Thunderbirds

I've recently been reading 'A Film Makers Journey', the biography of Peter Jackson, its well documented that in his early years he was fascinated by special effects and model making but I never knew just what inspired him. Peter's favourite film is the original King Kong but he also loved Planet Of The Apes, strangely enough Apes is written by one of my heros, Rod Serling. But anyway, another of Peter's inspirations as a young boy was Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds. Like me he grew up with a huge love for Thunderbirds, he loved the way the whole show was made from models and puppets. I however never really took much notice of its sophisticated development I just loved the show for what it was; a terrific piece of science fiction.

Only recently have I realized Thunderbirds was my first meeting with the sci fi genre. I've always wondered 'where did it begin?' my interest in science fiction that is. I always thought it began with Star Wars but those films came much latter in my life so it was Thunderbirds that introduced me to flying ships and fantastic technology first. It would be foolish to dismiss how much of an impact this show must have had on my imagination. I think about all the films, shows and games I've seen/played throughout my life, Star Wars, The Lord Of The Rings, Blade Runner, Mass Effect, Ghost In The Shell and The Twilight Zone, all these I love but my love for science fiction and fantasy came from Thunderbirds initially. I feel quite moved now I know that a lot of my own creativity was being developed when watching that show, even if I didn't know it at the time. I must have watched it around the ages of 4 to 10 and its left a long lasting impression, an impression that I'd never really noticed until Peter Jackson shared his love for the show with me.

Now, the show still stands up well. As its not computer generated the quality of the models and sets are still there to be seen. Sure the stories are melodramatic but its still very watch-able and still highly enjoyable. I owe a lot to this show and I will always remember what a huge impact its had on my life and the work that I try to create.