Author: 1266 Nick Williams

Thunderbirds in 4:3 on Britbox

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Britbox (the digital video subscription service created by the BBC and ITV) is replacing the widescreen versions of Thunderbirds with the original, full-screen, versions!

Fanderson members based in the UK were delighted when ITV added Thunderbirds, along with other Anderson productions and cult TV, to the streaming platform in August. They were less than happy, though, when they learned that they were the same 16:9 widescreen versions already on Blu-ray Disc. Although there is occasionally a little more picture to the left and right, about a third of the picture has been ‘cropped’ off the top and bottom. You can see the difference in the images below. The UK version also has the incongruous sound effects added for Carlton’s DVD releases in 1999, and on every UK release since.

Fans in Germany, Japan and the USA also have Thunderbirds on Blu-ray, but their versions are all in the ‘square’ 4:3 format that the series was created and first broadcast in, and with the original sound.

Now, at last, fans in the UK can enjoy the fantastic world of Thunderbirds in high-definition and in the sound/picture format as it was produced. All episodes should be available on Britbox in the new format from 1st March.

16:9

4:3

Whatever happened to FAB 1?

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

In Thunderbirds, it’s assumed FAB 1 met a fiery end during the crash of Skyship One. Sadly, real life is proving to be just as shocking!

Fanderson members will remember the full-size replica FAB 1 built by Melvin Jarvis, which was a star attraction at the club’s Countdown To Disaster convention in 2005 (pictured above) and was also at Gerry Anderson’s funeral in 2013. Recently, Melvin has been dealing with serious personal issues including a suspected arson attack, culminating in FAB 1 being pretty much completely burned out.

 

The good news is that Melvin’s already been able to get FAB 1 sandblasted (below) so she’s in a fit state to be rebuilt, after which he’s determined she’ll be “better and more film accurate than before”. He’s planning to share the story online soon, complete with monthly progress videos, which we’ll of course share just as soon as that happens.

Vinyl soundtrack albums now available in the Shop!

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

We’re delighted to announce that Silva Screen’s wonderful (and growing) collection of vinyl albums is now available for Fanderson members to buy in the Shop!

Until now, you’ll have only found products in the Fanderson shop that we’ve produced exclusively for our members. Products that we’ve had complete control over in terms of design, production and quality.

However, as Fanderson members have been so closely involved in the production of Silva Screen’s latest Anderson soundtrack releases, we’re proud to offer them to club members too!

Of course, for those who prefer CDs, we still have our own extensive range available in the Shop as well. Pop over to Soundtracks now to add the vinyl albums to your basket.

NOTES:

  • Vinyl albums will be despatched separately to other items you may buy in the same transaction.
  • UFO is due to be re-pressed at the end of the month, but we are taking orders now and will ship them as soon as we have stock.
  • Supercar is currently out of stock, but we’ll have it in the Shop just as soon as stock is available.

Martin Roberts on Celebrity Mastermind this Saturday

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Television presenter Martin Roberts will be one of the contestants on the BBC’s Celebrity Mastermind quiz this coming Saturday.

Martin is the proud owner of the policeman puppet Slim from the Thunderbirds episode Martian Invasion. He was a surprise guest at Fanderson’s The Future Is Fantastic! convention in 2015, where he mingled with hundreds of other Anderson fans and was thrilled to meet Sylvia Anderson.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Martin’s specialist subject on the quiz will be Thunderbirds!

Celebrity Mastermind will be on BBC One on Saturday 6th Feb at 7pm, and available afterwards on BBC iPlayer.

[picture: Thunderbirds fan Martin Roberts at Fanderson’s The Future Is Fantastic! convention in 2015 with Martin Roberts fan, Lynn Simpson]

Podcast 7 available now!

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Let’s start a happy new year…

Click here for Podcast 7.

THIS EPISODE: David Stoner (Director of Label and Licensing at Silva Screen) and Tim Mallett (producer and editor) discuss soundtrack albums, and actor, presenter and former Chief Scout Peter Duncan remembers his guest spot on Space:1999 The Exiles.

There’s a link to all the podcasts in the menu bar above, or click here.

Stingray and The Secret Service added to Britbox

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Britbox (the digital video subscription service created by the BBC and ITV) has recently added Stingray and The Secret Service to the streaming platform in the UK.

The first series to go before the cameras in 1963 at AP Films’ new studios in Stirling Road, Slough, Stingray was also the first British television series to be filmed wholly in colour.

The Secret Service was the final Supermarionation series to be produced by Century 21 Productions (as AP Films had by then become) and was Gerry Anderson’s personal favourite of his productions.

With Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons on the platform since last summer, Joe 90 is now the sole colour Supermarionation series to be left out of the ‘box’ (The Most Special Agent notwithstanding!). Hopefully, Britbox will remedy this before too long.

Virtual Annual General Meeting 2021

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Fanderson’s Annual General Meeting is a chance for the committee to report on the club’s status and respond to members’ questions, thoughts and suggestions.

Fanderson’s next Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Saturday 27th March 2021. Once again, due to the ongoing pandemic and to give as many members as possible the opportunity to be involved, the 2021 AGM will be held virtually.

The deadline for any questions or proposals is Sunday 31st January 2021. Please check our Constitution for the criteria by which proposals should be submitted for member voting.

This year the club committee will be responding to as many members’ questions as possible in a special Fanderson podcast, and members are encouraged to record their questions for that:

  • Send your name, postcode/zipcode, club membership number and email address to fanderson.org.uk@outlook.com no later than Sunday 31st January 2021.
  • Podcast host Ros Connors will contact you after 31st January to arrange a convenient time to record your question(s)
  • Your question(s) will be answered by a committee member as part of the special AGM podcast

If you don’t want to record your question for the podcast, you can still write in to fanderson.org.uk@outlook.com no later than Sunday 31st January 2021, and a committee member will respond as part of the special AGM podcast. Just remember to include your name, postcode/zipcode, club membership number and email address with your question.

Voting on any matters raised that require a vote by the membership will be open early in March, to enable results to be presented as part of the AGM.

Details of the AGM itself will be confirmed nearer the date.

Fireball XL5 soundtrack CD, vinyl and 7″ single from Silva Screen

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Taken from their upcoming Fireball XL5 album, Silva Screen have released a teaser 7″ single in transparent orange vinyl!

The disc features two tracks from the upcoming album: Fireball (Don Spencer and the XL5) on side 1 is accompanied by Zero G (Barry Gray and his Spacemakers) on side 2. Don Spencer’s original 7” single release on His Masters Voice in 1962 reached number 32, remaining in the UK charts for twelve weeks (the original B side was another Don Spencer track, I’m All Alone Again, replaced on this release with Zero G).

The full soundtrack album follows in January, and you can pre-order it on CD or transparent orange vinyl right now! Produced in association with Fanderson, the album has 61 minutes of diverse tracks that give a flavour of Fireball XL5 and show Barry Gray’s musical ingenuity.

You can find a link to the Fireball single, along with lots from other Anderson productions, in our new non-club merchandise section.