Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe (Image) (1940) Rating: Starring: Buster Crabbe, Carol Hughes, Charles Middleton, Frank Shannon Director: Ray Taylor Category: Science-Fiction, Classic Studio: Image Ent. Subtitles: [None] Length: 234 mins     The earth is dying!A rocket hovering over the planet is dropping purple dust into the atmosphere, causing instant death!Blasting off to save humanity are Flash Gordon (Buster Crabbe), Dale Arden (Carol Hughes) and Dr. Hans Zarkov (Frank Shannon), three interplanetary adventurers who head back to Mongo, the source of the plague.Upon landing, Flash discovers that none other than their arch enemy, Ming the Merciless (Charles Middleton), is the madman behind the carnage.He also learns of Polarite -- the antidote to the death dust -- which can only be found in the mountainous wastelands of frozen Frigia.Eluding imminent capture, Flash and his comrades head north, closely pursued by Ming's soldiers who have been ordered to stop the heroic Earthman, no matter what the cost. Can Flash defy the odds and save the Earth from the treacherous dictator's master plan -- the complete and utter subjugation of the entire universe?The answers lie in 12 astounding episodes of intergalactic action and adventure, Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe!