Product: Thunderbirds [VHS] (1965)
Rating: 5.0
the memories of childhood
Jerry Anderson created a lot of TV sci fi in the 1960's and 70's. Joe90, Captain Scarlett and Space 1999 just to name a few but Thunderbirds seems to have stuck in everyone's memory as the best of his work, whether marionets or live action. Certainly some of my earliest childhood memories include watching Thunderbirds on TV.Set in 2064 the show follows the adventures of the Tracy family, who have built ultra advanced machines which can be used for the greater good of rescuing people in need. They call themselves "International Rescue" and their ships are the "Thunderbirds." Which always fly in with just the right tools and save the day.Some emergencies are common place- a plane with failed landing gear or a high rise fire, a flood or cave in. Some resuces are bizzarre, what springs to mind on that track is an atomic logging machine running amok. But in each case Internatinoal rescue is the only team that can get the job done. I will say that after 9/11, one early episode that includes digging through the flaming wreckage of a collapsed sky scraper was very eerie. To declare "life imitates art," doesn't even begin to come close.The 'actors' are all marionettes and the vehicals are models that compared with what Lucas would produce in 1977 look pretty cheesey but these were SOTA at their time and are still great fun. dialogue is serious and the attention to detail on sets and costuming is amazing.An interesting side affect is seeing what in 1964, the designers thought would be style in 2064. Since they couldn't foresea the microchip or internet it's...fun, but home decorating and fashions sharply remind me of my grandmother's home in Croyden of more than 40 years ago. hmmm.Still the series is great fun for the family. Modern children should enjoy it. adults, like me, who grew up with the show will fondly remember it and adults who didn't grow up with it, like my wife, will have a good laugh at the style.