Indeed, this is by-the-fans-for-the-fans filmmaking of the highest regard. ‘Lovingly made’ doesn’t quite capture how much care and craftsmanship has been channelled into producing these two hours spent treasuring the televisual treats of old. These scenes, which feature (presumably newly-made) super-marionette puppets and joyful returns to former favourites by the original voice cast, frame the story magically. The central conceit of their scenes is that Parker has somehow stumbled upon La Rivière’s real-world Filmed In Supermarionation book (which features his own conception and development) and is now having – as Lady Penelope puts it – “an existential crisis.” The pair decide to keep reading anyway, which we’re very grateful for. They guide us through the story of how the Andersons mastered their own unique brand of storytelling, rose to the heights of the televisual world, had a stab at feature films, and sadly eventually fell out of fashion. Seeing these characters in modern HD, visiting the sets of all the AP Films shows – with Brains chipping in from his Tracey Island base with vital factual knowledge – is simply joyous to watch. As an example, the filmmaker guides the original team to the site of their former studio at one point, with a brilliant treat in store. Then, he surprises them with a complete working set, which he has recreated. “Good God, that’s a surprise!” is one of the responses. Clearly overjoyed, the team then show us how they used to work, revealing some of their brilliantly British ‘make do and mend’ techniques in a series of candid, and highly funny, interviews. Our favourites of these techniques include filming through a fish tank to nail the underwater effect, weighing Super Car down with stones because it wouldn’t splash right and cobbling together the sets with items found in the local shops. Once seen, the lemon squeezer in Thunderbird 1’s base cannot be unseen. It’s not a perfect film. By trying to cram nine years of productions (and loads of background detail) into two hours, the pacing sometimes drags. As a result of squeezing too much in, we sometimes go a while without a snazzy animation or a Parker/Penelope sequence and instead receive a splurge of information from stock footage and TV-documentary style caption bars at the bottom of the page. The ending, as you might expect, is hardly upbeat. Regardless, this is an absolute treat for those with fond memories of the Supermarionation productions. It feels like it could have benefitted from leaving a bit of filler on the cutting room floor, but the attention-to-detail that they opted for instead will no doubt thrill super-fans. In summary, we loved this nostalgia trip and would recommend it to anyone who’s ever hidden behind the sofa from the Mysterons or wished that they could fly in Thunderbird 1. With the Muppets enjoying a resurgence in recent years, is a Thunderbirds special – back in Supermarionation format – really too much to hope for? Filmed In Supermarionation is available on DVD, Blu-ray and Limited Edition Box Set now. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
