Gerry Anderson has announced this week that a deal had been agreed  for a new series of  Thunderbirds. Although the cult 1960s series will be re-appearing on our screens, the iconic puppets won’t, as Anderson admitted – “Everything will be changed using today’s technology and all the mod cons”.

The good news though is that all the main characters and iconic machines from International Rescue will return, including the Tracy brothers, Parker and Lady Penelope and all five Thunderbirds. Gerry Anderson informed Radio 5 Live’s Drivetime programme this week: “It will have all the elements that made Thunderbirds popular in the first place but will be made with today’s technology and today’s thinking and today’s pace.”

Although CGI and contemporary special effects are all out of this world, you don’t need sophisticated computerised effects to “be out of this world” as 1960s cult TV series Star Trek and Land of the Giants proved. Measured against modern day special effects, they probably pale in comparison, but they still hold their own in the context of the time they were made. Although a contemporary production of Thunderbirds will make it more accessible to the younger generation, will it have the same old school charm? One thing is for certain, the legions of 40 and 50 year old die hard “anorak” fans of the original Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Sting Ray, Joe 90 and UFO, will take a lot of persuasion to turn their backs on the original TV series, which were all produced by Gerry Anderson.

Re-makes of classic British 1960s TV series and films rarely work. The list of corpses awaiting burial in the “Re-make Graveyard” is long – The Avengers, The Saint, The Italian Job and Alfie all spring to mind. Hollywood was unable to re-capture the charm of the quintessentially English characters John Steed and Simon Templar. Nobody does debonair, suave  and urbane like Patrick MacNee and Roger Moore. Equally nobody does chirpy cockney wide boy like Michael Caine did in the 1960s.

If you would like a “soundtrack souvenir” from your favourite 1960s TV series or film ie The Avengers’ Patrick MacNee and Honor Blackman singing “Kinky Boots” or Cilla Black’s “Alfie”, how about having the  vinyl record, framed and mounted? Order now by clicking on……..  http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

…….. and this way your favourite TV or film soundtrack from the 1950s, 60s, 70s or 80s can be immortalised on your living room wall!! Alternatively this would make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration  ie a 40th or 50th Birthday, A Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Mother’s or Father’s Day or Valentine’s Day!!  THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!