Last October the Warner Brothers Archive released DVDs of the TV movies Genesis II and Planet Earth, developed by Gene Roddenberry in the 70s. They have just released the third movie in the ‘PAX series’ Strange New World. Although Roddenberry was no longer involved, the film was inspired by the previous two, and contained common elements from the Roddenberry films.
Strange New Worlds, the last of the PAX series
Warner brothers has now released a DVD for Strange New Worlds, the third movie in the PAX series. In 1973 Gene Roddenberry developed the TV pilot Genesis II, his first show after Star Trek. The story was about a NASA scientist (Dylan Hunt, played by Alex Cord), who due to a failed suspended animation, ends up awakening in a post- apocalyptic Earth in 2133. Aired as a TV movie, the show was not picked up. A year later Warner Bros. and Roddenberry reworked the idea into Planet Earth, for ABC, with Dylan Hunt now played by John Saxon. Again it was aired as a TV movie, but not picked up as a series. There are differences between the two, but both are based on a post-apocalyptic world with Hunt working for PAX, an organization trying to return peace and order to the Earth. [See TrekMovie Review for more on these two movies].
"Strange New World DVD" the third and final ‘PAX’ movie
In 1975 Warner Brothers and ABC decided to try the idea one more time, but this time Gene Roddenberry was not on board. John Saxon returned, again as PAX team leader in a post-apocalyptic world, but this time his character was named Captain Anthony Vico. Some other elements of the origin story were changed as well. The movie aired on ABC, but once again was not picked up as a series.
Here is the official description
Cult icon John Saxon (Enter the Dragon) battles clones, barbarians, beasts and more in this startling sci-fi adventure based on concepts developed by Gene Roddenberry, the visionary creator of Star Trek. After 180 years in a cryogenic freeze, a trio of astronauts returns to Earth, only to find giant asteroids have devastated the planet. Roaming across America’s vast wastelands, they encounter weird new cities, strange civilizations and bizarre descendants of Earth’s distant past. Co-written by Academy Award® winner* Walon Green (The Wild Bunch), Strange New World features foxy film femmes Martine Beswick (Thunderball), Catherine Bach (The Dukes of Hazzard) and 1974 Playmate of the Year Cynthia Wood (Apocalypse Now) in an otherworldly thriller where Earth itself is the final frontier.
Here are a couple of clips
And now the Warner Brothers Archive has released Strange New World on DVD. It costs $19.95 as a made to order DVD.
Strange New World DVD cover
And you can also pick up Genesis II and Planet Earth in a value-pack for $29.99 at the WB Shop.
Roddenberry’s "Genesis II" and "Planet Earth" on DVD
For more on Genesis II, Planet Earth and Strange New World , read Ed Gross’ article: Life After Trek.
More classic sci-fi from Warner Brothers Archive
The WB archive have also made some more classic sci-fi titles, including (click links for more):
The Pax Fan site says it is blocked. I loved these shows as a kid… saw them live… but then as time wore on, so did their appeal. But… nostalgia!
Is John Saxon still alive? Not sure I’ve seen him since the 70s.
You can tell that Gene was not involved with the third installment, ‘Strange New World.’
It easily was the weakest of the three segments.
@2: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0768334/
Very much still alive. Last I saw him however was in 1994 in Beverly Hills Cop III.
Am I correct in assuming “Genesis II” was the inspiration for what later became “Andromeda”? Seeing as both the leads are named Dylan Hunt, both the leads were frozen in time for many years, and return to a post apocalyptic world/universe, trying to bring peace and order back to civilization.
#2: John Saxon is still alive according to Wikipedia.
He is 73 and I discovered he and I share our birthday (though I am far younger than he is).
:-)
last I saw him was in an episode of Masters of Horror back in 2005 or 2006 don’t really remember the episode. It might have been one directed by Dario Argento
Looks a bit gay – which is perfect really, I happily sat through the 1980 Flash Gordon! Hahaha.
#7. I loved Flash Gorden with Queen playing the Music. This 3rd installment is the worst of the 3. To me the first was the best. I can’t see hwy the first was not picked up. But I can see why the 3rd was not. It was not very good.
It’s strange, new world premieres like this make the past seem positively unfamiliar.
4 – You can thank Majel for both “Andromeda” and “Earth: Final Conflict.” She used very sketchy ideas from Gene’s notes after his death. “Dylan Hunt” was apparently a favorite character name and since “Genesis II” was never picked up as a series, I suppose she just kept it. While the later series had some appeal (or were more successful than Gene’s immediate post-Trek pilots) you can see his absence in inverse-ratio: less Gene = less social commentary and more pointless space battles and hokey fight sequences.
Absolutely amazing how “frost” develops so strategically placed on “suspended animation tubes”, when they contain naked people, isn’t it?
