Thunderbirds

[wedgebert]

Ok, I just went and saw the latest Harry Potter movie, and one of the previews was for a live action version of the Thunderbirds.

At first I thought it could be good, then came the plot. Apparently, all the Tracey's are trapped except for the youngest Alan. So it's up to him, Fermat and Tin Tin to save the others.

Unfortunately, it looks like Alan is maybe 15, Tin Tin about the same and Fermat is maybe 12. Picture Agent Cody Banks or Spy Kids.

Shame what they do to classic TV and movies.

[captain swoop]

Last I heard Jerry Anderson was distancing himself from it.

From what I have seen of thunderbird One it has a big 'blister' cockpit cover on the side. I am thinking action figure merchandising here.

[Bawheid]

NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH! Make it stop. :evil:

[Amadeus]

NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH! Make it stop. :evil:

It gets worse....
There's going to be a remake of captain Scarlet using CGI instead of Puppets.

IMHO Captain scarlet was the better of the 2. Because in every episode there was the risk that he wouldn't make it through.

[Morrolan]

i still have my Corgi Toys Captain Scarlet car.... :)

but: :cry: on making such awful movies from what was essentially the TV series that got me interested in sci-fi...

[ToSeek]

A friend of mine claims that they're going to do Thunderbirds live-action and then add strings via CGI. ;)

[captain swoop]

Captain Scarlet was great, much killing and mutilation. Kids TV was different in those days.

Modern Child fodder has to be 'Child Centered' Thunderbirds was all adult cast, as was Cpatain Scarlet. Come to think of it most of the best stuff was. We all wanted to be our heroes, we didn't want them to be us.

[R.A.F.]

Personally, I'm not too concerned with the plot...wasn't expecting much...what I want to know is...

Have they changed the design of the Thunderbirds?! They are, after all, the stars of the movie.

[captain swoop]

here is the trailer (http://www.thunderbirdsmovie.com/usa_flash_site.html)

Unfortunately the 'Hood' looks like Dr evil and it's a bunch of kids running around. it doesn't seem very thunderbirdy to ne.

They have changed the design of the ships.

[ToSeek]

Yes, from the trailer it seems as if the regular crew is put out of the way so some kids can come along and save the day. Very imaginative plot. :roll:

[endeavour]

The Thunderbirds movie!! Don't get me started!!!! Everything I have seen and heard about this film convinces me that it will be utter dreck. The ages and age order of all the Tracy brothers have been changed (revised downwards), Alan and Tin Tin are kids (to deliberately target the Spy Kids audience), Brains-on the other hand-has got older and now has a son, the obligatory nerd/geek Fermat.

The plot seems to be rubbish, revolving around the older Tracy's being trapped on TB 5 by the Hood, so that the kids have to save them, as well as carry out all the rescues, so that IR doesn't fail in its self-appointed task. Check out the trailers on the wesbite www.thunderbirdsmovie.com and make sure you have a look at the UK trailer as well as the US one: they are noticably different! the US one is clearly intended to attract the Spy Kids audience and emphasises the kids, while the UK one focuses on the rescues and is targetted at an audience that knows what Thunderbirds should really be about! (It gets regularly repeated in the UK, but is rarely repeated in the US these days, I believe, so I guess the kid audience would not be familiar with it)

The Tbirds have been redesigned somewhat, but from what I've seen this is the least offensive aspect of the film. Although Tbird 2 does seem a bit too flattened (like a bug someone tried to squash :D ) What is unforgiveable, however, is turning FAB one from a Rolls into a Ford Thunderbird (oh, how cute! NOT) and a flying one at that!!

Sorry about the rant. You can see my blood is boiling! I'm so disgusted by this travesty of one of my favourite shows that my Jonathon Frakes doll (he's the director in case you didn't know) has enough pins stuck in it, to make it look like a porcupine!

Since at least a bit of the action occurs on Thunderbird 5, there's also bound to be some bad astronomy we can disect once the film is released.

