As Spy Vibe tends to spotlight imagination, technology, and design from the Cold War, it is not unusual to see characters from the Sci-Fi realm lurking here in the shadows. And from his dealings with diabolical megalomaniacs (Enemy of the World) and his work with UNIT and use of Bond-like gadgets in the early 1970s, Doctor Who is a reader favorite! I recently had a chance to photograph the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff, which featured 50 years of costumes, props, and sets. Putting aside my inner-child for the moment (who was absolutely thrilled, by the way!), I can report that the series is indeed bigger on the inside. My visit to the Experience began with a fun interactive adventure led by an actress, who took the group through various sets, where The Doctor communicated via video link and his gallery of rogues circled in for the kill. Fans of the contemporary series got to see familiar foes, such as Daleks and Weeping Angels. I wasn't expecting an invitation to play-act, but it was quite fun running through the scenario and the sets were fantastic. Once the tour portion of the visit was over, I was then free to wander through five decades of screen artifacts and treasures. Most of the displays focused on costumes, props, and set interiors, but they were smart to also include a large area devoted to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop wizards who conjured up all those great atmospheric sounds and musical scores. Encapsulating Cold War elements from the show's design history, the exhibit included a number of early-style Tardis interiors, with their focus on minimal futurism and geometric shapes. The Cybermen, one of my favorite Who villains, were well represented in a timeline of design evolution. Although the Cybermen have become more beefy and metallic in recent years, their basic form still harkens back to those wonderful, silver Gemini space suits of the early 1960s. The Doctor Who Experience presented a massive archive of costumes, and a great highlight was photographing the collection of outfits worn by each of the doctors. Seeing them displayed in a line, one couldn't help but pick up on the Edwardian tradition of the dandy gentleman as a counterbalance to the show's themes of adventure and cutting-edge technology. Doctor Who was not alone in this 1960s trend, as we saw a rash of dandy heroes in The Avengers, Adam Adamant Lives, and in films like The Assassination Bureau. As a character designed initially to entertain and educate children about history, his costumes have served to root us in a gentler image from our own past, where eccentric Willy Wonka-like uncles feed us jelly babies and foil fiendish plots devised by dastardly evil-doers. As a professional photographer, I always try to convey mood and narrative in my images (in this case, taken with iPhone 6 with only minor editing). Below: details of most of the Doctor costumes, as well as Tardis interiors, an original set model, plus Cybermen and assorted creatures. One of my faves are the Ice Warriors (brought back recently in "Cold War" 2013). The yellow Edwardian car was the gadget-filled motor featured mainly in the third Doctor's era portrayed by John Pertwee. Bessie, as it was called, included an anti-theft force field, remote control, and hyperdrive with inertia absorption. The Doctor Who Experience was a great thrill and I encourage readers to make the pilgrimage. I liked it so much, in fact, that I can imagine relocating and devoting my talents to furthering the cause. Wales is lovely. I invite serious job offers! My photo series concludes with an image of the great Tom Baker (my childhood Doctor) captured serendipitously in the train back to London, and a self-portrait of your humble Spy Vibe host with Cybermen (auditioning for The Master?). Your guide to the original Doctors costumes: William Hartnell (1963-1966), Patrick Troughton (1966-1969), John Pertwee (1970-1974), Tom Baker (1974-1981), Peter Davison (1981-1984), Sylvester McCoy (1987-1989), Paul McGann (1996), Christopher Eccelston (2005), David Tennant (2005-2010), Matt Smith (2010-2013). The new season of Doctor Who begins on September 19th (look out for a 3D preview screening offered by Fathom Events). Inquiries about these Photograph prints can be made to spyvibe[at]gmail.com. More info about Photographer/Writer Jason Whiton here. Enjoy!
