One of two television series whose pilots were given a theatrical release outside the USA (the other being a shortened version of SAGA OF A STAR WORLD, the pilot for the original 1978 version of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA), BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY was another updated science fiction classic starring Buster Crabbe (who appeared in an episode of the new BUCK ROGERS series which co-starred Jack Palance) alongside FLASH GORDON (1980).
Gil Gerard played Buck who, whilst on a deep space exploration mission in a probe called Ranger 3, gets frozen in time for five hundred years and is rescued by the flagship Draconia, which has Princess Ardala (Pamela Hensley) and Kane (Henry Silva).
Revived, Buck takes Ranger 3 back to Earth, unaware that his home planet has been through all manner of devastation and people live in inner domed cities. Regarded as a traitor by a robot-run Earth Council, Buck and his robot sidekick Twiki (Felix Silla) are sent into what is old Chicago, where he discovers the truth about his family…..
A modest box-office hit at the US and UK cinemas, despite its’ television screening, BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY is a fun film for its’ time (Buck bringing Disco to the new generation is quite fun) and was created to capitalise on the success of STAR WARS. The TV series itself was only on for a couple of seasons.