World Famous Comics: The Avengers - The '67 Collection: Set 1
The Avengers - The '67 Collection: Set 1
Starring: Diana Rigg, Patrick Macnee Average Rating: Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: VHS Tape Format: Box set, Color, NTSC Label: A&E Home Video Number of Items: 3 Release Date: June 30, 1998 Running Time: 312 minutes Theatrical Release Date: October 08, 1984
Description: Brace yourself for a riveting adventure replete with dry wit and deadly weapons, a dashing hero and a dazzling heroine. A smashingly sexy international sensation, THE AVENGERS was one of the most successful and influential British television exports in history. And now it’s back, better and bolder than ever! These digitally remastered 1967 colour episodes feature the exquisite Mrs. Emma Peel (Dianna Rigg) and the impeccable John Steed (Patrick Macnee) matching wits with the most twisted of villains. This collection includes the first six episodes aired on American television: FROM VENUS WITH LOVE: Steed is shot full of holes--and Emma sees stars. THE FEAR MERCHANTS: Steed puts out a light--and Emma takes fright. ESCAPE IN TIME: Steed visits the barber--and Emma has a close shave. THE SEE-THROUGH MAN: Steed makes a bomb--and Emma is put to sleep. THE BIRD WHO KNEW TOO MUCH: Steed fancies pigeons--and Emma gets the bird. THE WINGED AVENGER: Steed goes bird watching--and Emma does a comic strip.
Amazon.com: The long-running Avengers series added some extra gloss to its look and feel by filming in color starting in 1967, making the inimitable, eccentric atmosphere of the show complete. That production change coincided with some of the best writing the program ever enjoyed. So it makes sense that those late-1960s episodes of The Avengers have been packaged to help us forget the botched 1998 feature film version of the show. Set 1 includes a mystery about killer phobias, "The Fear Merchants"; the time-travel story "Escape in Time"; the feathery spy tale "The Bird Who Knew Too Much"; the invisible-villain yarn "The See-Through Man"; and the comic-book spoof "The Winged Avenger." --Tom Keogh
VHS version good -- DVDs are SUPERB! Go here (to the DVD versions) to see my full reviews of these great episodes:
Avengers '67 - Set 1, Vols. 1 & 2
Avengers '67 - Set 2, Vols. 3 & 4
Avengers '67 - Set 3, Vols. 5 & 6
The Avengers '67 - Set 4, Vols. 7 & 8
Forget the VHS tapes -- buy the DVDs! They are MUCH clearer and sharper.
Another set of six classic Avengers episodes Opening sequence: Close-up of two champagne glasses, one standing, one on its side; camera pans back; John Steed (Patrick MacNee) enters stage left, wearing an impeccable suit and a bowler hat, with an umbrella dangling from one arm; he carries a champagne bottle; camera pans back and right; Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) enters stage right, wearing a pastel body suit and carrying a chrome-plated pistol with bone grips; she shoots the cork out of Steeds champagne bottle; he shows no surprise; he draws a small sword from the handle of the umbrella and uses it to flip a carnation from a vase over to Mrs. Peel; vibrant, upbeat music plays throughout the scene.
Does this give you an idea of the style, quirkiness, and love for the unexpected and slightly outrageous that was the trademark of this series? Steed and Peel were agents were British Intelligence, and each episode dealt with some threat to British national security and/or the keepers thereof. The writers had a penchant for outlandish and just-beyond-credible stories. No matter how outrageous, Steed and Peel were seldom taken off-guard, never flustered, and, of course, always able to somehow overcome the obstacles presented to them.
In "From Venus with Love", the duo follows-up on a string of mysterious deaths somehow connected with a group of almost-fanatical amateur astronomers. In "The Fear Merchants" people appear to be dying of extreme fear, and Steed and Peel investigate. In "Escape in Time" a group is selling the idea that they can help people who are in legal or other trouble escape -- by going back in time. That's not what's really going on. In "The See-Through Man", Steed must rescue Peel, while tracking down an invisible murderer. In "The Bird Who Knew Too Much" a talking bird learns things that are better left unsaid, and murder and mayhem ensue. In "The Winged Avenger" the darker side of publishing comic books is unmasked.
VERY GOOD, SOME OF THE BEST This is a classic set. It has some great ones. Diana Rigg playing Mrs. Peel and Patrick Macnee playing John Steed are fabulous together. This is a humorous and fun series to watch. The set includes: From Venus with Love, The Fear Merchants, Escape In Time, The See-Through Man, The Bird Who Knew Too Much, and The Winged Avenger. This is a classic series.
