Prince Vultan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Prince Vultan is the Prince of the bird-like Hawk-people in the Flash Gordon comic strip and its adaptions. Prince Vultan started his career as a half-willain with a lecherous side but soon reformed into one of Flash Gordon's greatest ally. His charachter fits the stereotype of the barrel-chested chieftain with more than a hint of the viking reaver in it, endowed with a booming voice and a great appetite for life, food and women.

In the 1936 film serial, he was portrayed by John Lipson who, some believe, was mimicking Charles Laughton's Henry VIII.

Alan Melvin provided Vultan's voice in the 1979 Filmation series. He is referred to here as King Vultan, not Prince. His Sky City is a marvel of Mongo technology, as the massive construct is suspended miles above ground by beams of polarized anti-gravity light. Unlike Prince Barin's kingdom of Arboria, Vultan's Hawk-Men do not make use of airships in battle. Instead they fly under their own power or ride giant warbirds armed with harness-mounted energy cannons.

He was portrayed by Brian Blessed in the cult 1980 film Flash Gordon. Vultan is best remembered for the lines "Gordon's alive?!" and "Diiiiiiiiiiiive!". For the film's soundtrack by the rock group Queen, Freddie Mercury composed a song called "Vultan's Theme."