2004 Movie Titles
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2004 Movie Titles
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Thunderbirds
Starring: Bill Paxton, Ben Kingsley, Sophia Myles, Donimic colenso, Ron Cook, Lex Shrapnel, Ben Torgeson, Philip Winchester
Directed by: Jonathan Frakes
Screenplay by: William Osbourne
Release Date: July 30, 2004
MPAA Rating: PG for intense action sequences and language.
Box Office: $6,880,917 (US total)
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Tagline: Climb into the driver's seat of the most advanced rescue vehicles on the planet.
In a family of heroes, young Alan Tracy (Brady Corbet) was always being left out.
While his father, billionaire and former astronaut Jeff Tracy (Bill Paxton), and his four elder brothers are busy saving the world, Alan's biggest challenge is saving his grade point average at boarding school. And what's worse, he can't even tell his schoolmates that his dad and brothers are better known as the fearless adventurers behind the top-secret organization International Rescue-called in to save those in need whenever disaster strikes. Alan dreams of one day joining his close-knit family in their global vocation and even getting into the driver's seat of one of the awesome, incredible machines the Tracys utilize in their life-saving work: the Thunderbirds.
Back home on Tracy Island-a secret oasis in the South Pacific and headquarters to International Rescue-Alan and his friends, the brainy Fermat (Soren Fulton) and the adventurous Tin-Tin (Vanessa Anne Hudgens), are left behind as Jeff Tracy and his elder sons are deployed on a fake mission by their arch nemesis The Hood (Sir Ben Kingsley). Once the master criminal takes control of Tracy Island and the Thunderbirds, it falls to Alan and his friends to come up with a plan to defeat The Hood and rescue his family…oh, and save the world while they're at it.
This summer, Thunderbirds are coming to the rescue!
Set in the year 2010, the family action-adventure Thunderbirds stars Bill Paxton (Apollo 13, Twister) as father Jeff Tracy; Anthony Edwards (ER) as Brains Hackenbacker, the creative force behind the International Rescue's fleet of high-tech vessels, sophisticated gadgets and computer devices; Sophia Myles (Underworld) as the unflappable and ravishing Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward, the Tracy family's ultra-cool secret agent partner; and Oscar winner Sir Ben Kingsley (The House of Sand and Fog, Gandhi) as the Tracy family nemesis The Hood. Exciting newcomers Brady Corbet, Soren Fulton and Vanessa Anne Hudgens are young Alan Tracy and his companions, Fermat and Tin-Tin.
Completing the Tracy family as the four elder sons-the intrepid adventurers commanding the Thunderbird fleet-are Philip Winchester (Scott Tracy), Lex Shrapnel (John Tracy), Dominic Colenso (Virgil Tracy) and Ben Torgersen (Gordon Tracy). Ron Cook is Parker, Lady Penelope's trusted chauffeur, butler and all-around aide-de-camp.
Thunderbirds, the live-action feature film based on the hit British television series of the 1960s, is directed by Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: Insurrection, Star Trek: First Contact, Clockstoppers) from a screenplay by William Osborne (The Scorpion King) and Michael McCullers (Austin Powers in Goldmember, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me), based on a story by Peter Hewitt (Garfield: The Movie) and Osborne. The film is produced by Working Title Films' Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, and Mark Huffam. The executive producers are Debra Hayward and Liza Chasin and the co-producers are Joanna Burn and Chris Clark.
Thunderbirds Are Go!
Thunderbird 1 / Scott Tracy (Philip Winchester)
T1 Stats:
Craft Type: Thunderbird 1
Length: 80 feet
Wingspan: 30 feet
Weight: 140 tons
Maximum Speed: 15,000 mph
Piloted by Scott Tracy (age 24), Thunderbird 1 is International Rescue's high-speed reconnaissance rocket. Designed to reach disaster zones quickly, this awesome silver gray spearheard craft is extremely maneuverable with top speeds exceeding 15,000 miles per hour.
Thunderbird 2 / Jeff Tracy (Bill Paxton) and Gordon Tracy (Ben Torgersen)
T2 Stats:
Craft Type: Thunderbird 2
Length: 150 feet
Wingspan: 110 feet
Weight: 406 tons
Maximum Speed: 5,000 mph
Renowned for its power and strength, Thunderbird 2 is the workhorse of the fleet. Piloted by Jeff Tracy and his son Gordon (age 18), this massive green leviathan carries International Rescue's vital heavy-duty engineering and life-saving equipment, including the versatile mini-sub, Thunderbird 4.
