Thunderbirds, Cliff Richard & The Shadows combined to rocket the swinging sixties into the future

In the 1966 film Thunderbirds Are Go, the fantasy dream sequence featuring Cliff Richard and The Shadows became one of the movie’s most memorable and delightfully “Swinging Sixties” moments. Producers Gerry and Sylvia Anderson wanted the film to feel modern and stylish, so bringing in one of Britain’s biggest pop acts was a clever way to connect the futuristic world of Thunderbirds with contemporary music culture.

Thunderbirds Are Go was the first of two motion pictures based on the Supermarionation television series Thunderbirds. It was written by the Andersons and directed by David Lane.

The sequence, in which Alan Tracy (Thunderbird 3 pilot) is dreaming, features Cliff Richard performing the upbeat pop song Shooting Star, backed by The Shadows’ smooth, unmistakable guitar sound. With the film being set in the future, Cliff was called “Cliff Richard Junior”. The song’s lyrics and energetic style matched the film’s fascination with space travel and adventure, while the colourful visuals gave the whole scene a psychedelic, dreamlike atmosphere. It was a bold mix of pop concert, science fiction and puppet animation that perfectly captured the optimism of the mid-1960s.

The film also included the instrumental piece Lady Penelope, which highlighted The Shadows’ trademark melodic playing and added a touch of sophistication associated with the glamorous character Lady Penelope. Together, the music helped give Thunderbirds Are Go a cool, contemporary edge that set it apart from many family films of the era.

Videos of the songs below

In her autobiography, Sylvia Anderson said the sequence was “sheer indulgence that would not have been possible on our television budget.” Today, it remains a fascinating blend of ’60s British pop music and classic science-fiction nostalgia.

Thunderbirds Are Go‘s Australian connection:
Aussie actors Ray Barrett and Bud Tingwell were among the film’s voice cast. Barrett was John Tracy, the Hood and Commander Casey; and Tingwell was the voice actor for Dr Tony Grant, PR Officer, SEC board member and the Woomera Tracking Station officer.

VIDEOS

Reference footage:
Before filming the puppets, the live-action band was filmed at an ATV studio in 1966. This “test recording” allowed puppeteers to study the musicians’ movements, such as their side-to-side dance, to replicate them with the marionettes.