[Krel]

The pitch for the movie is said to have been "Home Alone" meets "Spy Kids", so that shows you where their heads were on this one.

About FAB 1, my understanding is that Rolls Royce told them to take a flying leap. As a result FAB 1 now looks like Ronald McDonald's shoe car.

I'm an American and I can't wait to avoid this one, I think that it will be just as good as the "Avengers".

David.

[endeavour]

The Avengers movie was an abomination (one of the few films I've ever come close to walking out of!) Sady, I think Thunderbirds will be even worse: and what's so annoying is that I'll have to go and see it becasue everyone who knows my love for Thunderbirds will be asking me about the film :cry:

I wouldn't be surprised if Rolls Royce didn't want to touch the film with a 10 foot pole, once they'd read the story treatement or script.

BTW, don't right off the CGI version of Scarlet yet. From what I've seen and heard it might not be too bad. I just hope it is aimed for an older market, so that it can retain the dark edge that made the original so great, but would not be permitted for children's television now. The maiming, mayhem and mutilation was what made the original so compelling :wink:

[Mellow]

I've seen sections of the Captain Scarlett CGI work and it doesn't seem too bad to me.

IMHO Captain Scarlett revolves around a halfway decent plot and script, it was written with more peril (even though we all knew he'd survive thanks to his retro-metabolism) and adult themes.

As for Thunderbirds, I've posted on this before and am a little bit anal on the subject so I won't rant but I agree... Shame it's been aimed at the spy-kids audience but if it was true to the original then I suspect it might have laid around being unmade. I suspect the success of spy kids was one of the outside factors that finally allowed the film to be made.

Sadly, BMW-Rolls decided that a new FAB1 would detract from the recent launch of the Silver Seraph and dilute the brand etc..

I had hoped that VW-Bentley would have stepped into the breach, but alas it was ford with a grotesque stretched Thunderbird. Incidentally, this was road tested on a car programme here in the UK. Imagine it driving around our little villages, it's 27 feet long or something!!

Don't start me on it's flying capabilities.... tiny wings, no lift, huge mass etc etc etc....

At some point I'll bore ya with my thoughts on the ages of the kids etc, IIRC Alan was only 15 or 16 in the original series...

I've just realised, I'm getting a rant going and had promised I wouldn't. Anyway, nice to see the T-Birds back on the board!

:D :D :D

[Morrolan]

i have a VHS somewhere with all the old episodes that i recorded a few years ago when the BBC repeated the series. they also repeated Captain Scarlett, and i must say i still liked it after all those years... :)

[endeavour]

With regard to the ages of the Tracy brothers: in the original series, Scott was supposed to be 30, with the others grading down in age to Alan, who was suposed to be 20 (remember when he wasn't allowed to go off to the Follies in Paris with his brothers because he was 'too young'-ie: under 21?). Alan couldn't have been much younger than that anyway, since he had already been a professional racing car driver before International Rescue was launched!

Captain Scarlet was certainly more adult in its aproach and themes, which is why it was my favourite of all the Anderson shows. I do hope the CGI version will live up to its potential.

BTW, are you aware that Disney has optioned another Anderson production Joe 90 (about a 9 year old boy who became a spy, for those who don't know it) and plans to turn it into a film to catch the Spy Kids audience? At least in this instance that would be appropriate and might result in a decent adaptation.

[R.A.F.]

The Avengers movie was an abomination...

You really are being too kind. :) The only things that the series and "that movie" had in common were character names.


...and what's so annoying is that I'll have to go and see it becasue everyone who knows my love for Thunderbirds will be asking me about the film :cry:

I'll have to see it too...I'm hopeing for the best, yet expecting the worst.

What is it with "Hollywood" anyway? "They" seem to be going to a lot of trouble...taking things that were fond childhood memories and turnng them into crap...perfect example, Mike Myers' The Cat in the Hat!