Thunderbird 3 / Virgil Tracy (Dominic Colenso)
T3 Stats:
Craft Type: Thunderbird 3
Length: 175 feet
Main Body Diameter: 23 feet
Weight: 562 tons
Maximum Speed: 5,000 mph
Piloted by Virgil Tracy (age 20), Thunderbird 3 is the space rescue and shuttle craft of the International Rescue organization. Used for extra-orbital missions, this bright red inter-stellar rescue rocket also transports supplies to Thunderbird 5.
Thunderbird 4
T4 Stats:
Craft Type: Thunderbird 4
Length: 30 feet
Width: 11 feet
Surface Cruising Speed: 40 knots
Underwater Speed: 160 knots
The smallest of the International Rescue vehicles, Thunderbird 4 is primarily used for underwater emergencies. This versatile mini-sub is discreetly carried aboard Thunderbird 2. Whether removing obstacles from the ocean floor or gathering deep sea eco-samples, Thunderbird 4 is the ultimate underwater reconnaissance craft.
Thunderbird 5 / John Tracy (Lex Shrapnel)
T5 Stats:
Craft Type: Thunderbird 5
Length: 270 feet
Diameter: 200 feet
Weight: 976 tons
Reception Range: 100 million miles
Vital to International Rescue's operations, Thunderbird 5 is a massive communications satellite in permanent geo-stationary orbit. The heart of the organization's communications network, it provides immediate data on all rescue situations. Manned by John Tracy (age 22) in a perpetual state of high alert, Thunderbird 5 keeps constant vigil over the earth and all four remaining Thunderbirds.
Youthful Heroes
In the world of the Thunderbirds, it doesn't always fall to Jeff Tracy and the older boys to head into the fray as the rescuing heroes. Sometimes, it turns out to be a job for someone in the right place at the right time-in this case, the youngest Tracy, Alan.
Newcomer Brady Corbet plays Alan Tracy. “He is the outcast of the family and he is the only one who isn't a Thunderbird. He's quite anxious and raring to go,” describes Corbet. “He always has the right intentions in mind, but doesn't really think before acting, and that gets him into some trouble.”
Producer Bevan explains that in developing the story while revising the Thunderbirds mythology established by the British television series, the filmmakers sought to create a small circle of friends to aid and accompany Alan on his journey. “We decided to age down Tin-Tin from the original series and make her around Alan's age,” he explains. “We also decided to give Brains a son, whom we called Fermat, and the three of them would be the central team.”
Corbet adds, “There's a lot to be said for the element of surprise when it comes time to go head-to-head with The Hood. I mean, not even Alan's brothers believe that he can rise to the challenge. But his dad's faith goes a long way to helping Alan believe in himself enough to give it his all. David brought down Goliath, remember?”
Soren Fulton plays Fermat Hackenbacker, Alan's best friend and confidant and a younger version of Brains, Fermat's father. “Fermat is his best friend and acts as Alan's own brain sometimes,” says Corbet.
Fulton adds that with these best friends, it goes both ways. “Fermat is not really good with physical things,” comments Fulton. “He likes thinking; he's not ready to go and do things. He can always tell Alan how to do something, but physically doing it is a bit of a problem for him. So together, the two of them make a very good team.”
The third member of their trio is Tin-Tin (played by Vanessa Anne Hudgens), who is the daughter of the Tracys' housekeepers. “She is a spicy girl who loves fun and nature,” says Hudgens. “She knows every part of Tracy Island. And who says it has to be a boy who does all of the rescuing?”
Indeed. How about a stylish, petit aristocrat with a penchant for pink? Ably assisting the Tracy family in their round-the-clock, round-the-globe adventures is the ultra-sophisticated Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward, an unstoppable combination of brains, beauty and breeding who steps into the breach when extra help is needed. “Lady Penelope is an aristocratic secret agent who is based in London,” describes Sophia Myles, who plays Lady P in the film. “Whenever there is a problem they can't fix by themselves, or they need somebody in Europe, she's there with Parker.”
