Customer Reviews

Buck Rogers (1939)

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3 star:		(1)
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As I've been trying to collect some classic serials, I've been frustrated by the lack of specific information on the various editions. So let me first say that while the print is far from pristine, for the price this VCI edition is hard to beat.

Second, let me say that I am astonished--to the point of feeling like my 10-year old self was had--how much of "Star Wars" Lucas lifted almost whole-cloth from this serial. Even the prologue as a steeply pitched crawl comes from Buck Rogers, not to mention countless scenes in the Millennium Falcon as the ship is chased by an evil-empire-like force of villains.

So here's the advice I would have been happiest to have had a few days ago when I was trying to decide whether to buy this disc: if you love science fiction on film, or are interested in the popular culture of the late 30's and early 40's, BUY THIS DISC.

VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures present "BUCK ROGERS:70TH ANNIVERSARY" (1939) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- adapted from Edgar Wallace novel with 12 Chapters of vintage serial episodes loaded with action sequences --- story line involves Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe) and his young friend Buddy Wade (Jackie Moran) as they both crash land in a trans-polar dirigible flight on an Earth mountain top, will they be killed --- what is this strange gas of suspended animations --- have the years passed so quickly with Buck and Buddy now 500 years into the future --- who now rules the planet Earth with such tyrannical despot --- what can be done to overthrow the leader Killer Kane (Anthony Warde) who wants all under his "Zombie" control and in enslavement --- can Buck, Buddy and Lt. Wilma Deering (Constance Moore) overthrow Killer Kane and his ally Prince Tallen (Philson Ahn) of Saturn --- who will win out on this universal war, watch "War of the Planets" the final chapter of this inter planetary sci-fi exciting adventure.

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. Tomorrow's World
2. Tragedy on Saturn
3. The Enemy's Stronghold
4. The Sky Patrol
5. The Phantom Plane
6. The Unknown Command
7. Primitive Urge
8. Revolt of the Zuggs
9. Bodies Without Minds
10.Broken Barriers
11.A Prince in Bondage
12.War of the Planets

SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. THE STORY OF BUCK ROGERS - 70 years ago and 500 years in the future [8:52 min]
2. BUSTER CRABBE - ALL AMERICAN HERO - recorded 1972 - [25:29 min]
3. PHOTO GALLERY - [4:47 min]
4. BUCK ROGERS RADIO SHOWS EPISODE #1 - aired from 1932 - 1947 - [15:22 min]
5. BUCK ROGERS RADIO SHOWS EPISODE #2 - aired 11/07/1932 - [13:54 min]
6. 2009 COMIC-CON BUCK ROGERS PANEL - [28:58 min]
7. BUCK ROGERS VS. THE TIGER MEN FROM MARS (1935) - [7:59 min]

Special footnote, actor Buster Crabbe graduated from the University of Southern California and won the 400 meter freestyle in which he medaled in the 1932 Olympics, went to work for Paramount in "King of the Jungle" (1933), next role was "Tarzan the Fearless (1933), Crabbe returned to Paramount Pictures was featured in Zane Grey Westerns which were well received, then came the roles that made him a household word "Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rogers" at Universal Picture Serials (1936-1940), meanwhile PRC Studios was looking for a leading hero "Billy the Kid" and "Billy Carson" in the 1940's B-Western series and ran its course for six years, later made several television appearances and appeared in a series "Captain Gallant and the Foreign Legion" (1955-1957).

BIOS:
1. Buster Crabbe (aka Clarence Linden Crabbe)
Date of Birth: 7 February 1908 - Oakland, California
Date of Death: 23 April 1983, Scottsdale, Arizona

2. Constance Moore
Date of Birth: 18 January 1920 - Sioux City, Iowa
Date of Death:16 September 2005 - Los Angeles, California

3. Anthony Warde
Date of Birth: 4 November 1908 - Pennsylvania
Date of Death: 8 January 1975 - Hollywood, California

4. Jackie Moran (aka John E. Moran)
Date of Birth: 26 January 1923 - Mattoon, Illinois
Date of Death: 20 September 1990 - Greenfield, Massachusetts

5. Ford I. Beebe (Director)
Date of Birth: 26 November 1888 - Grand Rapids, Michigan
Date of Death: 26 November 1978 - Lake Elsinore, California

Great job by VCI and their staff, as the digital transfer is a clean, clear and crisp print much better than the other video labels --- This collection is loaded with quality extra bonus features not found in previous collections --- order your copy now from Amazon who has the best for your every growing hobby or addiction.

Total Time: 241 min on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment 8570 ~ (11/03/2009)

I think the whole sereise should come out on DvD do you have any ideas westher they are trying tro get permission to bring out the whole sereis please write me back at Silverdolphine@comcast.net.com

Buck Rogers was the earlier space hero, first appearing in two featured novellas in Hugo Gernsbach's AMAZING STORIES, the earliest science-fiction pulp magazine. Then of course, he became a comic strip hero who was quite popular until the FLASH GORDON comic strip with superior illustrative art started competing.

Universal did well with Buck, though the serial didn't have the appeal of the Flash Gordon serials. It's not as imaginative, but it is a good action serial. Buster Crabbe shows a little of the calmer nature of the hero, compared to Flash Gordon's impetuousness.

If you don't have any of them, get especially FLASH GORDON: SPACE SOLDIERS and FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE first, but then be sure to get BUCK ROGERS.

