Customer Reviews

Buck Rogers: Space Vampire [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first saw it as a 7 year old and for days I was scared stiff. When I saw it as an adult with my wife and 14 year old cousin, we laughed hysterically throughout the entire episode. No doubt, this is Buck Rogers meets Dracula with Wilma playing the object of desire. You know, the classic Dracula story with a pinch of 70's scenery, corny special effects, a visious looking villain with a bad eyebrow, and a few other things. In my opinion, this was one of their best crafted episodes. I think the writers already had quite a bit of material from a previous well known work. The special effects guys must have had a budget as they did wonderful work. Don't expect Star Wars Episode I as this was 20 years ago and made for TV but that's hardly the point. Rather, expect a group of people doing their best to tell an entertaining story with what they had available. This is a classic just as all Dracula incarnations.

Alright, maybe not. But like one of the other commentators, I was scared stiff the first time I watched it, curled up beside my dad on the couch. Until I purchased this tape last year, the only memory I had was of Wilma (Erin Gray) tilting her head back as the Vorvon (vampire) drained her essence. Throughout my childhood, teenage years, college and even now, when I think of a scary vampire, I imagine some guy with long fingernails sticking them against my neck. <shudder>

So the sets are ridiculously fake. The vampire's evil laugh is actually rather laughable. And Buck's saving the day is somewhat overdone. But this has what it takes! Wilma's a sizzling vampiress, and steals the show. [But then, didn't her bare midriff always steal the show when we were growing up, much like Daisy Duke?]

It probably won't scare you today. But it's definitely a great episode to take you back in time. Enjoy!!

I remember the day with startling clarity - January 3, 1980...the day I became a man.Okay, a little history for you sci-fi afficionados:Before there was Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, or Star Trek: Fill-in-the-Blank...there was Buck Rogers.'Buck Rogers', and it's sister show - the superior 'Battlestar Galactica' - were the only thing going for science fiction on television in 1979 and 1980. I was just a boy, a wee lad, still in my jammies, and I loved science fiction with a vengeance. Even at 11 years of age, I knew that 'Buck Rogers' was sub-par sci-fi...but it had one thing going for it that no other science fiction series of it's time had...It had Erin Gray.The three things that best defined 'Buck Rogers' as a series - and of my oncoming momentum into puberty - were:1) Erin Gray2) Spandex3) Erin GrayFrankly, the rest of the show - the Starfighters, the laser blasts, the re-used spaceship models from 'Galactica', Gary Coleman...you could have shoved them all into a nuclear reaction and STILL the only thing that would have mattered would have been Erin Gray.Yep, I was hooked.Which brings us to January 3, 1980 - the day 'Space Vampire' premiered.Okay, it was not that good - but Erin Gray gets turned into a Vorvon (i.e. Vampire) and goes all sultry...and my little life was changed forever.Trust me. Rent it, buy it, or tape it. You'll understand.

Buck Rogers has always been about lasers and high tech up to this point, and then everything changed(for the better). Yeah the lasers and high tech are still there(that's mandantory Buck) but the mystical becomes a part of these later series(80-81 I am guessing). Much like Dr. Who at this time period, Buck Rogers, an otherwise lighthearted show of a wise cracking Space Cowboy, becomes a hybrid of funny and downright grave. This takes place on into the Hawk series(which is not availibe except for the Guardian) This Vampire sci-fi thriller is the best of Buck, I think. It shows you can make a scary set with modern settings as a darkened spaceship corridor. The soundtrack and camera angles(even in computer rooms) was downright creepy. Wilma's(Erin Grey) personality was quite a bit different from her usual matter-of-fact self.(nice outfit)
I grew up with this show and the hybrid sci-fi/fantasy time period of other serials. And that is why I think both are important in one story. You won't find that now(or if you do it's not as well plotted or believable). The comic relief was a relief from the spookiness and seriousness of this story.(and women dressed better heh!)

Space vampire was one of the better "Buck" episodes, along with "vegas in space" ect. as alway's Erin Grey made the episode work of course. when the vamp was "speaking thru Her" it was chilling Of course back then I was 15-16 yr's old. The Buck Roger's episodes brought in many special effect's to broadcast t.v.. of course disco was the flavor of the day then also. alway's a sci-fi fan since 8-9 I enjoyed buck roger's along with my library of perhaps 2000 paper-back book's (sci-fi) I had read by that time Space Vampire is a very good Buck roger's episode to keep and enjoy again and again....

I found this one of the weaker episodes. This one still featured the goodies you come to expect from"Buck",Wilma Deering and her jump suit, Gil Gerard creakily completing martial arts moves,thatlittle robot guy and the contrasting of 25th century Earth with 20th Century Earth. But there was no atomosphere. Vampire stories demand a certain amount of gloom and creepiness, thats one thing that makes them fun and its also the one thing this episode lacks. At least the set lights could have been dimmed. Any Buck is good Buck, but this one disappointed me a little because I expected better.