# The Flash (1990 film)

The Flash is a 1990 American action drama superhero television film based on the DC Comics character of the same name created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino. Produced by Pet Fly Productions and Warner Bros. Television, it was directed by Robert Iscove and developed and written by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo and stars an ensemble cast of John Wesley Shipp as Barry Allen / Flash, alongside Amanda Pays, Alex Desert, Paula Marshall, Michael Nader, Tim Thomerson, Priscilla Pointer, Lycia Naff, Richard Belzer, Robert Hooks and M. Emmet Walsh. The film features an origin story of Barry Allen, a forensic scientist for the Central City Police Department (CCPD) who gains superhuman speed after a lab accident and seeks out help from Tina McGee, a research scientist at S.T.A.R. Labs, in learning how to control his powers. When Barry's older brother, police officer Jay, is murdered in the line of duty by his corrupt ex-partner, Nicholas Pike, the leader of a vicious motorcycle gang of criminals, Barry uses his newfound abilities to fight Pike and his gang under his masked persona "the Flash".
The film is actually the 2-hour pilot episode ("Pilot") of the American television series The Flash which was debuted on CBS in the 8 pm (EST) slot on Thursday in order to go against The Cosby Show on NBC and attract younger viewers before it was edited into a feature-length film, being roughly 93 minutes in length, and marketed on VHS. An extended version of the film was released on laserdisc while the episodes were released on DVD in January 2006. The series have been released on Blu-ray in June 2024 which features brand new 1080p HD masters that were created from the 4k scans of the original camera negatives. Development of the film and the following episodes began in 1988 when Warner Bros. Television were struggling to develop television films based on some DC Comics characters for CBS. In January 1990, new CBS Entertainment president Jeff Sagansky finally expressed his interest in creating a series featuring the Flash and The Flash was announced a few months afterwards. Bilson and De Meo were hired to write the film which they completed.

## Plot

In Central City, the Dark Riders, a vicious biker gang of criminals led by Nicholas Pike, plunder and terrorize the city in order to conduct a crime spree. However, Rick, one of the Dark Riders, grows anxious of Pike's leadership and tries to convince Lila, Pike's girlfriend, to leave Central City with him, but Lila informs Pike of Rick's treason and Pike orders Rick to be tied to his motorcycle and killed in an explosion. Barry Allen, a forensic scientist working for the Central City Police Department (CCPD), is summoned alongside Julio Mendez, his close friend and co-worker, to take a sample of tire tracks for an analysis at his lab where he is accidentally struck by lightning and doused in electricity and nearby chemical products, leaving himself to be hospitalized. Despite his doctor's warnings, Barry leaves the hospital to continue his work, but notices that he has developed superhuman speed that leaves him worn out and craving for food to fuel his body. He is contacted by Tina McGee, a research scientist who advises him to meet her at S.T.A.R. Labs for an examination on his condition. Tina suggests that they should keep it a secret from the public as she fears that the U.S. government would eventually take over the research and use Barry for experimentation. With Tina's help, Barry learns to maintain his control over his powers, but suddenly begins to experience an seizure. As a result, Iris West, a computer graphics artist whom Barry is dating with and intends to marry, breaks up with him, feeling that their relationship is moving too fast.
Meanwhile, Lila informs Pike that Chief Arthur Cooper, the police chief of the CCPD, is authorizing to form a tactical strike force headed by Jay, Barry's older brother, and showcase them to Central City in order to deal with the response of the Dark Riders' attacks in the city via a televised news. In response, Pike rallies his gang to launch an attack against the police. Barry introduces Tina to Julio who deduces Pike as a disgraced former CCPD police officer and Jay's ex-partner. Fearing that Pike plans to exact his revenge against Jay for turning him in for his corruption, Barry races out to warn him, but inadvertently discovers that Pike has set up a trap and killed him. At Jay's funeral, Barry, conflicted in anguish over losing his brother, asks Henry, his estranged father and a retired CCPD veteran sergeant, for his blessing in tracking down Pike, but Henry declines his request, so Barry convinces Tina to help him avenge Jay's death by providing him in with a special scarlet prototype deep sea diving-suit from Russia designed to withstand friction and pressure in order to conceal his identity so that he can fight back against Pike and his gang as a vigilante. Under the cover of night, Barry, calling himself "the Flash", uses his newfound abilities to target down and humiliate most of the Dark Riders, but Lila severely wounds him before she is captured and arrested by the police, and Barry is escorted back to his apartment. He reencounters Tina and introduces her to Iris who has arrived to resume their feelings. The next morning, Barry learns that he has also developed an superhuman healing ability and interrogates Lila of Pike's whereabouts, but Lila refuses and Barry has her clothes stripped off and taken to his lab while Lila is sent to prison.
Angered at his plans being disrupted due to Barry's interferences in his operations, Pike decides to break into prison one night, kill the guards and liberate Lila, the detained Dark Rikers and several unrelated inmmates with the stolen weapons. Barry pinpoints the location of Pike's hideout at an abandoned reservoir and reveals Pike's plans to Cooper who attempts to ambush Pike and his gang. While attempting to suit up and join the assault, Barry begins to experience another seizure and manages to call Tina for help before passing out. Tina is able to bring him around, but Barry rushes off to prevent any casualties. A gunfight breaks out between the police and the Dark Riders as Barry arrives to incapacitate the criminals and confronts Pike who attempts to escape but inadvertently experiences a third seizure, allowing Pike to brutally beat and leave him for dead in the sewers. However, Barry finds the strength to recover from the seizure and overpowers Pike, leaving him for the police. The next day, Henry and Nora, Barry's mother who is a volunteer at a shelter for single mothers, discuss about the Flash's emergence with Julio and Idris as Barry consoles Shawn, Jay's son, reassuring him that anything he needs him, although he couldn't run like his father, he'll be there for him "in a flash".

## Cast

* John Wesley Shipp as Barry Allen / Flash
* Amanda Pays as Tina McGee
* Alex Desert as Julio Mendez
* Paula Marshall as Iris West
* Michael Nader as Nicholas Pike
* Tim Thomerson as Jay Allen
* Priscilla Pointer as Nora Allen
* Lycia Naff as Lila
* Richard Belzer as Joe Kline
* Robert Hooks as Chief Arthur Cooper
* M. Emmet Walsh as Henry Allen
* Patrie-Allen as Eve Allen
* Biff Manard as Officer Michael Murphy
* Vito D'Ambrosio as Officer Tony Bellows
* Wayne Pere as Rick
* Justin Burnette as Shawn Allen
* Eric DaRe as Tyrone
* Ricky Dean Logan as Scott
* Mariko Tse as Linda Park
* Sam Vlahos as Dr. Lawrence
* Josh Cruze as Petrolli
* David L. Crowley as SWAT Captain
* Virginia Morris as Mother
* Richard Hoyt-Miller as Young Father
* Jan Stango as Young Mother
* Brad "Cat" Sevy as Waiter

## Production
### Development

In 1989, Warner Bros. Television tried to develop television films based on some DC Comics characters for CBS. At some point, Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo had conceived a teleplay titled Unlimited Powers which featured several superheroes including the Flash forming up a resistance in a dystopian future where superheroes had been outlawed, taking up contemporary cues from comics like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns. Unfortunately, that project was never made, but though from it, in January 1990, new CBS Entertainment president Jeff Sagansky finally expressed interest in creating a series featuring the Flash and The Flash was announced a few months afterwards. Bilson and De Meo were tapped in to write the film which they completed in January 1990.