Stingray

Stingray...Stingray! Troy Tempest is tall, dark and handsome, and he is captain of the titular submarine. His mission: to protect the seas on behalf of WASP (World Aquanaut Security Patrol). Accompanied by his 'Dixie' navigator Lieutenant George Lee "Phones" Sheridan, he must defend the seas from Aquaphibian Titan and his 'Terror Fish' in order to keep peace and harmony.

• Stingray - Complete Series [1964] | DVD | (02/04/2001 from £19.99   |  Saving you £40.00 (200.10%)   |  RRP £59.99

  Drums pound, building excitement; the music bursts into life with a cry of "Stingray! Stingray!" Who can resist? Especially when a dramatic voice announces, "Anything can happen in the next half hour!". Stingray (1964) was the show Gerry Anderson made just before he really hit the big time with Thunderbirds (1965), producing 39 episodes of the 21st-century adventures of Troy Tempest--tall, dark and handsome (his voice was based on James Garner) captain of the titular submarine. His mission: to protect the seas on behalf of WASP (World Aquanaut Security Patrol). With complex underwater model and puppet effects, this was ground-breaking television, especially as it was the first UK series to be made in colour, though for years it was only seen in black and white. Special effects director Derek Meddings later graduated to the James Bond movies, while Moneypenny herself (actress Lois Maxwell) voiced Atlanta Shore. Here, just as in the Bond movies, she played second fiddle in our hero's affections, the mute Marina becoming Stingray's sex-goddess. The end-credits even featured a song in her honour, "Aqua Maria", which became an international hit. As for the bad guys: half-man, half-fish Titan and his Terror Fish wage dastardly war against humanity and the peaceful underwater citizens of Pacifica. Four decades on the model and underwater sequences still impress, and surely much of the inspiration for the underwater city in The Phantom Menace came from locations in Stingray. Whether as bizarre 60s nostalgia, or winning a new generation of fans, Stingray remains eccentric cult family entertainment. --Gary S Dalkin

• Stingray - Vol. 2 - The Ghost Ship / Countdown / Ghost Of Sea / Emergency / Subterranea / Loch / Invaders [1964] | DVD | (02/04/2001 from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Please Note: Some customers have experienced problems playing this disc on their Wharfdale and Samsung 709 DVD players. We advise that you do not make this purchase if you are unsure of playability. 2065 Marineville. The World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP) fight against the evil Titan and the Aquaphibians grotesque undersea warriors in the quest for world peace. WASP's most powerful asset is the sleek and deadly underwater craft STINGRAY captained by Intrepid Troy Tempes

• Stingray - Vol. 4 - Pink Ice / Master Plan / Star Of East / Echo Of Danger / Invisible Enemy [1964] | DVD | (02/04/2001 from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Please Note: Some customers have experienced problems playing this disc on their Wharfdale and Samsung 709 DVD players. We advise that you do not make this purchase if you are unsure of playability. 2065 Marineville. The World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP) fight against the evil Titan and the Aquaphibians grotesque undersea warriors in the quest for world peace. WASP's most powerful asset is the sleek and deadly underwater craft STINGRAY captained by intrepid Troy Temp

• Stingray - Vol. 3 - Giant Oyster / Raptures / Stand By / Disappearing Ships / Man From Navy / Marine / Thumb [1964] | DVD | (02/04/2001 from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Please Note: Some customers have experienced problems playing this disc on their Wharfdale and Samsung 709 DVD players. We advise that you do not make this purchase if you are unsure of playability. 2065 Marineville. The World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP) fight against the evil Titan and the Aquaphibians grotesque undersea warriors in the quest for world peace. WASP's most powerful asset is the sleek and deadly underwater craft STINGRAY captained by Intrepid Troy Temp

• Stingray - Vol. 5 - Tune Of Danger / Rescue From Skies / Cool Caveman / Marineville / Trapped [1964] | DVD | (02/04/2001 from £9.98   |  Saving you £6.01 (60.22%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Please Note: Some customers have experienced problems playing this disc on their Wharfdale and Samsung 709 DVD players. We advise that you do not make this purchase if you are unsure of playability. 2065 Marineville. The World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP) fight against the evil Titan and the Aquaphibians grotesque undersea warriors in the quest for world peace. WASP's most powerful asset is the sleek and deadly underwater craft STINGRAY captained by intrepid Troy Tempes

• Stingray - Vol. 1 - Stingray / Plant Of Doom / Sea Of Oil / Hostages / Treasure / Big Gun / Golden Sea [1964] | DVD | (02/04/2001 from £8.50   |  Saving you £7.49 (88.12%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Drums pound, the music bursts into life with a cry of "Stingray!... Stingray!" Who can resist? Stingray (1964) was the show Gerry Anderson made just before he really hit the big time with Thunderbirds (1965). He produced 39 episodes of the 21st century adventures of Troy Tempest, tall, dark and handsome (his voice based on James Garner's) captain of the titular submarine. Troy's mission: to protect the seas on behalf of WASP (World Aquanaut Security Patrol). With complex underwater model and puppet effects, this was ground-breaking television, especially as it was the first UK series to be made in colour, even though for years it was only seen in black and white. Special effects director Derek Meddings later graduated to the James Bond films, while Moneypenny herself (actress Lois Maxwell) voiced Atlanta Shore. Here, just as in the Bond films, she played second fiddle in our hero's affections, the mute Marina becoming Stingray's sex-goddess. The end credits even featured a song in her honour, "Aqua Maria", which became an international hit. As for the bad guys, half-man, half-fish Titan and his Terror Fish wage a dastardly war against humanity and the peaceful underwater citizens of Pacifica. Four decades on, the models and underwater sequences still impress and Stingray remains eccentric cult family entertainment. On the DVD: There are seven episodes on the first DVD volume, including the pilot episode, "Stingray", in which a Titan Terror Fish sinks a WASP submarine, leading to Troy and sidekick Phones falling into the hands of the evil Titan. This action-packed beginning introduces all the major characters and gadgets, setting the scene for the adventures to come. "Plant of Doom" sees Titan outraged that Troy has rescued his beautiful slave Marina. After consulting an undersea god he hatches a revenge plot using a deadly air-consuming flower. In "Sea of Oil" Atlanta is kidnapped by an underwater race who plant a bomb on Stingray, while in "Hostages of the Deep" Marina is threatened with death by swordfish blade. --Gary S Dalkin