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Thunderbirds

Thunderbirds-the Movie

Thanks Sylvia and Barry!

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Author	Post
Huntsman 19 Jul 2004 18:00:09	Apparently, a tiny thanks is given to Sylvia, and a nod of appreciation is towards Barry Grey, and none to Gerry for the Thunderbirds movie, according to a friend of mine who just saw it...
captphil 25 Jul 2004 05:35:00	Spoiler Ahead! Do not read if you plan on seeing the film! 5 4 3 2 1 * Got to see the new Thunderbirds movie this morning with my family! We won sneak preview tickets from our local newspaper, Newsday so.... Thunderbirds Are Free! We had a great time, the only drawback was the theater was in Westbury which is about a one hour drive from where we live. So we had to get up early and get there a bit before 10:30am. The kids did get free Thunderbirds T Shirts and they look great! I am not a big Thunderbirds fan, I enjoy watching it from a historical perspective knowing that many crew who worked on it (The original) went on to work on UFO and Space 1999. Plus it is an interesting show as it's the Andersons really big break and something special where everything really worked. So I am interested in Thunderbirds, but I'm not going to be too upset if it gets fiddled with or changed. Felt the same way about Lost In Space. My overall impression, it's a good movie to bring the kids to and enjoy. If you love the original I think you will be disappointed. If you want a bit of distraction for 90 minutes with some high tech big screen Anderson Mecha then this is for you. Thunderbirds Are Cool! The new versions of the craft are nice, faithful to the originals (I missed the whine from T2) and I wanted them to have more screen time. What I really wanted was to see the Thunderbirds in a real rescue that took up some time on screen. We come in on the middle of one and then later they have to rescue themselves. Cool but I did miss a lot of the long beauty shots from the show and the involved launch sequences. Thunderbirds Are Missing! We really only get to spend time with Jeff and Alan, a nice sequence with the one on Thunderbird Five but the other two I can't even remember if they had any real dialog. Brains was pretty good, a little too handsome for the character he's based on. His son Fermat seemed better to me and I found myself more interested in Fermat and Tin Tin in the "kid" sequences then Alan. The actor who plays Alan did alright but didn't have a strong presence. I'm not sure who else they could have gotten but he just seemed too handsome, to cocky while Fermat and Tin Tin were his....Spock and McCoy, keeping him real. Thunderbirds Are Cute! Lady Penelope was beautiful and funny. I kept thinking how pretty Sophia Myles was during her scenes. The rest of the cast was handsome in their Thundersuits but I was focused on LP for most of the film! Thunderbirds Steal the Show! Not really, but Ron Cook rocked as Parker. My wife and I decided he was our favorite in the film and every scene he had we were cracking up. She said he was just like the puppet (Which is a good thing! Really!) He had most of the memorable lines especially when in the middle of some terrible fight he'd come out with some "Yes M'Lady" line while his face was red. Good stuff here. Thunderbirds has a plot? For a kids film the plot is thin but there. It was more plausible than the two Spykids films I've seen (Which everyone says it's based on) but there were a few Thunder-sized plot problems which, if you were able to suspend your disbelief are not really a problem. In other words, who knew Thunderbird two is so easy to fly! Maybe easier than a razor scooter??? Thunderbirds Need Music! The Barry Gray theme is played well over an animated credits sequence. I didn't like the animation credits, I was hoping for something similar to the opening of the TV show. The added a bit to the main Gray theme, totally unnecessary in my opinion. I think the Thunderbirds music is some of the strongest of the Gray scores so why not just re-record it as written with a big orchestra, the way Gray always wanted it? There are snippets of the theme around the film, notably in Cell Phones but what always stuck with me was back in the 1960's when the talked about the music they decided to make it serious and not write "down" to kids. I think they should have done the same here because there is a lot of "cool" or "silly" music and sounds popping in and it's a distraction. The rock tune at the end wasn't so bad, I had prepared myself from reading other fan reviews that it was really going to suck but it a catchy little thing that's not great but not terrible either. It finds it's own level of pop mediocrity. I'd have been happy to hear the real Gray theme at the end instead of that! Thunderbird Theme Thunderbirds needs better continuity! After swimming around in the river Tin Tin seemed amazingly dry for the final showdown at the mole. Lady P seemed to have time to put on a different outfit and hairstyle in the middle of the crisis. And the cuts at the end of the movie seemed choppy. We're in the water and did the good deed then BOOM! We're out! This was at the ending though. Also, I wasn't too crazy about running around the island avoiding the hoods men, seems like something every film needs to have today, some long chase sequence (Which, in the first Scooby Doo movie...was done well and for laughs. Here it's like filler, doesn't advance the story, just takes up time) Thunderbirds was Fun! I got goose bumps watching the ships fly around on the big screen and hearing the sound effects. If that's your thing I think you'll dig this movie. If you wanted to see the original show respected and the original creators consulted it didn't happen here. I hope....I hope we get another film or TV series out of this movie because there is a lot of potential and I'd rather have it settle down into what the show did well. Rescue people in thrilling situations with bravery and style. We stopped at Toys R Us on the way home and looked at the toys. Not bad, I hope they bring back some of the classic toys. Last, Thunderbirds needs Credits! I kept looking for some credit at the end saying Based On Thunderbirds from 1965 ITC or something like that. I know Gerry didn't want his name on the film but maybe they could have given us a "based on" line? Oh! We were the only people on line and in the theater who knew about the show. The announcer said it was based on a show called Thunderbirds are Go which featured the puppets from the travel commercial (Orbitz???? I forget) Funny. Sylvia's name is in the credits but couldn't they mention Derek Meddings or someone? Or would they have to pay for that? Anyway, see it. Enjoy it and don't take it too seriously.
Huntsman 26 Jul 2004 18:57:02	My, my, my! What detail! Almost makes me wanna see the film. But, being a father, I know this movie was aimed at the small fry...well, not TOO small...
DSJ 04 Aug 2004 22:46:26	Well I finally got to see the movie today. Sure it's a kids flick but I grew up with TBS & I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ships & sounds were awesome & LP & Parker were pretty cool.
Huntsman 07 Aug 2004 14:42:44	Should we expect a double disc DVD release for X-mas??

