just really liked it. I can't even explain it.

I agree, it is bad. I give it about a four. I also couldn't get past 30 minutes & then deleted it from my computer. It's just too cheesy, unrealistic & with bad acting.
I probably would've like as a pre-teen, but I was a few years older when this came out.

It's a comic strip in live action. Come on, you have Dale picking up her high heels, running and then doing a cartwheel before firing her laser. Using the wedding match for an interstellar wedding. Lines like "He stunned me!" from a hawkman.This movie is a hoot. If you're trying to take it seriously, you're in the wrong line.
I refuse to be outwitted by a 2-dimensional character in a cheap romantic thriller!

This is what a space opera should look like.
I don't even want to get into how campy it is, I just had a very good time watching a movie for once. Permanent grin on my face, **** reason, 9/10.

It's much like Queen It's like this self-aware joke within a joke within a joke. It only looks cheap.
Flash. Ah ah.

I think it's actually a good movie, not a so bad it's good movie.
The humor is intentional. And I love that they got their inspiration for the look of the movie from the old serials and comics instead of imitating Star Wars or Alien.
Easy go, life is not real,
Life is only what you conjure. - Ray Davies

Not just bad, but laughably bad. Watch Flesh Gordon instead. The script and acting are on par with this one and the jokes are better. I hope they paid Brian and Freddie a bunch of money for that awful score, too.

They definitely overlooked some things when they made this film: like casting people who could actually act to play their main characters, or anything that came close to resembling a plot; but that visual imagery and that music: OMG!!! This movie did things that no other movie has done before or since.

cheers, ob! you're my kind of guy!! TOTALLY comprehensive post and I'm with ya, mate!!!
you're on the money (shot) there about ornella, she is almost FREAKISHLY HOT!
I certainly would like to be reincarnated as one of THOSE particular bore worms!!
And chuck Suzanne Danielle into the mix, too 'cos she was a teen thing for me along with Erin Gray and Lalla Ward!
I'll get me coat

cheers, ob! you're my kind of guy!! TOTALLY comprehensive post and I'm with ya, mate!!!
you're on the money (shot) there about ornella, she is almost FREAKISHLY HOT!
I certainly would like to be reincarnated as one of THOSE particular bore worms!!
And chuck Suzanne Danielle into the mix, too 'cos she was a teen thing for me along with Erin Gray and Lalla Ward!
I'll get me coat

cheers, ob! you're my kind of guy!! TOTALLY comprehensive post and I'm with ya, mate!!!
you're on the money (shot) there about ornella, she is almost FREAKISHLY HOT!
I certainly would like to be reincarnated as one of THOSE particular bore worms!!
And chuck Suzanne Danielle into the mix, too 'cos she was a teen thing for me along with Erin Gray and Lalla Ward!
I'll get me coat

Spot on, jb. All I would add is the gloriously sexy Ornella Muti, every adolescent male's 1980 fantasyand I was 29 when it was released. Strap her down and whip her perfect bottom (ooh no, missus)"NO, not the BORE WORMS!!!!"