Scoop's post about the new Thunderbirds TV series is exciting and got me thinking about previous attempts to rekindle Gerry's magic Tracy formula.
The three I can think of are:
1. Thunderbirds 2086 - I've never seen this Japanese series. Have you?
2. Thunderbirds - US movie with Busted theme tune. Never seen it either. You?
3. Team America - US parody. I saw it today on Sky. Controversial!
How would you rate these readers? Are there any more?
The US movie is frustrating, the look is good, the designs aren't too bad, but the actual story is truly dreadful. No rescue, only a very young Alan and some even younger kids having adventures against an over the top, comedy Hood's gang.
ReplyDeleteFox TV did a bastardized Thunderbirds with the original voices and music stripped out and cut down to standalone half-hours.
ReplyDeleteThen there was Turbo-Charged Thunderbirds and it was even worse!
Both of these can be seen on YouTube. Standby to Cringe!
Just as a curiosity for my collection, I bought the first volume on VHS of Thunderbirds 2086, its a Japanese anime series loosely inspired by the original. In Japan it was known as Scientific Rescue Team TechnoVoyager) The series was dubbed in English by ITC who owned Thunderbirds. On the Video I have, its also billed as "Thunderbirds the Next Generation" Its not officially recognised as part of Thunderbirds canon, but in the English dub, the series contains music and sound effects from Thunderbirds, and a couple of other Anderson creations.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, its not that bad and certainly not as cringe worthy as "Turbocharged" or that film by [not] Working Title. Somewhat reminiscent of "Battle of the Planets" or "Marine Boy" or even "Ulysses 31" in both style and content.
I loved TB2086 as it filled my need for Thunderbirds at the time when the original was not available to me. It was decent and much better than much of the shows on at the time. Voice acting was better than most of the stuff that was on the air. Would watch again.
ReplyDeletefrake's TB was such a let down. The updated designs for the most part worked but Firefly was a step in the wrong direction and moving the wings to the rear on TB2 was not an eye pleasing thing. It was more about the adventures of teenage Alan and Brain's kid and another (sorry, traumatized by most of the film) "rescuing" their parents from a slapstick take on The Hood. Own it but would not watch again unless I couldn't find something else and I was forced to..
Team America was funny and a nice spin on supermarianation. Enjoyed it in the theater but don't own a copy. Probably would rewatch once in a great while.