The Connection Between Flash Gordon and A Christmas Story’s Credits Explained

Fans of the beloved holiday classic A Christmas Story might spot an intriguing name in its credits—Flash Gordon. Since its release in 1983, this film has solidified its status as one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made. With memorable elements like the iconic leg lamp and a plethora of quotable lines, viewers find themselves immersed in its nostalgic charm. Among its most delightful components are Ralphie’s vibrant daydreams, which infuse excitement into the largely heartwarming narrative.

Ralphie Parker’s daydreams are not your average fantasies—they transport audiences into thrilling scenarios, like engaging in battle with bandits and even facing off against the infamous Black Bart. Notably, these imaginative sequences feature the character’s parents feeling remorse for ‘poisoning’ him, to his teacher and classmates celebrating his exploits. Yet, not every vivid hallucination found its way to the final cut, and one particularly intriguing tidbit about A Christmas Story is the potential inclusion of Flash Gordon in a now-deleted scene.

A Christmas Story Almost Featured Ralphie Teaming Up with Flash Gordon

Ralphie’s Ambitious Rescue of a Superhero

Given Ralphie’s imaginative nature, it’s unsurprising that his daydreams extend far beyond simple Western showdowns. In fact, there was originally a scene envisioned where Ralphie interacts with the iconic comic book hero Flash Gordon. Filming for this sequence occurred, yet tragically, the negatives have reportedly been destroyed, leaving no known footage behind. Nonetheless, this scene has been detailed by cast members in various interviews. For instance, Peter Billingsley, who portrayed Ralphie, recounted the experience during an episode of his podcast, A Cinematic Christmas Journey.

In this fantastical segment, Ralphie dons a space suit as he prepares to rescue Flash Gordon, who finds himself captured by the villain Ming the Merciless in outer space. In a dramatic climax, Ralphie aims his Red Ryder Rifle to save the day. Unfortunately, this captivating sequence was limited to test audiences, thereby excluding it from the officially released version of A Christmas Story. Curious fans and avid followers can still access the script for this delete scene, available on The Movie Blog.

Why Bob Clark Retained Flash Gordon’s Name in the Credits

Insights from Billingsley at a Q&A Session

The omission of the Flash Gordon scene raises an interesting question: why does the character still feature in the credits? During a recent tour and Q&A session, attended by a representative from Screen Rant, Billingsley addressed this very inquiry. In his remarks, he shared that director Bob Clark made a thoughtful decision to leave the names of Paul Hubbard and Colin Fox—who played Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless— in the credits. This decision was rooted in Clark’s commitment to ensuring that the actors received appropriate compensation for their contributions, despite not appearing in the film’s final edit. This choice highlights the director’s respect and consideration for the cast involved in the project.

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