11. hahaha so right.
You know, I’ve never heard of these movies before…looks interesting.
Have always liked John Saxon. He was in Bruce Lee’s “GAME OF DEATH” and was one of his students.
Now if they would only release “SPECTRE”, really enjoyed that one!
OOPS! My bad, it was “ENTER THE DRAGON” Mr. Saxon was in, playing CIA agent Roper.
He is still making movies (go to IMDb: John Saxon to check it out).
Zebonka – I am sure his (2nd) wife and son would be surprised to hear that.
Attempting something without Shatner was always going to be a huge risk.
Looks really, really awful.
I can’t honestly see this flying off the shelves. Roddenberry was pretty much a one trick pony after all.
#17: Oh Buzz, you’re such a kidder.
What is it with 1970’s sci-fi?
mad hair, mad sound effects & music and totally crazy editing!
Come on, a leading man sporting a “comb over”! ?
John Saxon also played Nancy’s dad in the first and third A Nightare on Elm St movies and New Nightmare (1994). According to Wikipedia he is still alive, but it looks like his last movie may have been in 1995.
…check IMDB.com for stuff like that, instead of Wikipedia. He’s been working steadily, through 2010….
I remember him best playing a Dance Instructor Vampire in a Starsky and Hutch episode. Ah, back in the days when vampires had class.
It’d be a stretch to say that these 70’s Roddenberry things bear any reflection on what Phase II might have been like, but it just goes to show the possibilities.
He’d be required to be shaved if this were made these days.
17:
Buzz:
But, what a trick it was. George Lucas will be remembered for making 2 good movies in a series of 6, plus ‘American Graffiti’ as an asterisk.
Star Trek’s ideals should remain part of Star Trek, and not simply rubber-stamped onto other shows. When Trek was canceled, GR’s ideas didn’t go away. He had to convey them as new products. He then got to do it again.
George Lucas can film himself pooping into a hat, and he’ll make $20m easy just on fans and curiosity seekers. He’s got nothing fresh upstairs at all.
Ridley Scott is now stamping out ‘Gladiator’ clones, and will soon begin milking “Alien” for two films. Happens to the best of them.
Saxon proved no toupees required in a Roddenberry production, long before Patrick Stewart was on the scene. A cocky attitude and a rockin’ combover were more than sufficient to carry the day in the swinging ’70s.
And as long as the topic is Mr. Roddenberry’s body of work, I’d like a chance to see “The Lieutenant” series on DVD, which I have never seen an episode of, and also his pilot “The Long Hunt of April Savage”, from which I believe Gene had a young ABC exec named Harve Bennett barred from the set.
Always thought Saxon wuld have made a great Trek captain. These were a lot of fun, I especially enjoyed Ted Casidy in the earlier adaptions. I look forward to seeing them again.
I hope we get “The Questor Tapes” and “Spectre” on DVD eventually.
^ ^ ^
I agree. I would love to get rid of my VHS-ripped bootlegs.
#25 personally I only rate Orginal Trek as a particularly noteworthy product from Roddenberry. And lets be honest, at least a third of that isn’t all that.
TNG, for my money, for the most part just grates. And thereafter Trek wasn’t really anything much to do with him anyway. Including the movies.
I’m not quite sure how Lucas got brought into the conversation. But if you must be a one trick pony, Star Wars is quite a big trick! Possibly the biggest. And i’m no Star Wars lover.
Gene’s ideals are, however, highly worthy, and remain so today. His output of work, beyond Trek not so much.
Isn’t about time they offered Blu-ray versions. I don’t even buy DVDS anymore.
I met Saxon less than a year ago at a comic/horror con in Nashville. He looks way old but still looked tough and strong. Was kinda sad seeing him signing and pedling some dvd he had of a xmas horror movie he did in such a small venue. Guess ya gotta eats though.
Yes Saxon still works. I saw him in a CSI in the last few years, some scifi Werewolf film last year. Also remember IMDB is your friend. I am amazed people ask questions when the Internet has many answers. Of course not all of them are true.;) I recall seeing some of these films as a kid. Seeing some of them later in life I can’t say they age all that well. Funny STAR TREK was created close to 10 years earlier and seems to still hold up well in some areas at least to me.
I was a kid in the 70’s and sadly there really wasn’t much for Sci-Fi on during that time. I remember seeing this on TV 2 or 3 times. The only thing we had on TV at that time was a ton of stupid Cop shows and The Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, and Kolchak: The NIght Stalker.
Plus reruns of the Twilight Zone and Star Trek. Sci-Fi is much better today.
Cheesy Sci-Fi TV movies bring back good memories. Anyone remember “Killdozer” or “Kingdom of the Spiders” with William Shatner?
Kingdom of the Spiders was a theatrical release . Just played to death on cable in the 80’s.