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Rating: Before proceeding with my review, I must make an important preamble. On the DVD cover of the film, the title is listed as "Flesh Gordon - Round Trip... from Planet Korno!" and frankly, the hidden reason why, in Italy, the aforementioned film is available with this evidently censored title escapes me (oh, how foolish and twisted these censors are...). The real title is rather "Flesh Gordon - Round Trip... from Planet Porno!" and I see no reason why we shouldn't speak freely and correctly, calling "a spade a spade," or better yet "penis to penis," given the licentious nature of the work which has its own unique history.
In 1974, when directors Benveniste and Ziehm decided to create a bizarre film by combining business with pleasure, they thought of nothing less than a porno satire of films inspired by the superhero Flash Gordon. This character was created by cartoonist Alex Raymond in 1934, and due to its great success, some films inspired by its adventures were made between 1936 and 1940. It is known that, in those years, the USA was going through the Great Depression, and any recreational initiative intended to entertain the masses (films, comics, musicals, etc.) was well accepted. But if in the '30s, a certain puritanical mentality did not allow for daring works (see the strict Hays Code for films), the situation in the USA and the so-called Western world in the '70s was radically different. In America, dealing with the painful aftermath of the Vietnam War and the Watergate affair, a certain wind of liberalization in sexual customs was blowing, and in many films, certain themes were addressed with a certain explicitness. That's why, in order to experiment and entertain the public, a film like "Flesh Gordon - Round Trip... from Planet Porno!" was released, where the protagonist's name is no longer Flash Gordon, but rather Flesh (meat) Gordon, just to make clear the erotic component of the character and the plot. Therefore, the story manages to be decidedly bawdy and fun (which is a consequence in matters of eros...).
Briefly, the facts. The lives of Earth's inhabitants are one day disrupted by an unusual event: a shower of radioactive rays hits the planet, causing incredible consequences as anyone struck, regardless of being male or female, is seized by an uncontrollable erotic frenzy. And so, whether it's the bird that pulls or the itchy wet kitty, one witnesses fiery copulations everywhere, not just in private but even on the street, without any discretion. A great debate ensues among scientists baffled by the events (they even hypothesize it could be a mysterious virus), whose origin is soon revealed: these radioactive rays come from Planet Porno, ruled by a wicked Emperor named Wang. To give an idea, he's such a sleazy and slimy character that he has his subjects call him "His Filthiness" and "His Shamelessness," and he is driven by the intent to make Earthlings stop making war and perhaps make love (not a bad agenda...).
The attack on Planet Earth also affects a civilian airplane carrying Flesh Gordon and journalist Dale Ardor, who manage to escape the crashing aircraft by parachuting. Luckily, they land near the residence of scientist Flexi Jerkoff (in the Italian dubbing called Dr. Vaffa, conveniently enough), who has patented a phallic-shaped rocket to reach Planet Porno and confront the wicked Wang. The mission of the three heroes will unfold amidst a thousand dangers, passing through the incredible court (a cesspit of outrageous sexual depravity) of the Emperor and facing dangerous challenges with incredible characters (among others, the Penosaurs, the perverted and busty naked Amazons, etc.), but a happy ending is ensured. And how could it be otherwise, especially with the support of a group of resistance fighters (unexpectedly gay) led by Prince Precious (in the Italian dubbing known as Prince Pirla)?
Of course, a film of this kind, distinctly a trash movie, can also upset tender souls inclined toward politically correct tones. But it is also true that, in the human soul, there is a hidden need for licentiousness, more explicit in the years when the film was released, made even with somewhat artisanal special effects (e.g., stop-motion clay animation) that give the work a subtle B-movie charm. Not to mention the healthy satire directed at all those superheroes (from the comic strips to more recent secret agents) that seem so indispensable for saving the world. If one also adds an eye to the healthy sexual needs to be satisfied, one can be sure of the interest a film can generate, to the point of creating situations that also bring good humor (which never hurts...).
Of course, this is not a film recommended for young girls, just not to awaken repressed passions. And everyone else is duly warned: the ban on viewing for those under 18 is logical. It is meant as entertaining cinematic fiction. Or at least that's how it should be, unless an unexpected libido is felt, induced by cosmic rays from a distant planet in a remote galaxy. Perhaps this could justify unheard-of erections and strong wet itches in young ladies...
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