A new 'Buck Rogers' film? Great, says Gil Gerard, but no bleakness
- Thread starter Dusty Ayres
- Start date
Yeah, watching the A-Team trailer even I, always a proponent of grim, depressing fare, think that dark and grittiness has crossed a line or two. A Buck Rogers film needs to have a bit of aw shucks, gee whiz fun to it, or why are we even bothering to bring him back?
Buck Rogers isn't Sin City and it isn't Resident Evil. Heck a Kerry Conran Buck Rogers might not be good but at least that'd try.
Buck Rogers isn't Sin City and it isn't Resident Evil. Heck a Kerry Conran Buck Rogers might not be good but at least that'd try.
Wow - he looks great since the gastric bypass.
I love Gil's comments about how wet and dirty the future often is. Like in Waterworld where everyone's covered in dirt. "You'd think they'd fall overboard and get CLEAN once in awhile." 
And I agree with his reasoning, as well. A rebooted Buck Rogers can, and should, still be fun to watch and be optimistic and hopeful. There's been enough of this grim and dark crap. Let's have some FUN for a change.
And make the Draconians (if they appear) actual ALIENS this time. In the 70's series they were indistinguishable from - and could actually have been - humans.
And I agree with his reasoning, as well. A rebooted Buck Rogers can, and should, still be fun to watch and be optimistic and hopeful. There's been enough of this grim and dark crap. Let's have some FUN for a change.
And make the Draconians (if they appear) actual ALIENS this time. In the 70's series they were indistinguishable from - and could actually have been - humans.
MeanJoePhaser
Admiral
AWESOME.
NOW LET'S ASK LYNDA CARTER WHAT SHE THINKS ABOUT WONDER WOMAN'S NEW COSTUME.
(Oh, wait...
)
NOW LET'S ASK LYNDA CARTER WHAT SHE THINKS ABOUT WONDER WOMAN'S NEW COSTUME.
(Oh, wait...
)
Whatever happened to that Buck Rogers fan film thing? The one with the trailer with the old retro rocketship.
darkwing_duck1
Vice Admiral
So far as I know, Crawley and his boys are still plugging away at it. Gil and Erin cameoed in the first ep as Buck's parents.
I always thought that Gil Gerard was the poor man's Lee Majors, but this interview makes me like him a whole lot more (except for his inexplicable comments about nu Trek-- but I'm beginning to think that the nuTrek DVD that I got is some kind of practical joke that was stitched together from outtakes or bad fan films or something).
I'd love to see a retro style Buck. Somethign along the lines of the Flash Gordon movie, or Sky Captain.
But with good writing.
But with good writing.
Dusty Ayres
Commodore
Here's mine: If they can find a happy medium that will work for what Gil Gerard wants, then then I will agree with him. But I don't think that Mr. Anderson should make it as happy as the original show if he can't do so. Just make the best Buck Rogers movie that he can, and things will work out.
If and when this movie does go into production, there is one thing that I do want; no rocketships. EVER. Either have some kind of futuristic craft bases on current designs like the TV show, or have something similar to Star Trek, but no rocketships. They look corny and stupid, and will be laughed off of the screen. And give the retro costuming a rest, too.
In short, what happens on the other Buck Rogers project should stay in the other Buck Rogers project.
I agree that there shouldn't be any bleakness ... Just a happy story about a guy who awakens in a post-apocalyptic wasteland centuries after everyone he knows and loves are dead.
^^ 
Good example as any, really, of the sort of tone a new Buck Rogers film should strike - fun, adventurous, but still modern. If J.J. Abrams' film serves a blueprint for space operas to come, well, there are worse guidelines.
Anyone reading the new comic? It's up to issue 12 right now and it's full of fun because the character is too ballsforward and up to his neck in shit to notice every one he loves is dead.
Dusty Ayres
Commodore
I'm reading it, but I've only got half of the issues: I will have to buy the graphic novel collection.
Yeah, that series is a blast. It's modern, yet retro all at the same time and evokes that classic "pulp science-fiction" feel while also introducing a few new twists.
I also like how they're doing it like a TV series with "seasons," and how they ended the first season with a surprise cliffhanger and Buck's promise, "I can fix this..."
Well, he said that he never saw Star Trek before, so he probably just doesn't know that they changed it from an optimistic Age of Exploration into a Post-Apocalyptic Holocaust. But Locutus is right, Buck Rogers, as a concept, does have those Dark Age and tragic elements even though it's been portrayed as a breezy Space Opera since the original Philip K Nolan stories; so that approach would be less inappropriate for Buck (unless they blow up the Earth, or something idiotic like that).
^
Even though this doesn't really apply, when I was toying with the idea of doing a nuBR fanfic, I asked myself how Buck Rogers could be made more realistic and taken a bit more seriously, while keeping the spirit of the show alive... and I think the key is not to change anything about the setting or universe, but to focus on the core of Buck's character, and how he deals with life out of his own time... basically, to fully explore the questions posed in the "Suspension" song.
I think if the film focuses on Buck's self-reflection, and his coming to terms with life in the 25th century, and finding his place in that life, it could work just fine. Basically pull a Batman Begins or Superman Returns with it... focus on the core of the character, and not so much on the gadgets and special FX.
But keep Twiki.
Even though this doesn't really apply, when I was toying with the idea of doing a nuBR fanfic, I asked myself how Buck Rogers could be made more realistic and taken a bit more seriously, while keeping the spirit of the show alive... and I think the key is not to change anything about the setting or universe, but to focus on the core of Buck's character, and how he deals with life out of his own time... basically, to fully explore the questions posed in the "Suspension" song.
I think if the film focuses on Buck's self-reflection, and his coming to terms with life in the 25th century, and finding his place in that life, it could work just fine. Basically pull a Batman Begins or Superman Returns with it... focus on the core of the character, and not so much on the gadgets and special FX.
But keep Twiki.
^^ Blowing up Twiki would be an "edgy" twist that I could get behind.
I didn't see Superman Returns and I didn't care for Batman Begins, but I agree that focusing on Buck's character and unique situation would be a good approach, combined with the Space Opera elements. His situation is truly a tragic one and could be really touching and engaging if done right.
I don't think I know the "Suspension" song. What is that?
I didn't see Superman Returns and I didn't care for Batman Begins, but I agree that focusing on Buck's character and unique situation would be a good approach, combined with the Space Opera elements. His situation is truly a tragic one and could be really touching and engaging if done right.
I don't think I know the "Suspension" song. What is that?
