Original subtitles

(dramatic music)

- Okay, Venus.

- Okay, Steve.

- Right. Let's go.

(dramatic music)

(engines blasting)

(ship whirring)

(engines blasting)

(bright groovy music)

(bright circus music)

Wonderful dinner, Venus.

Nothing | like better than old-fashioned French cooking.

- Yep, most digestible.

- Glad you enjoyed it.

And now will you tell us just exactly what it is

we're celebrating, Steve?

- Say, | haven't forgotten someone's birthday, have |?

- No, don't worry, Professor.

It's just that it's 200 years ago today that the first

Zodiac performed in the circus.

That's why | asked you, Venus,

to put this crystal ball as a centrepiece on the table.

It belonged to my great, great, great grandmother

Madame Clara Zodiac.

- The greatest clairvoyant of all time.

| remember reading about her.

- Of course, the rest of us Zodiacs

were all trapeze artists.

- Tell us all about the Zodiac, Steve.

- Okay, but after Matt and | have made the coffee.

- We, uh, we're gonna try out my new coffee making machine.

- So while we tackle this hazardous mission,

you relax for a change.

Come on, Professor.

You'd better have the fire extinguisher standing by.

- [Professor] Oh, come on, Steve.

It's shaping up.

- [Steve] That's what you say. (door clicking)

(mystical music)

(bright circus music)

- Now, is it quite clear?

You are to fix the trapeze wire so that it will break

when Steve Zodiac is doing his act.

- Quite clear.

- When the wire breaks and everyone's attention

is distracted, that's when | will signal

Nomadians to move in.

- And | will fix the thruster packs just to make sure

they can't rescue him.

- Don't forget.

We've never met in our lives before.

(both laughing)

- [Cosmo] Oh, good.

| fixed all the thruster packs.

If anyone attempts to fly with them,

they're as good as dead.

(horn xylophone honking off-key)

- Really Zoonie, | think you must be tone deaf.

We'll never get this good enough

for the performance tonight.

(horn xylophone honking off-key)

Now, now, Zoonie.

No use losing your temper.

Let's take it again, quite slowly.

One.

Two.

And...

(cannon blasting)

(Jock ascending)

(Jock grunting)

(Jock coughing)

- All right, | suppose.

But all that smoke that goes with it,

it's positively dangerous.

(Jock laughing)

Oh, look at that crazy robot.

(lighthearted music)

Yeah, watch that you don't do yourself an injury

with that sword.

(metal sparking)

(robot thudding)

Well, | warned ya, Robot.

It was a crazy idea anyway getting you to do

a sword swallowing act.

Not to worry, though.

I'll soon put ya right.

That is, if | can get the professor to give me

some of my tools back.

(hammer pounding)

(drill whirring)

- Well, you're gonna get a big surprise, all of you.

Matthew Matic is not such a toot as you all think sometimes.

| can just see Zero's face when he sees.

- What in the universe is that?

- Top hat.

Vintage 1962, sir.

Made by one of the top hatters in ancient London, sir.

- And I've got to wear that on top of all this?

- Well, it's all part of the traditional

ringmaster's dress, sir.

- Ah, well, | guess it's for a good cause.

- Uh, nothing much the matter with you.

Only a blown fuse.

I'll see if | can persuade Professor Matic

to lend me back one of my screwdrivers.

- Leave your reporting to Nomadian Caravan Leader.

Stage one of plan complete.

A-okay.

(knuckles rapping)

Come in.

Close the door quickly, please.

Bright light destroys my cosmic concentration.

- Madame Mivea.

Just thought I'd come and see if you're quite comfortable.

- Thank you, Commander.

Everything could not be better.

- | still think you should have a safety net, Colonel.

It's a mighty long way down.

- [Steve] The Zodiac family never had a net.

I'm not gonna be the first member to start having one.

- Okay, Colonel.

- | can't wait to see old Zero in his ringmaster's costume.

- | see you have the old crystal ball, Madame.

- Oh, yes, Commander.

And it brings some very strange messages.

- Indeed.

What do you see now, for instance?

-| see,

| see the face of a circus clown.

- Cosmo the Clown.

That's me.

- Aw, gave me quite a shock.

- As we've never worked together before,

Madame Mivea, | just thought I'd drop by

and introduce myself.

(suspenseful music) (machines clicking)

- Unidentified object moving toward Space City.

Hmm.

Can't be a space missile.

It's too slow.

Still, better give an amber alarm.

(alarm wailing)

- What's that?