The 12 chapter BUCK ROGERS serial, was shot between the Flash Gordon serials "Flash Gordon's Trip To Mars" and "Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe." Audiences seemed indifferent to it, so the plans for a sequel were scrapped in favor of continuing the Flash Gordon series. While the Flash Gordon serials are probably better, I really enjoy the Buck Rogers serial too.

Buck Rogers has STYLE. Not to say that Flash didn't, but the Buck Rogers serial has:

The Art Deco Headquarters of Killer Kane, with it's convenient topiary shrubs for hiding behind.

The swirling mirror pool monitor screens.

The equally Art Deco space ships, with sparklers as exhaust and that sound, something like a microwave oven and a car missing a muffler. These ships were so advanced, all they needed was a simple door with handle.

A future full of wimps. Flash and Buddy easily push away or tackle anyone who they clash with.

The groovy De-Gravity belts and the transporter.

The Saturnian tram system.

The exotic terrain of the planet Saturn, which in no way looked like a California desert.

The Saturnian MUGGS, who should have all been nominated for academy awards.

Okay, I'm being a little sarcastic. But I really do have a great love for this serial, even with all its many flaws. Terrible performances by some of the supporting characters, a few cases of severely bad stunt doubling, and the effects, well......they did their best with what they had to work with. I love the little dolls in the Saturnian tunnel trams.

And Buck himself--Larry "Buster" Crabbe was so handsome. That wavy hair and that killer smile were all he needed. I wonder if the producers ever realized what kind of confusion they would cause in the years that followed, by casting the same actor for both Flash and Buck. It's always interesting to see a VHS version of Buck Rogers with a picture from Flash Gordon on the cover, and vice versa.

Buck Rogers is a true pleasure to watch. It's so much fun, and it's the perfect length. It's over before it has worn out its welcome. And if you want more, then watch the next chapter. The menu screens are fun too, with the ships swinging around on visible wires. If only they would have included a booklet instead of advertising.

This is well worth checking out, especially if you enjoy the Flash serials. Like the cover proclaims, it's a 12 chapter Thrill-O-Rama!

This takes me back to Saturday mornings as a ten year old, in the early 80's, when I first remember seeing Larry'Buster'Crabbe as Flash Gordon/Buck Rogers on the BBC.

So the wooden actors made local amateur dramatics look professional and the space ships looked like something made on Blue Peter, but it didn't matter because 'Buster' Crabbe WAS a Superhero.

Who cares about comparisons of productions and making analysis between Buck & Flash, they weren't meant for that, they're just pure fun and were made to be watched and enjoyed.

So anyone who saw these and enjoyed them, buy the DVDs, you'll be ten all over again.

It's difficult to know what to think of Buck Rogers. In the comics he was the original space-hero whose popularity diminished with the arrival of Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon. The 1936 serial starring Buster Crabbe became the prototype for many science fiction films and solidified Flash Gordon as the King of the Universe. It must have seemed odd when fans of Flash saw Buster Crabbe portraying Buck Rogers. In retrospect this was a clever move on the part of Universal Pictures. Using much of the visual and musical aspects of the two previous Flash Gordon serials there really was no other choice to play Buck. At least with Buster Crabbe there was a frame of reference for the younger audience that these serials were designed for. They accepted Buster and his space hopping heroics. Another actor may not have been. The story, set in the 25th Century, of the 'Hidden City' rebels fight against the world dominating 'Super Gangsters' certainly had potential but tailoring it for younger audiences hurt the production. Buster Crabbe's Buck Rogers is no different than his Flash Gordon. He's still the hero. But there is no character development. Even Buck's attraction to Wilma Deering is played down. Did anyone notice that not since the first Flash Gordon serial did Buster Crabbe kiss his female costars? No real time is spent on Buck surviving in suspended animation for 500 years along with his sidekick, Buddy. Both adapt to their new surrounding all too quickly and the action begins. Most of the cliffhangers are predictable and certainly done before in other serials. The villain of the piece, Killer Kane, never really comes across as a threat. He's played as a mob boss, much like the A-pictures of that era. Again the potential was there. Anthony Warde has the right villainous tone, but the script gives Killer Kane nothing more to do than scream and shout. Still there are a few interesting things to see in Buck Rogers. The strong first chapter is never matched in content as the series continues. The setup and script work well and really gets the adventure off to a good start. An early transporter system is used to great effect in the Hidden City. Constance Moore has a strong role as Wilma Deering. As a 25th Century Woman, Wilma leads squadrons of fighters, and can defend herself against Killer Kane's henchmen. The film source material is average with several wear-and-tear marks throughout. Sound quality is good. VCI's menu screens are amusing but the extra material is poor when comparing it to their Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe edition. The biggest complaint here is that there is NO BOOKLET. Give Buck Rogers a chance if you're a fan of early science fiction serials. If not, stick with the first Flash Gordon.

Although not as good as Flash Gordon series which also starred Buster Crabbe this is still an enjoyable SCI-Fi classic. Long before Star Trek and Starwars were Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon. I used to enjoy each episode back in the 50's when I was alot younger. There was only one Buck Rogers serial made and it followed the success of the first two Flash Gordon serials. Buck Rogers never had the popularity Flash Gordon, probably because it was an imitation. The charectors were never developed as well. Killer Kane was no where near as intimidating as Charles Middleton's great performance as Ming the Mercilous. Wilma Deering is just there and doesn't stand out as much as Jean Rogers does as Dale Arden in the Flash Gordon series.Charectors aside there is still plenty of adventure,space battles and unique effects to make this a worth while video for any one interested in early sci-fi. A classic and until recently very hard to find.