One of the benefits of being away on missions is coming back to check the radar for new discoveries. On the heels of my post yesterday about the new Gerry Anderson Collection box sets, more good news comes from Shout Factory about the return of another out-of-print title. On May 26th Shout will release The Saint: The Complete Series on DVD. The 33-disc region 1 box set will include all original episodes spanning 1962-1969 starring Roger Moore, as well as audio commentary on select shows and a behind-the-scenes with Moore featurette. From the Shout press release: "When sinners strike, call on THE SAINT! Modern-day Robin
Hood. Wealthy man of mystery. Debonair rogue. Call Simon Templar what you will,
but never cross THE SAINT. A timeless figure of adventure since his creation by
Leslie Charteris in 1928, The Saint has thrilled adventure aficionados with his
exploits in a variety of media, including novels, movies, and radio—but nowhere
was the dashing Mr. Templar more indelibly realized than in his 1960s
television series, presented here in one outstanding collection: The Saint- The
Complete Series. Starring the perfectly-cast Roger Moore as Simon Templar, The
Saint was a benchmark in the lifespan of the character, and a stepping stone to
Moore taking on the role of an even more well-known man of action later in his
career. Featuring thrilling acts of derring-do, beautiful places (and people),
and a sly wit, this complete set of all 118 episodes of The Saint are a
heavenly addition to your collection. With guest star appearances by Oliver
Reed (Tommy, Gladiator), Academy Award-winning actress Julie Christie (Darling,
Doctor Zhivago), Donald Sutherland (The Dirty Dozen), Edward Woodward (TV's
"The Equalizer"), a bevy of Bondian beauties (Goldfinger's Honor
Blackman and Shirley Eaton, as well as Lois "Miss Moneypenny" Maxwell),
and many more. Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer to the series, it's
time to say "Halo!" to The Saint." Shout has brought back a number of OOP titles, include Gerry Anderson sets, the complete Danger Man/Secret Agent, I Spy, and Peter Gunn. The Saint on Amazon here.
Selected Spy Vibe posts: Gerry Anderson Box Sets, Bond LEGO, Deadlier Than the Male, Spectre Report, Music For Spies, Thai Bond Design, Brian Clemens RIP, Bond vs Modernism, Imitation Game, New Avengers Books, Road to Hong Kong, Inside Gerry Anderson, Ringo Does Goldfinger, Sixties Beat Wear, SPECTRE Announced, Popular Skullture, New Gerry Anderson Sets, New SECRET AGENT set, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Modesty Monday, Feraud Mod Fashion, Flint Scores!, Bond Danish, Home Movies, New Richard Sala Book, New 007 Comics, Designing Bond Books, Green Hornet Manga, Margaret Nolan Art, No 6 Festival, Barbarella Returns, 007 Audio Books Return, Designer: Gene Winfield, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.
Breaking news: North American fans of The Avengers may finally want to open that bottle of John Steed champagne. A&E has announced the release of Season 5 on Blu-ray! I wish I could report the imminent release of the entire series, but this is still great news. A&E is starting with the color Mrs Peel episodes, which I hope is just the tip of the iceberg. Cover art is ported over from their last Emma Peel Megaset (matching Optimum's UK box design), but it is not clear yet if A&E will be sourcing from Optimum's celebrated Hi-def transfers. Reports are also speculating the absence of special features. I join my fellow fans in hoping the set will use the best prints possible and include bonus extras. Season 5 will be amazing to see on Blu-ray, especially fave episodes like From Venus With Love, The Winged Avenger, The Living Dead, Epic, The Joker, and Return of the Cybernauts. Street date is November 11th.
I investigated the Optimum UK set last spring on my all-region player, and though the episodes looked stunning, the PAL-NTSC speed-up issues made everyone sound like they were on helium. See my test-comparison video here. I'm thrilled to see this new NTSC Blu-ray release, which should offer us the best visual quality played at the correct speed. Spy Vibers can now pre-order the A&E set from Amazon for a low $20.99 here. Blu-ray page. I'll update with further details as they are announced. Read Spy Vibe's feature interview about The Avengers production history with Michael Richardson here.
Selected Spy Vibe posts: Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Diana Rigg at 76, Gerry Anderson Doc, Mr. Hulot's Box Set, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Batman News, Monty Python Fathom Spies, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Big Fun Toys, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Mod Fashion Dolls, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.