- The space ice cream cop? (laughing)

- Amber alarm.

Why, nothing to get excited about.

If you'll excuse me, I'd better get back.

- Sure, Commander.

- | do hope that it is nothing serious. (chuckling)

- Call Caravan Leader up

on the crystal ball, Madame.

Tell him they've been spotted.

Everything's going according to plan.

- Amber alarm.

| guess | better go below and see what's up.

Can you carry on on your own?

- Yup.

Only a couple more to fix, Colonel.

- And make sure you fix them good.

| don't want to become adrift during the act.

(dramatic music)

- There's a whole line of ‘em now, sir.

- Almost stationary, as if they were parked in free float.

A line of space ships, rather like a caravan.

- That's just what it is, | guess.

A caravan.

- A caravan?

- Yes, a gypsy caravan.

Ever since circuses began way back in pre-space times,

gipsies have always been attracted by the circus.

- The Nomadians.

You know what they say.

Never trust a Nomadian.

- Maybe | better go and have a look-see.

We don't want any trouble while the circus is on.

Want to come along for the ride, Ninety?

Be good experience for you.

- Go on, Ninety.

You're always saying how you're sick and tired

of being earthbound.

- Mivea to Caravan Leader.

Mivea to Caravan Leader, over.

What's the matter with the old fool?

- Turn up the volume.

He's as deaf as a space dira.

- Mivea to Caravan Leader.

Mivea to Caravan Leader.

For the last time, Mivea to Caravan Leader.

Are you receiving me? Over.

- Caravan Leader to Mivea.

Caravan Leader to Mivea.

lam receiving you loud and clear.

Too loud, in fact.

| may have lived many, many light years,

but | am not deaf, over.

- Silly old goat. - Shh.

After all,

he is our space employer.

- Mivea to Caravan Leader.

Zodiac is about to take off.

(engines blasting)

- Hold onto your seat, Ninety.

(ship whirring)

(engines blasting)

(ship roaring)

- | hope the old fool doesn't mess things up, his end.

- | think you underestimate Caravan Leader, my dear.

- Not long now.

Not long and my people who have wandered through space

for light years upon light years

will have a permanent camp:

Earth, the fairest planet of them all.

(pack beeping)

- Uh-oh, thruster pack's running out.

Better get down to the stores and get another.

| gotta finish this job.

(knuckles rapping)

- Professor Matic, please.

This is utterly ridiculous.

I'm trying to fix Robert here.

But it's extremely hard if you persist

in refusing to allow me to get my own tools

out of my own workshop!

- Here, your tools.

This is utterly ridiculous.

(tools clattering)

(sign thudding)

- Oh, what a space crazy man.

(hammer pounding)

Hello, Ross.

Fixed it?

- No.

Thruster pack's gone.

I'm just off to the stores to get another.

Eh, what's the matter with Robert?

- Swallowed too much sword.

He's blown his top.

- That's what Colonel Zodiac will do

if | don't get that trapeze fixed.

- There you are.

A Nomadian caravan.

- A whole line of them.

- That one will be the leaders unless I'm much mistaken.

I'll go across and have a word with them.

You better stay here.

(soft music)

- Steve's just gonna cross the leader's caravan now.

- Good.

Well, he knows regulations.

| don't think the Nomadians will give us any trouble.

- We will give you no trouble, Colonel Zodiac.

- Of course not, but you know the regulations.

You must move on in the morning.

- | know, Colonel Zodiac.

Always we must move on the next morning.

This one night will be enough for us.

More than enough.

(thrusters puffing)

- Commander Zero. Look!

Ken is falling.

His thruster pack must've failed.

(dramatic music)

- That's typical of Steve.

He always insists on a safety net.

- Yes, for everyone except himself.

Let's go over and see how Ken is.

- You must get back to your own space caravan

in case they suspect.

I'll call up Caravan Leader.

The old fool.

(ship whirring)

- He'll be okay.

He's only suffering from severe atmospheric shock.

- What happened?

- His thruster pack seemed to give out on him.

- Here it is.

A terrible mess, I'm afraid.

- |, uh, | hope your friend will be all right.

A most unfortunate accident.

- I'm not so sure that it was an accident.

(dramatic music)

- And when the circus performance is under way,

and | get the signal from our secret agent, we move in.

At last, the Nomadians will have a permanent site

of their own.

Is this all understood,

my people?

- [People] We understand, oh great Caravan Leader.

We, the Nomadian gipsies,

who have wandered in space for many light years,

follow you, great Caravan Leader,

to the end of space.

