Author: Parker

[UK] Space Precinct upscaled to HD on ITVX

Posted on by Parker

ITV Content Services has upscaled Gerry Anderson’s 1994 series Space Precinct to high definition for their ITVX Premium streaming service. The series will also be available to BritBox subscribers too.

Space Precinct was filmed on Super16 film, and a true remastering to high definition would be both time-consuming and quite costly, so a way of using artificial intelligence has been used to create detail that is not there in the Digital Betacam masters that are now available.

ITVX Premium is available for £5.99/month or £59.99/year, though a free 7-day trial is available.

UK: Fanderson to again sponsor Anderson On Film

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Fanderson is the proud sponsor once again of the Anderson On Film presentation as part of the Southend Film Festival, enabling fans to enjoy Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s work with other fans this summer… on film!

In this digital world it’s easy to watch programmes on your phone, to stream, or even to watch from DVD or Blu-ray Disc. This year’s Southend Film Festival gives Anderson fans a chance to have that collective experience of watching with fellow fans, thanks to the beauty that is celluloid film!

This year’s programme of Anderson goodies on 11th June 2023 – all on the big screen and all shown from 16mm film – includes:

  • Thunderbirds The Uninvited
  • Joe 90 See You Down There
  • Terrahawks Expect The Unexpected – extended version, only previously seen as part of the compilation feature presentation

The popular Southend Film Festival has been running for fourteen years in two parts – as well as the main festival, the Film Festival Fringe encourages various venues around Southend to put on film screenings. The festival’s patrons are actors Ray Winstone, Vicki Michelle and Phil Davis, and you can see more at www.southendfilmfestival.com (the website is in the process of being updated for 2023).

Fanderson is delighted to be able to support fan-organised events such as this. If you need help or support with your Anderson event, please drop us a line at fanderson.org.uk@outlook.com.

35% off Network Blu-ray Discs

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Network are offering 35% off a selection of their high definition titles on Blu-ray Disc in their latest HD35 promotion.

The selection includes loads of classic British TV and film, and for Anderson fans the titles of most interest are likely to be Fireball XL5 A Day In The Life Of A Space General (colourised), Joe 90, UFO, Ultimate Space:1999, Terrahawks, and New Captain Scarlet,

The promotion ends at 16:00 on Tuesday 18th April, so go shopping now by clicking this link to see all titles in Network’s HD35 promotion.

Captain Scarlet to run London Marathon!

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Captain Scarlet, AKA Lloyd Scott, from Theydon Bois, Essex, will run the London Marathon on 23rd April.

Lloyd, who famously took six days to complete the London Marathon in a deep sea diving suit, said he chose the ‘indestructible’ hero from his childhood after twice beating cancer – in 1989 and 2022. “To me, cancer is a menacing unseen threat, like the Mysterons,” he says.

The prolific fundraiser, who has raised more than £5m in five decades of charity runs, challenges and feats, said the race will be his last. His other costumes have included The Iron Giant, Indiana Jones, Brian the snail from The Magic Roundabout. Lloyd was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma in April 2021 and underwent radiotherapy that summer. The cancer returned in June 2022 and he endured an operation lasting more than 13 hours – and emergency follow-up surgery in August, which he described as a “close-run thing”. He’s also survived leukaemia after a diagnosis in 1987, and a bone marrow transplant in 1989.

“The costume has a personal connection because I used to watch Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons when I was a kid, who would always take part in various missions,” Lloyd says. “I feel kind of like him because I’ve sort of done different missions through the marathons, despite things that I have gone through as well – so he definitely struck a chord with me.”

UPDATED: Lego Thunderbird 2 for summer review

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UPDATE 22nd March 2023: Read all about Andrew Clark and his creation in this Lego Ideas interview.

Andrew Clark’s Thunderbird 2 Lego Ideas project is included in the third review of 2022, with the result due this summer.

Thunderbird 2 gained the magic 10,000 supporters in October and so will go forward to be considered as an official Lego set, along with 35 other projects!

The Lego team carefully assesses each project to ensure it meets their stringent build and playability standards, doesn’t clash with any official sets in development, as well as considering any licensing requirements. The licensing team at ITV has in the past been extremely positive and excited at the prospect of such a tie-in with Lego, though as the company becomes more commercially-focussed the fees being asked have put some potential licensees off.

