The Anderson Tapes

When I was a very small child, the British sci-fi show, Thunderbirds terrified me. I'm not sure which season it was, but the opening credits had them journeying to the center of the earth in what looked like a giant screw. I don't know why that terrified me so much, but it did. In addition to the opening credits the marionettes also terrified me with the way their eyes jerked back and forth and their eyelids closing and all, and their mouths opening and closing when they spoke (not to mention the human hands in some scenes). I don't know why I continued inflicting such terror on myself by watching it, but I think it was one of my older sister's favorite shows.

I remember a reoccurring nightmare I used to have starting at the age of 5 involving Thunderbirds. In the nightmare, we had a head — not a bust, just the head — of one of the pilots and it was brown clay but it moved and talked just like the show. It was on the bookcase in our den and it just scared the living daylights out of me. Well, midnight would strike and the head would vanish. The front doorbell would ring and I would answer it and there would be Bernadine Peterson, one of the trio of bully sisters (all of whose names ended with -ine) from down the street. She always appeared with streamers and wearing a party hat and she would sing "Happy Birthday." Then she would disappear and the Thunderbirds head would be back in the den freaking me out. I had this dream for decades, though it ceased to scare me after a few years.

Anyway, a few years later (or more like 10), there was another British sci-fi import which I absolutely loved: Space 1999! I loved Martin Landau and Barbara Baines and especially Catherine Schell as the alien Maia. I thought it was the coolest show.

Well, a year or so ago, Saint Jerome and I saw the full-length 1968 movie, Thunderbird 6. It was great with all the mod fashions and mid-century modern furniture and decor. That the was best, especially the chandelier made from liquor bottles in the "bar" room. Groovy cool. We also rented Season One of Space 1999 and it was positively AWFUL! It did have a slight kitch charm to it because it was so bad. The series (and the 1970s) didn't age well at all!

I didn't realize until recently that both shows were the brain children Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Thinking back, I can definitely see their hand in both shows.

If you've never seen Thunderbird 6 definitely rent it. It's fun!