Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		3.5

Thunderbirds Are Go Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 12, 2014

Note: This film is available only as part of Thunderbirds Are Go / Thunderbird 6.

Have you seen those fun but silly quizzes that seek to determine what region of the United States you grew up in by how you answer multiple choice questions about what things are called or how words are pronounced? There might be another data point to consider, at least for Baby Boomers, in helping to narrow down what region you hail from—did you watch Thunderbirds growing up? Thunderbirds aired in probably the early seventies on some Seattle station when I was a kid, and I remember watching the show with a combination of fascination (those sets are awesome) and astonishment (those marionettes are really kind of creepy). The brainchild of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, Thunderbirds was supposed to be the world beating follow up to several of the Andersons’ previous “Supermarionation” shows like Fireball XL5 and Stingray, but perhaps unexpectedly the Andersons’ mentor and production whiz Lew Grade (he wasn’t quite a “Sir” yet) wasn’t able to secure a network berth for the series on this side of the pond, and it expired after a disappointing 32 episodes (in its original hour length format —some stations recut the shows to a half hour to have 64 episodes). The series followed the exciting adventures of the International Rescue organization, led by the indomitable Tracy clan (an elderly father and his several sons, evidently modeled on the Cartwrights of Bonanza fame). While Thunderbirds never really matriculated fully to the United States, it did show up in various markets in syndication (which is how I saw it in Seattle). Grade had actually greenlit the first of two feature films based on the series before the series ever aired, and despite Thunderbirds are Go’s less than stellar trek at the box office, two years later Thunderbird 6 came out, to a similarly lukewarm response. The two films offer a great chance to enjoy the Andersons’ frankly slightly cheesy but technically formidable miniature special effects work (something that none other than Stanley Kubrick was evidently interested in pilfering for 2001: A Space Odyssey). While there are unavoidably humorous moments in both films as director David Lane struggles to deal with the fact that his cast is—well, puppets, the two films are just as undeniably charming in their own way and will certainly provide a potent dose of nostalgia for those who were in one of those aforementioned markets where the original Thunderbirds series aired.

Thunderbirds Are Go actually wastes no time in trotting out its story of a series of crises and resultant rescues which will be the ultimate provider of most of the excitement. A top secret spaceship called the Zero X is the focus of most of this film’s nefarious activities, and in fact the opening sequence details only the first destruction of the craft, a vehicle which is evidently able, Phoenix like, to repeatedly rise from the ashes. Longtime Thunderbirds nemesis The Hood (looking strangely like a synthesis of Richard Nixon and former NBC newsman Edwin Newman) is behind the mayhem, and it takes several attempts by the Tracy family (as well as Lady Penelope) before at least an ostensible period is put on his activities.

Where Thunderbirds Are Go may be resolutely silly in the story department, from a (miniature) set design standpoint, it’s often amazing. While part of this whole franchise’s charm is how patently fake everything looks, attention to detail is really admirable, and the special effects director David Lane is able to create on such a small scale are a lot of fun. Thunderbirds Are Go is also notable for its undeniably weird dream sequence which puts Alan in a club with Lady Penelope right next to Cliff Richard and the Shadows. It’s one of those “you have to see it” sort of things.

The very unreal quality that is part and parcel of the Thunderbirds franchise will probably appeal just as much to contemporary kids with an ironic bent as any supposedly wide eyed, innocent Boomer who caught the show back in the day and was amazed, and will look at it now through the rose colored glasses of memory. Thunderbirds Are Go is like an old time Saturday movie serial diced up and presented in one fell swoop, with a series of cliffhangers resolving themselves just long enough for a new crisis to erupt and occupy the valiant Tracy clan. This is one marionette film that isn’t content to just string you along (sorry, couldn’t resist); it starts with a bang and just keeps delivering little gems of action as it zooms into the near future.

Thunderbirds Are Go Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Aside from a very minor difference in aspect ratio (2.34:1 for Thunderbirds Are Go and 2.35:1 for Thunderbird 6), the AVC encoded 1080p transfers on these two films are similar in appearance and quality. Both feature elements in very good condition, with only a very few signs of age. Colors are really richly saturated, with everything from that garish pink of Lady Penelope's custom Rolls Royce to the crisp blues of the Tracy uniforms popping quite nicely. The image is stable and has a natural looking grain field (at times quite heavily so, in fact). There does appear to have been some very minor sharpening done here, as tiny halos occasionally crop up. Otherwise, though, contrast is great, black levels are nicely deep, and the bizarre textureless heads of all the marionettes have never looked better.

Thunderbirds Are Go Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Both of the films offer their original mono mixes courtesy of DTS-HD Master Audio Mono tracks, but each also has rather well done surround tracks in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. While much of the soundstage still plays out in the front channels, the 5.1 mixes nicely open up a lot of the effects work, whether that be explosions or (more typically) the roar of the Thunderbirds blasting into action. Dialogue is presented very cleanly, and Barry Gray's boisterous music (also nicely splayed through the surrounds) sounds great.

Thunderbirds Are Go Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Excitement is Go! Making Thunderbirds (1080p; 22:29) is a fun featurette that looks at the whole Thunderbirds franchise. There are some nice archival stills here as well as several good interviews.


• Cliff Richard and the Shadows Unseen Test Footage (480p; 17:02) is reference footage shot by Anderson so that the marionettes fashioned after the band could be lifelike (or at least as lifelike as Anderson's marionettes ever were).


• History and Appeal (480i; 10:26) has some good interviews with Sylvia Anderson, who recounts anecdotes about the film's genesis and production.


• Factory of Dolls and Rockets (480i; 8:40) is an interesting tour of just how the sets and marionettes were fabricated and then used in the film.


• Epics in Miniature (480i; 7:49) looks at the Andersons' incredibly facility with miniatures.


• Photo Montage (480i; 3:23)


• Come With Me to the Rushes (480i; 00:28) is a funny anecdote shared by Sylvia Anderson.


• What Does F.A.B. Mean? (480i; 00:30) has Sylvia Anderson deflating rampant conspiracy theories.


• Original Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 1:26)


• MGM 90th Anniversary Trailer (1080p; 2:06)


• Isolated Score Track is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0.


• Audio Commentary with Film Historian Jeff Bond and Nick Redman provides good background information on the Andersons and the whole Thunderbirds phenomenon, with surprisingly little repeated info from the other commentary.


• Audio Commentary with Producer Sylvia Anderson and Director David Lane. This commentary is at least relatively more raucous, as the two raconteurs trade barbs and jokes while discussing the film and Thunderbirds in general.

Thunderbirds Are Go Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you've never seen Thunderbirds, this is going to be one of the most patently bizarre introductions to a new cinematic world that you've probably ever experienced. But if you are already initiated into the weirdly charming and charmingly weird world of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and Supermarionation, Thunderbirds Are Go will evoke a certain nostalgia for mod clothes, fab cars, nasty villains and perfectly plastic heroes. This Blu-ray offers great technical merits, and this particular title has some fantastic supplements. Highly recommended.