Avengerland

[Rhonda]

I'm a bit late, but this was at the back of my mind since reading this. Just thought 'dreams' might be an aspect of the imaginary Avengerland. Dreams feature themselves in the episodes but I'm more thinking of the dreamlike atmosphere felt watching parts of The Avengers, as if I have had a dream like this.

[ivanpledger]

My thoughts on this - I would accept that a lot of people’s idea about what Avengerland (Emma and Tara) is, or represents would be quite different. My idea is that Avengerland is a suspension of reality on both a social and class level. It is a semi-fantasy environment, created for the main characters and the D M’s in order that they do not look ridiculous or out of place, as they would in the real world. Also, Avengerland seems to be a mish-mash of identifiable styles – traditionalist British upper class (Steed) and 60’s mod pop culture (Emma/Tara). Part of Avengerland’s whole style and theme is how well this mix works. Just my thoughts.

Regards

[dissolute]

I'm not sure 60s mod and British upper class are totally mutually exclusive segments of society.

[helenofirvine]

Avengerland: my escape from the ordinary into the extraordinary...

[Dandy Forsdyke]

I'm not sure 60s mod and British upper class are totally mutually exclusive segments of society.

Interesting - can you elaborate? Are you talking about the 60's generally or as seen on The Avengers?

[ivanpledger]

Thanks for comment Dissolute – I agree they wouldn’t be totally exclusive, especially in contemporary society. I really enjoy the way they are brought together in the Avengers. Just look at the cars – old vintage Bentley, Rolls and Vauxhall etc vs Lotus Elan, Elan +2, Europa and AC….Lovely!!!!

Regards

[dissolute]

Quite right about the cars.
Mods wore Army Surplus parkers and rode Lambretta, but they wore the parkas to protect their expensive suits. Many mods may have come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds but the lifestyle required and conveyed money - and many of the designers and artists associated with the movement were positively rich. A scion of a venerable house would be just as likely to be part of the movement as the youngest son of a coal miner, after all, they could afford to shop in Carnaby Street.
Yves Saint Laurent & Pierre Cardin aren't exactly cheap, and neither was Mary Quant or Jean Varon (John Bates). Some of John's dresses were phenomenally expensive at the time.

I think Mrs Peel perfectly illustrates the well-to-do upper middle class young woman who embraced mod. I'll think of a clearly upper class example in a minute...

[Frankymole]

Quite right about the cars.
Mods wore Army Surplus parkers and rode Lambretta, but they wore the parkas to protect their expensive suits. Many mods may have come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds but the lifestyle required and conveyed money - and many of the designers and artists associated with the movement were positively rich. A scion of a venerable house would be just as likely to be part of the movement as the youngest son of a coal miner, after all, they could afford to shop in Carnaby Street.
Yves Saint Laurent & Pierre Cardin aren't exactly cheap, and neither was Mary Quant or Jean Varon (John Bates). Some of John's dresses were phenomenally expensive at the time.

Indeed. One of the oft-quoted Mod tenets was it being compulsory to dress far more smartly and sharply (and expensively) than your boss (and show them up), something remarkable to do as a recent school leaver (probably) on a low wage!

[Ketman]

Avengerland is where even top agents live in flats that are easily burgled, and often are. The front door is like the door of the sports room at my school where they kept the rugby balls and cricket bats. If you kicked it, your foot would go right through. But there's no need to do that. You just have to smash the glass panels at the side, stick your hand in and turn the handle of the Yale lock. Finding what you're looking for is no problem either, because top agents' flats don't have hallways to confuse you. The front door leads straight into the lounge. Look - there's the sofa, just ten feet away.

In Avengerland they drive around in open-topped cars specially modified to silence the wind, so they can talk to each other at normal volume with that slight echo typical of an indoor acoustic.

Top agents in Avengerland never call the police when they find a dead body. The worst they'll ever do is raise a ironic eyebrow as they step over it.

[Frankymole]

My Yale lock can be double-locked (deadlocked) so even smashing the little window in my front door won't allow someone to turn the latch on the inside... Maybe they're different in Avengerland