Hello Woodsy,
I was in New Zealand earlier this year.
On researching what we should try to see while in Wellington and having recently seen the Peter Jackson movie; They Shall Not Grow Old, we decided to visit the WETA STUDIO, the special effects part of Jackson's empire.
Not being fans of Tolkien or the movies based on his books but an Anderson fan since TWIZZLE first aired the no brainer was the Thunderbirds Studio Tour!
What a disappointment for any true fan of Thunderbirds this proved to be.
Firstly you go to a retail location, then board a bus that takes you round the houses quite literally, it could have been walked quicker directly.
What a disappointment for any true fan of Thunderbirds this proved to be.
Firstly you go to a retail location, then board a bus that takes you round the houses quite literally, it could have been walked quicker directly.
The bus stops at a small, and I mean small door at the back of a huge shed/aircraft hanger type building that is one of the shooting stages where you enter a room with two human size fiberglass figures of two of the animated characters from the new shows.
You get a well rehearsed talk from your guide and a wall screen showing bits of the original opening Thunderbirds titles.
You then move to a room with some lovely studio models of the hardware, the Rolls Royce etc plus old merchandising from the 60's on..............but wait for it, NO PHOTOGRAPHY is allowed.
Your guide keeps you moving from room to room faster than it's possible to completely view the exhibits, the new Tracey Island model, The house and swimming pool model, Lady Penelope's Mansion, the launch strip for TB2, the Hood's secret lair, models from the original show, including for some reason a SPV from Captain Scarlet.
You then move to a room with some lovely studio models of the hardware, the Rolls Royce etc plus old merchandising from the 60's on..............but wait for it, NO PHOTOGRAPHY is allowed.
Your guide keeps you moving from room to room faster than it's possible to completely view the exhibits, the new Tracey Island model, The house and swimming pool model, Lady Penelope's Mansion, the launch strip for TB2, the Hood's secret lair, models from the original show, including for some reason a SPV from Captain Scarlet.
Far too much to remember without photos to aid the memory!
One tidbit. The cave opening that TB2 exits when the trees fall back to reveal it's runway was one eye socket from the Skull Island set that has been reused from Peter Jackson's KING KONG movie.
The final room contains a rather junky model of a dam with a town in the foreground and a life size cockpit from TB2 with a cityscape behind where you can have your photo taken in the co pilot seat next to a fibre glass pilot, I declined.
There is an eight foot high model of TB1 to stand next to while waiting your turn in the seat.
I have seen a snatch of one of the new animated stories and the graphics just made my eyes ache with all the fast movement.
When you're in the second to last room you can hear the next tour not far behind you.
The bus takes you back to the shop which is full of Tolkien merchandise but nothing model wise from Thunderbirds old or new.
A waste of time and $28NZ a head. If a fan buy a DVD of the original series instead.
Regards,
Terranova47
National Space Centre, June 15-16. The FAB worlds of Jerry Anderson. Should be right up your street.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. That's in the UK isn't it?
DeleteYes. In Leicester.
ReplyDelete