Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (film)

**Buck Rogers in the 25th Century** is a 1979 American science fiction film directed by Daniel Haller. It was produced by Glen A. Larson, who co-wrote the screenplay with Leslie Stevens, based on the character Buck Rogers, which was created by Philip Francis Nowlan in 1928.

Originally planned as the series' television pilot, it was released theatrically 30 March 1979. It was later revised as the two-hour pilot "Awakening" with a different opening credit sequence, additional scenes, and also the use of Vic Perrin as voice of the Draconia's PA system. This pilot was syndicated as a two-part episode.

## Summary

In 1987, NASA astronaut Captain William "Buck" Rogers is piloting the space shuttle *Ranger 3* when he flies into an unexpected space phenomenon and is frozen for 504 years. In the year 2491, his shuttle is found drifting in space by the alien ship *Draconia*, which is headed to Earth for a trade conference, under the command of Princess Ardala and her aide de camp, Kane, a former native of Earth. Rogers is revived from his cryogenic sleep. Princess Ardala is visibly attracted to Buck, but Buck rebuffs the Princess and is put back on his shuttle and sent towards Earth.

It turns out though the Draconians are actually planning to conquer the Earth through staged pirate attacks on Earth's shipping fleet, forcing Earth to seek a treaty with the Draconians and unwittingly opening up their defenses to the invaders. They plant a homing beacon aboard Roger's shuttle to track a way past Earth's planet-wide defense shield. Buck lands in New Chicago and is immediately taken into custody by Colonel Wilma Deering of Earth's military forces. He is interrogated and learns that Earth has been rebuilt over the centuries in his absence following a nuclear holocaust, and now the only thing left is this big city surrounded by desert wasteland. Over the course of his time in detention, Buck makes the acquaintance of Dr. Elias Huer, the leader of Earth's Defense Directorate, the AI computer Dr. Theopolis, and the robot drone Twiki.

While recounting his encounter with the Draconians, Buck notices several discrepancies and suspects that the Draconians must be armed, contrary to the terms of the trade meeting. Against advice, Buck ventures outside the city to the ruins of old Chicago in an attempt to see that what he has been told is real, eventually finding his own parent's grave and having to be rescued by Wilma and her troops from the mutants inhabiting the ruins. Following Buck's return to the Inner City, the Draconian tracking device is found aboard his ship, and the authorities accuse Buck of espionage. Buck claims the Draconians set him up, and eventually Wilma persuades Dr. Huer to test Buck's claims by requesting a meeting with Princess Ardala and Kane aboard the Draconia. The Draconian marauders attack their flagship as a diversion, but Buck manages to destroy them single-handedly, thus earning Wilma's respect.

At the official diplomatic reception, Ardala, who is still attracted to Buck, invites him back to the Draconia, but Buck merely goes along to find out the truth behind the Draconians. On the ship, Ardala says she needs "a man, a REAL man" to rule by her side and offers Buck the position. After drugging Ardala, Buck explores the ship and discovers their plans to attack Earth, which is imminent. Dr. Theopolis and Twiki, who have followed Buck aboard, eventually meet up with him and alert Earth to the Draconian threat. Wilma immediately scrambles Earth's starfighters and attacks the Draconia, while Buck sabotages the Draconian bomber fleet prepared to attack Earth and fights off Ardala's bodyguard Tigerman. During the battle, the Draconia is critically damaged, but Buck, Theopolis and Twiki are rescued by Wilma before the ship explodes. Ardala and Kane also escape the Draconia's destruction in a shuttlecraft, while Kane vows to return and to take his revenge on Rogers.

## Soundtrack

The soundtrack album features fifteen tracks.

The movie's opening credits featured the song "Suspension", sung by Kipp Lennon and co-written by Glen A. Larson. An instrumental version of the song was used as the main theme for the television series that followed, though the vocal version of the song was used again for the ending credits of the season one finale, "Flight of the War Witch".

## Comic Books

The film was adapted into the second, third, and fourth issues of *Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Gold Key)*. These were reprinted together in *Buck Rogers Giant Movie Edition*.

## Cast

* Gil Gerard as Captain William "Buck" Rogers
* Erin Gray as Colonel Wilma Deering
* Tim O'Connor as Dr. Elias Huer
* Pamela Hensley as Princess Ardala
* Henry Silva as Kane
* Howard F. Flynn as Voice of Dr. Theopolis
* Felix Silla as Twiki
* Mel Blanc as Voice of Twiki
* Duke Butler as Tigerman
* Joseph Wiseman as Emperor Draco