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Editorial Review:
Inspired by such disparate influences as Bonanza, James Bond, and the pop culture of '60s London, Thunderbirds burst onto the British television scene in 1964. The Tracey family of International Rescue consisted of retired astronaut and widower Jeff (a dead ringer for John Forsythe), and his five sons, each with his own Thunderbird rocket ship. They were assisted in their operations by the likes of Phil Spector look-alike Brains and Lady Penelope of the pink Rolls and baggy-faced chauffeur, Parker. The Hood, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Yul Brynner of The King and I, is their archenemy. Thunderbirds Are Go was creator Gerry Anderson's first full-length feature. If the pacing is uneven and the supermarionettes (electronic puppets) not as expressive as the Claymation figures, it's an entertaining introduction nonetheless. The plot doesn't make much sense, but the special effects by Derek Meddings, who would provide the miniatures for several Bond features, hold up surprisingly well. And some of the set pieces are a real treat, particularly the Mars rescue and the dream trip to the Swinging Star, a cross between a '50s drive-in and a Christmas tree ornament. Cliff Richard and the Shadows contribute a couple of groovy numbers and perform--marionette style--at the Star for the entertainment of youngest son Alan (the "Little Joe" of the family) and the stylish Penelope, a plasticene version of Julie Christie. That surrealistic sequence alone is worth the price of admission. (Ages 5 to 12) --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Thunderbirds Are GO [Region 2] Reviews:
Fun Movie
2009-05-02 - I have been a fan of Gerry Anderson Supermarionation shows since I was a kid. This movie is great. Unlike the Stingray movie, this is not a bunch of episodes strung together. It is suspensful, fun and exciting. Highly recommended for any Gerry Anderson or Thunderbirds fan.

Still the best
2007-09-18 - Anybody who grew up watching Thunderbirds, as I did, will welcome the chance to see this movie version, which runs to 89 mins. The start is as we all remember, the marvellous music by Barry Gray, with slightly amended opening credits. The picture quality is pretty good and of course this being a Cinema release its in full widescreen 2.35:1 ratio (although originally even wider apparently), which is much better than the 4:3 of the TV series.

The story is typical Thunderbirds material stretched out to make it into a movie length film. This its one failing. The elaborate launch of the zero-x occurs twice in the film, the first time is interesting as the models and ingenuity are fabulous, but the second time through I just felt this was filler and could have been cut considerably. However this is a minor quibble.

The commentary is very good, making this an essential purchase for anybody interested Thunderbirds or Gerry Anderson in general.


My four year old loves it!
2007-01-20 - This is a classic collection of the old Thunderbirds - marionette wires and all. My four year old son invites all of his neighborhood buddies to watch - all have become huge fans.

Hours of peace and quiet. A parent's dream.

Thunderbirds are Go!
2006-07-03 - I read a review that this dvd was worth the purchase if only for the dream sequence. That person was right, but really the whole thing was well worth the purchase. You have to watch the interviews at the end as well. Every person who watches this finds something interesting, entertaining and amazing in it.

One of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson's Best Supermarionations
2004-09-06 - Between September 1965 and December 1966, British TV viewers had the opportunity to watch a program featuring a family (the Tracy's) represented by marionettes. The family members had devoted themselves to rescuing others (also played by marionettes) who had gotten themselves into various forms of trouble, usually due to some type of technical difficulty, weather or sabotage. Calling themselves "International Rescue", the Tracy family was more popularly known by the various high-tech vehicles that they used: the Thunderbirds, which was also the name of the TV program.

Consisting of 32 episodes (26 during its first season and 6 during its second), BBC-TV cancelled "The Thunderbirds" early into its second season. Knowing that their show had been cancelled, the show creators, Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, produced a feature length film entitled "Thunderbirds Are Go" that was released in British theaters 10 days before the final television episode aired on December 25, 1966. The film's fictional story was about the first manned space flight to Mars using a spacecraft called "Zero-X". On take-off, the Zero-X crashes. Two years later, an investigative committee concludes that the crash was due to sabotage. With the impending take-off of the second Zero-X mission, mission commanders decide to ask International Rescue for assistance with security. However, International Rescue has never provided security, as its mission has been limited to helping those who are already in trouble. After thinking it over, John Tracy (voice of Ray Barrett) decides to assist. Involved in the security efforts are Jeff Tracy (voice of Peter Dyneley), Gordon Tracy (voice of David Graham), Brains (voice also done by David Graham), Scott Tracy (voice of Shane Rimmer), Alan Tracy (voice Matt Zimmerman), Virgil Tracy (voice of Jeremy Wilkin), Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward (voice of Sylvia Anderson) and her chauffeur Parker (voice also by David Graham). After the launch of Zero-X, its crew makes an interesting discovery on Mars before returning to Earth; but their return landing may require the International Rescue's assistance again. Keeping up with what was then popular 1960's culture, the Anderson's created marionette versions of the British pop band "Cliff Richards and the Shadows" and featured the band's song "Shooting Star" in the film.

Two years after "Thunderbirds Are Go" was released, one more Thunderbirds feature-length film was released two years later: "Thunderbird Six". Though no new Thunderbirds episodes or feature-length films were ever made using Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's "supermarionation" technique, a steady cult following of the show that has lasted nearly 40 years brought about the production of a live-action version that was released in theaters in 2004. Aptly titled "Thunderbirds" and directed by long-time "Star Trek" actor Jonathan Frakes, the 2004 film did not live up to most Thunderbird aficionados' expectations.

Overall, I rate the 1966 supermarionation film "Thunderbirds Are Go" with 4 out of 5 stars. It continues to be a very entertaining film even after nearly 40 years, though it may seem somewhat campy by today's standards. Other TV series that the Anderson's successfully produced using supermarionation include "Supercar" (1960-1962, supermarionation), "Fireball XL5" (1962), "Captain Scarlett and the Mysterons" (1967) and "Joe 90" (1968). After that, the Anderson's started producing live-action TV series that include "U.F.O." (1970-1971) and the more familiar "Space: 1999" (1975-1977).