Sixty years ago today
Discussion
BBC did a piece where one of their reporters dressed up in a Thunderbirds outfit, with Captain Scarlet music. Oops.
I hadn't realised what "Supermarionation" was. I thought it was just a gimmick, satirising Technicolor, but no, it was some electronic mechanics to sync lip movement to recorded speech. The solenoids were fitted to the puppets' heads, giving them big heads. With Captain Scarlet, the solenoids were moved to the chest, allowing a more realistic head size. Clever stuff, British Boffinish.
I hadn't realised what "Supermarionation" was. I thought it was just a gimmick, satirising Technicolor, but no, it was some electronic mechanics to sync lip movement to recorded speech. The solenoids were fitted to the puppets' heads, giving them big heads. With Captain Scarlet, the solenoids were moved to the chest, allowing a more realistic head size. Clever stuff, British Boffinish.
Risonax said:
BBC did a piece where one of their reporters dressed up in a Thunderbirds outfit, with Captain Scarlet music. Oops.
I hadn't realised what "Supermarionation" was. I thought it was just a gimmick, satirising Technicolor, but no, it was some electronic mechanics to sync lip movement to recorded speech. The solenoids were fitted to the puppets' heads, giving them big heads. With Captain Scarlet, the solenoids were moved to the chest, allowing a more realistic head size. Clever stuff, British Boffinish.
It is interesting how it all came about... certainly of an eraI hadn't realised what "Supermarionation" was. I thought it was just a gimmick, satirising Technicolor, but no, it was some electronic mechanics to sync lip movement to recorded speech. The solenoids were fitted to the puppets' heads, giving them big heads. With Captain Scarlet, the solenoids were moved to the chest, allowing a more realistic head size. Clever stuff, British Boffinish.
It's odd how the memories from watching those episodes in the 1960's are still perfectly clear.
I used to collect (sort of) the Captain Scarlet bubble gum cards - the bubble gum itself was a fairly large pink sheet, quite odd really. The images from those cards (with sharks, being compressed in a room with spikes, grabbing a vine whilst submerged in a swamp, falling from a skyscraper etc) are very accurately stored in my memory.
I occasionally watch the Thunderbirds on YouTube, it is strangely comforting to be transported back to a world where nothing has changed.
I used to collect (sort of) the Captain Scarlet bubble gum cards - the bubble gum itself was a fairly large pink sheet, quite odd really. The images from those cards (with sharks, being compressed in a room with spikes, grabbing a vine whilst submerged in a swamp, falling from a skyscraper etc) are very accurately stored in my memory.
I occasionally watch the Thunderbirds on YouTube, it is strangely comforting to be transported back to a world where nothing has changed.
Sadly, I am old enough to remember Gerry Anderson first attempts, Torchy the Battery Boy and Four Feather Falls of 1959 and 1960. Followed by Supercar and Fireball XL5 with Sylvia on board.
Thunderbirds moved the whole thing on, I was getting a bit old, but my brother had all the Merchandise, which probably was a big step at the time. I think Star Wars made more from it than the film.
Great memories.
Thunderbirds moved the whole thing on, I was getting a bit old, but my brother had all the Merchandise, which probably was a big step at the time. I think Star Wars made more from it than the film.
Great memories.
tumble dryer said:
Ifinishposts said:
The first episode of Thunderbirds was aired.
Pahh, Fireball XL5 was where it was at!( Better theme to Fireball, mind
)There are loads of documentary videos on YouTube on how the Gerry Anderson shows were developed and made, featuring interviews with the special effects people, voice actors and puppeteers (though some of these videos incorporate bits of each other, so you find stuff repeated). Surprisingly ingenious but also surprisingly simple at times. The runway palm trees were fixed into a couple of broom handles at ground level that were rotated by hand.