(bright music)

- Ahem.

Ah, let's see.

Ladies and gentlemen.

It is my great pleasure.

No, um, great privilege.

- How are you feeling, Commander?

- Terrible.

I'm so nervous.

I'd rather intercept 30 space missiles

than go through this.

- You'll be okay once you get out there in the ring.

By the way, did you get someone to go up

and check my trapeze?

- Lieutenant Ninety's up there now.

(suspenseful music)

(saw cutting)

- [Man] Overture at beginners, please.

Overture at beginners.

- Well, this is it.

- We better get down there.

Lieutenant Ninety will be back to take over

the control room in a minute.

(Ninety grunting)

- Try and get yourself out of this one.

(bright circus music) (crowd applauding)

(horn xylophone honking off-key)

- Keep going, Zoonie.

That's the way.

(horn xylophone honking off-key)

(crowd laughing)

Never mind.

Try again, Zoonie.

(horn xylophone honking)

(crowd laughing)

Oh, no, no, no.

Don't laugh, please.

Zoonie's so sensitive.

He'll go completely zany.

(horn xylophone honking) (Zoonie screeching)

(triumphant horn music) (crowd applauding)

- And now, ladies and gentlemen.

One of the most daring acts of the 21st century.

Jock Campbell, the human cannonball.

(bright circus music) (crowd applauding)

(dramatic music)

- Mivea to Caravan Leader.

All clear to move in.

Mivea to Caravan Leader.

All clear to move in.

(drum roll music)

(fuse sparking)

(crowd laughing)

- What's the matter, Commander?

- It won't light.

- Oh, this is terrible.

It could only happen to me.

(soft music)

- It's no good, Commander.

I'll have to strip her down.

Maybe | can get her working for later on in the show.

- We'll go on to Zodiac's act.

Do your best, Jock.

(triumphant music)

Ladies and gentlemen.

The star of our show,

the fabulous fantastic flyer,

Steve Zodiac,

who will perform his sensational trapeze act

without a safety net and without his thruster pack.

If he falls,

it will mean certain death!

(crowd applauding) (bright circus music)

(Cosmo laughing)

(bright circus music)

(crowd applauding)

- Magnificent.

Amazing.

Wonderful.

| can hardly believe my old eyes.

- No time for speeches.

Come on.

- Now, Zoonie, you really behaved very badly, you know.

Just because you played one wrong note.

(Lieutenant groaning)

(Zoonie hooting) (Lieutenant groaning)

- [Lieutenant] Venus!

- [Venus] What's that?

- [Lieutenant] Help!

(upbeat circus music)

- What a wonderful grandstand view.

- Let's get to work.

- No time to lose.

- | love the circus.

It's in my blood.

What a magnificent sight.

- Yes, isn't it?

And we want it to stay that way.

(bright circus music)

(dramatic drum roll)

(cable snapping) (crowd gasping)

- Quick, Ninety.

Get a thruster pack.

- No, Venus, they're all useless.

Sabotaged.

(crowd murmuring)

(cannon booming)

- It worked!

(Jock ascending)

(Jock descending)

(crowd applauding)

- Oh, thank goodness Zero fired you, Jock.

- | hope you don't mean that literally.

- The day they fire you, Jock, they can fire me, too.

- Thanks, Colonel.

- Thank you, Jock.

(hammer pounding)

(explosion booming)

- Professor!

- Sorry, Venus.

I'm, uh, I'm afraid it percolated a bit too violently.

- Professor, Professor, what have you been up to

in the workshop?

- The workshop?

What? What do you mean?

- You've been daydreaming, Venus.

We've been around here all the time.

What was it all about?

- There was a circus, and you were flying

through the air, Steve.

- Well, it almost happened for real in the kitchen.

That coffee machine of Matic's almost had us in orbit.

Now you settle down and I'll tell you the real story

of the Flying Zodiacs.

(bright circus music)

~ 1 wish | was a space man J

~ The fastest guy alive

£ I'd fly you ‘round the universe J

f In Fireball XL5 I

~ Way out in space together J

~ Conquerors of the sky

My heart would be a fireball

A fireball

f Every time | gazed into your starry eyes f

S We'd take the path to Jupiter

~ And maybe very soon J

¢ We'd cruise along the Milky Way ¢

¢ And land upon the moon J

¢ To a wonderland of stardust J

~ We'll zoom our way to Mars I

My heart would be a fireball

A fireball

~'Cause you would be my Venus of the stars