Friday, 17 November 2017

gerry anderson on laser disc

The last post yesterday got me interested in whether laser discs are still available on Ebay UK. I was particularly interested by way of a test if Gerry Anderson shows were listed.

Four are available within the UK, two of which are the same title, Stingray Invaders from the Deep but I was fascinated that any Anderson shows were on offer.

There were six listings from international sellers.

You can seem in a screenshot below. I've redacted the prices.

Have you any Gerry Anderson on Laser disk?

What do you think?

14 comments:

  1. D:
    Laserdisc
    I am myself hunting for NTSC region Laser Disc reader so I can watch all those 80's and early 90's Japanese anime (VOTOMS, Dunbine etc.) that is really cheap on Suruga-ya (around 10$ for whole set of 48 eps on few LDs + box + small "artbooks")

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    1. Never heard of VOTOMS and Dunbine Ranalcus! What are they?

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    2. Canadian Heavy Gear (also I think that American Exo-Squad) is based on VOTOMS series, in Short it looks like Cold War in Galactic scale, with really "realistics" mecha (think about power loader from ALIENS but with guns added). Theme is about "mass producing super soldiers" (and that never ends well for anyone).
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_p3V78PL5k

      Dunbine - series with bio-mecha (armor from giant bugs, muscles and procesors), created (in the universe) by Australian guy who got transfered to the fantasy world (based on Ygdrassil) where people from "our earth" have high "psionic powers", later they come back to the earth for the final fight.
      Faires, guys with medieval armor shooting cannons
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMljU2IpKTA

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    3. Thanks Ranalcus! You really know your Japanese series. Where do they come up with these interesting names like Dunbine and Guyver etc. Words that just sound odd and fascinating at the same time! Thanks for the links as well. I really am getting educated on this thread.

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    4. People learn by the whole life ;3

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    5. Also here are pics of one toy from Robot Damashii line (made by Bandai) from Dunbine
      http://suprememecha.blogspot.com/2017/11/review-robot-damashii-zwauth.html
      Aura Battler Zwarth

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    6. That looks SO Japanese Ranalcus. Thanks for showing. Why do you think the Japanese developed that distinct organic bio-mechanical style for their characters? Where did it come from?

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    7. IMHO it all came from 60's Ultraman
      or Japanese mania about fusion of humanity/living flesh with machines

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    8. I think your'e right Ranalcus. I bet fusion is the key, their atom bomb past.

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  2. I do not have any of Gerry's works on LD. I had a chance to get a couple of Stingray LDs ages ago but they were the 'remastered' versions, the ones where they chromakeyed 'lasers' over the sting missles.

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    1. is that what the Invaders from the Deep LD is do you think in the pictures above?

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    2. I would say that after reviewing bits of IftD over on Youtube, that yes, that was one of the LDs. Seems it was a set of 4 episodes edited into a movie, "Hostages Of The Deep," "Emergency Marineville," "The Big Gun" and "Deep Heat". The trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux4KcUYxhcE gives you a glimpse of the 'laser' effect.

      The other LD was would have been The Incredible Voyage of Stingray which was another compilation edit of the episodes "Stingray," "Plant Of Doom," "Count Down" and "The Master Plan". Opening for it is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6oHxg0CI9o

      Both that opening and the IftD opening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JcAqyUblvU showcase just how bad the idea of overlaying chromakay and video effects ontop of film was. It stands out, screaming "I am not part of the original" even to first time viewers.

      On a side note, Invaders from the Deep, along with the Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars (compilation Captain Scarlet movie) and Cosmic Princess (Space 1999 episodes The Metamorph and Space Warp edited down to 95 minutes) appeared on Mystery Science Theater 3000. The fourth compilation movie, Captain Scarlet vs The Mysterons was not shown on MST3K.

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    3. Fab research Lance. Superb. I see what you mean. Never tinker with a Gerry Anderson show! Still I suppose shows have always been repackaged for new audiences and technology. Were these Anderson re-packages largely for the American market? I'm always fascinated by how many kids back then would have recognised Stingray or the SPV in the States? Again, thanks a lot for the links. I'm being educated!

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