Customer Reviews

Stingray - The Complete Series

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love all the GERRY ANDERSON 'SUPERMARIONATION' series BUT this is my favorite! Why? Distinct and complete character development! While THUNDERBIRDS and CAPTAIN SCARLET focus more on the ships and gadgets....STINGRAY focuses more on TROY TEMPEST, ATLANTA, MARINA, PHONES, COMANDER SHORE, TITAN, X2-0, etc. I have the BRITISH version of the set and it does have many more extras that I wish they would release in the states...Guest appearances on BRITISH TV Shows, Bumper cards, Memorabillia, Commercials...not sure why they just can't add this stuff on the A&E releases??? This is a GREAT series and the prints look EXCELLENT! Rick Goldschmidt RANKIN/BASS Historian

Clarification: After reviewing the set and then receiving the set...I Must applaud A&E for the brilliant 20 minute BEHIND-THE-SCENES special on the 5th disc! Finally...the puppeteers get to talk about their work and you actually get to see inside the puppet's heads! Also on DISC 5, they did include the lost footage from the 40th Episode! BRAVO!

Stingray is part three in the Gerry Anderson five part development (and eventual perfection) of marionette based shows. 'Supercar" was crude and campy good 1960 kidshow fun. "Fireball XL5" had significant improvements in technique. "Stingray" was in color and was a dramatic leap ahead in set design, marionette action, scripting, and special effects. "Thunderbirds" remains the best of the lot with hour long scripts, "gee whiz!" special effects, some funny character development (such as the humourously irritable dialogue of the pyramid explorers in "The Uninvited"), and action scenes. Stingray is famous for its underwater special effects which were advanced for 1963-64. No one had seen anything like it up until then. Stingray has the best fully developed characters with Troy, Phones, Atlanta, and Marina. Stingray is enjoyable and highly nostalgic.

I recently became enamoured of the works of Gerry Anderson, the first being his live action projects (UFO & Space: 1999) and I never thought that I would actually find myself buying any of his puppet projects, but low and behold I found myself acquiring both Captain Scarlet and Stingray. And I haven't regretted that decision since.

Stingray is a marvelous show, yes it is a puppet show, and it's hard to take the show seriously considering that these are marionettes taken in dangerous situations, but it doesn't matter. it's just a fun show to watch regardless, because the production value is very high and very exceptional with the action sequences. When I watch Stingray, I feel like a kid again. I love the characters, Troy Tempest, Phones, Commander Shore, Atlanta and of course the beautifully silent Marina. What would've been interesting was if Marina could actually speak, who would've provided the voice? But I think on the other hand, she works well as a silent character, because her actions speak a lot louder than mere words.
I especially like the opening sequence with the announcement of 'Stand by for action!' and given the present climate of global terrorism, when you hear Commander Shore's proclamation that 'Anything can happen in the next half-hour' you can't help but feel some chills. It's action packed, with some very excellent characters and humour that makes you feel good inside. Definitely a must have for any SuperMarionation fan.

These are 60's programs restored for DVD. The picture is very good considering the source, and the sound is good. There is an occasional skip in sound at the start of some episodes, but I haven't had any problems during the episode itself.

Stingray is a nuclear powered super-submarine capable of 600 knots while submerged. The plot of each episode either involves conflict with the evil Titan, leader of an underwater race, or daring ocean rescues. Kids will enjoy the simple plots while adults will be amused at the inconsistencies of the plot devices.

In the first episode, Stingray investigates the destruction of a drone submarine and is attacked by Titan's forces. This is "first contact" between "Terrarians" and oceanic people. In subsequent episodes, Stingray meets numerous other oceanic cultures, some friendly and others belligerent. All technologically advanced. There's no explanation of why some cultures hate humans, nor why friendly cultures hadn't made any sort of contact prior to Titan's attack. Of course, it's immaterial to the seven-year olds that the series is aimed at.

We bought the DVD's to provide entertaining TV to our kids without the sex, violence and coarseness that is endemic to modern television. There is mild violence in Stingray, but it is of the simple "good versus evil" variety, and generally abstract in nature. You might see one of Titan's submarines hit by a torpedo, but you won't see one of Titan's soldiers being killed. Gun battles are usually resolved by something heavy landing on the bad guys with enough force to stun them but no more. Good guys and bad guys are awful shots when aiming at each other, but the good guys are super accurate when they have to aim at an inanimate object.

Being 60's television, and British to boot, smoking and drinking are shown as normal activities by our heroes. The lead heroes are white males, but there are two strong female characters and the head of the unit is disabled. I think the design for his hovering "wheelchair" was lifted for a Star Trek episode a decade later.

All in all, good entertainment for today's kids and a fun stroll down memory lane for those old enough to remember "anything can happen in the next half hour" in front of a tiny black and white television. (The DVD is in color though).

