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Stingray DVD Boxset
01/11/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
DVD Region 2. pub: Granada 37115 012563. 975 minutes 39 * 25 minute episodes with loads of extras. Price: £59.99 but you can pull it for £42 if you know where to look (UK). Buy Stingray in the USA - or Buy Stingray in the UK  check out website: www.stingray.co.uk
Stand by for action! Back in 1964, 'Stingray' was the first ITV programme to be shown in colour. Shame really that most of us in the UK only had black and white television sets. It wasn't so much farsight as ensuring that this puppet series made the grade for foreign sales to America.
Stingray is the premiere submarine of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (W.A.S.P.), captained by Troy Tempest and his crew George 'Phones' Sheridan and from the second episode, the amphibious Marina, a former captive of the underwater dictator Titan, a ruler of a large part of the ocean floor. It is the discovery of so many species living beneath the sea that Stingray is called in for more activity then they ever dreamed of. Several times, some of these species make specific attacks on the land folk, frequently Marineville, the WASPs headquarters.
In some respects, Titan appears to be quite moderate in comparison and Tempest retaliates with extreme force several times although when there is clearly some misunderstanding, also attempts to right things as well. Tempest is also quite the ladies man having both Marina and Commander Shore's daughter, Atlanta, having the hots for him. Quite an accomplishment in a kids show even if poor Phones seems to be left out in the cold. For a non-speaking marionette, Marina has also got to be one of the most beautiful of the models made for any of the Anderson shows.
These thirty-nine episodes follow their exploits and show special effects wizard Derek Meddings and his crew really getting into their stride and which holds a certain magic forty years on. One of the strengths of the early Anderson series is that they didn't talk down to their young audience and because of that it is hardly surprising that it is still popular with adults.
Every DVD is loaded with extras including the soundtracks of the two Century 21 records 'A Trip To Marineville' and 'Marina Speaks', although I doubt if I'll be selling my originals any time soon, as well as films of behind the scenes. There is an audio commentary by Gerry Anderson accompanying the pilot episode but he must have a poor memory of the show not to remember how much water effects were used as Stingray positively bobs up and down in the wet stuff.
This boxset has been around for some time now so most of the die-hard Anderson show fans will have it. If you haven't then the price has dropped sufficiently to ensure it's within most people's spending levels. Anything can happen in the next half hour.
GF Willmetts
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