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The Comic Strip

With the 40th anniversary re-release of Flash Gordon imminent, Matthew Sweet is joined by guitarist Brian May of Queen for a programme celebrating film and the comic strip.

With the 40th anniversary re-release of Mike Hodges鈥檚 Flash Gordon into cinemas at the end of the month, Matthew Sweet is joined by guitarist Brian May for a look back on the film's groundbreaking score composed by Howard Blake and Queen. Matthew also takes a timely look back across the decades at music for films that have taken their inspiration from comic strips and comic books. Featured films include 'Modesty Blaise', 'Dennis the Menace', 'Popeye', 'Addams Family Values', 'The Peanuts Movie', and 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'; 'The Belles of St Trinians', 'Barbarella', 'The Perils of Gwendoline' and 'Tamara Drewe'; 'The Adventures of Tintin', 'Dick Tracy' and of course 'Flash Gordon'. The Classic Score of the week is Franz Waxman's music for the 1954 Arthurian inspired adventure epic, 'Prince Valiant'.

And the programme also includes music from the newly released video-on-demand feature, 'The Old Guard' - based on a 2017 comic book by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez and featuring a new score by Dustin O'Halloran and Volker Bertelmann.

Available now

29 minutes

Last on

Sat 25 Jul 2020 15:00

Music Played

  • John Dankworth

    Modesty Blaise Theme

    Ensemble: David & Jonathan. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: John Dankworth.
    • Modesty Blaise (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album).
    • 20th Century Fox Records.
  • Jerry Goldsmith

    Dennis the Menace: Our Town

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Jerry Goldsmith.
    • Dennis The Menace (Original Soundtrack).
    • La-La Land Records.
    • 1.
  • Harry Nilsson

    Popeye: I yam what I yam

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Singer: Robin Williams.
    • Popeye - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album.
    • Epic.
  • Christophe Beck

    The Peanuts Movie: Skating

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Tim Davies.
    • The Peanuts Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • 20th Century Fox.
  • Vic Mizzy

    The Addams Family TV series: Main Theme

    Orchestra: Vic Mizzy Orchestra.
    • Original Music From The Addams Family.
    • RCA Victor.
  • Marc Shaiman

    Addams Family Values: The Tango

    Composer: Vic Mizzy. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Artie Kane.
    • Addams Family Values (The Original Orchestral Score).
    • Var猫se Sarabande.
  • Allan Gray

    The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp: Prelude

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.
    • The Red Shoes: Music From The Films Of Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger (The.
    • CD41 PUBLISHING.
    • 8.
  • Malcolm Arnold

    The Belles of St Trinians: Prelude

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Muir Mathieson.
    • Hurrah For Malcolm Arnold.
    • El.
    • 18.
  • Bob Crewe

    Barbarella: Entrance into Sogo

    Composer: Charles Fox. Ensemble: Bob Crewe Generation Orchestra.
    • Barbarella (Original Soundtrack Recording).
    • Harkit Records.
    • 1.
  • Pierre Bachelet

    Gwendoline: La Legende de Pikao

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Guy Matt茅oni.
    • Gwendoline (Bande Originale Du Film).
    • RCA Records.
  • Alexandre Desplat

    Tamara Drewe: Opening Title

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Alexandre Desplat.
    • Tamara Drewe (Original Soundtrack Recording).
    • Silva Screen.
  • John Williams

    The Adventures Of Tintin - The Secret Of The Unicorn

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams. Conductor: John Williams. Conductor: John Williams.
    • The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (Soundtrack).
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1.
  • Danny Elfman

    Dick Tracy: Main Titles

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Shirley Walker.
    • Dick Tracy (Original Score).
    • Warner Bros. Records.
  • Franz Waxman

    Prince Valiant: Suite

    Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Gerhardt.
    • Sunset Boulevard - The Classic Film Scores of Franz Waxman.
    • RCA Red Seal.
    • 1.
  • Howard Blake

    Flash Gordon: Bell & Coffin - Zarkov - Rocket Ship Flight

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Howard Blake.
    • Flash Gordon / Amityville 3D (Original Orchestral Score From The Motion Picture).
    • Super Tracks Music Group.
  • Brian May

    Flash Gordon: Crash Dive on Mongo City

    Ensemble: Queen.
    • Flash Gordon (Original Soundtrack Music).
    • EMI.
  • Brian May

    Flash Gordon: Wedding March

    Composer: Richard Wagner. Ensemble: Queen. Ensemble: Queen.
    • Flash Gordon (Original Soundtrack Music).
    • EMI.
  • Brian May

    Flash Gordon: Battle Theme

    Ensemble: Queen.
    • Flash Gordon (Original Soundtrack Music).
    • EMI.
  • Freddie Mercury

    Flash Gordon: The Kiss 'Aura Resurrects Flash'

    Ensemble: Queen.
    • Flash Gordon (Original Soundtrack Music).
    • EMI.
  • Freddie Mercury

    Flash Gordon: Vultan's Theme

    Ensemble: Queen.
    • Flash Gordon (Original Soundtrack Music).
    • EMI.
  • Volker Bertelmann

    The Old Guard: The old guard

    Composer: Dustin O鈥橦alloran. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.
    • The Old Guard鈥擬usic From The Netflix and Skydance Film.
    • Lakeshore Records.

Broadcast

  • Sat 25 Jul 2020 15:00

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