the birth of a device

[sergebroom]

Remember how 1967's Mission Impossible used to begin with a rapid montage of what would happen in the episode, instead of coming up with a teaser act? It was not th first such show to use that device though. Three years before, Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds also began that way, but I doubt that a kid (*) show where all actors were puppets was where the device was first used. Where then? Inquiring minds would like to know.

(*) Yes, I do have the whole series on DVD. Why are you asking?

Comments

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

Lots of shows, I seem to recall. Will try to think of examples.

The "teaser" (telling a couple of minutes of the story before rolling the opening credits) was less common in the late Fifties and early Sixties.

I remember M:I had a montage of scenes-- without dialogue-- under the burning fuse while Lalo Schifrin's theme music played. Is that what you're describing, or was there really a preview with dialogue?

I Spy had everything: a teaser to set up the story, then the credits (graphical silhouettes of tennis players and gunmen), then Robert Culp lighting a bomb and throwing it, then a split-screen montage of "scenes from this week's show" underneath Culp's eyes, which appeared to watch all the events.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

So the teaser really became the norm in the mid-1960s? Come to think of it, shows like Perry Mason did start with the opening credits then (after a word from our sponsors) the story began.

I remember M:I had a montage of scenes-- without dialogue

That was indeed what I was describing. So I Spy, having started in 1965, did it before M:I but after Thunderbirds. There's probably some British TV show I forgot about that the latter took its inspiration from.

Meanwhile I decry the trend of shows altogether doing without any opening credits. Numb3rs dropped its credits, but I think that started with Lost. Maybe it gives the show more air time with which to tell the story. Or maybe that means more air time for ads.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Where did you get the whole series on DVD? Is that DVD protected with DRM? Inquiring minds want to know. Thunderbirds are go.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

The whole series came out at least two years ago. Since then, they even released a mini-set of fan favorites, and those include my favorite episodes, Trapped in the Sky and Sun Probe. I take you grew up with that show too.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Well, yes I did. I also grew up with Captain Scarlet, Stingray, Torchy the Battery Boy...

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

And Supercar? And Joe 90 with the dorky glasses that linked him to the B.I.G.R.A.T.? I also have all of Fireball XL-5 on DVD.

Back to Thunderbirds... If you want to borrow the mini-set of 6 episodes, let me know. By the way, what did you think of the recent movie? The less said, the better, eh?

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

I don't remember Joe 90. I do sort of remember Supercar.

I haven't seen the recent film. I suspect I have good reason not to see it.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

You can always rent the movie and see for yourself. The big problem is that they obviously were trying to turn it into a Spy Kids thing. That must have made Bill Paxton, who played Jeff Tracy, quite unhappy because he was a fan of the original show.

By the way, did you ever notice where Jeff Tracy's five sons got their names?

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Yes, they were named for Mercury astronauts.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I remember a few years ago when that lightbulb suddenly went on in my head. In retrospect, it IS obvious. And of course the one who spent most of his time in orbit was named John. I wonder if Tracy had sons named Wally and Deke tucked away somewhere.

(About your DRM question... I don't know.)

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

The names were also stereotypically American -- as was Brains' name -- not many Hirams around these days, though.