the movie.

[anti-clockwise]

Ah the UNCLE movie, I'm hopeful for it, having met and spoken to many involved with it. UNCLE My other great love, for me the Avengers is the greatest ever British TV series , while UNCLE is the greatest ever American show, I love them both equally , though if push came to shove being British I'd have to pick Avengers.

oh please do tell. Who have you met and how is the progress on it? From what you hear do you think it will be authentic to original UNCLE?

Well I did meet one of the lead actors and had a nice chat with him for about an hour over a lunch brake at Levesden one day but I knew quite a few of the AD's and and costume department people. (Pet gripe I seemed to spend most of the UNCLE's production period up at that studio on every other film going except that, gutted !!! Did get to see several of the sets and props and stuff laying around up there though didn't get any souveneirs )

From what I've seen and heard from them I think it will be OK, but you can never tell.

well thanks for the inside scoop. very cool.

[jaz]

I've always thought that anyone who says they like this movie is either trying to be uber cool or an Avengers marytr. Perhaps a longer cut might make more sense to the storyline but it was plain and simply awful. There was nothing good about this movie and it's definitely not something to celebrate with other parts of the Avengers history.

[darren]

Yeah, although I'd like to see the original cut (especially with Michael Kamen's rejected temp score), the issues are far deeper than plotting. When your villain tries to kill the suppose heroine who he is infatuated with giant flying bees but wants to keep her in a nightmare, there's something wrong somewhere. I've always felt that there are loads of things about the film that work in isolation but as a whole they fail. I think the whole concept of transplanting a world (Avengersland) designed for budget television to the big screen and then adding disaster movie aspects was doomed from the off. If there is a major disaster element, you have to care about the world it's happening in. No one lives in Avengersland so why should we care.

Better stop there as I could get endlessly picky.

[Frankymole]

One of the worst aspects of the movie was that Dave Rogers's involvement in advising and reporting on it, with the subsequent poor critical reaction, seemed to have destroyed the enthusiasm of Dave for The Avengers, leading to the near-instantaneous end of magazines like On Target and Stay Tuned.

[Andrew Pixley]

Hi Frank

One of the worst aspects of the movie was that Dave Rogers's involvement in advising and reporting on it, with the subsequent poor critical reaction, seemed to have destroyed the enthusiasm of Dave for The Avengers, leading to the near-instantaneous end of magazines like On Target and Stay Tuned.

Dave's a lovely man who's helped me immensely over the year. And it was very sad that along the way his enthusiasm for this amazing show took a few knocks in various ways. I think the movie was only one blow which he had over the years. A great shame. What Dave achieved regarding both "The Avengers" and many other shows in the 1980s was quite amazing and massively exciting!

All the best

Andrew

[cyberrich]

I was very sad when Dave Rogers decided to end Stay tuned. I'd subscribed to it since 1985, and I still miss those quarterly magazines turning up in the post. I watched it grow from a nice but obvious fanzine into a very professional magazine. I hadn't heard of his enthusiasm for the show waning. I've always thought the end of the mag was due to falling sales. Does anyone know how Dave is and what he's up to these days
Back to the movie. I saw this at the cinema, and I thought it was ok. Not overwhelming, and not quite as faithful to the series as I'd have liked, but still better than a lot of movies based on tv series. The Saint movie for eg. was far worse.
Has anyone ever read the script for The Avengers movie that was written in the 1960s I can't remember what year this was written, and who Steed's co-star was (Cathy or Emma?), but I do remember something about giant insects being involved! Hopefully someone can jog my memory. Rich.

[Andrew Pixley]

I was very sad when Dave Rogers decided to end Stay tuned. I'd subscribed to it since 1985, and I still miss those quarterly magazines turning up in the post. I watched it grow from a nice but obvious fanzine into a very professional magazine. I hadn't heard of his enthusiasm for the show waning. I've always thought the end of the mag was due to falling sales. Does anyone know how Dave is and what he's up to these days

Last spoke to Dave in 2003/4 when he wasn't in the best of health; subsequent to that I believe he moved to healthier climbs and from what I last heard is a lot, lot better. But I remember him telling me of various problems he'd had in the 1990s which weren't fun. It's still lovely to see people admiring his work so much!

Has anyone ever read the script for The Avengers movie that was written in the 1960s I can't remember what year this was written, and who Steed's co-star was (Cathy or Emma?), but I do remember something about giant insects being involved! Hopefully someone can jog my memory. Rich.

Not seen it yet, but I believe that this is covered in Mike's new book. Can't wait to read it!

All the best

Andrew

[MikeR]

Rich

The proposed Avengers film scheduled to be filmed in 1964 was called The Pursuit of Evil and the screenplay was by Brian Clemens from a storyline by Brian and Richard Bates. Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots covers this in some detail as I was able to locate paperwork not just from ABC Television, but also from the estate of Louis de Rochemont, who was going to direct it.

I don’t know anything about giant insects, could you be thinking of The First Avengers Movie from January 1981?

This was another screenplay by Clemens based on a storyline he assembled with Dennis Spooner, about someone who learns how to control ants, thus making the largest army in the world.

Neither project was made.

[cyberrich]

Rich

The proposed Avengers film scheduled to be filmed in 1964
The First Avengers Movie from January 1981 was another screenplay by Clemens about someone who learns how to control ants, thus making the largest army in the world.

Neither project was made.

Thanks Mike for clearing that up. I guess if the first movie script was written in 1964 then it's likely to be Cathy with Steed.
I'd forgotten there was a second script, but the giant insects I hadn't quite forgotten!
A shame neither movie was made, especially the first as this would certainly have starred Patrick. It would be great to read the scripts though, or even an extract. Looking forward to your book by the way. Rich.

[MikeR]

Rich

The proposed Avengers film scheduled to be filmed in 1964
The First Avengers Movie from January 1981 was another screenplay by Clemens about someone who learns how to control ants, thus making the largest army in the world.

Neither project was made.

Thanks Mike for clearing that up. I guess if the first movie script was written in 1964 then it's likely to be Cathy with Steed.
I'd forgotten there was a second script, but the giant insects I hadn't quite forgotten!
A shame neither movie was made, especially the first as this would certainly have starred Patrick. It would be great to read the scripts though, or even an extract. Looking forward to your book by the way. Rich.

Rich

I hope Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots is a good read. There's quite a bit more with regard to both these film projects.