BTW, don't right off the CGI version of Scarlet yet. From what I've seen and heard it might not be too bad.

We can only hope that they "do it right".

[DataCable]

My only comment after seeing the trailer:

What on ghod's green Earth could they possibly be holding over Ben Kingly's head? :o

[captain swoop]

Why didn't they just get Mike Myers to do Dr Evil?

[endeavour]

Couldn't agree more with you about The Avengers movie, RAF. But if I'd said what I really felt about it, the BA would have banned me from the board for bad language :wink:

With the Thunderbrids movie, I'm expecting the worst and hoping it won't be as bad as I fear.

Hollywood seems to think that if anything has a "cult following" the fans will turn out to see it just because it has the name of their favourite plastered on it, no matter how crappy it is. Thus we get a string of atrocities masquerading as those things we know and love(d) from that era when creativity reigned on television :D

[Morrolan]

looking at endeavours in that area (turning childhood memories into movies) i quite liked the recent Hellboy movie... not a bad effort and the main character was well cast.

[ToSeek]

Hollywood seems to think that if anything has a "cult following" the fans will turn out to see it just because it has the name of their favourite plastered on it, no matter how crappy it is. Thus we get a string of atrocities masquerading as those things we know and love(d) from that era when creativity reigned on television :D

Unfortunately, this seems to be borne out by the success of the recent Star Wars movies.

[Glom]

Alan is supposed to the white Tracy who flies Thunderbird 3 (except when he's relieving John on Thunderbird 5). Stupid fat hobbitses! They ruins it!

[Glom]

What on ghod's green Earth could they possibly be holding over Ben Kingly's head? :o

It's obvious. Jonathan Frakes threatened him with meeting B&B.

[mbjvx]

Ohyah, this movie looks awful-- a stone cold shame... Thunderbirds was awsome. :(

[Gullible Jones]

Ummm... Pardon my ignorance, but what was Thunderbirds?

[Morrolan]

Ummm... Pardon my ignorance, but what was Thunderbirds?

have a look: http://www.thunderbirdsonline.co.uk/

[JMV]

I'm watching Thunderbirds at the very moment. Some army walker Sidewinder fell into a pit or "a blazing inferno" and Thunderbirds hurry to rescue. What's going to happen next? Oh, the exitement!

But regarding the new movie, I agree with you guys. This Spy Kids format doesn't do justice to the original series.

[tmosher]

I've watch both trailers - looks like utter dreck to me - would have been much better if they weren't going for that Spy Kid genre.

Now what idiot in their right mind would put all their assets (i.e., people) in one place (the space station) at the same time so that if something did happen, the whole group would be sc****d?

Oh well...I preferred Captain Scarlet anyway.

Tom

[Glom]

Ummm... Pardon my ignorance, but what was Thunderbirds?

You uncultured swine!

[endeavour]

Here is the first, very uncomplimentary, review of the Thunderbirds movie posted at the IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167456/#comment
(Be warned, there are some spoilers-though I doubt that's going to matter since the movie sounds pretty much spoiled already to me!)

BTW, if anyone is interested in Sylvia Anderson's biography "Yes M'lady" (which has a lot about the making of the original Thunderbirds series and films) I have a couple of spare copies. Contact me with a private message if you'd like one.

Gullible Jones, are you having us on? You don't know Thunderbirds? Clearly your childhood was sadly lacking-or you're too young to have seen it. We'll have to educate you, won't we? :D

And your first lesson is: don't go and see the film-or if you do, don't judge the original by it!

[Glom]

It doesn't appear to have received a very positive response. I guess B&B are the only Trek exec who know how to rape and denude a classic 60s TV show.

[Mellow]

BTW, in reference to a previous post here, my favourite supermarionation series was Captain Scarlet, closely followed by Secret Service.

Best music? Stingray opening sequence followed by Joe90 closing theme.

Best live action... hmmm Space1999 series 2.