Author

Post

Huntsman
19 Jul 2004 18:00:09

Apparently, a tiny thanks is given to Sylvia, and a nod of appreciation is towards Barry Grey, and none to Gerry for the Thunderbirds movie, according to a friend of mine who just saw it...

captphil
25 Jul 2004 05:35:00

Spoiler Ahead! Do not read if you plan on seeing the film!

5

4

3

2

1

*

Got to see the new Thunderbirds movie this morning with my family! We won sneak preview tickets from our local newspaper, Newsday so....

Thunderbirds Are Free!

We had a great time, the only drawback was the theater was in Westbury which is about a one hour drive from where we live. So we had to get up early and get there a bit before 10:30am. The kids did get free Thunderbirds T Shirts and they look great!

user posted image

I am not a big Thunderbirds fan, I enjoy watching it from a historical perspective knowing that many crew who worked on it (The original) went on to work on UFO and Space 1999. Plus it is an interesting show as it's the Andersons really big break and something special where everything really worked.

So I am interested in Thunderbirds, but I'm not going to be too upset if it gets fiddled with or changed. Felt the same way about Lost In Space.

My overall impression, it's a good movie to bring the kids to and enjoy. If you love the original I think you will be disappointed. If you want a bit of distraction for 90 minutes with some high tech big screen Anderson Mecha then this is for you.

Thunderbirds Are Cool!

The new versions of the craft are nice, faithful to the originals (I missed the whine from T2) and I wanted them to have more screen time. What I really wanted was to see the Thunderbirds in a real rescue that took up some time on screen. We come in on the middle of one and then later they have to rescue themselves. Cool but I did miss a lot of the long beauty shots from the show and the involved launch sequences.

user posted image

Thunderbirds Are Missing!

We really only get to spend time with Jeff and Alan, a nice sequence with the one on Thunderbird Five but the other two I can't even remember if they had any real dialog. Brains was pretty good, a little too handsome for the character he's based on. His son Fermat seemed better to me and I found myself more interested in Fermat and Tin Tin in the "kid" sequences then Alan. The actor who plays Alan did alright but didn't have a strong presence. I'm not sure who else they could have gotten but he just seemed too handsome, to cocky while Fermat and Tin Tin were his....Spock and McCoy, keeping him real.

