The Avengers DVD Set 5 (Series 6) from Optimum

[darren]

Just been watching this myself. The audio sounds great and is the same as my contender discs - but ofcourse much clearer.

I work with audio and compression quite a bit and i did notice on "The forget me knot" that the audio is quite compressed. The final scene between Emma and Steed is a case in point. It appears that any ambient sound has been removed. There are actual sections of "dead air" between lines of dialogue which make them appear a bit unnatural. OR perhaps we've been so used to hearing hiss on these tracks!

The theme tune at the end of this show is decidedly "up tempo"

For all the pitch change - Steed and Emma's goodbye is barely audible.

I'm so used to the Avengers theme at the end of FMK being the full Thorson arrangement that I did a double take when the previous one started before going into the Thorson one for her introduction image.

[darren]

Very happy to have found this forum. My new oasis on the web!
I've been watching the introduction by Cyril Frankel.
I have to say it's shocking that they might have used his name on " Whoever shot poor George.." even though he didn't direct it! Was this common practice I wonder?

Loving the retro titles! Well done canal plus!

Hi Shanet, welcome to the forum.

I reckon that Frankel just didn't recognise his work rather than he didn't actually do it. There are elements to it that feel very much like his style but as John Hough and Robert Fuest said in the commentaries, they're encourage to be more interesting than other shows - so I think Frankel didn't really recognise his work as he was being encouraged in a different way unlike his work on things like The Champions and Randall and Hopkirk etc.

[pauljwyatt]

Hello Shanet and welcome!

I sat behind Cyril as we ran that episode for him and he did appear totally mystified by it and couldn't make any emotional connection with any element of the show. I think perhaps any of us might have the same problem trying to recall ten days of work 42 years ago!

During the screening he did consult his (very good) autobiography but there was no information about the show. Cyril said his favourite show was The Champions and that he had been asked to direct several episodes of the New Avengers - but sadly he had to turn it down as he was working in the theatre in Vienna.

He did say that if the series ever comes back he'd be delighted to direct for it . Which i thought was rather charming.

[Shanet]

Thanks for the insight Paul. It would have been interesting indeed to have seen what Frankle would have done with the new Avengers especially as that series was less fantasy and more straight action than its 1960's version. What a shame he was unavailable.

I was hoping he would shed some light on how the sliding down the bannister stunt was achieved at the end of "George" and if Linda Thorson had performed it herself.

[MRotten]

Thanks for the insight Paul. It would have been interesting indeed to have seen what Frankle would have done with the new Avengers especially as that series was less fantasy and more straight action than its 1960's version. What a shame he was unavailable.

I was hoping he would shed some light on how the sliding down the bannister stunt was achieved at the end of "George" and if Linda Thorson had performed it herself.

The "sliding down the bannister" stunt was performed by none other than Cyd Child, stuntwoman for both Linda Thorson and Diana Rigg, as it was too dangerous for the leading lady to do.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Thanks for the insight Paul. It would have been interesting indeed to have seen what Frankle would have done with the new Avengers especially as that series was less fantasy and more straight action than its 1960's version. What a shame he was unavailable.

I was hoping he would shed some light on how the sliding down the bannister stunt was achieved at the end of "George" and if Linda Thorson had performed it herself.

The "sliding down the bannister" stunt was performed by none other than Cyd Child, stuntwoman for both Linda Thorson and Diana Rigg, as it was too dangerous for the leading lady to do.

Indeed. There are stills from this scene clearly showing it was Cyd's work.

[jaz]

Paul was with me when we showed Cyril the episode and we were both surprised when he said he thought that he'd didn't direct it. However, if you look in the stills gallery for the episode you see at least one photo of Cyril on the set directing so it must be down to it being 40+ years ago and 10 days away from his other work such as Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased).

[Shanet]

Thanks for the information guys
I know Linda has said many times that she did a lot of her own stunts but I'd often wondered about the bannister one. It looked like a complicated set up!
Jaz - the box set is truly wonderful. The extras are delightful.
This series is so bright and so rich in colour it really cheers up these dark chilly days!
Paul - where is the textless shot of Linda with the gun from at the start of the Frankel intro?

[pauljwyatt]

I think that stunt may have involved some wire work. A good one indeed!

The footage of Linda is from the close credits minus the animated target symbol and with only the gunshot on the sound track.

[peabody]

I work with audio and compression quite a bit and i did notice on "The forget me knot" that the audio is quite compressed. The final scene between Emma and Steed is a case in point. It appears that any ambient sound has been removed. There are actual sections of "dead air" between lines of dialogue which make them appear a bit unnatural. OR perhaps we've been so used to hearing hiss on these tracks!

Agreed. I think they sometimes go overboard with the noise reduction software, which results in a somewhat "claustrophobic" sound. But it IS an improvement over earlier efforts...