Delightful Escape in Time with the Avengers Philip Levene wrote the wonderful "Escape in Time." Are miscreants successfully disappearing into the past? After a few agents are murdered Steed follows an escape route and disappears. Shown old films of Derby day around 1910 he murmurs, " A little before my time." "Not necessarily!" says his host who claims he can transport Steed out of the law's reach- for half his loot. Diana Rigg as the resourceful Emma decides to infiltrate their escape route. When a female member of the gang recognizes her Emma is sent back to the late 1500s, thrown into stocks and accused of dressing to "inflame a man to lust!" Emma, dressed in 18th century garb says,"You should see 400 years from now!" Steed's attempted rescue, trying to find the hideout when he was previously blindfolded, and great fight scenes with an 17th century noble, 18th century soldier. Confronted in the 1560s by a man brandishing a 20th century gun the unflappable STeed asks, Aren't you a little ahead of your time? Witty, satirical and fast paced this is the best episode of the six. Winged AVenger, by Richard Harris, spoofs comic books and super heroes. What can scale multi story buildings and claw ruthless business men to death? The usual eccentrics- the famed explorer who climbs out the window and down the rope from the 2nd floor to take tea on the terrace, the professor who takes tea on the ceiling upside down and marvellous fight between Emma and the killer on the ceiling is a great climax. Bird who knew too much has ruthless killers, a great fight between Emma and a killer who relishes dispatching death on a diving board! See Through Man is the weakest- Invisible man and spies with a realistic plot twist but it is slow, sluggishly directed and the only dull story. Fear Merchants pokes fun at captains of industry who have neuroses. There is a great china smashing scene between Steed and a naive Jeremy Raven who rejects all the products of kiln and hurls them across the room. Raven doesn't question why he is able to take over companies that had previously rejected his bids for amalgamation. Steed unwittingly puts Emma in danger when he lies and says that she is a business competitor. Clever satire of psychiatrists and their quirks. From Venus with love tracks a mysterious speeding white object that kills astronomers, turns their hair white and disappears. Does anyone ever survive mysterious happenings except Steed and Emma? The episodes are among the best of 1967 and definitely worth the purchase and can be viewed with pleasure again and again!
5 Stars for the Delightful Escape of Escape in Time Writer Philip Levene penned the wonderfully written Escape in time. "Miscreants are escaping to England." Steed and Emma find a slain enemy agent with a 300 year old bullet in him. The next expiring agent leaves a clue that they follow. The escape route involves stuffed animals, a mini mall of vendor/conspirators, and the usual quirky criminals. Emma is nearly run down by a man in a red riding habit on a motor cycle. Avengers wit is top notch. "I didn't know that you could sew," says Steed admiringly as Emma creates a stuffed animal so he can travel the route. "Our relationship hasn't been exactly- domestic- has it?" she retorts. Emma impulsively creates her own stuffed animal to go to Steed's rescue when he disappears. Since he was blindfolded Steed's clues are no help. "there are churches and hills all over," says his harassed colleague. Turkeys!" Steed recalls. "Well why didn't you say so?" Only the Avengers would have a clue to a turkey farm! winged Avenger by Richard Harris has ruthless businessmen who throw employees out of work being sent to their deaths- via an unseen force that climbs buildings and mauls them to death. Emma investigates a disgruntled author who had reason to dislike a murdered publisher. "See you downstairs for tea," he jauntily climbs out the window and slides down a rope. As an explorer Sir Lexius can't stop climbing. Terrific climax of to the death fight on a ceiling between Emma and a crazed villain who will kill anyone who get in his way. One of the wittiest, most surreal episodes of the 1967 series. See through Man is thinly plotted and sluggishly directed. Roy Kinnear as the inventor with the hamster, Bertha running her wheel, is the only humorous note. As the crank inventor whose inventions have been ignored for more than a decade he remains optimistic that he will one day get it right. Has he succeeded in making a man invisible? Clemons bird who Knew too Much has a daffy bird lover who wears a bird on his morterboard and teaches his parrots to recite Shakespeare among other things. Where is Captain Carusoe and why has someone resorted to theft and murder over a parrot? Delightful fight scenes and dangerous ones. Emma tangling with a sadistic killer on top of a diving board, and later with a baddie in a carriage inside an exhibition is great. Well directed. Fear Merchants spoofs psychiatry: one psychiatrist speaks with a Vienniese accent a la Sigmund Freud and the other has developed the most lethal consequences for answering a questionnaire truthfully! Super strong man splits boards with his arm, then is traumitized by a tiny mouse, another titan of industry by excessive speed in a car. Levene's rapid wit delights. Steed unwittingly sets Emma up to be murdered by claiming she is his only rival in business. Great fight scenes again- Steed turning the tables on the sadistic psychiatrist who has HIS own fear and Emma fighting villains while tied to a chair. From VEnus with Love offers the usual eccentrics, an aristocratic chimney sweep, a general who replicates battle sounds on 3 victrolas while dictating his memoirs. What mysterious sounding white flash of light is decimating members of the Venusian society and turning their hair white? Eerie chase as Emma pursues a ball of white light and Steed is nearly dispatched by it as he dives over tombstones. Fast paced and enjoyable. 1967 Set 1 had a much better mix of episodes witty, exciting, and fast paced than 1967 set 3 or 1967 set 4. Later in the year the writing deteriorates, most likely because first Roger Marshall, and later Phlip Levene, the two best writers left the show.
Anything Goes Trivia
Last Kiss
Megaton Man
Trevor