Selected Spy Vibe posts: Farewell Steed, Pussy Galore Returns, Diana Rigg birthday, Sherlock at 221B, Invisible Agent, Saint Interview: Ian Dickerson, Saint Doppelgänger, Fleming's Typewriter, Rare Fleming, Fleming's Music, Ian Fleming's Japan, Jim Wilson Corgi Interview, Fantomas Design, Jeremy Duns on Bond, John Buss interview, Diana Rigg eBook, Avengers Season 5 Titles, Saint Volvo, Mod Tales Interview, Agente Secreto Comics, Danger Man Comics 2, Danger Man Comics, John Drake Comics, Der Mann Von UNCLE, Golden Margaret Nolan, Man From UNCLE Rocksteady, Pussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Edward Mann Fashion, Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, New Saint Publications, The Saint Complete box set, Gerry Anderson Box Sets, Music For Spies, Thai Bond Design, Bond vs Modernism, Popular Skullture, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Feraud Mod Fashion, Green Hornet Manga, No 6 Festival, 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, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.
Space-age Saturday: Spy Vibers who were born during the Space-Age may remember a Mattel tricycle with special features called the X-15. This super trike was patterned after the original X-15, which was built by a joint program between NASA, the Air Force, and the Navy. The X-15 had its first unpowered flight in 1959, and then launched from B-52s in a number of hypersonic test flights through the mid-1960s. The data it recorded contributed to the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle missions. Mattel produced their X-15 in metallic blue and blue-green, and outfitted it with cool gadgets like a seatbelt with metal buckle, jet-style navigation stick, articulated back wheels for sharp turns, and Mattel's own V-Rroom engine effect with dash activation and a side speaker. I was one of the lucky kids who had this when I was little- probably a tag-sale find, but I don't remember the details. What I do recall is flipping the V-Rroom! switch and feeling the rush as I imagined my X-15 taking off into the outer atmosphere! Mattel also produced a Batman version of the X-15 in 1966. Vintage ads and images below. Learn more: Nasa history, Eric Mack, Tricycle Fetish. Happy weekend, Spy Vibers!
Recent Spy Vibe posts: Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Batman News, Monty Python Fathom Spies, Monty Python Returns!, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, The Spotnicks, Model Secret Agents, Remo Williams Blu-ray, Bunny Yeager and Ursula Andress, Danger Mouse, Lost Avengers Episodes, Big Fun Toys, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Mother's Day (Avengers), Mod Fashion Dolls, Cold War Archie, New Avengers Comic, Ipcress File Blu-ray, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, UNCLE Gun, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.
Spy Vibe has covered the space-age fashion of the 1960s extensively in its first three years. It's a topic dear to my heart, and evidentially to our readers, as well. Our post, Mods to Moongirls, has been visited over 35,000 times. Designers like Cardin, Rabanne, and Courreges are local heroes. As Victoria & Albert curator, Jane Pavitt, has discussed in her writing, much of the inspiration for the moon-look came from the styles developed by NASA, and spoke of modernism and the growing cultural anxieties over radiation. The fashion designers were early adopters of cutting-edge materials from the science sector, and masses of slender baby boomers cut the modern look in their new synthetics. Looking back at some of the images by Richard Avedon, we can also find examples of true NASA style being adopted by the mavens of high fashion and pop culture. Here are just a few examples from Avedon that include Jean Shrimpton and Paul McCartney.
The reflective surface of the Gemini suits had both an athletic and fetish quality that reminds me of this quote by artist, Andy Warhol: “It was a
perfect time to think silver. Silver was the future. It was spacey. Astronauts
wore silver suits. And their equipment was silver, too. And silver was also the
past. The Silver Screen. Hollywood actresses photographed in silver sets. And
maybe more than anything else, silver was narcissism. Mirrors were backed with
silver.” –Andy Warhol
Over ten years after the Gemini silver suit, designers kept its retro chic look alive for James Bond's mission in space in Moonraker. James Coburn as Derek Flint images below from Hello Spaceman here (check it out for some fun Doctor Who images with the Cybermen!).