A vision in pink, Lady Penelope is chauffeured in the six-wheeled FAB1 (driven by her stoic aide-de-camp Parker, embodied by actor Ron Cook), which commands not only the road, but the air and sea as well. “Parker is her right-hand man, her partner in crime, and they have an incredible relationship,” says Myles. “They function together as one and often know what the other is thinking.”
Cook relished the opportunity to play a component of the familiar and beloved pair established from the series. “Everybody in England knows Parker and Lady Penelope,” says Cook. “It's quite a heavy crown to wear to play such a popular character…but not so heavy that it wasn't a great deal of fun, mind you.”
To save his family and ultimately prove himself in the eyes of his father, Alan (with help from his friends) must take on The Hood and find a way to rescue his family. “Alan must earn his stripes in his father's eyes,” says producer Tim Bevan. “And while it does come down to a sort of good-versus-evil clash, it's really about becoming a better person and learning to meet whatever challenges come your way, however grownup they may be.”
Every Good Family Deserves A Bad Nemesis
Sir Ben Kingsley, who has been nominated for four Oscars (most recently for The House of Sand and Fog and who won for his performance in the title role of Gandhi), plays the Thunderbirds' arch nemesis, whom Jeff Tracy once vanquished and left for dead. Kingsley describes The Hood as “a classic dark hero” who seeks revenge against the Thunderbirds for taking him down. He has spent the intervening years in exile, studying with masters of mental telepathy and martial arts to develop powers that allow him to use bursts of energy to manipulate men's minds.
“He is immensely strong mentally and has given himself one goal-to get back at the family responsible for his downfall,” explains the actor. “He attempts to exploit the imperfections of the Tracys, what he considers their Achilles' heel-their heroic natures and their selflessness. But what he hopes to be their downfall is actually what enables them to triumph.”
After an apparent accident on Thunderbird 5, Jeff Tracy and his sons board Thunderbird 3 to attempt a rendezvous. But in actuality, The Hood has carefully laid a trap for them. Once the Tracys link up with the orbiting station, all of Thunderbird 5's systems are turned off and Jeff and his sons are headed on a doomed trajectory toward the earth's atmosphere.
Kingsley notes that The Hood wants to pin a crime on the celebrated family to seek his revenge. “He wants to take their modus operandi-their beautiful machines, their apparatus, their logo-and commit bank robberies under the banner of the Thunderbirds,” says Kingsley.
He has successfully lured the Tracy family from their secure base at Tracy Island, which at first glance seems like an island with a large estate on it, but underneath the impressive and rather mod compound lie concealed silos containing the Thunderbirds. Now, the only thing standing between Hood's plans and total chaos is the youngest Tracy scion, Alan. “The Hood embodies something that the boy has to come to terms with and overcome, to test his growth and his potential to become a man and a true hero,” comments Kingsley. “He has to test his powers against my powers, and my powers have refined themselves in exile away from the mainstream world.”
The Phenomenon Becomes The Film
The most ambitious project to date undertaken by Working Title Films, Europe's preeminent production company and the force behind countless hits (including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Elizabeth, Bridget Jones's Diary, About a Boy, Johnny English and Love Actually), Thunderbirds is based on the cult favorite `60s British television series of the same name, which followed the adventures of the Tracy family and their astounding fleet of International Rescue vehicles. The film takes its inspiration from the “supermarionation” (a special puppetry technique) of the series and injects it with full, live-action, event-sized cinematic life.
A hit during its initial two-season run, Gerry Anderson's television show spawned a slew of spin-off projects that added to its popularity among the growing Thunderbird fan base. The Thunderbirds series continues to play (39 years after its television debut) in syndication in its native U.K., as well as in the U.S., Canada, several European countries, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
“This project is just the kind of film we dreamed of making,” explains producer Tim Bevan. “It has great adventure, on-screen gadgetry and top-of-the-line production values. And there's a strong story at the center, which has always been key to everything we produce.”
Director Jonathan Frakes, who rose to international prominence in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation before going on to direct films like Star Trek: Insurrection, Star Trek: First Contact and Clockstoppers, adds that the filmmakers were intent from the start to honor the quintessential 1960s series while also creating a fresh, new vision for the screen.
“It's a great opportunity,” comments Frakes. “I think we are all pretty conscious that there is a way to tell the story of the Thunderbirds for the fans, and there is a way to tell the Thunderbirds as a family action movie. If you happen to be a fan, you'll get it and if you haven't been introduced to the Thunderbirds before-you're in for a great time.”