I had this vague recollection of a show I watched as a child ... underwater, marionette puppets, submarine, mermaid ... that's all I could remember. Browsing at a used book store I found several Gerry Anderson DVD sets ... then I saw Stingray! (...). Or at least that's what I was thinking. Sure enough it was the show I remembered from my childhood. I was thrilled. Then my son, age 8, started watching too. He ended up watching ALL the episodes over a couple of days then wondered if there were any toys. An online auction search uncovered Stingray toys and we are happily awaiting the arrival of our very own Stingray ship from London, England. P.S. My computer desktop now displays many stills from the series (courtesy of www.bbc.co.uk/cult).

This series came right before Thunderbirds, and had much of the same aesthetic. Here's the lowdown: this is the first one in color (which adds a lot to the faux-underwater charm of the sets, lots of marine greens & blues), and more importantly, this one shares the "freedom of movement" approach that the Thunderbirds marionettes had. If you aren't aware, the series that came after Thunderbirds (Captain Scarlett and Joe 90), while still of interest, opted for a VERY restricted puppet movement approach, in order to make them more "realistic" -- lots of sitting and standing still, almost no walking. This series, however, has the "marionette bob" when they walk, just like Thunderbirds. I know this may sound like a slight thing, but it adds IMMENSELY to the old-school charm, letting the figures bob on their strings instead of fixing them to the floor for "realism". Very entertaining as well, nearly as much as Thunderbirds (though the action sequences in Thunderbirds can't be matched).

There are better reviews than mine to read. But you have got to see this show. From the moment the action packed theme song hits (which you'll soon want to play very loudly) to the end of each episode, your interest will be more than held. In a commentary by Gerry Anderson he mentions he doesn't like the Atlanta puppet. I don't know why he said that. Personally I think she looks hot. And Marina the beautiful mute sea woman will definately tug at your heartstrings. There's even a moment in the second episode that's very emotional where Marina is believed to be an assassin. Thunderbirds may have been a bigger commercial success, but compared to Stingray it's really quite boring. With most sellers selling this set for astoundingly low prices you should really take the chance and order it. There's a lot more to this show than I described, but I figure since other reviews give more detail why repeat them. 39 episodes in all.

You wouldn't think it'd be possible to imbue a puppet series with all the flamboyant colour and camp of the 1960's - yet here it is.

'Stingray' is gloriously of its time. A deliciously CGI-free world of deep-sea despots, mechanical war-fish, relentless xenophobia and populist rough justice.
It's the completely believable adventures of the Marineville-based World Aquanaut Security Patrol: Troy Tempest, Phones, Atlanta, Commander Shore, exiled sea-nymph Marina, and their self-righteous policing of nasty races skulking and scheming at the bottom of the sea. (And now to the serious stuff....!)

Much fun's to be had spotting the real folk the puppets are based on: Marina is obviously Ursula Andress, Shore displays more than a hint of Spencer Tracy, evil scourge Surface Agent X 2 Zero's voice is clearly Peter Lorre - in fact only Tempest himself remains unclear. I always thought it may be some early 60's crooner like Dickie Valentine - the jury's out anyway.
([Edit]: Someone suggested James Garner which is a great call!)

'Stingray' has the most exciting opening credits sequence of any tv series ever.
Oil rigs collapse, a whole marine base disappears underground, huge noisy war-planes raze the sky, explosions, shootings, missiles, a jarring jump from black and white to vivid colour; all accompanied by the rousing and urgent theme music, in my opinion never bettered, by Barry Gray.

On the un-PC front 'Stingray' is a joy. The 'Loch Ness Monster' episode is APPALLINGLY offensive and the WASPs seem to a have a very civilised - if unfashionable - shoot-on-site policy;
Phones: "Hey Troy, I'm picking up a small craft on the echo-finder."
Tempest: "Prepare Sting Missiles!" .
They smoke, drink, play poker and there's an underwater prison: Aquatraz (!) which makes Guantanamo Bay look like the Holiday Inn.

The 60's endorsed sexism is admirably emphatic. Both female characters have massive crushes on Tempest (of course) but instead of filling his boots, he acts so gallant, coy and condescending - he gets neither.
Personally - although Andress/Marina is desirably mute - I'd go for Atlanta.
She's a hot red-head, dreamily voiced by old Moneypenny herself Lois Maxwell, and is the daughter of Commander Shore, so there's more chance of promotion...

The only down-side to 'Stingray' is that it was commissioned for children so no-one gets even slightly killed.

I had bought Thunderbirds and enjoyed it; therefore, thought I'd purchase Stingray. Wow! it puts Thunderbirds to shame. I enjoy every minute of this show. I highly recommend it. I could look at it over and over.