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Buck Rogers (1939)
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2021 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scotpens wrote:
To each his own, but I think the "cartoonify" filter just looks bizarre. As more than one YouTube poster mentioned, the actors look like they're wearing stocking masks.

Yes, I thought the same thing at first.

But I sampled a few minutes of the total video, and I realized that after trying for years to enjoy this poor, horribly dated serial — with its dated production designs and extremely dated special effects — I was delighted to see that pure artwork had replaced the original images, and they'd added impressive new artistic elements which enhanced the viewer's experience,

This serial has always been very disappointing. But this colorful and imaginative version is far more appealing.

Frankly, this serial had no where to go but up. And this version does exactly that, in a grand fashion.
Cool
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scotpens
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2021 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:

Yes, I thought the same thing at first.

But I sampled a few minutes of the total video, and I realized that after trying for years to enjoy this poor, horribly dated serial — with its dated production designs and extremely dated special effects — I was delighted to see that pure artwork had replaced the original images, and they'd added impressive new artistic elements which enhanced the viewer's experience.

As far as I can tell, it's just a filter in Photoshop or a video editing and effects suite, applied to a good-quality source print. The novelty of the effect wears off very quickly.

All a matter of taste, as we like to say.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Scotpens, I apologize for overselling it yesterday, and I also apologize for my harsh words about the serial itself. I know now that I was judging it by my old memories, and today I realize it has a great deal of merit.

As for the color anime version, my strong positive reaction is based on the beautiful way the creators not only used the applications you mentioned, I believe they also took the time to do some real artistic enhancements.

I was struck by how much this version of the old serial resembles highly stylized illustrations in comic books!

Here's a few examples. This scene of a ship taking off from Saturn is not very impressive. The usual cloud of smoke from the rocket doesn't add much to the composition.






But the color anime version turns that cloud of smoke into a work of art all by itself. And notice the detail added to the rock.







The same is true for these shots of the rocket lifting off. The smoke isn't just a hazy wad of fumes —





— it looks like it was sculpted! Very Happy







Maybe I'm the only one who's impressed by these enhancements, but these images look like gorgeous paintings!

This picture of the governing council on Saturn is very well composed, and that's part of why the "painted" version is really stunning. Plus, their faces don't just look like old men — they look like aliens! Shocked








In one scene, Buddy Wade infiltrates Killer Kanes's stronghold by climbing up the outside of his headquarters. Notice the details added to the potted plant, as well the rich overall color palette that was used.







This shot of two men using a search light on an adjoining building and almost spotting Buddy takes on a special appeal when enhanced.







The miniatures of the buildings look terrific when they're given this highly stylized treatment.







And finally, this image of the governing council on Saturn has the perfect "stylization" for a painted illustration in a comic book. I haven't found the original shot of this scene from the serial yet, but I'll post both it and this colorized version for comparison when I do.





As you said, scotpens, it's just a matter of taste, so I'm not saying you should like this version of Buck Rogers as much as I do. But I did want to point out some of the specific scenes that caused me to rave about it so much yesterday. Cool

And scotpens, I confess that when I tried to watch the anime version today on my 50" TV, it just didn't work as well as the "samples" I watched yesterday and today while making the screen shots on my laptop. Sad

Unfortunately you were right, the cartoonification was a novel idea, but it's flawed. Oh well . . .

Equally unfortunate, however, it the fact that there seems to be absolutely NO good DVDs of this serial. The link below is the best I could find, and frankly it's crap! The picture quality is horrible!

I ended up watching a download of it on my TV and synchronizing the anime version on my laptop so I could tell what was going on to some degree! Shocked

But it's cold and rainy Friday here in North Caroline, and by God I was in the mood to watch Buck Rogers, dammit!






If you're desperate like me, the link below to the first chapter gives you access to all 12 chapters. Good luck with it though, because frankly is sucks like all the rest . . . Rolling Eyes

________BUCK ROGERS (1939) - Chapter 1 of 12


__________

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Last edited by Bud Brewster on Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:57 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Pow
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm loving the color anime that you provided here, Bud.

Haven't watched the BR serial ever, merely portions of it. So I don't know how good or bad it is.

Gene Roddenberry clearly was inspired by BR for GR's SF TV-movie pilot "Genesis II," and later its retooled iteration, also by Gene, "Planet Earth."

A third attempt of his premise would be produced called "Strange New World," but without any participation by Gene.

