If you've been expecting the new Thunderbirds film to be an Austin Powers romp through a psychedelic 60s, think again. It's more a case of Star Trek meets Prada.
 The temptation was no doubt strong to take the formula from the cult Thunderbirds TV show on which the movie is based and camp it up massively for a modern-day audience. Like many, I was expecting all the essential ingredients to have remained intact... the great 60s sets (complete with sheepskin rugs) the slick, shiny 'technology' (with lots of buttons) and not least Lady Penelope's Rolls. But even that got a makeover, because Rolls Royce wouldn't play ball, and so Ford cleaned up instead, installing a football-pitch sized promo stand at the recent Motor Show. The car epitomises the controversy surrounding Thunderbirds. Purists, including the show's creator Gerry Anderson, raised their eyes to heaven when they clapped eyes on the design. Other bones of contention have followed thick and fast. Horror of horrors, none of the actors have strings. And Alan Tracy and his Spy Kidsesque clan of little friends seem at times to prefer slopping about in jeans and T-shirts... Where's the style in that? Director Jonathan Frakes has attempted to merge nostalgia with a contemporary twist to keep the new, younger audience happy. Bill Paxton, who plays Jeff Tracy, believes the film will do great things for Britain. "I think this is ultimately going to become this kind of great, quintessential British export to the world," he enthused at a recent press conference. "It's going to celebrate the style, the charm, of England in the 1960s." But, keen to point out how the film has 'progressed' the TV series, he added: "This is not your parents' Thunderbirds." Love it or hate it, Thunderbirds got us intrigued. So CityLiving wanted to find out more about what one set designer has described as the 'retro futuristic' look to the film. Retro what? Think... the new Mini Cooper, the new VW Beetle. Design classics in modern packaging. Merging the essence of nostalgia with modern thinking is what it's all about. And keeping the freedom and fun associated with 60s London is at the core of retro futuristic, which always comes in a bracing colour palate designed to wow. House of Fraser or nearby leading design store Fusion are packed full of furniture that will have you exclaiming "FAB!" in an instant. So girls, get out your pink Chanel suit and make like Lady P. And boys... you're in gadget heaven, so you should be happy.
 HOUSE OF FRASER From driving gloves for Parker to a complete Lady Penelope bedroom, House of Fraser is where Thunderbirds is at. For the drive of your life, Moschino have gloves to die for (including pink ones for Lady P, should she ever decide to take the wheel). £30 to £90. Indoors, and... to quote Lady P: "Pink is the new black this season." www.houseoffraser.co.uk FUSION This is where T-bird nostalgia freaks get to have fun. Top of the shopping list has to be the Brionvega radio. The TS522 comes in dayglo orange for that 60s retro look. Team it with the Womb Chair in orange, and you could have walked right on to the set. The Tulip table and chairs capture perfectly the essence of Thunderbirds, with more of a nod to the original series than the movie. This is sleek styling at its best. Have fun with the Platner collection, which brings T-birds style a little closer to the film. Who said you couldn't have a control room in your loft conversion? Glass features large in any T-bird set, so go for the Drum table with Comet chairs. For classics, look no further than the Barcelona collection or MR recliner. Sexy black leather for timeless appeal. All prices on enquiry at Fusion, Church Street, Birmingham. 0121 236 1020. www.fusionlifestyle.co.uk URBAN VILLAGE Birmingham's specialist in '60s and '70s design and accessories, Urban Village, stocks everything from ceramics, electrical goods and clothing, to toys, furniture and art. The Urban Village, Shop 11/12, Lakeside, Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Digbeth, Birmingham. Tel: 0121 244 5160 www.urban-village.co.uk JOSEPH JOSEPH Bold designs, beautiful colours served with a swathe of kitsch! From modular lounge cubes for storage, to sleek patterned bowls from designers such as Joseph Joseph (www.josephjoseph.com), these are contemporary pieces that acknowledge the recent past. Stuff And Co, 5b Ethel Street, Birmingham. Tel: 0121 633 8835 www.stuffand.co.uk | 
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