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! 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.
