or better or worse, the recent live-action Thunderbirds movie
brought Gerry Anderson's legendary International Rescue team to the big screen for a fresh generation of science-fiction fans. However, longtime devotees of the original supermarionation superheroes will likely recall two earlier motion pictures featuring the Tracy family and their fleet of futuristic rescue rockets. In an obvious effort to capitalize on the new production, the soundtrack for the second vintage film, Thunderbird 6, was recently issued for the first time. Filled with wonderful pieces penned by steadfast Anderson associate Barry Gray, it's a lighthearted, lyrical effort that's consistently animated and adventuresome.
"What Is It to Be?/Main Title" sets the tone for the entire album, enlivening the series' well-known theme with a bubbly, buoyant beat. Subsequent sequences like "Grand Canyon to Melbourne/Brains Destroys Prototype #2," "Shaky Departure/Skyship 1 Crashes/On Final Approach" and "Grounded at Last/Finale" intermingle eloquent motifs with both dangerous and droll interludes, alternately conveying broad humor and dire peril. Other cues, such as "Indian Street Music" and "A Visit to Egypt/Calling Switzerland/Whistle Stop Inn," signal international intrigue via exotic melodies and sounds, with the wide-ranging "Welcome Aboard/Breakfast Over N.Y./Brains Destroys Prototype #1" at one point even incorporating a couple of bars from "The Star-Spangled Banner."
A 12-page booklet, adorned with more than two dozen images from the 1968 movie, supplements the disc and spotlights an earnest essay from CD co-producer and former Starlog editor David Hirsch. Although somewhat superficial, his remarks reveal interesting details about the composer.
A playful, potent platter
By the time Gray fashioned the accompaniment for Thunderbird 6, he had been working with the characters for nearly four years and collaborating with Anderson on various projects for more than a decade. Yet unlike most of the pair's earlier, at times overly active productions, the storyline for this film was comparatively frivolous. As a result, the score is downright mischievous, jettisoning the usual tense moments and rollicking—though often repetitive—motifs for an unexpectedly bright and breezy atmosphere. It's a welcome change of pace that renders the recording gratifying and engrossing.
With a total running time of almost five minutes, "Tiger Moth/Operation Escort/Murder of the Crew" is not only the longest track on the disc but also the most exhilarating. Jocular strings and a brief brass fanfare launch the work, followed by taut, terse violins. The sparkling Thunderbirds theme is also momentarily heard, as is a fragment of George Leybourne's classic music-hall number "The Flying Trapeze." A jot of jeopardy is introduced in the final few seconds, but on the whole the tune is high-spirited and deliciously humorous. Lengthy source cues such as "Ballroom Jazz" and "Dinner Aboard Skyship 1" are pleasant surprises too, providing relaxing arrangements, with "Parker Inspects Skyship 1/Thunderbirds Are Go!/TB2 Unloads Tiger Moth" supplying a few moderately frantic and, for fans of the TV series, familiar musical moments.
In fact, the only significant complaint that steadfast supermarionation supporters might voice is that the overall length of the CD is too short! Thunderbird 6 is a playful yet potent soundtrack that is, quite simply, engaging, energetic and, perhaps most important, thoroughly enjoyable.
