The late Elizabeth is rumored to have enjoyed several BBC shows, including Pointless, Antiques Roadshow, and Strictly Come Dancing. The Queen Consort, Camilla, once confirmed that the late monarch actually watched the latter program. We also know that the Queen was an unexpected fan of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, passing up a chance to hear a Paul McCartney set in favor of watching the latest episode.
Although many people think of the most recent season of Twin Peaks as a long movie, it’s not; in fact, a different fantasy film is said to be the Queen’s favorite.
During an interview in 2020, British cult icon Brian Blessed said that his 1980 science fiction film Flash Gordon was the monarch’s all-time favorite movie. “The Queen, it’s her favorite film, she watches it with her grandchildren every Christmas,” Blessed told Yahoo Movies.
Following this, Blessed adopts a Queenie accent and yells, “You know, we watch Flash Gordon all the time, me and the grandchildren. Please tell the grandchildren that Gordon is still with us if you don’t mind. Even if it’s not true that the Queen personally appointed the actor to the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his artistic and charitable contributions in 2016, the fact remains that she clearly had a soft spot for him.
Actor Brian Blessed, who played Prince Vultan in the classic science fiction film about a football player and his friends who must save the world from a campy fantasy threat, reflected on his character’s enduring legacy, saying, “Everywhere I go, they all want me to say ‘Gordon’s alive!’…
Everyone from farmers to shopkeepers to royalty to heads of state is eager for me to announce that “Gordon’s alive!” because this is their all-time favorite movie.
Not only does the Queen adore Flash Gordon, but so does Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi. Producing partner John Davies has said of Waititi, “He has the most fantastically interesting vision for this movie,” and the director is attached to make a live-action remake of the film to bring it into the 21st century. …and there’s only one way to tell it’s Taika.
He goes on to say, “It’s what he does.” It’s just his perspective on life. To put it simply, he is the coolest dude ever. He’s the funniest human being alive. And his mind operates on an entirely different level. Furthermore, this film celebrates all that is unique to Taika and his vision.
