Thunderbirds Set 1 :: Education by Design Store

Editorial Review
"Filmed in VIDECOLOR [explosions, drum roll, music builds to a climax] and SUPERMARIONATION"! The opening sequence of Thunderbirds is itself a master class in Gerry Anderson's marionette hyperbole: who else would dare to make a virtue out of the fact that (a) the show is in color and (b) it's got puppets in it? But everything about this series really is epic: Thunderbirds is action on the grandest scale, predating such high-concept Hollywood vehicles as Armageddon by 30 years and more (the acting is better, too), and fetishizing gadgets in a way that even the most excessive Bond movies could never hope to rival. Unsurprisingly, it transpires that the visual effects are by Derek Meddings, whose later contributions to Bond movies like The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker echo his pioneering model work here. As for the characters, the clean-cut Tracey boys take second place in the audiences' affections to their cool machines--the real stars of the show--while comic relief is to be found in the charming company of Lady Penelope and her pink Rolls (license plate FAB1), driven by lugubrious chauffeur Parker, whose "Yes, milady" catchphrase resonated around school playgrounds for decades. (Spare a thought for poor old John Tracey, stuck up in space on Thunderbird 5 with only the radio for company.) The puppet stunt work is breathtakingly audacious, and every week's death-defying escapade is nail-bitingly choreographed in the very best tradition of disaster movies. First shown in 1964 and now digitally remastered, Thunderbirds is children's TV that still looks and sounds like big-budget Hollywood.

On this DVD: International Rescue's very first adventure provides a template for all the rest: in "Trapped in the Sky," an experimental new aircraft becomes the target of an evil Bond-style megalomaniac who wants to get his hands on all the neat gear operated by the Tracey siblings. The show introduces, in fetishistic detail, the recurring set-pieces: Thunderbird 1 taking off from the roll-back swimming pool, the question of which pod Thunderbird 2 will use this week--the mole, or the submarine, perhaps?--and so on. Nostalgia fans will be pleased to learn that despite digital remastering the puppet strings are still in evidence, and no amount of high-tech restoration could remove the clunky expository dialogue:

Stewardess: "It's the maiden flight of the new atomic-powered Fireflash."
Passenger: "Isn't that the new aircraft that flies six times the speed of sound?"
Stewardess: "That's right, but don't worry: it's perfectly safe."
[Cut to: interior, Fireflash landing gear, a device clearly labeled "Auto-Bomb Detonator Unit"]
Sinister bad guy (talking to himself for no readily apparent reason): "Perfect. Enough explosives to smash the Atomic Reactor."

In the second episode, "Pit of Peril," an absurdly impractical U.S. Army vehicle falls into the eponymous pit, necessitating use of pod 5, the mole. Joy! Four more episodes are included. --Mark Walker
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Customer Reviews

Thunderbirds - set 1 is a must have !!!

2002-09-29
this 1st set is a must have for Thunderbirds fans! if you only
buy one set you should get this one for sure ! actually set 1 & 2 are my favorite ! the sound and color are crisp and clear like
it was made yesterday ! it's a real classic.

Thunderbirds are GO!

2002-08-04
It was the 1960s-- Stereotypes still existed, bad guys were obviously bad, good guys were obviously good. The Thunderbirds were obviously good guys, and obviously marionettes. The Anderson special effects are very good, even if some of the underwater scenes were obviously shot through an aquarium! The DVD captures all the nuances of the show, including the strings! (: The plots are at least as good as a James Bond flick.

Remember that the Andersons and ITC went on to do UFO and SPACE:1999. The special effects on these live action shows were of the same style as on the Thunderbirds (except the strings were easier to hide in space!). I kept thinking that UFO and SPACE:1999 ought to have splashed the "SUPERMARIONATION" logo on the screen!

It's a pupper thing.... 2002-02-02
I never realized that my favorite kiddie shows were all done by the same person - T-birds, Fireball XL5, Stingray, etc. This first set is great. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the episodes held up - and how often the ideas have been copied. Yea, the effects are cheesy, the "acting" over the top, and the overall effect campy, but it's 60's TV. It was in COLOR. It was in Supermarionation. It even had sound. And strings. And plenty of fire. What else could a kid ask for? If you even liked the series, you'll enjoy this memory-trip.

