Avengers on DVD

Timeless A-Peel · Post by **Timeless A-Peel** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 1:40 am

JohnSteedFr wrote:Not a hat, but a gun (good one trust me ! ) like Gambit's !
I totally agree, I really appreciate reading Timeless' posts here, she's probably the biggest fan of the NA. Jolly job and believe me, you've got my entire respect !

Thanks, Joris.

Dandy wrote:How about a hat on a cat?

Is the cat's name "Steed"?

It's nice to be appreciated. In lieu of the cat I will also accept Philip Glenister.

Hope you enjoy TNA when you get to it, ikbtops.

ikbtops · Post by **ikbtops** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:48 pm

So I just started watching the '76 season, and I must say quite a different vibe to the show. A bit more serious, but at the same time cheesier dialogue and rapport. Lots of gratuitous up skirt and down- blouse shots of Purdey. Amusing in an "Assault on Precinct 13" kind of way. I'm enjoying it for what it is though, for sure.

frank · Post by **frank** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:16 pm

ikbtops wrote:Thank you to all, and happy anniversary to this great forum!!! I've only been on here for a couple of weeks,but I've truly enjoyed all of the responses from all of you awesome Avenger fans as well as digging the general vibe supremely! I will indeed look into picking at least the '76 set up next pay.
I have a multi zone DVD player,but no Blu Ray. I may look in into getting a uni remote to hack it though. I don't understand why DVDs for American audiences have such minimal extras? My Tomorrow People region 2 DVDs- loads of extra commentaries. I'm looking very forward to TNA!

I suspect the main reason the AE extras were so bare was due to risk assessement

I think it's easy to forget that the Avengers was 1 of the first TV shows released on DVD in both the US and the world. It was back at a time when they were still manufacturing VHS products. Releasing tv shows was still a gamble. You combine that with the cost of extras, (even commentary on a few episodes) and the how much AE was getting billed by Canal+ it was probbaly seen as an unnecessary risk.

Also the relative cost to purchase episodes back then was very expensive compared to 5 years later or today. 6 episodes on DVD cost $45 dollars and this over 10 yrs ago. we'd be talking over $200 for a full season-factoring in inflation. Today a tv show box set has an entire season of 22 epsiodes between $60-90 depending on extras and the number of discs.

charging $99 for the EP megaset today would be accurate considering how feww extras there are.

Now I hope R1 versions of these new DVDs come about but I don't know if when i will be able to afford it. I did say DVDs. I dont care how good BlueRay is, I am not about to spend thousands of dollars on a new system and replacements discs just for a litte extra resolution or 1 or 2 additional extras. It makes sense that DVD supplant VHS since the advantage differences between the 2 systems was enormous and the cost of DVDs came down to warrant it. However there isn't enough of a difference between DVD and BlueRay

ikbtops · Post by **ikbtops** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 12:43 pm

Different strokes I guess...
Blu Rays look great to me and the player makes your DVDs look better too.
What you say about A&E makes sense, though.

Timeless A-Peel · Post by **Timeless A-Peel** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:04 pm

ikbtops wrote:So I just started watching the '76 season, and I must say quite a different vibe to the show. A bit more serious, but at the same time cheesier dialogue and rapport. Lots of gratuitous up skirt and down- blouse shots of Purdey. Amusing in an "Assault on Precinct 13" kind of way. I'm enjoying it for what it is though, for sure.

TNA is best enjoyed with the right attitude--accepting that it's not the original, and not comparing it to its predecessor every ten seconds. Sounds like you're having fun with it, which is good. It does have a different "feel" to it, partly due to the higher proportion of location filming. Any particular episodes stand out to you yet?

ikbtops · Post by **ikbtops** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:40 pm

You know, I read a lot of crticism on Amazon reviews comparing episode to episode. I happen to think they're consistently good though. I've only skimmed the surface, watching the first 3. The action sequences are faster paced and more intense. The plot lines are split 3 ways which makes it a bit more interesting as well. There was a Purdie kick (Midas Touch) to the contaminated evil doer in to the sarcophagus which was off by a mile- kind of funny. Interesting to see Frank Thorton( Captain Peacock) as Roland in House of Cards). I like the fact lots of different external locations were used. I feel it gives me a better idea of what England looks like. Although it seems to be sunnier than I would have thought. I think these episodes would actually benefit from blu Ray quite a bit- what with how colorful everything is. Purdies bird sweater with matching hat and boots was a funny bit of 70's fashion.

Timeless A-Peel · Post by **Timeless A-Peel** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:05 pm

ikbtops wrote:You know, I read a lot of crticism on Amazon reviews comparing episode to episode. I happen to think they're consistently good though. I've only skimmed the surface, watching the first 3. The action sequences are faster paced and more intense. The plot lines are split 3 ways which makes it a bit more interesting as well. There was a Purdie kick (Midas Touch) to the contaminated evil doer in to the sarcophagus which was off by a mile- kind of funny. Interesting to see Frank Thorton( Captain Peacock) as Roland in House of Cards). I like the fact lots of different external locations were used. I feel it gives me a better idea of what England looks like. Although it seems to be sunnier than I would have thought. I think these episodes would actually benefit from blu Ray quite a bit- what with how colorful everything is. Purdies bird sweater with matching hat and boots was a funny bit of 70's fashion.

I know which kick you mean--someone goofed on the camera angle that day. TNA's usually pretty good about things like that, though. Gareth and Joanna do most of their stunts, so there's very little in the way of doubles, and they tend to be less obvious when they do use them. TNA's first season was shot during the summer of 1976, which was apparently unusually hot, which explains why everything is so sunny. Those are all good episodes you've seen, but there are other good ones to come. It'll be interesting to see what you think of ones like Faces and Target!

Frankymole · Post by **Frankymole** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:51 pm

Timeless A-Peel wrote: I know which kick you mean--someone goofed on the camera angle that day. TNA's usually pretty good about things like that, though. Gareth and Joanna do most of their stunts, so there's very little in the way of doubles, and they tend to be less obvious when they do use them. TNA's first season was shot during the summer of 1976, which was apparently unusually hot, which explains why everything is so sunny.[/i]

It was incredibly hot - rainy old SW England had a three-month drought!!

There's a plaque up to it along with a select handful of glorious summers, at Portmeirion. http://www.virtualportmeirion.com/hercules/hercules.htm It just reads "Nonesuch 1976."

Timeless A-Peel · Post by **Timeless A-Peel** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:33 pm

Frankymole wrote:
Timeless A-Peel wrote: I know which kick you mean--someone goofed on the camera angle that day. TNA's usually pretty good about things like that, though. Gareth and Joanna do most of their stunts, so there's very little in the way of doubles, and they tend to be less obvious when they do use them. TNA's first season was shot during the summer of 1976, which was apparently unusually hot, which explains why everything is so sunny.[/i]
It was incredibly hot - rainy old SW England had a three-month drought!!

There's a plaque up to it along with a select handful of glorious summers, at Portmeirion. http://www.virtualportmeirion.com/hercules/hercules.htm It just reads "Nonesuch 1976."

Wow, it got a plaque? That must have been some summer.

Alan · Post by **Alan** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 5:37 am

Coincidentally, I visited Portmeirion in the summer of 1976 with my parents. And yes, it was very hot indeed.

Had the pleasure of meeting Portmeirion's architect, Sir Clough Williams-Ellis that day. As an 11-year old, he just seemed to me to be a nice, eccentric old gentleman! I wish I had been a little older - I would've had so many questions to ask him about his fabulous creation.