Bill Paxton, star of such films as Apollo 13, Aliens and Titanic and director of the critically acclaimed Frailty, plays former astronaut Jeff Tracy, who heads the mysterious International Rescue team. “He is the head of a family that made billions in aerospace but whose wife died tragically,” describes Paxton. “When that happened, he decided to take all his resources and build these incredible Thunderbird machines for the express purpose of setting up International Rescue as a self-funded, apolitical agency. He and his family have devoted themselves and risked their lives for this operation. Their whole aim is to go to any troubled hot spots in the world and try to save lives.”
A Cast And Crew Come Together
In translating the world of Thunderbirds to the screen, the filmmakers sought to capture the thrilling spirit of the series while creating a new vision set in the full-sized, real world of the near future. Working Title developed the project for years before the right combination of elements came together to take the production from plan to reality.
After working out the central (and key) elements of story, design and execution plans for the retro-futuristic world of the Tracys, filmmakers turned their eyes to both the U.K. and the States to find the actors to breathe these already existing small screen characters to motion picture screen life. With Paxton as Jeff Tracy, Edwards as Brains, Myles as Lady P and Kingsley as The Hood, other actors from stage and screen stepped into the mod/futuristic shoes of the Tracys and their team…and the forces plotting against them.
To help generate a sense of solidarity among the Tracy clan of International Rescue, Paxton invited the boys (Winchester, Shrapnel, Colenso, Torgersen and Corbet) out during their first nights in London prior to shooting. “I'd just gotten to London and I left these cryptic messages on their cell phones,” he recalls. “`This is your father speaking. Come and join me for a meal.' We got together, met at the hotel and walked across Hyde Park onto Oxford Street. And just for a moment, I pretended that these were my five sons. I'm in London; I'm Jeff Tracy; it was a very empowering feeling. I felt invincible. Now, I have two children I'm crazy about, but the idea of five sons walking around, all of them smart and sensible, was just a great feeling. It really gave me the part. I felt like I knew Jeff Tracy.”
For Paxton, the role of Jeff Tracy represents more than the admittedly appealing prospect of playing the archetypal hero. “When I grew up in the `60s, it was a decade of vocationalism,” he comments. “People were joining the Peace Corps, becoming veterinarians; they were choosing life professions not for monetary gain but for something that would be good for their souls. I latched on to that because I play a kind of teacher, this father figure who has to teach his sons, particularly his youngest son Alan, these basic lessons of ethics and integrity, about doing the right thing.”
Brady Corbet, who plays Alan Tracy, adds that Paxton “brought much to the mission control element of the film from his previous work in Apollo 13. It's really wonderful to have somebody with that much energy at the head of the family. In all actuality, we have become our own little family unit.”
The young cast also had the benefit of working alongside the highly acclaimed, Oscar®-winning “actor's actor,” Sir Ben Kingsley. For director Frakes, Kingsley's presence on set brought a sense of prestige to the project. “There is an honor to the profession that is not all that common anymore and Sir Ben brought that sensibility to the set,” reflects Frakes. “We got that gravitas from him, but he also had a ball with the part. He plays The Hood with a sense of mischief. You can't take your eyes off the man because he does things with his body that are wonderful to look at. It's been a real treat to have him on this project. I think he had fun, and I certainly had fun working with him.”
For Kingsley, Frakes' knowledgeable yet low-key manner on set created a warm, friendly environment for the entire cast and crew, and also helped the “serious” actor to understand and relish the more fantastical aspects of the film. “Jonathan brings discipline and he brings a great deal of pleasure to the work,” the actor describes. “He also brings the perspective that comes from many years of telling a particular kind of story. We're fortunate in that we benefit from his great experience of the ideas of travel, space adventure, heroism, the unknown, fearlessness, all these qualities he can put on the screen. He really knows his stuff and is a jolly nice chap to work with as well.”
Working Title sought out Frakes because, as Bevan describes, “We needed somebody who had visual effects experience, and Jonathan obviously had that, and someone who would be collaborative and very personable. But most importantly, because we've got three kids in the lead, we needed somebody who would be able to get on with the kids and make the whole experience an exciting one for them.”
