Ready To Follow BUCK ROGERS Into The 25th Century?
In the 1920's a two part Amazing Stories comic detailed the adventures of Buck Rogers, a pilot who, while surveying an old mine, fell into suspended animation thanks to a leaking gas. He awoke 500 years later in the 25th century, where he helped Earth defend itself from various worldwide threats. The comic became popular, slightly changing over the years to reflect better scientific understanding but retaining the basic elements. For most people, the terrible television show from the late seventies is their frame of reference for the Buck Rogers mythos. In that short-lived series, Gil Gerard played Buck, an astronaut who, in a freak mishap, was frozen for 500 years before being accidently found and reawakened. The series followed Buck's remarkably quick acceptance of life in the future, and his leading of forces to defend Earth against galactic invaders. The show was cheap and chintzy, full of "wacky" robots and stupid villains. By far, the most memorable thing about the show was the stylish, imaginative, and urgent opening titles:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO8kFHCXiEg The show was only a marginal success, suffering in comparison to the more expansive and noble Battlestar Galactica of the same period. It also struggled desperately to recreate magic in the wake of Star Wars, still fresh in the minds of the world's children. Unlike either of those properties, Buck Rogers felt silly and sloppy. In an effort to lure more viewers, producer Glen A. Larson kept adding more robots like Twiki, the annoying silver android with a ridiculous speech impediment. Voiced by Mel Blanc, the robot sounded like a hoarse, stuttering version of Bugs Bunny. Larson also had the ingenious idea to put co-star Erin Grey in skimpier outfits to attract Dads. None of this worked, and the series limped to a pathetic finish. Despite the dumb premise and the general failure of the Buck Rogers brand over the years, Deadline Hollywood Daily announced today that Paul W.S. Anderson will be directing a new feature film of the Buck Rogers story. This news is the kiss of death, of course, given the fact that Anderson has all the directorial talent of lime Jell-O. One thing you can count on for sure - Anderson will keep Twiki in the movie somehow, which should seal the film's fate before a single frame is shot.