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Thunderbirds Are Go
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Thunderbirds Are Go
Thunderbirds Are Go is a 1966 British science fiction puppet film based on Thunderbirds, a Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Written by the Andersons and directed by David Lane, the film follows the spacecraft Zero-X as it carries the first human mission to Mars. When Zero-X suffers a malfunction during re-entry, it is up to life-saving organisation International Rescue, with the help of its technologically advanced Thunderbird machines, to activate the trapped crew's escape pod before the spacecraft hits the ground.
Filmed between March and June 1966 at AP Films's (APF) studios on the Slough Trading Estate, and on location in Portugal, Thunderbirds Are Go features guest appearances by puppet versions of Cliff Richard and The Shadows, who also contributed to the film's score. It was the first film to be shot using an early form of video assist called "Add-a-Vision". The special effects sequences, directed by Derek Meddings, took six months to complete.
Although early reviews praised the film as a successful cinematic transfer of the TV series, box office reaction was muted and the film proved to be a commercial failure. Later reviews criticised the film for its lack of characterisation, time-consuming effects shots, and inclusion of a dream sequence involving Richard and The Shadows. Surprised by the film's failure, and confident that Thunderbirds still had cinematic potential, distributors United Artists ordered a sequel: Thunderbird 6. This too received a lukewarm critical and commercial response and plans for further sequels were abandoned. Zero-X later appeared in the first episode of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, the Andersons' follow-up to Thunderbirds. TV Century 21 magazine ran a Zero-X comic strip until 1969.
In 2065, the first human mission to Mars is launched from Glenn Field in the form of spacecraft Zero-X. Unknown to Captain Travers and his four-man crew, master criminal the Hood has stowed away on board to photograph Zero-X's wing mechanism. Shortly after lift-off, the Hood inadvertently traps his foot in the craft's hydraulics, jamming them and causing Zero-X to go out of control. As the astronauts eject in the escape pod, the Hood extracts his crushed foot and parachutes to safety. Zero-X crashes into the ocean and explodes.
In 2067, the Inquiry Board of the Space Exploration Center concludes that the mission was sabotaged. A second Zero-X has been built and another mission to Mars planned. Due to the possibility of further sabotage, International Rescue agrees to provide security at the launch. Jeff Tracy dispatches Scott to Glenn Field in Thunderbird 1 to monitor the situation from the ground, while Virgil and Alan are assigned to escort Zero-X through the atmosphere in Thunderbirds 2 and 3. Posing as a reporter at the pre-launch press conference, Lady Penelope arranges for each member of the crew to wear a St Christopher medallion containing a homing device. On launch day, Dr Grant's device is no longer registering, despite the fact that he is aboard Zero-X awaiting lift-off. Scott unmasks "Grant" as the Hood in disguise. The Hood flees Glenn Field in a car, pursued by Penelope and Parker in FAB 1. Reaching the coast, he transfers to a speedboat and then a helicopter. Parker shoots down the helicopter using FAB 1's machine gun. The kidnapped Grant is found and returned to Zero-X and the spacecraft launches without further incident.
Mission complete, Penelope invites Scott and Virgil to join her at a popular nightclub called The Swinging Star. Returning to Tracy Island, Alan feels unappreciated when Jeff insists that he stay at base while the others spend the night partying. Asleep in bed, Alan has a surreal dream in which he and Penelope travel to another Swinging Star located in space. Appearing at the nightclub are Cliff Richard Jr and The Shadows, who perform a song called "Shooting Star" and an instrumental called "Lady Penelope". The dream ends when Alan falls back to Earth, waking to discover that he has fallen out of bed.
After six weeks in space, Zero-X reaches Mars on 22 July. While Navigator Newman remains in orbit, the rest of the crew detach their rover – the Martian Excursion Vehicle (MEV) – from the main body of the craft, and touch down on the planet's surface. They are puzzled to find the terrain dotted with coil-like rock formations. Captain Martin blows up one of them with the MEV's gun and Dr Pierce prepares to go outside to collect samples. The other formations come to life, revealing themselves to be one-eyed rock snakes. The aliens bombard the MEV with fireballs from their mouths, forcing the astronauts to abandon the excursion and re-enter orbit. They dock with Zero-X and start back to Earth.
As Zero-X re-enters Earth's atmosphere on 2 September, one of the lifting bodies fails to connect with the spacecraft due to a radio fault. The impact damages various systems, including flight control and the escape pod circuit. With the astronauts unable to eject and Zero-X set to impact the town of Craigsville, Florida, Jeff dispatches Scott and Brains in Thunderbird 1 and Virgil, Alan and Gordon in Thunderbird 2. While Craigsville is evacuated, Alan is lifted into Zero-X's undercarriage and repairs the escape circuit under Brains' guidance. Seconds before impact, Alan completes his task and jumps out as the astronauts eject. The empty Zero-X hits Craigsville and obliterates the town. Picked up by Penelope and Parker in FAB 1, Alan is driven to the real Swinging Star, where the entire International Rescue team toasts him as the "hero of the day."
