Script Changes

They're CHANGES to the SCRIPT!

Here are some interesting extracts from the "Final Script", July 1979, which were altered or cut from the movie. They originate from the amazing-but-true www.timothydalton.com. The first extract is the Wood Beast scene - YES fools, the WOOD BEAST SCENE:

164 INT. TREE TEMPLE 164

Low HISSING SOUND as {Flash and Fico} enter into the near darkness. FLASH whispers.

FLASH Where are the weapons??

FICO Feel one.

FICO has a dagger in his hand, it's point right in Flash's back. As FLASH freezes, ARMED TREE MEN drop down outside on vines, step in with crossbows aimed at the Earthling. BARIN and the AGED PRIEST enter.

BARIN Do you know where you are?

FLASH Up the creek.

PRIEST You have trespassed where only a Tree Man may enter! A stranger in our temple must try the Wood Beast or die!

FLASH It figures.

FLASH turns, looks at BARIN.

BARIN You entered here of your own will, Earthling. But I swear by the Great God Arbor -- because of my word to Aura, I won't kill you unless you beg me to.

BARIN (cont'd) (turning to Priest) Will you try against him, Green Father?

PRIEST I will.

BARIN The Beast lies somewhere in the stump. There are six passages. Only five are safe. (drawing his sword) Let the test begin!

BARIN's sword point touches FLASH's back. FLASH looks around at the Tree Men with their armed cocked crossbows, takes a breath and walks to the big stump where the PRIEST waits. The PRIEST lifts his right hand, plunges it into one of the holes. Heleaves it there a moment, pulls it out unscathed.

BARIN Your turn, Earthling. Where is the beast today?

FLASH tenses, jabs his hand in another hole. Vicious HISSING from the stump as he quickly pulls it out. Instantly, the PRIEST tries a third hole and again pulls out safely. Hiseyes gleam at FLASH with malevolent triumph as BARIN's sword point prods FLASH's back.

BARIN Choose another hole?

165 INSIDE THE STUMP EXTREME CU ANGLES 165

of FLASH seen through the ominous holes in the stump. We HEAR BARIN's voice:

BARIN (V.O.) The test must continue until the Beast is satisfied. That is our law.

166 BACK TO SCENE 166

FLASH thrusts his hand into another hole.

167 CU - FLASH'S FACE 167

He gasps, and his face contorts. ANGLE WIDENS as he takes a brief, anguished look at his wrist, claps the other hand over it, and wheels to look at BARIN.

BARIN Death is certain -- but only after tortured madness.

FLASH How long?

BARIN Hours or days -- depending on your strength.

FLASH Please -- end it now.

FLASH drops to his knees before BARIN, bends back his neck. BARIN raises his sword with slow relish. Lightning quick, FLASH pulls BARIN's legs out from under him and grabs the sword, in an instant he is standing over BARIN with the sword against his throat. We SEE the supposedly bitten wrist unmarked. FLASH faked them out.

FLASH One move and you're looking for a new prince.

The TREE MEN are frozen. Dropping the sword, FLASH dives through an opening.

Congratulations to whoever changed this scene between the "Final Script" and the shooting. And a big 'DUH!' to whoever wrote it this way in the first place. It seems obvious that Barin should be the one to 'try' Flash, as it becomes a metaphor for their rivalry (from Barins' point of view) over Aura. It also sets the atmosphere for the battle at Vultans' place later on, where this tense animosity and competitiveness is unleashed as PHYSICAL VIOLENCE. Yay!

The next extract was cut from the film altogether. Apparently, it happens directly before Flash is executed:

86 ON A TERRACE AT SIDE - OVERLOOKING COURTYARD 86

BARIN and AURA are in the shadows.

BARIN Your bedchamber at midnight -

AURA I'm not in the mood.

BARIN Aura, I know how executions excite you.

He tries to nuzzle her, but she pushes him away.

AURA I said not tonight.

BARIN You're impossible.

AURA I can't resist it. You're such a perfect soldier.

AURA(cont'd) (fingers the row of medals on his tunic) I want to see these melt into pools of liquid fire!

Laughing, AURA presses her bosom against him. It damn near does make the medals melt.

A slightly bizarre scene, it must be said. But still, any scene involving Aura 'bosom pressing' someone can't be all bad. I wonder if it was filmed and then edited out or just cut from the script completely. Imagine if there was a 'Directors Cut' of Flash Gordon somewhere with extra scenes and stuff...well I imagine it, anyway. You probably imagine more interesting stuff.

I also would kill, literally KILL any number of opponents with my BARE HANDS, to see out-takes and bloopers from the movie. How could any of them keep a straight face? I digress. Here's more stolen info:

"Interesting" Fact #1
The only description in the script for Prince Barin was: "his bearingmilitary."

"Interesting" Fact #2
For the fight scene between Barin and Flash on the battle disc, the script called for both contestants to be "stripped to the waist."

"Interesting" Fact #3
June Randall was the script supervisor on five of Timothy Dalton's movies:

Wuthering Heights
Flash Gordon
The Doctor and the Devils
The Living Daylights
Licence to Kill

The script supervisor's job includes dialogue continuity (seeing actors repeat lines as written, and noting changes when they are accepted into the final version); making sure all scenes are covered by the director, and noting that a master has been filmed, as well as all accessory angles; prompting actors with their lines and occasionally acting as an off-screen voice (for example, a voice on the other end of a telephone so the actor has someone to react to and time out dialogue with); timing the scenes; and writing all these changes up at the end of the day so her notes can be used in editing. Her most important job is to chart matching, making sure actors look appropriately to Camera Right or Camera Left, to remember for those who don't naturally match themselves which hand they were holding a prop in, and to be sure actors maintain their exact positions and duplicate their precise motions from the master angle to their individual close ups. (The master angle is generally that full shot, wide angle that includes the entire scene, and from which individual angles are edited into, to make a cohesive whole.) For those who follow classic British television, you may find it of interest that June Randall was also the script supervisor for the Mrs. Peel years on The Avengers.

O.K., I admit that last fact wasn't exactly 'interesting'. Sorry.

There must be people out there who worked on the film, know someone who worked on the film, or stole somebody's diary who worked on the film. We want more Flash Facts! Anything at all! MAIL ME.

Also, does anyone have the full script? I remember a few years ago sites such as Drews Script-O-rama used to be full of film scripts. Anyone come across it?