I never really developed a 'Liking' for the old 'B-Movie' Style of films, with maybe only a very few Exceptions (see main D-Space Page, Link Below). They were Generally only Horror Flicks in a Different Setting. At least, that's how they Appeared to me.

I like quite a Number of Horror Films, Pages Covering this 'Subject' will eventually 'Materialize' as this is one of Fin's Major Likes, yet the Early Sci-Fi's seemed to concentrate on Scary rather than 'Fascinating' (Spock's Definition can be Applied).

So I tended towards the Programmes & Films that had a Reasonably amount of 'Science' in its Sci-Fi. The odd Beastie didn't do too much harm though.

My First Dose of Sci-Fi, as with most of my Generation, was with the likes of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Stingray & Joe 90. - what I have put under the general heading of Supermarionation.

All absolutely Brilliant and Full of Improbable Machines & Devices saving people or the world from equally Improbable Dangers. I Imagine that almost everyone I know has at some point attempted to do 'The Thunderbirds Walk'.

My First Vinyl Record was a Programme Soundtrack from an Episode of Thunderbirds on one side and Captain Scarlet on the other (to read more on the Music in my Life click Here)

My Favourite Characters from these Programmes are Brains, Captain Scarlet, Destiny Angel (I had a Crush on her, would you believe?), The Hood, Villain from Thunderbirds and Aqua Marina (Crush Number Two ;-)

My Favourite pieces of Technology were Thunderbird 3, of course, Joe 90's Machine called B.I.G.R.A.T. (Brain Impulse Galvananscope Record And Transfer), and those Cute little Hover Bike Things. One thing I must add was the Decidedly Dodgy Concept of Cloud Base in Captain Scarlet (my Aversion to things not touching the ground could be partly responsible for that one though ;-}

Although it has very little in the way of 'Special Effects' when compared to more Contemporary Stuff. It will always have a 'Special Effect' for me. It is a Shame that it seldom appears on Terrestrial TV these Days. Well, who knows, someday those Immortal Words "Standby for Action" may be heard again. FAB & SIG!

BBC 2 are showing Remastered  Episodes of Thunderbirds on Sunday Afternoons (OCT 00), & I'm happy to say that I will be watching them all & enjoying every moment!

Jon Pertwee was 'The Dr' when I first saw the Show. I have found that most will Identify more with 'Their' Dr than any Subsequent ones. I followed the Programme right through to the 'End', & was very Seldom Disappointed with what I saw. A Sorely Missed Classic.

I will add that The Later Shows were really Beginning to 'Go Somewhere' when they were cut. This was, and still is, a Great Shame. Its Format allowed it to Change 'Direction' to follow any Trend & would have Benefited Hugely from the Improvements in Special Effects.

It's probably too late to Resurrect The Dr. now. The Recent (ish) TV Film was a real Wash-out. There could well be a Place on TV though, if it went back to its 'Roots'. Sylvester McCoy was, and still is, the Best Candidate for the Role and should not have been Replaced with that Other Fella!

BBC 2 ran a Dr Who Night (Sat 13 NOV 99) and at the end showed the Last Outing for The Dr. I watched it with the Idea of Being more Open Minded about it. Whilst I must Admit that the Story Line was Initially Intriguing after about 45 minutes it seem to lose the thread & it seemed to me that the Dr. did very little up until the end.

I must also add that He became Involved (Romantically, that is - not Plot wise) & even Kissed! OUTRAGEOUS I say! Sylvester & Co. may have felt like it, even wanted to, yet they would never have allowed to get in the way of finding the next Adventure. Shame on you Mr McCann ;-)

It was Horrifying! I had never Experienced such Dread. Not as a Deliberate Act anyhow. The Images are Securely Planted in my Memory. The Tension, the Atmosphere (a Pun?) of Hopelessness and, for someone who had never read the Book, the Surprise Ending were of an Intensity that is hard to find in other films of the Era.

I became aware, later on, of how Americanized it was compared to the original. It was still pretty good & Demonstrates, to some Extent, that A good Story is always a good story. In all Honesty the new version of the Martian's Craft was Pretty good, all said & done.

I have seen some of the War of the Worlds TV Series which has been Broadcast fairly late at Night. On various Days, and with gaps, it was hard to keep track so I never really got the chance to become truly Acquainted. It's Strictly Lights Out by Midnight here in D-Space ;-)

From what I can gather the Story seemed to have been Expanded tremendously. I saw one Episode that had some strange Woman (from another Dimension ??), in fact I think I came across this same Episode Twice, it was a bit too Ambiguous. Maybe next time it's on I'll Tape them.

Again it was very Americanized, Superman couldn't have been more American! The Film does start to feel a bit 'Sickly' towards the End. It does 'Lay' it on a bit thick - I have some very Strong Issues with the 'American Dream' as you may have already noticed. I will endeavour to keep a fairly Tight reign on it.

Another thing that needs to be overcome is this Sci-Fi Preference for Women is Togas or Very Short Skirts - very Overgrown Boy's Stuff really. Although, in its Defence, the Men's Outfits were almost as Bad.

The Model in the Shop Window was an Excellent Visual Effect and probably the most talked about part of the whole Film. I think is was a stroke of Genius and, like a lot of things in Life, Effectively Simple.

This Doesn't seem to come across a very Positive. It hopefully will not put anyone off of Seeing it (you mean there may be some People out there who haven't - surely not ;-). It is well worth the Effort & hasn't Aged as too badly.

I have seen the new Film Remake and must say I was quite impressed. The Storyline had a lot more depth and variety than I expected - I guess I'm going to have to read the Book, H G Wells, now so that I can find out how they both compare (another one for the list ;-)

I hope that when (hopefully it will be when) we are Contacted by Other 'Peoples' they Present us with a Similar 'Message'. I Cringe when I think what an 'Observer' would make of how we Conduct Ourselves. I would Cringe even more to think that Aliens could turn out to be more like Us.

The 'Flying Saucer' and Robot were, again, a good Example of Simplicity being used to Create an Unusual Effect. Today's Aliens tend to Error on the Side of Too Much detail or Overdone Effects.

The Story itself made a pleasant change from the Usual Monsters (Hooray). Grow Up & Behave Responsibly, Not everyone is 'Out to Get You!' & Violence / Aggression is not a Virtues was quite a relief, as was the Acknowledgement that 'Anyone' who could turn up 'Here' now would quite probably have a higher Level of Technology. Technology that may not be Overcome by some totally Unexpected piece of Human Ingenuity; Compassion - YES, Lucky Break - NO!

I sometimes feel that This Film should be used as a Model of Thinking & Behaviour the Rest of us should put some Effort into Considering (& finding Worthy). Ok, enough of the Preaching.

I may as well let You know as Early On as possible what I look for in Films & TV Programmes. The Future should be something to Look Forward to.

Unfortunately I'm unable to watch the 'Cat Scene' without thinking to The Goodies - Damn You Bill, Graeme & Tim ;-)

That aside, the Atmosphere & Tension, combined with the Struggle against the Inevitable, makes this Film a Classic. If you've never seen it, then watch it at the Next Opportunity you can.

It showed how the Media Press in a light which still seems to be the case today. It was a Film which definitely Tapped into my Emotional Concern (& Preoccupation) with the 'Under Dog' - lets not get too much into that, eh?

In some respects, I'm a bit surprised that a Sequel was never made, showing what happened to him afterwards, although it would have been a Hard Act to follow.  I think there may have been a 'Shrinking Woman' at some point, I have yet to track it down.