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Featuring Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's "Supermarionation" puppets, this 1968 follow up to the 1966 feature Thunderbirds Are Go was another British import with an international sensibility. 

 

The story takes place in 2063 where Jeff Tracy and his sons defend the planet as part of the International Rescue team. They pilot five different Thunderbird vehicles - a rocket, transport vehicle, spaceship, submarine and space satellite. Brains, their scientist, has designed a new ship, something between a zeppelin and an ocean liner. His colleagues think it’s a crazy idea, but the New World Aircraft company wants to build a model. While Brains is working on the new Thunderbird 6, Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward,  Parker the butler, Brains' assistant Tin Tin and some of the Tracy brothers go on the airship’s first voyage.

 

The new airship travels from London to New York to the Grand Canyon, and finally to Africa. But the team finds out the crew has been replaced with saboteurs, recording their conversations and creating a pretend emergency call to the International Rescue team. It’s a trap organized by the Black Phantom, who’s plan is to steal the Thunderbird vehicles. Scott and Virgil Tracy attempt to rescue the ship, but in the process it crashes into a tall tower and hangs there, in danger of falling completely. Is the new, secret ship Thunderbird 6 capable of rescuing the airship and it’s passengers?

 

With their use of both electronics and traditional strings, model effects, and slot racers, the Andersons' marionettes were technically advanced puppets, and the main draw of the film. Neither Thunderbirds film made much of an impact in the U.S., but the unique look of the film drew a cult following that continues to this day.