With memories of his own of the original Thunderbirds, Paxton was excited by Frakes' vision for the new film. “The young people who come to see this will want to get into this world,” he explains. “They want to feel the suspense and the excitement. But also, there will be parents who remember the old series, so there has to be some sense of homage in a lot of the charm and wit. And Jonathan has not only been a great director for the actors, he seems to have brought just the right tone to the film.”
For Anthony Edwards, cast as the powerful mental force behind the ingeniousness of the Thunderbirds and the supporting machinery, visiting the world of the near future was a welcome retreat. Edwards comments, “I spent eight years on a television series, playing the most sincere and depressed doctor in the world. So the idea of coming to this place of fantasy and fun was wonderful to me. Everyone's worked so hard to create a movie with an engaging and fun spirit. My kids, who are six and nine-years-old, have started watching the Thunderbirds series on DVD, and they just love it. So it's really nice for me to be able to take part in a film that my kids will really enjoy.”
For her role as Lady Penelope, Sophia Myles had to undergo intense training for a fight scene that pits Lady P and Parker against The Hood's nefarious henchfolk, Mullion (Deobia Oparei) and Transom (Rose Keegan). “There is a lot of kickboxing and a lot of gymnastics,” she says. “There was very little dialogue and it was lovely to do something so extremely physical.”
For Myles, who grew up with Thunderbirds, the film represents a worthy legacy. “We're trying to add something to the institution that is Thunderbirds,” she notes. “The essence of it is the same, but there is just a little modern twist. And what's so wonderful about Thunderbirds is you can't pinpoint a particular genre to it. It's comedy, it's science fiction, it's adventure. It has such a magic about it, and if the energy that flew around on the set transfers to the screen, then I think it will be a rather special film.”
An Island And A World Of Gadgets
In a nod to the `60s origins of Thunderbirds, the filmmakers and design teams created a “retro-futuristic” world, a confluence of post-modern design, futurism and science fiction reality. “We are crafting a specially created, action-adventure world-one where a family like the Tracys has the skills, firepower and wherewithal to ensure global safety,” says producer Tim Bevan.
To generate a unified vision for the motion picture, locations, sets and vehicles were designed and created to reflect a highly stylized, primary colored world superimposed on a real world of the near future, where play meets purpose and style meets strength.
“The design of the film becomes the spiritual successor to the look and feel of the television series,” comments director Jonathan Frakes. “We've taken those original vehicles as the inspiration and contemporized them, magnifying their scale and super-realizing their potential. The five Thunderbird vessels and Lady Penelope's FAB1 are all logical offspring of their counterpart vehicles in the TV show. The Tracy Island compound and The Hood's submarine also reflect their simpler ancestors. The clothing design and other motifs in the film hearken back to the inventive designs of the original show, but infuse them with a grander, more robust and, not to mention, live-action vitality.”
Production designer John Beard created a look for the film that melded both the retro nostalgia of today and the distinctive look of the original Thunderbirds. The Tracy Island set alone impressed the young cast. “John Beard has just created the most fantastic, bold world,” enthuses Brady Corbet. “Everything is in primary colors. It's big and bright, and almost like something out of a comic book. As soon as I got to see the sets, it all just came together. I got it. The spaces bring such an energy to the movie.”
“The couches at Tracy Island are shaped like fruits, like green and orange bananas,” describes Soren Fulton. “The little lounge tables at the pool look like little orange peanuts. Everything is stylish, yet it all has a purpose. For instance, at first glance, Mr. Tracy's office has got a nice little desk, but when you hit the special hand-pad, it becomes this wonderful control area with computers and access to the silos.”
Anthony Edwards admits, “I'm really not a gadget person myself. But it's been amazing fun to be surrounded with all of these huge toys that have been created. Sometimes in acting, you build characters using subtle, tiny brushstrokes-I can't tell you how much fun I've had working in this colorful world using big finger paints to create a large, fun physicality. Not much tiny brushwork…more like big exclamation points.”
With the broad strokes of film's visual palette set by Beard, costume designer Marit Allen began to bring forward her designs for the costumes. “We are starting with the greatest respect for Thunderbirds as it was and moving very gently away from it into the future,” notes Allen. “There are more modern fabrics and modern dynamics. We are taking what we hope is the best and most classic Thunderbirds concept and moving it into the future. But at the same time keeping it very urban in terms of the civilian clothing, and trying to make it child-friendly and recognizable and comfortable.”
