RESCUING THE PAST

 
 

Rescuing the Past is an ongoing Century 21 Films project devoted to the search for and preservation of archive materials related to the works of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. As the archive grows, we will continue to work with license holders to make the material available to as wide an audience as possible.

Since August 2024, we have recovered material which includes:

  • Thunderbirds – A long lost, alternative edit of “Pit of Peril” with unseen scenes

  • Supercar – An alternative edit of “Jungle Hazard“ with previously unseen footage

  • Thunderbirds – The alternative edit of “Trapped in the Sky” that Lew Grade saw in 1964

  • Space: 1999 – 4 on-set soundtrack reels

  • Thunderbirds – Alternative soundtrack edit for the episode “Desperate Intruder”

  • UFO - French titles master materials, plus original TV spots

  • Thunderbirds – Barry Gray's original master tape for “Terror in New York City” with long missing music cues

  • Four Feather Falls – an earlier alternative cut of the episode “"How it Began" including material removed prior to broadcast.

  • Over 100 original APF sound effects from the master 1/4" tapes

  • Thunderbirds Are Go – Barry Gray’s 16mm workprint copy of the film, featuring isolated dialogue and alternative shots

  • Crossroads to Crime – A studio reel of music including previously missing cues

  • Four Feather Falls - 6 dialogue recording tapes, including deleted scenes and studio chat.

  • Thunderbirds Are Go - a promotional item previewing the film.

  • Supercar – dialogue recording session with Gerry & Sylvia for first episode

  • Torchy the Battery Boy – Creator Roberta Leigh’s personal 16mm print of the first episode

  • Space: 1999 – Forty minutes of special effects material.

  • Original photographic prints and transparencies of previously unseen pictures

  • PLUS – many reels of as-transmitted 35mm print and interpositive material from Thunderbirds, Fireball XL5, Four Feather Falls and Joe 90.

Although we focus upon Supermarionation, our interests are not strictly limited to the works of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. In addition to the above discoveries, we have uncovered material related to the silent era, including an extract from the previously missing 1917 Norma Talmadge film The Secret of the Storm Country. Cataloguing of further silent film extracts is currently ongoing.

 
 

If you believe you might have a lead on any film prints, reel to reel audio recordings, photographs, artwork, documents, or production materials, please get in touch with us via our contact page.

The process of cataloguing and preserving these materials is not an inexpensive one. If you feel you are in a position to donate towards these costs, please consider visiting our Rescuing the Past GoFundMe page HERE.