Thunderbirds Are Cute!

Lady Penelope was beautiful and funny. I kept thinking how pretty Sophia Myles was during her scenes. The rest of the cast was handsome in their Thundersuits but I was focused on LP for most of the film!

user posted image

Thunderbirds Steal the Show!

Not really, but Ron Cook rocked as Parker. My wife and I decided he was our favorite in the film and every scene he had we were cracking up. She said he was just like the puppet (Which is a good thing! Really!) He had most of the memorable lines especially when in the middle of some terrible fight he'd come out with some "Yes M'Lady" line while his face was red. Good stuff here.

Thunderbirds has a plot?

For a kids film the plot is thin but there. It was more plausible than the two Spykids films I've seen (Which everyone says it's based on) but there were a few Thunder-sized plot problems which, if you were able to suspend your disbelief are not really a problem.

In other words, who knew Thunderbird two is so easy to fly! Maybe easier than a razor scooter???

Thunderbirds Need Music!

The Barry Gray theme is played well over an animated credits sequence. I didn't like the animation credits, I was hoping for something similar to the opening of the TV show. The added a bit to the main Gray theme, totally unnecessary in my opinion. I think the Thunderbirds music is some of the strongest of the Gray scores so why not just re-record it as written with a big orchestra, the way Gray always wanted it? There are snippets of the theme around the film, notably in Cell Phones but what always stuck with me was back in the 1960's when the talked about the music they decided to make it serious and not write "down" to kids. I think they should have done the same here because there is a lot of "cool" or "silly" music and sounds popping in and it's a distraction. The rock tune at the end wasn't so bad, I had prepared myself from reading other fan reviews that it was really going to suck but it a catchy little thing that's not great but not terrible either. It finds it's own level of pop mediocrity. I'd have been happy to hear the real Gray theme at the end instead of that!

Thunderbird Theme

Thunderbirds needs better continuity!

After swimming around in the river Tin Tin seemed amazingly dry for the final showdown at the mole. Lady P seemed to have time to put on a different outfit and hairstyle in the middle of the crisis. And the cuts at the end of the movie seemed choppy. We're in the water and did the good deed then BOOM! We're out! This was at the ending though.

Also, I wasn't too crazy about running around the island avoiding the hoods men, seems like something every film needs to have today, some long chase sequence (Which, in the first Scooby Doo movie...was done well and for laughs. Here it's like filler, doesn't advance the story, just takes up time)

Thunderbirds was Fun!

I got goose bumps watching the ships fly around on the big screen and hearing the sound effects. If that's your thing I think you'll dig this movie. If you wanted to see the original show respected and the original creators consulted it didn't happen here. I hope....I hope we get another film or TV series out of this movie because there is a lot of potential and I'd rather have it settle down into what the show did well. Rescue people in thrilling situations with bravery and style.

user posted image

We stopped at Toys R Us on the way home and looked at the toys. Not bad, I hope they bring back some of the classic toys.

Last,

Thunderbirds needs Credits!

I kept looking for some credit at the end saying Based On Thunderbirds from 1965 ITC or something like that. I know Gerry didn't want his name on the film but maybe they could have given us a "based on" line? Oh! We were the only people on line and in the theater who knew about the show. The announcer said it was based on a show called Thunderbirds are Go which featured the puppets from the travel commercial (Orbitz???? I forget) Funny. Sylvia's name is in the credits but couldn't they mention Derek Meddings or someone? Or would they have to pay for that?

Anyway, see it. Enjoy it and don't take it too seriously.

Huntsman
26 Jul 2004 18:57:02

My, my, my! What detail! Almost makes me wanna see the film. But, being a father, I know this movie was aimed at the small fry...well, not TOO small...

DSJ
04 Aug 2004 22:46:26

Well I finally got to see the movie today. Sure it's a kids flick but I grew up with TBS & I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The ships & sounds were awesome & LP & Parker were pretty cool.

Huntsman
07 Aug 2004 14:42:44

Should we expect a double disc DVD release for X-mas??

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