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Thunderbirds Are Go
Thunderbirds Are Go is a 1966 British science fiction puppet film based on Thunderbirds, a Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Written by the Andersons and directed by David Lane, the film follows the spacecraft Zero-X as it carries the first human mission to Mars. When Zero-X suffers a malfunction during re-entry, it is up to life-saving organisation International Rescue, with the help of its technologically advanced Thunderbird machines, to activate the trapped crew's escape pod before the spacecraft hits the ground.
Filmed between March and June 1966 at AP Films's (APF) studios on the Slough Trading Estate, and on location in Portugal, Thunderbirds Are Go features guest appearances by puppet versions of Cliff Richard and The Shadows, who also contributed to the film's score. It was the first film to be shot using an early form of video assist called "Add-a-Vision". The special effects sequences, directed by Derek Meddings, took six months to complete.
Although early reviews praised the film as a successful cinematic transfer of the TV series, box office reaction was muted and the film proved to be a commercial failure. Later reviews criticised the film for its lack of characterisation, time-consuming effects shots, and inclusion of a dream sequence involving Richard and The Shadows. Surprised by the film's failure, and confident that Thunderbirds still had cinematic potential, distributors United Artists ordered a sequel: Thunderbird 6. This too received a lukewarm critical and commercial response and plans for further sequels were abandoned. Zero-X later appeared in the first episode of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, the Andersons' follow-up to Thunderbirds. TV Century 21 magazine ran a Zero-X comic strip until 1969.
In 2065, the first human mission to Mars is launched from Glenn Field in the form of spacecraft Zero-X. Unknown to Captain Travers and his four-man crew, master criminal the Hood has stowed away on board to photograph Zero-X's wing mechanism. Shortly after lift-off, the Hood inadvertently traps his foot in the craft's hydraulics, jamming them and causing Zero-X to go out of control. As the astronauts eject in the escape pod, the Hood extracts his crushed foot and parachutes to safety. Zero-X crashes into the ocean and explodes.
In 2067, the Inquiry Board of the Space Exploration Center concludes that the mission was sabotaged. A second Zero-X has been built and another mission to Mars planned. Due to the possibility of further sabotage, International Rescue agrees to provide security at the launch. Jeff Tracy dispatches Scott to Glenn Field in Thunderbird 1 to monitor the situation from the ground, while Virgil and Alan are assigned to escort Zero-X through the atmosphere in Thunderbirds 2 and 3. Posing as a reporter at the pre-launch press conference, Lady Penelope arranges for each member of the crew to wear a St Christopher medallion containing a homing device. On launch day, Dr Grant's device is no longer registering, despite the fact that he is aboard Zero-X awaiting lift-off. Scott unmasks "Grant" as the Hood in disguise. The Hood flees Glenn Field in a car, pursued by Penelope and Parker in FAB 1. Reaching the coast, he transfers to a speedboat and then a helicopter. Parker shoots down the helicopter using FAB 1's machine gun. The kidnapped Grant is found and returned to Zero-X and the spacecraft launches without further incident.
Mission complete, Penelope invites Scott and Virgil to join her at a popular nightclub called The Swinging Star. Returning to Tracy Island, Alan feels unappreciated when Jeff insists that he stay at base while the others spend the night partying. Asleep in bed, Alan has a surreal dream in which he and Penelope travel to another Swinging Star located in space. Appearing at the nightclub are Cliff Richard Jr and The Shadows, who perform a song called "Shooting Star" and an instrumental called "Lady Penelope". The dream ends when Alan falls back to Earth, waking to discover that he has fallen out of bed.
After six weeks in space, Zero-X reaches Mars on 22 July. While Navigator Newman remains in orbit, the rest of the crew detach their rover – the Martian Excursion Vehicle (MEV) – from the main body of the craft, and touch down on the planet's surface. They are puzzled to find the terrain dotted with coil-like rock formations. Captain Martin blows up one of them with the MEV's gun and Dr Pierce prepares to go outside to collect samples. The other formations come to life, revealing themselves to be one-eyed rock snakes. The aliens bombard the MEV with fireballs from their mouths, forcing the astronauts to abandon the excursion and re-enter orbit. They dock with Zero-X and start back to Earth.
As Zero-X re-enters Earth's atmosphere on 2 September, one of the lifting bodies fails to connect with the spacecraft due to a radio fault. The impact damages various systems, including flight control and the escape pod circuit. With the astronauts unable to eject and Zero-X set to impact the town of Craigsville, Florida, Jeff dispatches Scott and Brains in Thunderbird 1 and Virgil, Alan and Gordon in Thunderbird 2. While Craigsville is evacuated, Alan is lifted into Zero-X's undercarriage and repairs the escape circuit under Brains' guidance. Seconds before impact, Alan completes his task and jumps out as the astronauts eject. The empty Zero-X hits Craigsville and obliterates the town. Picked up by Penelope and Parker in FAB 1, Alan is driven to the real Swinging Star, where the entire International Rescue team toasts him as the "hero of the day."