For the Tracy boys, Allen created flight suits and caps bearing trim that would correspond with the color of the Thunderbird piloted by each son. “So, we have blue, green, red, gold and, eventually, Alan will have one that is trimmed with yellow because he goes into Thunderbird 4,” she describes. She also infused their wardrobe with technical details-such as epaulets that can be used to lift them out of the aircraft in the case of an emergency, as well as headphones and other technology built into their caps.
The most elaborate costume designs were saved for Lady Penelope, played by Sophia Myles. Apart from being an oasis of calm, Lady Penelope is a fashion icon in pink couture. “Everything is pink and wildly unsuitable for the action,” describes Allen.
“The first thing I'll say is Marit Allen is a superb designer,” comments Sophia Myles. “Lady P's wardrobe is quite spectacular. The great thing about Marit's clothes is that they all feel so lovely. Her attention to detail is amazing, but she also cares about comfort. And the variety of styles ranges from retro `60s to futuristic to high camp pink fur coats. It's just so rich.”
Shooting The Story
While predominantly shot in and around London, with primary production taking place at Pinewood Studios, Thunderbirds principal photography began on location in the tropical paradise of the Seychelles Islands, 175 square miles of relatively unspoiled castaway property in the Indian Ocean.
“One of the main characters of the original Thunderbirds series was Tracy Island,” notes Bevan. “On Tracy Island, there was an enormous compound and beneath the compound were all these amazing space craft. Thunderbird 1, when it took off, came up through the swimming pool. Thunderbird 3 came up through the library, and Thunderbird 2 rolled out and then took off straight up into the sky.”
Production designer John Beard and his team searched all over the world to find the right look for the island paradise that was home and secret base for the Tracy family. After scouting Australia, South Africa and other locations, Beard recalled postcards he'd seen for the Seychelles. “And I thought, `Hmmm,'” he recalls. “It's 115 islands, which would give us so much flexibility in terms of what we needed to shoot there. And it really does look like a South Seas paradise.”
Production utilized the islands for two purposes-to shoot live-action plates which would then be composited with visual effects for the Tracy Island exterior sequences, such as rockets launching out of the swimming pool; and to accomplish several scenes with the actors in the jungle. “There is a sequence in which the island is under attack from The Hood and his henchmen, and the three children have to make their way up to a remote transmitter in the middle of the island to try to send a message to Alan's dad, who is trapped on Thunderbird 5,” Bevan explains.
Both Praslin and North Island doubled for exterior shots on Tracy Island, including beaches and hilltops. Zimbawe Hill provided the exterior for the satellite station point, while Anse Lazio beach provided the backdrop for the launch of Thunderbird 2 from its underground silo and a jungle chase sequence was shot at Vallee de Mai.
The filmmakers were lucky enough to get permission to film in the giant palm forest, Vallee de Mai on Praslin Island, which is the world's smallest natural World Heritage site. The 19.5 hectare palm forest is home to the famous Coco de Mer palm and receives 200 to 400 visiting tourists a day.
After two weeks in the Seychelles, production moved to exterior locations in and around London, including Cliveden Manor, Berkshire, which doubled for Lady Penelope's stately home; Wellington College, Berkshire, which doubled for Alan's school; as well as popular sightseeing destinations such as Tower Bridge and the London Eye.
For one sequence, the filmmakers wanted to fly underneath Tower Bridge and land in Jubilee Gardens, a feat that required six months of negotiations between the production and local officials.
Some exterior sets, as well as interiors, were constructed on nine of Pinewood Studios' legendary stages, including the Tracy Island compound. “It was much safer for us to build it inside, both for the building time and to ensure a timely shoot-it was more secure to replicate the sunny clime on a stage than to have to depend upon Mother Nature providing regular good weather on location,” explains John Beard.
Beard approached the design of the set using the same kind of timeless hybrid of modern retro fused with the original look of the show. “The design today is looking back to a kind of `60s and `70s futurism-with the popularity of things like the revamped Mini and Beetle cars-yet I knew I had to keep the recognizable elements from the original, such as the swimming pool, the diving board and so forth. So, gradually a look evolved for the island.”
Tracy Island was constructed on one of the biggest stages at Pinewood. The set consisted of one of the Tracy swimming pools, garden terraces, and the open kitchen and living area. “The basic outline of the building is a kind of double-`S' shape,” describes Beard. “And because we're not building the top it means we can hang the building from the top ceiling in the studio, which we couldn't have done outside.”
