"For all you Gerry Anderson fans out there take note: this is the classic Thunderbirds TV series that is immensely popular everywhere in the world but the U.S. it seems. If you have never seen this, watch it and you will understand why it's so popular. The model effects are amazing and the vehicles/spacecraft are the coolest around! The series was recently remastered and broadcast on television in England. My understanding is that this should be the remastered series. Amazon, wake up and label this--people can't buy it if they can't find it!"
Thunderbirds "International Rescue"
12/23/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am 43 years old and this is my Christmas present. Folks this is the one you cannot miss out on. Back in the 60's this was the coolest, most far advanced show for all ages. For years I have been waiting for this release. Hopefully we can purchase all 32 episodes. Once you meet the "Tracy Family" you will never see anything like them. Your kids will love this series. And this will bring back your childhood memories. F.A.B."
FAB in the USA at last!
Mike Cane | NYC | 12/30/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Finally! The UK gets all of the good stuff first, while we here in the States get crumbs. It's about time we'll be getting some Supermarionation on DVD. Let's hope sales for this will inspire the full release of Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Captain Scarlet, and UFO too. And let's hope the MPEG compression on these DVDs is excellent."
Thunderbirds - a retrospective
Junglies | Morrisville, NC United States | 05/01/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"As a child in England I would race home from school, eat my food and settle down in front of the television set for the latest Gerry Anderson epic production whether it was Torchy the battery boy, Fireball XL5. or in later years UFO and Space 1999. Forget the sixties music, what about the sixties science fiction.Thunderbirds to me is the pivotal Gerry Anderson production. Whatever was to come later from "SUPERMARIONATION" albeit Joe 90 or Captain Scarlet (always a personal favourite), or involving real people Thunderbirds marked the turning point. Until that time the shows involved single setting stories but with Thunderbirds it was clear that this was a much more ambitious project. Not only was the scope of Anderson's concept much grander but the concept itself was transformed into something much more sophisticated than a simple battle between good and evil. The two dimensional characters assumed a greater depth and complexity. The future as seen by Anderson was no longer purely technologically advanced but was darker and more threatening than any future he had previosly painted. The need for secrecy and the repeating them of being in disguise postulated a society threatened by potential terrorists epitomised by the Hood, of unmistaken Asian origin.From here, following Thunderbirds success both on television and on the big screen, the Andersons went on to develop their creations in a much bigger way. While the shows were state of the art puppeteering, the stories were better and ran for an hour rather than thirty minutes, the machines were once pure fantasy and yet...Thunderbirds on DVD is a great idea. Perhaps running them on television would be a better one. Perhaps running a number of the Anderson creations a better one still. Gerry Anderson, like Arthur C. Clarke before him, is another of those prescient men for whom their time has come.P.S. They are fun to watch too"
International Rescue to Bored and Jaded Viewers
Khan Tengry | Brazil | 12/28/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Money well spent, definitely. This DVD set is very impressive on all counts and truly packed (over 5 hours of entertainment!). Back in the mid 60's, THUNDERBIRDS were huge on Brazilian prime time television. I used to sit in the living-room with my father and younger brother, hypnotized by the show, although at the time we only had black and white TV in my country. Now, over thirty-five years later, I can't help but wonder at the cool perfection of the whole enterprise, the complete devotion and seriousness of the producing team -- so much care and talent in every little detail. Make no mistake, this is no nostalgia lure, it is still really thrilling and magical with that kind of pure Zen pleasure in its optimistic display of futuristic technology and gadgetry without a trace of the cynicism and irony that prevail lately. In fact, these remarkable puppets look and act far better than many a real-life actor today. The soundtrack and music score are also of the highest standards, the picture quality a delight."