After 57 years, Thunderbirds remains incredibly popular worldwide, with high concentrations of Fanderson members particularly in the UK, Japan and Australia, so we can only be hopeful that Lego and ITV can work together to make this happen!

 

UK: Thunderbirds Are Go on Film4

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Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s 1966 feature film Thunderbirds Are Go will be broadcast in the UK on Film4 (and a hour later on Film4+1).

Thunderbirds Are Go will be shown on Film4 at:

  • 17:20 on Wednesday, 22nd February
  • 12:40 on Saturday, 25th February

Film4 (+1) is available in the UK on Freeview/Youview 14 (47), Freesat 300 (301), Sky 313 (314) or Virgin Media 428 (in HD on 429).

If you know of an Anderson production being broadcast, anywhere in the world, please email details to fanderson.org.uk@outlook.com so we can share the news!

 

UPDATED: Limited stock… back in stock!

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Fanderson is surprised, but delighted, to report that limited stock of some of our most requested titles will be available again very soon.

Our triple-CD Space:1999 Year One soundtrack and Century 21 mini album sets 1, 2 and 3 will all be available soon once again via our Shop. The stock was found during the relocation of Fanderson Sales a few weeks ago, and preparation for our advent calendar. Some had been inadvertently packed into boxes with other titles, whilst other boxes had been incorrectly labelled.

Once Christmas preparations are out of the way (including our fantastic advent calendar), we need to carefully check and count what we’ve got for stock control purposes, but we hope to have them available again in time for a happy new year!

One or two other items are already available once again – just click on the Low Stock Remaining category when you go to the Shop.

Keep an eye on the website for further news, and save those Christmas pennies!

 

UK: Catherine Schell as star guest at London Film Fair

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Space:1999 co-star Catherine Schell has been announced as the star guest at the London Film Fair on 18th June 2023.

Established in 1973, the London Film Fair enables fans to meet the stars of their favourite classic cinema and cult television programmes. You’ll have the chance to get an autograph and have your photo taken with the guests. The London Film Fair will appeal to avid film buffs, collectors, archivists researchers and students making it a must attend event. The conventions also brings dealers from all over the UK, Europe, US, Canada, Australia and South America that specializes in vintage and modern film memorabilia. Items cover the history of cinema from the silents to the present day blockbusters.

With stalls selling stills, vintage posters, modern posters, programmes, magazines, books, DVDs, soundtracks, lobby cards, toys, autographs, videos, postcards, actors and directors signings, it’s a must for anyone with an interest in cinema and cult television!

The London Film Fair will be held on 18th June 2023 at The Royal National Hotel, 38-51 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0DG. Click here for details, including other guests.

 

UK: Anderson series now available free on ITV X

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Many of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s classic productions are now available, free of charge, on ITV’s new streaming service ITV X. Anderson programmes owned by ITV are usually free of commercials on the platform.

All episodes are available of Supercar, Thunderbirds (including the crowdsourced ‘anniversary episodes’, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, The Secret Service, UFO, The Protectors, Space:1999, Terrahawks and New Captain Scarlet.

For some reason, only selected episodes are available of Stingray and Joe 90, whilst Fireball XL5 isn’t there at all! Curiously, only selected episodes of ITV’s own 2015 reboot Thunderbirds Are Go are available.

ITV X is free to view, with most of the above content available ad-free too. There’s a free seven-day trial of the subscription Premium service (normally £5.99 a month) which offers even more content, all ad-free, with access to additional content over on BritBox.

 

‘Tis the season for giving…

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Christmas is a time for giving, so from 1st December we’ll be giving club members special offers each day in our online advent calendar, right up to Christmas Eve, and raising money for charity.

Some items have been donated by our generous friends, and we’ve been checking our storage units, cupboards (even down the back of the sofa!) to collect some great offers for Fanderson members. We’ll have product discounts, charity raffles, freebies, lucky dips, charity auctions, and you’ll be able to get some items in return for a donation to our advent charity – Hearing Dogs For Deaf People.

Come back on 1st December to open the first window!