The only Anderson series I saw new was Terrahawks but also a lot of reruns of Thunderbirds, Stingray and Joe 90. Joe 90 was a strange one, a little boy sent on dangerous military/spy missions, and when at home his only company was adult men. I wasn't so fond of Captain Scarlet, I felt all the characters looked too similar and didn't have so much personality.
The only Anderson series I saw new was Terrahawks but also a lot of reruns of Thunderbirds, Stingray and Joe 90. Joe 90 was a strange one, a little boy sent on dangerous military/spy missions, and when at home his only company was adult men. I wasn't so fond of Captain Scarlet, I felt all the characters looked too similar and didn't have so much personality.
rdjohn said:
Sadly, I am old enough to remember Gerry Anderson first attempts, Torchy the Battery Boy and Four Feather Falls of 1959 and 1960. Followed by Supercar and Fireball XL5 with Sylvia on board.
Thunderbirds moved the whole thing on, I was getting a bit old, but my brother had all the Merchandise, which probably was a big step at the time. I think Star Wars made more from it than the film.
Great memories.
Anderson and his team were involved in Twizzle, which pre-dates Torchy.Thunderbirds moved the whole thing on, I was getting a bit old, but my brother had all the Merchandise, which probably was a big step at the time. I think Star Wars made more from it than the film.
Great memories.
Sadly, only the first Twizzle episode survives.
The local independent cinema had a showing of a restored print of two Thunderbirds episodes on Wednesday 1st, the 60th anniversary. I went along and enjoyed 100 minutes of pure nostalgia!
When first broadcast, my routine was; get home from school, do homework, watch Thunderbirds and then have dinner. Strangely, after watching on Wednesday, I had a craving for fish fingers and chips!
When the lights went up at the end of the showing, there was a spontaneous round of applause and it was noticeable that the people applauding were all of a certain age! Brilliant!
When first broadcast, my routine was; get home from school, do homework, watch Thunderbirds and then have dinner. Strangely, after watching on Wednesday, I had a craving for fish fingers and chips!
When the lights went up at the end of the showing, there was a spontaneous round of applause and it was noticeable that the people applauding were all of a certain age! Brilliant!
98elise said:
Thunderbirds is absolutely timeless. I loved it as a kid, and my son loved it as a kid. I'm sure when I have grandkids they will love it.
Its a shame when they did a movie it was crap.
Not wishing to be argumentative but...Its a shame when they did a movie it was crap.
The most recent film the updated one was pretty poor.
The two films from the 60s were really great. Unfortunately as I understand it they were not the box office giants they hoped they would be.
My youngest daughter loves Thunderbirds I got her a boxed set which she loves to play on the "big tv"
Her favourite is the one where the Navy shoots down Thunderbird 2
Edited by anonymoususer on Friday 3rd October 20:58
anonymoususer said:
98elise said:
Thunderbirds is absolutely timeless. I loved it as a kid, and my son loved it as a kid. I'm sure when I have grandkids they will love it.
Its a shame when they did a movie it was crap.
Not wishing to be argumentative but...Its a shame when they did a movie it was crap.
The most recent film the updated one was pretty poor.
The two films from the 60s were really great. Unfortunately as I understand it they were not the box office giants they hoped they would be.
My youngest daughter loves Thunderbirds I got her a boxed set which she loves to play on the "big tv"
Her favourite is the one where the Navy shoots down Thunderbird 2
Edited by anonymoususer on Friday 3rd October 20:58
Even as a kid, I was never really into Thunderbirds. I liked Thunderbird 2, had the model, but that was about it.
For me... and showing on Talking Pictures every Saturday morning, it was Space Patrol and Supercar.
Otherwise Stingray and Fireball XL5. Never much gelled with Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons were a pretty weak "villain", nor Joe 90.
For me... and showing on Talking Pictures every Saturday morning, it was Space Patrol and Supercar.
Otherwise Stingray and Fireball XL5. Never much gelled with Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons were a pretty weak "villain", nor Joe 90.
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