All three TV-movies utilize the concept of a 20th century man who goes into suspended animation only to reawaken in the far future.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

I was delighted by a scene in chapter 1 in which Buck and Buddy were placed into a closed glass chamber and teleported to another location.

When Buddy asked, "Hey, what kind of elevator is that, anyway?" he was told that it disassembled the passengers' atoms and reassembled them at the destination! Shocked

And the special effect was terrific! Cool

eBay had a "brand new" copy of the DVD which is offered on Amazon for about $50.00 — but it was only $16.00 with shipping. I ordered it. It's supposed to arrive by March 4th.

It's this one, with a "4 1/2 star rating out of 5" from from 69 Verified Purchasers.


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scotpens
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:
I was struck by how much this version of the old serial resembles highly stylized illustrations in comic books!

That was apparently the intent, but unfortunately it's less than successful. I'm reminded of the "CineMagic" effect in The Angry Red Planet, which was supposed to emulate the look of pen-and-ink illustrations in pulp sci-fi novels, but looked like something else entirely.

Bud Brewster wrote:
Maybe I'm the only one who's impressed by these enhancements, but these images look like gorgeous paintings!

This picture of the governing council on Saturn is very well composed, and that's part of why the "painted" version is really stunning. Plus, their faces don't just look like old men — they look like aliens!

A lot of the supposed "added details" are the result of applying filters to a sharp, clear source print. There must be good extant 35mm copies of Buck Rogers out there somewhere.

As for making the faces look like "aliens," the problem is that all the actors look like aliens!
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Maurice
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 28, 2021 1:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

And that's in no way "anime" any more than it's a Puppetoon.
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Gord Green
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 28, 2021 2:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No...No...It's not "anime" in it's classical sense….But it is an artistic representasion of and from the original source.

And...I LOVE IT !

No...It will not replace the original source...NOT at all!

BUT it is a creative homage to the original!

Love it...Or hate it.

It's a contemporary variation on a theme!

Viva la variation! The more interest in the source the better...the best...for material 70 years old ...the better!!!

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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

I recently receive my DVD of Buck Rogers, desperately hoping it would look much better than any other version I've seen.

Unfortunately, the DVD picture quality is just slightly better than (for example) the Youtube version. In view of this, I'm inclined to believe that scotpens is mistake when he stated that, "There must be good extant 35mm copies of Buck Rogers out there somewhere."

Unfortunately I suspect that there are no decent prints of this serial, and we'll never see fine versions like all three of the Flash Gordon serials. Sad

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Last edited by Bud Brewster on Fri Mar 12, 2021 10:40 am; edited 1 time in total
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scotpens
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:

Unfortunately, the DVD picture quality is just slightly better than (for example) the Youtube version. In view of this, I'm inclined to believe that Krel is mistake when he stated that, "There must be good extant 35mm copies of Buck Rogers out there somewhere."

That was my post, not Krel's. A local TV station here in L.A. ran the Buck Rogers serial sometime back in the late 1970s. My memory's a bit fuzzy but I recall the picture quality being much better than the crappy copy currently available on YouTube.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Sorry. I fixed it. Embarassed

I think the copy I bought from eBay isn't actually the one shown below from Amazon for $42.99, it just used the same box art. I didn't pay much for it, thank goodness.



The other version priced at $88.61 is not highly rated, and several customer reviews even said the DVD didn't play well.

But the $42.99 version has a higher rating, and several reviewers praised the picture quality. So, I ordered it today.

Hopefully I'll have better luck this time. Very Happy

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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 14, 2021 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

scotpens wrote:
There must be good extant 35mm copies of Buck Rogers out there somewhere.

Eureka! Very Happy

You were right, scotpens! My new DVD arrived, and the picture is beee-autiful! I'm going to spend this Sunday morning watching the full serial.


________________________


Ah yes . . . life can be so sweet. Cool

It also has several fine special features, including an audio recording from one of Buster's highly entertaining lectures at colleges across America. He was 66 years old at the time, and his lively lectures were fast-paced and rich with fascinating facts.

I highly recommend this DVD. Very Happy

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~ The Space Children (1958)
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Buck Rogers started airing on TCM Saturday mornings at 9:30 AM EST, last week (2/5/22). The picture quality is terrific — just as good as the DVDs I bought! Very Happy

Would anybody like to watch them each Saturday in All Sci-Fi's Chatzy Room. (< — LINK)

Just a thought.
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