Thunderbirds Are Go

Artist: Other
Format: UK Quad (30"x 40")
Condition: Excellent
Year: 1966

Description

Created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and produced between 1964 and 1966, “Thunderbirds” was an incredibly popular and influential British television series. Utilising marionette puppets and scale model effects, the series is set in 2065 and centres on a family who run the International Rescue, a secret organisation dedicated to saving human lives with the use of advanced technology including the five Thunderbirds vehicles.

 

Thanks to the success of the series, a film adaptation “Thunderbirds Are Go” was released in December 1966. Written by the Andersons and based on the Soviet-American 1960’s space race, expectation was high with Cliff Richard and The Shadows making cameo appearances as puppets and also contributing to the musical score. The film however proved to be a box-office failure and despite earning initially positive reviews from critics, was soon criticised for its plot, characterisation and overreliance on visual effects. Reception over time has been more kind with many asserting its worth as a fascinating spin-off for the much-loved series.

 

What can surely never be in doubt is the brilliance of the UK Quad for “Thunderbirds Are Go”. It is a stunning, exciting and colourful piece of art with the Thunderbirds vehicles simply exploding off the paper. The primary cast of puppets are featured on the bottom alongside a particularly charming declaration that “All adults over 16 should be accompanied by children”.

 

Two Quad posters were created for the film with the more common of the two featured below courtesy of emovieposter.com. Although attractive in it's own right, this 2nd Quad pales in comparison with the companion poster which has become a much sought after collectable. The poster for the 1968 sequel "Thunderbird 6" is also shown too (courtesy of www.moviepostermem.com).

 

This example has been linen-backed.