The opening of the episodes where it tells the background. I can't believe how blatantly George Lucas copied that for the Star Wars films. And if anyone tried to make a movie of this now, people would think that it was ripping off Star Wars.
shareActually, to tell you the truth, Lucas got the famous "TITLE CRAWL" idea from FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE. He said so himself in an interview that he would watch it all the time as a kid. In fact, the entire premise of STAR WARS is based very much more on the FLASH GORDON series rather than BUCK ROGERS.
shareWhat? This copied the title crawl from Flash Gordon? Wait a second, Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe came out a year after this one, didn't it? Did they have it in the earlier Flash Gordon installments? I haven't seen any of them yet, but I plan on getting them as well.
Anyway, thanks for the info.
No, I ment that Lucas grew up on Flash Gordon rather than Buck Rogers. The title crawl was intended as a homage to Flash Gordon. It's true though that this came before Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe though.
shareSo, Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe lifted the title crawl from Buck Rogers and Star Wars lifted the title crawl from Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe?
shareWell, sorta. Both Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon were made by Universal so I wouldn't even call it "lifting" it from the previous one. They just felt like using the same type of effect that they owned for the intro for both serials.
shareOkay, thanks.
shareYou're welcome.
shareinteresting!
shareActually I watched The Plainsman (1936) recently and it has a title crawl.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2bds1d
But it only gives the credits and doesn't give story information.
Well to tell you the truth Both Flash And Buck were more or less the same thing. Same Actor and so on.
shareWell, Flash Gordon, the comic strip, was commissioned by William Randolph Hearst, specifically due to the success of Buck Rogers.
Fortunately, Ah keep mah feathers numbered for just such an emergency!
Considering that the two series used alot of stock footage, some actors and sets even, and likely the same or simmilar film crews. Its no surprise that the opening is simmilar. I'm pretty sure that its used in some other serials of the time too.
shareIt doesn't suprise me that Buck Rodgers and Flash Gordon Conquers the World would have the same title crawl. They were both done by Universal. Watching them, I've recognized a lot of stock music (from Bride of Frankenstein) and props or sets used from other films (such as the idol from The Mummy, the staircase from Frankenstein, or the wheel and furnace from Metropolis).
What surprises me is how Star Wars would take the title crawl from these serials and use it in the openings of their films. I guess it really shouldn't though. Whether it's to be called theft, borrowing, or a tribute, the Indiana Jones and Star Wars films use a number of elements from the Republic and Universal Serials.
Well Star Wars was originally meant to be Flash Gordon so there you go.
shareI knew it was heavily inspired by it, but was it originally meant to be a live film adaptation of it?
shareIndeed. Theres been at least three directors commentary tracks that mention it, complete with original design sketches. Chewbacca would have been female, and a princess. One assumes that would be a twist on the character of Prince Thun the Lion Man, which would explain why the wookies have a slight leonine look.
shareIt wasn't as much a ripoff as it was an homage.
Let it be unsaid: insignificance is the locus of true increpation.
Actually I watched The Plainsman (1936) recently and it has a title crawl.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2bds1d
But it only gives the credits and doesn't give story information.