RIP Dino DeLaurentiis

Uber-producer Dino DeLaurentiis has passed away at the tender age of 91. Included in his extensive and impressive resume are classics like Maximum Overdrive, Orca, and personal favorite Flash Gordon. For anyone unfamiliar with DeLaurentiis’ work, I suggest time-travelling back to the mid-’80s, turning on the television to any channel and you’re virtually guaranteed to find a one of his films playing. Weekend afternoon movies and early cable were made for this kind of stuff. While the DeLaurentiis name has not always been associated with quality, his films were consistently entertaining.

For example:

First, here’s a scene from Maximum Overdrive involving a soda machine, a little league coach, a kid, and a steamroller.

Next is a scene from Flash Gordon involving Aryan beefcake, hairy men in hawk outfits, and Max Von Sydow.

I know, I know, where are the soda machine and steamroller when you really need them?

Finally, I was going to post a clip from Orca, but killer whales are almost as scary as sharks, so here’s another clip from Flash Gordon where Hairy Hawkman answers the age-old question, “Is Flash Gordon dead?”

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