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 to the characters, the clean-cut Tracey boys take second place in the audience's 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 (number 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: The four episodes are: "The Duchess Assignment", "Brink of Disaster", "Attack of the Alligators!" and "Martian Invasion". Amazon.com

Special Features
4:3
DVD 9
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
FAB Fact File
Two Original TV Commercials
Printable CD ROM Thunderbird 4 Cross Section
Original Memorabilia Section
Fully Animated Menus


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