Best comedy moments... Terrahawks (Zeroids, especially.... Dix hewitt)

[daver]

BTW, in reference to a previous post here, my favourite supermarionation series was Captain Scarlet, closely followed by Secret Service.

Best music? Stingray opening sequence followed by Joe90 closing theme.

Best live action... hmmm Space1999 series 2.

Best comedy moments... Terrahawks (Zeroids, especially.... Dix hewitt)

My favorite is Fireball XL-5--it was the only one to be shown locally when I was growing up. Probably if I saw it again (and I see that they do have a boxed set, so I could if I wanted to fork out the bucks) I wouldn't be nearly so enamored with it.

I remember three characters--the girl puppet (Venus?), the robot (Sparky?), and the pilot (Steve Zodiac). Oh, and the spaceship and its ski-jump launchramp. As I recall, the special effects were somewhat better than your average Italian Sci-Fi movie.

[ToSeek]

Captain Scarlet is the only one of Gerry Anderson's series that I remember watching when growing up.

[Gullible Jones]

(*Displays ignorance for all to behold*)

What the heck was Captain Scarlet? Sounds like a rug company or something.

[tmosher]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/anderson/scarlet/index.shtml

http://www.captainscarlet.tv/frameset.asp

The second URL is the better one.

Tom[/code]

[Gullible Jones]

Oh.

Sounds like an awfully difficult way to produce a show...

[Mellow]

Captain Scarlett is returning as a television CGI production with Gerry Anderson's guidance so it should be pretty good and true to the original. Rather interestingly, he says he is upping the action quote for the Angels in order to enhance their equality. Not bad considering they were ahead of their time originally....

[Bill Dunaway]

Why do producers bother buying the rights to old series, movies, and books if they aren't going to remain faithful to the original material anyway? At least Spiderman 2 looks good. I plan to see that today.

[ToSeek]

Why do producers bother buying the rights to old series, movies, and books if they aren't going to remain faithful to the original material anyway?

Because it gives them a built-in audience. Who would go to see a movie called "Arachnid Man"?

[ToSeek]

Lady Penelope? (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/040718/482/lrl10207181502&e=3&ncid=1756)

[ZaphodBeeblebrox]

Why do producers bother buying the rights to old series, movies, and books if they aren't going to remain faithful to the original material anyway? At least Spiderman 2 looks good. I plan to see that today.

You'll Love it!

If anything, it's TOO Close to The Comic.

I mean Sheesh, Movie Physics are Bad, but Comic Book Physics are SO Bad, they're Actually Good ...

[Morrolan]

I mean Sheesh, Movie Physics are Bad, but Comic Book Physics are SO Bad, they're Actually Good ...

that's why it makes no sense to do a Bad Astronomy or Bad Physics on a movie based on (Marvel) comics: they're supposed to be true to the comics, not true to real life... :)

[Mellow]

To Seek....

Lady Penelope indeed.... I always fancied Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward as a youth and now I find I fancy her again.. marvellous!

[ToSeek]

To Seek....

Lady Penelope indeed.... I always fancied Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward as a youth and now I find I fancy her again.. marvellous!

Enjoy! (http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=sophia+myles&c=news_photos&ei=UTF-8)

[Alan]

I've just seen the one commercial for the movie but it seems to me in the fast cut from scene to scene that the Tracy boys are around the age of twelve. Tell me it isn't going to be like Spy Kids or the remade Jonny Quest cartoons.

"No dad, it is too dangerous for you to fight Dr. Zin. Stay in the room with Race. Haji and I will save the world."

At least the puppets appeared to be adults - or at least of age to drive a car.

[Mellow]

Nice one ToSeek....

in the words of Zap Brannigan

"Beautiful and deadly, a very potent and sexy combination"

[Togusa]

Captain Scarlet is the only one of Gerry Anderson's series that I remember watching when growing up.
I've seen both Thunderbirds (on local TV decades ago and on TNT nearly a decade back) and Captain Scarlet (on the Sci-Fi Channel nearly ten years ago). I wish I had seen some of his other "Supermarionation" works, like Fireball XL-5 and Stingray.