Other Pinewood sets include Jeff Tracy's sleek office, which turns into his command center at a flick of a switch; the Thunderbird 1 silo; the interior of The Hood's submarine; Lady Penelope's bathroom; and the bank vault, where The Hood and Alan Tracy match strength and wits.
One of the largest sets was the Thunderbird 2 silo. Located below the Tracy Island complex, the silo houses Thunderbird 2 and all the pod vehicles-the Thunderizer, the Mole and the Firefly.
“We were ambitious,” comments director Frakes, “in committing to the CG creation of the ships. But effects house Framestore delivered what we call a proof of concept shot of Thunderbird 2 landing on Parliament Square, and we were all uniformly impressed. In fact, a lot of the movie was created before we even started shooting principal photography.”
In addition to these sets, the cockpits of Thunderbird 1, 2, 3 and 5 were built and the filmmakers called on the expertise of the CGI team to create the exteriors of the ships around the cockpits.
One element Beard expanded on from the series was the scale of the various Thunderbirds, which were all created using the latest in visual effects. “In the originals, we noticed that T2-which had the pod beneath it that carried T4-looked like an aircraft hangar and yet, when we saw T2 taking off, it was half the height of a palm tree. They cheated the scale in the originals,” Beard explains. “Because we wanted a sense of realism, we decided to apply some sort of scale to it, and that started with the space ships. Flight is about efficiency and economy, so we had to either make T2 smaller or keep it the same size and pack a lot more in. Now, rather than one pod, it has eight pods, so it can pack the vehicles specifically needed for the tasks of each mission.”
Beard also adapted Thunderbird 5 to more closely resemble space stations of today. “Now we know that they have all sorts of solar panels and other details, so we built Thunderbird 5 with the shape of the past and the technology of the future.”
Accompanying many of the massive Pinewood sets (such as the oil rig where International Rescue performs a rescue as the oil rig is burning) were miniatures which the visual effects artists eventually composited with CG.
The Firefly
The Firefly is one of International Rescue's primary pod vehicles and is used for fire-fighting and demolition work. It has a mounted nosel, which can extinguish fires using water or foam, and a huge bucket/shield that can protect it when it enters into fires.
“It's part bulldozer, part fire-fighting machine,” describes Soren Fulton. “Originally in the show, there was just a cannon in the middle, but now up top we have two gun turrets that fire flame-retardant foam. In the series, it was a bit like a tank, but now it has large round yellow treaded wheels. It's brilliant.”
Built around the chassis of a Massey Ferguson Tractor, steel frames were added on the chassis to create the Firefly. The wheels and bucket were specially created. The Firefly took 16 weeks to build by four engineers and weighs five tons. The driver sits in a concealed cabin in the front and relies on video screens to steer.
“Strangely enough, to move the vehicle from location to location, we used rubber wheels,” comments vehicle design coordinator Steve Lamonby. “But then we change the wheels into great big three feet wide wheels with spikes to give it the look the art department wants. So, it would never be practical on the road, but there are little tricks we can do in-between to achieve what's needed.”
The Thunderizer
The Thunderizer assists in rescuing those trapped in tall buildings and can fire a laser beam with control precision, cutting through any kind of metal or rock.
The Thunderizer uses tracks, engine and drive train from a Haglund Snowcat (which are utilized by Marines). The chassis was completely stripped and modified to accommodate a new track configuration and width. The frame was then clad in MDF, steel and fiberglass to create the Thunderizer body, with the addition of a central column that fires the laser. The Thunderizer took four engineers 16 weeks to build and it weighs 6 tons. It has a V6 engine and an all-terrain automatic gear box. The driver sits in a concealed cabin, controlling the vehicle through the use of video screens.
The Mole
The International Rescue's drilling and burrowing machine, the Mole is used to burrow into the ground to help retrieve victims trapped in collapsed buildings or in the rubble created in the aftermath of earthquakes.
It was constructed using a completely custom, hand-built chassis, using four rubber tracks and two engines and was designed to carry the extreme weight of the enormous drilling machinery over irregular terrain. The Mole took six engineers 16 weeks to build and weighs in excess of eight tons.
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Lady Penelope (Sophia Myles) at home behind the wheel of Thunderbird 2 in Thunderbirds.
