60 YEARS — HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO The Avengers (in color & B/W)!!! Today-January 7th- A retrospect.
- ****Breaking News!!!*** On the 29th of this month The Avengers TV series gets a special anniversary party 60… and Studiocanal is hosting this live virtual event… They have been one of the driving forces of keeping this classic Television show inthe public eye with all their Bluray/DVD releases. see link below for more info. ***
We are celebrating one of the most iconic pop culture TV series of all time today January 7th with a retrospect of the series and a review of Titan Books -The Avengers: A Celebration By Marcus Hearn, a cherished and critically acclaimed tribute to a well-loved British duo.
- Let us take a journey back to the early 60’s when fashion was key and keeping the British end up was about to make a significant mark on the entire world … I’m talking about one of the most iconic TV series -ahead of its time and born a year before James Bond made his way to the big screen- the year 1961- the show…The Avengers minus Cathy Gale(Honor Blackman) and Mrs Peel(Diana Rigg), yes there was John Steed played marvelously by Patrick Macnee, who’s character remained thru-out the run of the series and would evolve over the years from “I’ve got a job for you” type of attitude to more of equal partner to a caring guide in the last year when Linda Thorson was passed the torch from Diana Rigg-who Diana herself was joining another great movie dynasty as the latest Bond Girl for 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service opposite George Lazenby. Steed partnered with Ian Hendry and tackled unsavory people who committed crimes against the state-espionage/treason and other sorted affairs. The episodes were more noir like and complete with detective style raincoats. Stories were tight and not without their share of suspense and a little a bit sci-fi thrown in for good measure.
Trivia break- or should I say commercial break. Here’s what mom and dad were shopping for …
The Avengers really took off when the series 2 started up and Hendry’s character was replaced by Cathy Gale…adding a woman as Steeds partner and provided a larger viewing audience. Honor used Judo and Patrick’s Steed who did not carry a gun relied on cane styled umbrella that converted to a sword and his clothes got a face lift-fancy wardrobe complete with suit and a bowler…a hat that would save Steeds life on more than one occasion, especially since it had a metal frame work. The stories became more hip and more action and as the show progressed so did the camera work and effects. Scenes were filmed from all kinds of angles that would provide a more surreal look and feel sometimes lending a dream like quality to the series. Episodes over the course of the various seasons dealt with smuggling of government and scientific secrets, disrupting the spy network, people exacting revenge or receiving ill got gains and towns full of assassins.
A tribute (link below) to one of the most iconic figures of the 60’s — a kick ass femme fatale who is the embodiment of independence — smart as a whip and not afraid to use her brains and “judo” chops to take down the bad guys/gals threatening the very fabric of the free world and the British end. A head of her time, the indelible Mrs Emma Peel. A head of time itself..this character would one of a few to show women more than capable to hold their own with any man.
During the Mrs Peel era we were treated to the creation of the Cybernauts-metal automatons that were almost indestructible and even a story that was a salute to comic books and the then current Batman show complete with whoosh and screech and bang and boom. An episode entitled The Winged Avenger, which became one of my favorites and this was during the year The Avengers went color-1967 and this is also when I was introduced to short skirts and boots via Diana Rigg and Pierre Cardin suits (little did I know my first job as a teen would involve me selling and fitting customers with those suits … those were the days!!).
Later episodes in this run at times delved more into the SCI-FI-featuring episodes dealing with miniaturization and man-eating plants ala 1962’s Day of the Triffids-starring Howard Keel. This is about as far from reality as the series went. But even these ventures were highly rated and featured scripts by some of the most creative people in the UK. And producers and directors including Brian Clemens to is at the top of this list and credited with the shaping of the series over the years. Plus a collaborative collection of music-scores & background with one of the most memorable TV themes by Laurie Johnson. It would rival almost any cinematic effort. And thanks to this creative and imaginative work… the US came a calling…
The stars all too happy to celebrate..
ABC-THE American Broadcasting Company wanted to bring the Avengers to America — even agreeing to produce several of the episodes and England obliged(America got there first view of the Avengers with the 1965 series 4). I started seeing color commercials for this really cool TV series coming soon and I was hooked from the very first time I watched From Venus With Love, it had the premise that Venusians were trying to make contact…deadly contact and members of a society dedicated to studying Venus were turning white and expiring, not perspiring although right before the tell-tale flash of light that brought about their observations days permanently they would start to get very thirsty and hot.
- trivia- ABC cancelled one of the hottest shows- a show that actually earned the star Anne Francis an Emmy for best actor. Honey West was highly rated among critics and fans alike. ABC saved lots of money on production costs.
The popularity of the Avengers knew no bounds world wide. Here is an interview of Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg by one of my favorite actors Joachim Fuchsberger( known for his excellent portrayals of Scotland Yard Detectives in many German Krimis’ ). For the German fans.
next week — The Avengers get merchandised….
so til then be safe and don’t forget to keep the “British end up”.
Link for the Virtual Cinema event -This is a UK event….