[daver]

Captain Scarlet is the only one of Gerry Anderson's series that I remember watching when growing up.
I've seen both Thunderbirds (on local TV decades ago and on TNT nearly a decade back) and Captain Scarlet (on the Sci-Fi Channel nearly ten years ago). I wish I had seen some of his other "Supermarionation" works, like Fireball XL-5 and Stingray.
Fireball XL-5 is available on DVD. It was the only one I saw while growing up; it's great for 5 year-olds watching on a tiny B&W tv set; I have no idea how well it stands up.

Stingray was rebroadcast about three years ago on one of the cable channels; I don't remember which one.

[Mellow]

Well, as expected the moview is a bit poor, but I did enjoy the token brief glimpse of a Supermarionation hand, including strings!

Did anyone else spot it?

[CERDIP]

Yup. It was in TB1 enroute to London with Lady P & the kids. View from cockpit rear I think it was.

I seem to be the only one here that enjoyed the movie. I took my two boys, 6 & 8, and they were awestruck. Now they want to see the old series (it's on satellite somewhere).

[johnwitts]

Well, I just watched this movie again, and I must say that I found the Thunderbird machines really disappointing. Am I the only person who thinks that Gerry Anderson did a better job with the original? He used models on strings for the flying sequences, and I think they worked better than this CGI attempt. Can anyone remember the original sequence of Thunderbird 2 rolling out of it's cave? It looked heavy and made of something substantial. When it took off, the rockets fired and it had real momentum, like it was almost a struggle to get off the ramp. And the sequence with TB1 blasting off through the swimming pool also was much better in the original series. Forget that it was the same sequence used every week, over and over. That was the reason for watching. And when they came in to land, there was more drama, like these were big heavy machines. In the movie, they look like plastic toys. I think this may be because the original models were large and heavy. I remember reading somewhere that there were special gantries built with the models hung on wires with controls for operators to 'fly' the vehicles. The models were much larger than you may think, with TB2 being many feet long. And they were difficult to fly without getting a swinging motion going. That's why they look the way they do. They actually had to be flown. It's a shame the movie hasn't done justice to the real stars of the show. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Thunderbirds.

[Mellow]

Well, completely agree with your points there, the models were indeed large and displayed mass onscreen as a result.

I have just noticed that a marionatoin movie "Team America - World Police" will be released in the US this November, I wonder when it will come to the UK. It seems to be made by the South Park people and the trailer on Quicktime.com looks pretty good to me.

I have a small hope that is the Thunderbirds moview does OK at the box office, they may try a second one, this could then have the correct degree of peril/drama/tension... oh yeah and a proper rescue.

I did enjoy the little Thunderbird 4 / Monorail rescue vignette.... more please.

[Eric McLoughlin]

For the record "Stingray" was the first British TV series made in colour. It was made in 1962/63 with the American market in mind (colour TV did not come to Britain until 1967). Even "Thunderbirds", though made in colour, was broadcast in the UK in black and white. Most Brits did not get to see "Thunderbirds" in colour on TV until re-runs were shown in the 70s and 80s.

Amid all the hype about the new film, it seems to be forgotten that "Thunderbirds" made the big screen before. In 1966 a blockbuster film version of the original TV show, "Thunderbirds Are Go" was released. It even had a Royal Premier such was the popularity of the TV series at the time. A second, less successful, movie was released in 1968 called "Thunderbird 6". Both films are currently available on DVD a sa combined set.

[Mellow]

Eric,

cool mention of the original movies, I've waxed lyrical about them before. "Thunderbirds are Go" was fantastic, great plot, genuine peril, a film that treated kids like adults.

I especially liked the closing credit sequence....