Derann's have purchased a quantity of Technofilm prints, many of them TV series from the 1960's.
Stephen Scales gives the background to these popular programmes, and reviews some episodes. U.F.0 . About the series. The marriage/partnership of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson goes back many years to a quaint little puppet show "Four Feather Falls". Thereafter followed a string (or strings) of science-fiction flavoured shows - "Supercar" "Fireball XL5" and "Stingray".
Their most successful show was undoubtedly "Thunderbirds" with its emphasis on heavy equipment and dramatic situations. The model work was always exceptionally well filmed and, except perhaps for Lady Penelope, was always the star of the show.
There were 32 hour-long television episodes of "Thunderbirds", and two feature films. When ITC asked for something different, the Andersons came up with "Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons" "Joe 90" and "The Secret Service", all three being half-hour shows.
"U.F.O." saw a return to the hour-long format, and after twenty years of puppet shows, the Andersons cut the strings on their wooden characters, and signed up real people to play the cardboard characters instead.
Inevitably, hardware, futuristic settings, special effects and highly effective modelwork still received the emphasis, but now more meaty scripts were commissioned and complicated plots, not always finishing with the customary happy ending, gradually became an equally important part of the series. In fact, the Andersons had grown up, and U.F.O. was a grown up show.
Some episodes were transmitted quite late at night on some ITV channels owing to their violent content. The series was screened in 1969.
In spite of the success of the first run of 26 episodes, ITC, the production/distribution company, had the entire series reworked and it reappeared in 1975 as the very peculiar "Space 1999".
The Format it is the year 1980 and earth is under attack from extra-terrestrial craft. World governments officially deny the existence of U.F.O's to avert mass hysteria and panic. At the same time, a secret organisation, SHADO - the Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organisation - is created to protect the earth, and destroy any approaching UFO's.
SHADO operates SID, the Space Intruder Detector, stationed in orbit above the earth; a base on the moon, with three interceptor craft; a fleet of mobiles on earth and Sky 1, a sub-aquatic jet fighter.
SHADO is hidden beneath a film studio and Ed Straker dou- bles as the head of the studio and the Commander in Chief of SHADO.
Regular Cast Ed Bishop (I) Colonel Ed Straker - Shado Commander George Sewell Colonel Alec Freeman Peter Gordeno Skydiver Captain Peter Carlin Gabrielle Drake Lieutenant Gay Ellis - Moonbase Commander Michael Billington Colonel Paul Foster Ayshea Brough Lt. Johnson Anouska Hempel SHADO Radio Operative Dolores Mantez Lt. Nina Barry Vladek Sheybal Dr. Doug Jackson Wanda Ventham Colonel Virginia Lake Mel Oxley SID (voice) Original Production Century 21 Pictures
Distribution Incorporated Television Company (ITC) [uk]
2r/15~12 minutes colour. Written by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and Tony Barwick. Directed by Gerry Anderson. With Ed Bishop as Commander Ed Straker; George Sewell as Colonel Alec Freeman; Peter Gordeno as Captain Peter Carlin and Gabrielle Drake as Lieutenant Ellis.
The story: Evidence for U.F.O's is being driven to an important destination when the car is attacked by a flying saucer and all the files are destroyed.
Years later, Straker is now commander of an organisation called SHADO. A new tracking device, vital for the defence of planet earth is being flown to Britain in a super sonic transport plane.
A U.F.O. attempts to destroy the plane. Skydiver is sent out to take out the saucer and succeeds. The saucer plunges into the sea and breaks up.
Its pilot (presumably) bobs obligingly to the surface. The alien is brought to SHADO's medical wards to save its life. There it is discovered that its lungs are filled with liquid to enable it to with- stand travel at the speed of light.
More alarmingly. its humanoid body is found to contain human organs. The being expires. Commander Straker then expounds on why the aliens are here.
This two-reel version of the first episode of the series works quite well as a pocket consumer's guide to the show and introduces most of the main characters.
The print quality is good, but certain techniques in the cutting down are a little unfortunate. The abandonment of the sync track for the first few shots of the opening shots is rather strange.
And the staccato cuts during the attempt to save the rescued alien's life jar somewhat.
This particular reviewer's print is well out of synch. Check first before buying.
Highly recommended for fans of the UFO series who don't the full-length version, but who nevertheless would like a flavour of the show and its premise.
Smashing model work and special effects - as always.
Print A Sound B
Directed by David Lane. Written by Tony Barwick. With Michael Billington as Paul Foster, Vladek Sheybal as Dr. Saunders and Jean Marsh as Janna. 6r/50 minutes colour.
This episode was the second in the series and introduced the other main character of the show, Colonel Paul Foster.
Moonbase tracks three U.F.0's on its radar screens and sends three interceptors to destroy them. Two are dealt with, but one gets through and continues its journey to earth. Straker orders Skydiver to attack but as Skydiver prepares to launch, a test aircraft from the Ventura Aircraft Corporation, piloted by Paul Foster, is detected in the contact zone.
Skydiver destroys the U.F.O. The test plane is caught in the blast. Foster survives and is anxious to prove his story about the U.F.O.
He demands to see the cine film he took, but the film shows nothing. Foster breaks into Ventura Corporation to try and find a pocket camera present on the flight. In the wall safe he sees the slides, together with a letter addressed to Commander Straker at Harlington-Straker film studios.
Foster follows up this lead and meets Straker, who pretends to be a film executive until Foster produces a newspaper clipping which suggests Straker is a fake.
Straker continues to try to throw Foster off the scent, to no avail. There remain only two alternatives: kill Foster; or enlist him in the organisation ......
Excellent print and sound. This release is a must for all Anderson fans and especially those who remember and admire the U.F.O. series. Very attractive and serviceable presentation boxes. Print A Sound A
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Distributed in the UK by: ? |
The above review was printed in Super Eight Film Review issue
12
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This page was last updated 02 Dec 2002
