Hello from Conrad Lefkon-Turner

[Conrad Lefkon]

Hello Earthmen and Women,

I must be one of the oldest here (57) and am very pleased to meet you all and share reminiscences.

I am a systems accountant who was recently made redundant but am now starting a whole new exciting career in the world of Oracle Hyperion Financial Management (seriously).

I live in Staines but my second home is, of course, on Mars ("sort of", as Conrad would say). Incidentally, some of you may know me as Conrad Turner (OCS) but Conrad Lefkon (NCS) is one and the same.

S.I.R.

[Virgil Tracy]

Welcome Conrad

I can see that you like NCS, I like the OCS better then the new one but I think NCS is good too:D

[Conrad Lefkon]

Thanks, Virgil

The thing about NCS is that it could have been the start of a whole raft of new productions in Hypermarionation with each new series being better and more successful than the last.

In some ways it was the equivalent of Supercar, which came at the start of Supermarionation. Just look at the rapid progress in only a few years between Supercar and Original Captain Scarlet.

How good could Hypermarionation have become? I guess we will never know. :(

[Virgil Tracy]

I'm hearing you and agree, but the thing is that they change the looks of the Vehicles, but as a TV show NSC is good

[TonyB]

I must be one of the oldest here (57)

Not too sure about that at this point, but you beat me by 4 years, I have just turned 53. I am 53 going on 13. :)

I did not have a problem with NCS at all, some cool vehicle and aircraft designs in the series which was good, some iffy CGI from time to time which was not so good, but hey it was enjoyable stuff.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mercury Falling and Rat Trap from series one and and Enigma and Dominion from the second series.

[Conrad Lefkon]

Hello TonyB,

I am glad to hear from someone of my generation. :)

There has been a lot of talk over the years about the great Supermarionation Team that Gerry and Sylvia put together but I think that Gerry's Hypermarionation Team were equally committed.

You probably know that on the Spectrum Headquarters Forum there was a lot of interaction with members of the Hypermarionation Team, notably from Dominic Lavery, and they were very enthusiastic.

If you follow this link for reviews of Rat Trap, you will see some great posts by Dom Lavery.

http://spectrum-headquarters.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1033

As you can see, he has made 25 posts in total and he kindly sent his original designs for use on the site.

P.S. the posts by Father Unwin were made by me but I have now changed my identity!

[DukeDexter]

[QUOTE=Conrad Lefkon;831]Hello TonyB,
You probably know that on the Spectrum Headquarters Forum there was a lot of interaction with members of the Hypermarionation Team, notably from Dominic Lavery, and they were very enthusiastic.

If you follow this link for reviews of Rat Trap, you will see some great posts by Dom Lavery.

http://spectrum-headquarters.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1033

As you can see, he has made 25 posts in total and he kindly sent his original designs for use on the site. /QUOTE]

Great link, thanks - hadn't seen that before. Dom was full of enthusiasm for the series when I interviewed him a year ago. Nice of him to make himself so available!

I thought NCS was outstanding. Didn't mind all the changes, just thought of it as a completely new series. I remember being impressed with Mercury Falling early on, esp the fight between Scarlet and Black - only 40 years overdue! I turn a blind eye to any minor CG niggles, the same as I ignore the odd visible string on the original series. I love the fact that Hartley Hare and Capt Black have a voice in common!

[Conrad Lefkon]

Hello, Duke

Thanks for your kind comments. I have ranked NCS at No.5 in my list of favourite shows, one behind OCS, but it drives me mad that it was never given a chance by ITV. :mad:

I won't be satisfied until it gets national exposure in a reasonable family time slot. If then it only receives a lukewarm reception from the public then fair enough but until that day...

[Picasso61]

I've always been a huge fan of OCS but I've yet to see NCS. The thing is I'm old fashioned and I'll always be a fan of the puppets (strings and all) & Supermarionation but what I've read on this thread about NCS it's tempted me to buy it. Just ordered NCS to compare with OCS. Looking forward to seeing it.:)

[Conrad Lefkon]

Hello Picasso61,

Thanks for your message which is very encouraging. There are similarities with the puppets but Instead of strings there is advanced motion capture and Instead of puppets there are 3D CGI versions of the original characters.

Due probably to the huge learning curve for the Hypermarionation Team, the first episode is one of the weakest. Also the production quality seems to change for the better starting with episode three.

If you do buy the set I recommend that you watch Rat Trap first. After that, Trap for A Rhino, Enigma, Best Of Enemies and The Storm at the End of the World all take some beating.

Update: I see now that you have ordered it so I look forward to your review. Please remember that the first 2 episodes are not visually up to the standard of the rest.

[Picasso61]

If you do buy the set I recommend that you watch Rat Trap first. After that, Trap for A Rhino, Enigma, Best Of Enemies and The Storm at the End of the World all take some beating.Willdo Conrad - and thanks for the tip re the episode order.:)

[DukeDexter]

It drives me mad that it was never given a chance by ITV. :mad:

To quote from 2001 when they're discussing the monolith found on the moon... 'it was deliberately buried'.
Say no more.

And for anyone who hasn't seen it, I second those recommendations. The music's a bit flat but everything else impressed me about NCS.

[Keryn]

I'm of a certain era too - I'm 53. :rolleyes:

I wasn't a fan of NCS - with the exception of Captain Black. He was great. The rest of the characters....best not say what I really thought of them.

[hwels]

I'm of a certain era too - I'm 53.

Count me in, I'm 54 and hooked on TB en CS since their first screenings on Dutch TV.

Hans

[Picasso61]

I've just received New Captain Scarlet today and from what I've seen so far I'm most impressed with it. I'm up to Circles Of Doom which featured the WW2 Lancaster bomber. Super sound and picture quality - I think I'm going to enjoy the rest of the series. I like those brightly coloured Spectrum parachutes. Favourite episode so far is Swarm although as you said Conrad Rat Trap is a cracking episode too. I hope that Thunderbirds receives the same treatment. But for the moment Spectrum is most definitely Green. Excellent!:D

[Conrad Lefkon]

Hello Picasso61,

I am delighted to hear that you are enjoying New Captain Scarlet. When it was first broadcast on Saturday mornings I used to get quite excited, just like the old days.

I would also like to see what could be done with Thunderbirds in CGI but would be perfectly happy if they carried on with NCS series 3, 4 and 5 if there is a problem with the rights to Thunderbirds. :)

[Picasso61]

Just going to watch three more episodes now, Conrad. Looking forward to seeing much more of this excellent series.:)

[TonyB]

I re-watched the entire series a couple of months ago on the 42" Plasma TV on the 1080p upscaler, and I enjoyed it more than I had previously if I am honest.

Granted some elements of the CGI suffered a bit, smake effects and water for example, but I took much more notice of the backdrops and incidental stuff that was going off.