International Rescue to Bored and Jaded Viewers 2001-12-28
Money well spent, definitely. This DVD set is very impressive on all counts and truly packed (over 5 hours of entertainment!). Back in the mid 60's, THUNDERBIRDS were huge on Brazilian prime time television. I used to sit in the living-room with my father and younger brother, hypnotized by the show, although at the time we only had black and white TV in my country. Now, over thirty-five years later, I can't help but wonder at the cool perfection of the whole enterprise, the complete devotion and seriousness of the producing team -- so much care and talent in every little detail. Make no mistake, this is no nostalgia lure, it is still really thrilling and magical with that kind of pure Zen pleasure in its optimistic display of futuristic technology and gadgetry without a trace of the cynicism and irony that prevail lately. In fact, these remarkable puppets look and act far better than many a real-life actor today. The soundtrack and music score are also of the highest standards, the picture quality a delight.

THUNDERBIRDS to the RESCUE! 2001-10-27
I have been a big fan of this U.K. television series from the 1960's for years, and I spent a considerable sum of money just to get the original episodes on VHS imported to the U.S. Some of the prints used for these videos were in bad shape, but I didn't care since this was the only way for me to see them. Not anymore! I got this set (along with a DVD player) as a gift and I must say that I am impressed with the quality of these DVDs (two in the set). The image quality is very crisp and clear and the colors are very vibrant. I have read some reviews where people wished they had digitally removed the puppet strings but I didn't find this to be a major issue. The special features such as the "Making of Thunderbirds" featurette and the gallery of productions stills are great, but I wish there had been some audio commentary and/or video interviews with Gerry Anderson, whom I consider to be the British version of George Lucas. As for the re-mastered soundtrack, you definitely feel the effect of the explosions, but they stand out too much from the rest of the audio (i.e. the volume is really LOUD compared to the other audio elements). I would have preferred hearing the original sound mix, or at least having the option to choose the original sound or the remastered version. Overall, I think Thunderbirds fans will be happy with this set. Hopefully, all of the episodes will be released on DVD in the near future. THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!

The Best Ever 2007-08-02
Thunderbirds is simply one of the best childrens TV (although my Dad loved it) programs ever made. To be honest I'm not sure now whether it was made with children specifically in mind or not.

Watching it now on DVD it remains fantastic even to my 40something eyes. The picture quality is great, it has dolby 5.1 surround sound and fortunately as it is set in 2065 you can't say well that never happened (like Space 1999 for example). All the best things about Thunderbirds still remain the best. The superb opening credits sequence with the preview of the forthcoming episode. Barry Grays marvellous music and the superb puppets and models that became a trademark for Gerry Andersons productions.

The episodes on this disc are a fair representation of the whole series, with perhaps the Pit of Peril being my favourite - remember the 'Sidewinder'? The DVD has a few interesting extras including a printable CD-Rom Thunderbird 1 cross-section. Shame that there isn't a commentary (which there is on some of the Captain Scarlet DVD's) but the episodes alone make this worth getting. FAB.

Excellent 2007-01-10
A lot of Fun!. I remembered when I was a kid, and spent a lot of time enjoying the series. Very good.

FAB - naturally 2003-03-11
Yes, yes, yes ... dunderklumpen Parker is tripping all over his cockney vowels and Tintin (the non-francophone version) is demurely aiding (wink, wink) Alan, but how can you resist a world where technology is always fallible (planes exploding, reactors exploding, grandma exploding - just kidding) yet can only be saved by the same, now infallible, technology. A feature film with non-stringy actors is being made of this series - it's a guaranteed flop already. You can't tell these stories today with the wide-eyed enthusiasm of thirty years ago. Also, when Thunderbirds was made, the directors were making mini-feature-films. Now, alas, even our biggest films are made to play on TV, just like a movie-of-the-week. It'll look like a Star Trek episode - neat, clean-cut and sanitary with all the soul sucked out of its CGI animated pores. What it won't have is Lord Lew Grade sitting behind it, marvelling at its imagination, egging on its producer, giggling like a large cherubic baby. The original can't be anything other than FAB - a Fully Aknowledged Broadcast.

If you liked Gerry Anderson, you've got to get this!! 2003-02-06
I grew up on Thunderbirds and loved every minute of it. To see the shows rendered in DVD quality picture and sound provides an awesome viewing experience, especially if you have surround sound with a good sub-woofer! The explosions and the Thunderbird launches sound incredible. Highly recommended as are all the other Thunderbirds DVDs in the series.

Great Buy 2002-12-04
Ahhh.... the wonders of childhood. Yes, I remember the Thunderbirds and I'm glad they're back in the states. I went out and brought one of those multistandard vhs player (plays pal) just so I could buy and watch these guys. This was and still is a great childrens series. I had all of these tapes except one and now thanks to the new release from Carlton I have that one too. They still need work on the menu though. You can watch the movie but not select certain scenes in any given episode but I don't care. Buy this you won't regret it.