Emma Peel returned to DVD yesterday and Spy Vibe is throwing an Avengers party to celebrate. Mini-killers (1969) was another low-budget effort to cash in on Rigg's Emma Peel persona. Made in Spain, this rare short was written and directed by Wolfgang von Chmielewski (sounds like a diabolical mastermind), who had a brief career as production assistant and sometime writer for a German crime series in the late 1970s. Unlike our independent 8mm film yesterday, Diadem, Mini-Killers was a more bonafide production (by Accentfilm/Germany) and does appear on Dame Diana's official filmography. The video quality is quite poor, but Avengers fans do get to see Diana Rigg as a spy. The film also benefits from a host of fun 1960s conventions, like mini-dresses, sports cars, bikinis- and deadly explosive dolls that squirt acid. Enjoy! See Avengers Sing here. John Steed Talks here. Peeling off the Trenchcoats here. Avengers Sets here. Lost Avengers episodes return as Audio Books here. Emma Peel fashion designer John Bates here. Spy Vibe's look at Avengers fashion here. The Avengers are currently featured in a comic book series by Boom! Studios.
Recent Spy Vibe posts: David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, The Prisoner & Captain Scarlet, Peter Asher, Gerry Marsden tour, Elio Petri on Blu-ray, Sophia Loren, new Beatles BBC album, new Hercule Poirot novel, Beatles fall 2013 releases, A Hard Days Night cinematographer dies, Magic Christian on Blu-ray, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address
The Avengers are returning to DVD on Tuesday! A&E will re-release the complete Emma Peel Megaset on October 8th through their distributor, Lionsgate. In this era of digital products and mass accessibility, this premiere cult classic has surprisingly spent years out in the cold, commanding high prices on the second-hand market. The 16-disc collection will include all 51 episodes starring Diana Rigg packaged in a slim case. It appears to be a re-packaging of the 2006 discs, which may disappoint fans looking to upgrade to the UK remastered prints. During Rigg's tenure on The Avengers, the show transitioned from video to film and hit its stride with a delicious cocktail of humor, youthful flair, action, and Swingin' fashion design. Under the watchful eye of writer/producer of Brian Clemens, The Avengers became a cutting-edge cultural phenomenon that set trends and defined the times. Rigg's Emma Peel sported early Mod designs and was even one of the first, if not the first, characters to introduce the Mini Skirt on national TV. The set highlights what many fans see as the pinnacle of 1960s spy entertainment.
The new box art is based on the remastered UK set, but apparently the previous prints are included. There is still no word about whether the series will be released on Blu-ray in the future. Like most fans, I long for a complete Blu-ray release of each era of The Avengers: Cathy Gale, Emma Peel, Tara King, New Avengers. But for the low price of $36.99, this new box set is a great opportunity to bring the Diana Rigg seasons back in circulation. Amazon page here. Lost Avengers episodes return as Audio Books here. Emma Peel fashion designer John Bates here. Spy Vibe's look at Avengers fashion here. The Avengers are currently featured in a comic book series by Boom! Studios.
Recent Spy Vibe posts: David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, The Prisoner & Captain Scarlet, Peter Asher, Gerry Marsden tour, Elio Petri on Blu-ray, Sophia Loren, new Beatles BBC album, new Hercule Poirot novel, Beatles fall 2013 releases, A Hard Days Night cinematographer dies, Magic Christian on Blu-ray, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address
The Avengers are returning to DVD! A&E has announced that they will re-release the complete Emma Peel Megaset on October 8th through their distributor, Lionsgate. In this era of digital products and mass accessibility, this premiere cult classic has surprisingly spent years out in the cold, commanding high prices on the second-hand market. The 16-disc collection will include all 51 episodes starring Diana Rigg packaged in a slim case. During Rigg's tenure on The Avengers, the show transitioned from video to film and hit its stride with a delicious cocktail of humor, youthful flair, action, and Swingin' fashion design. Under the watchful eye of writer/producer of Brian Clemens, The Avengers became a cutting-edge cultural phenomenon that set trends and defined the times. Rigg's Emma Peel sported early Mod designs and was even one of the first, if not the first, characters to introduce the Mini Skirt on national TV. The set highlights what many fans see as the pinnacle of 1960s spy entertainment.
Although the box art is based on a remastered UK set, it is still unclear whether or not these US discs will be an upgrade and if they will include the new UK special features. Like most fans, I long for a complete Blu-ray release of the Cathy Gale, Emma Peel, Tara King, and New Avengers seasons, but for the low pre-order price of $36.99, this is a great opportunity to bring the Diana Rigg seasons back in circulation. Amazon page here. Lost Avengers episodes return as Audio Books here. Emma Peel fashion designer John Bates here. Spy Vibe's look at Avengers fashion here. The Avengers are currently featured in a comic book series by Boom! Studios.
Still need to enter Spy Vibe's summer contest to win vintage prizes? The deadline has been extended to August 16th. Details here. Get ready to meet MIKI ZERO, a Japanese fashion model and spy from 1965! I've written a novel inspired by Spy Vibe. More info at my website here.
