Product Details

• Actors: Gerry Anderson
• Format: Box set, Collector's Edition, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 12
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: A&E HOME VIDEO
• DVD Release Date: January 22, 2008
• Run Time: 1664 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000P6R5T8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,132 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Thunderbirds 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition Megaset" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"Filmed in VIDECOLOR [explosions, drum roll, music builds to a climax] and SUPERMARIONATION"! The opening sequence of Thunderbirds is itself a master class in Gerry Anderson's marionette hyperbole: who else would dare to make a virtue out of the fact that (a) the show is in color and (b) it's got puppets in it? But everything about this series really is epic: Thunderbirds is action on the grandest scale, predating such high-concept Hollywood vehicles as Armageddon by 30 years and more (the acting is better, too), and fetishizing gadgets in a way that even the most excessive Bond movies could never hope to rival. Unsurprisingly, the visual effects are by Derek Meddings, whose later contributions to Bond movies like The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker echo his pioneering model work here.

As for the characters, the clean-cut Tracey boys take second place in the audiences' affections to their cool machines--the real stars of the show--while comic relief is to be found in the charming company of Lady Penelope and her pink Rolls (license plate FAB1), driven by lugubrious chauffeur Parker, whose "Yes, milady" catchphrase resonated around school playgrounds for decades. (Spare a thought for poor old John Tracey, stuck up in space on Thunderbird 5 with only the radio for company.) The puppet stunt work is breathtakingly audacious, and every week's death-defying escapade is nail-bitingly choreographed in the very best tradition of disaster movies. First shown in 1964 and now digitally remastered, Thunderbirds is children's TV that still looks and sounds like big-budget Hollywood.

The Thunderbirds Mega Set contains 32 complete, uncut, and digitally remastered episodes on 12 DVDs. Bonus features include production stills photo galleries, two original 1965 "The Making of Thunderbirds" featurettes, the History of Thunderbirds, character biographies, and a Gerry Anderson biography/filmography. --Mark Walker

Product Description

Blast off into classic sci-fi adventure with the daring International Rescue team! Made up of fearless former astronaut Jeff Tracy and his courageous sons, the team protects against disaster in the year 2065.

When danger arises, the team springs into action, rushing to the scene in their futuristic Thunderbirds vehicles and facing trouble head-on with their high-tech devices. Working together to pull off amazing rescues and astonishing heroic feats, the Thunderbirds are Earth's best defense against catastrophe and sabotage.

See all Editorial Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 76 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What's new about this one? January 18, 2008

By SRFireside

Format:DVD

For those of you who do not know what Thunderbirds is I will give you a quick rundown. It was an immensely popular science fiction show back in the 60's done almost entirely with marionettes and models. The show chronicled the adventures of an independent organization called International Rescue that used highly advanced vehicles and equipment to perform rescue operations all over the world (and even in space). The show was popular because it paid a great amount of attention to detail, which made those models, puppets, and story plots all the more real and exciting.

This show was previously released on DVD a few years ago, including a complete collection set. So what makes this 40th Anniversary Edition different from the previous release? The big answer is that this collection is digitally remastered and is now shown in its original VIDECOLOR format. Now the original disks shown some signs of remastering as well and the shows never looked better. I'm not sure how much of an improvement this edition will make on that achievement, but it is one of their big selling points.

Aside from the remastering you also get some additional features not included in the original release. Here's a breakdown of all the features:

Making of Featurette: this was in the original DVD set and it's a ten minutes long vintage documentary that mostly covers the innovative (for its time) special effects for the show. These effects were so innovative they were used in many of the James Bond films of the day.

Interview with Gerry Anderson: this is a 40 minute interview with the creator of Thunderbirds (as well many other popular sci-fi shows like UFO, Space 1999, and other puppet-driven thrillers).... This in depth conversation also has Gerry talk about his seven favorite projects (he created a total of 15 television shows).

The Brains Behind the Thunderbirds: A documentary narrated by a character of the show: Brains. This hour long feature covers the various characters and their exploits in the series.

Pop Up Trivia - The two part episode "Pit of Peril" will include a pop up trivia track much like the ones they shown on TechTV's release of the show.

There are also lots of production photos and gallaries placed throughout the disks in this 12 disk collection (features are on disk 12). This collection has all 32 one-hour episodes included and is mastered in Dolby Stereo (just like the first release). Total run time is about 26 hours.

If you do not have the Thunderbirds in your collection now is a perfect time to get it. The list price is a good deal lower than the original list price for the first collection plus the packaging takes up a good deal less space (not to mention the remastering and extra features). If you have the original set then I suppose it's going to be a judgement call. I haven't heard any first hand accounts on how much an improvement the remastering will be compared to the original and I can't see how a couple of new featurettes would be enough to do a double dip. Read more ›

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A well earned reputation June 20, 2003

By Ingalls

Format:DVD

Imagine James Bond and Mission Impossible performed by marionettes. Throw in some eye opening and lavish (miniature 1/3 scale puppets) sets, special effects, and a "gee whiz!" attention to detail, and you begin to get an idea of why "Thunderbirds" has such a cult following. The scripts are involving and could just as easily have been performed by live actors with good results. There are enough cool gadgets in this series to please the ten year old boy in every grown up man (I suspect this series is more of a guy thing because relationships take second place to action). There is something else fascinating about this series and that is how seriously the producers, directors, designers took what was essentially a children's puppet show and kept to such high (and unnecessary) standards. This may be partly due to producer Gerry Anderson's frustrated desire to work as a mainstream film director/producer with live actors (he eventually got his wish years later). Seeing marionettes perform in realistic sets, with sophisticated action scripts, and good voice acting is a novel experience that appeals to everyone who has ever had a train set and tried to build a miniature town or city.
I bought this series for my mindless summer vacation viewing and it has been great fun. The DVD transfers are very clean.
This is great family entertainment, summer viewing, father and son get together material. Way to go, Thunderbirds!

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Word of warning! Aspect ratio shenanigans! February 20, 2009

By the Matt from Oz

Format:Blu-ray

Just a warning - if this is the same as the English release (and logic would dictate it is), then it has had the top and bottom chopped off to fill widescreen tvs. It was 4:3, so on a widescreen set there should be black space at the sides, or "pillarboxing".

When will these people learn? Original. Aspect. Ratio!

All that said, buy the SD DVDs instead. Thunderbirds is still one of the greatest sci-fi action shows ever! I can wait 'til they get their OAR blu-ray act together. When they do that, I'll buy it in a heartbeat. My dad loved Thunderbirds, I love it, and my boy loves it too. F.A.B.! O.A.R.!

I know people will slag me off for writng this before it's out (the British version IS already out and people ARE already upset), but I think it's better that I write this before it's perpetrated on more unsuspecting customers. And besides, everyone thinks my reviews are snobby anyway...

Repeat: If they restore the original aspect ratio, I'll buy it in a heartbeat!

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars ...5, 4, 3, 2, 1...the Thunderbirds are go!!! December 16, 2003

By Julio Castro Karg

Format:DVD

Wow!...I've just bought this set and I am really thrilled about it!
I've just seen the first DVD and I relived my whole childhood! I remembered lots of details about these first episodes and to be able to watch them again, some 30 (or so) years later is quite an experience!!!
As a kid I was really impressed by all the gadgets in this series: I loved the airplanes, the spaceships, the cars, the architecture. No wonder why I ended up being a car designer! I remember that all of the first ideas for futuristic automobiles that I drew as a kid had double front axles, just like Lady Penelope's Rolls-Royce!
It's amazing that many of the sci-fi ideas displayed in this series still seem fresh after all these years. A lot of effort and creativity went into producing these episodes!
If you were a fan of the Thunderbirds back in the 60's you'll enjoy this set! Buy it, don't hesitate, it's worth every single dollar!
My only dissappointment is that this set comes in only one language: english. Back in the sixties I watched the series translated into spanish since I live and grew up in Mexico, and I miss hearing the voices that I remembered!...