Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots: The Ultimate Avengers Book

darren · Post by **darren** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 1:12 pm

Thankfully the colorisation thing died. There was a period when everything got the treatment (Laurel and Hardy). It was rarely ever successful (unless like some Doctor Who episodes where the colour was restored) and pointless. Something like the Alastair Sim 'Christmas Carol' looks awful and robs the production of it's original atmosphere. Things lit for black and white never translate well into colour due to the heavy contrast.

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 1:23 pm

Darren

I remember seeing some Laurel and Hardy colourized footage and thinking that it did not work and I agree that black and white episodes of The Avengers should stay black and white.

Spaceship Dispatcher · Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:46 pm

Just learned, by reading the guide while watching the episode, that the pre-titles sequence of Dead Men Are Dangerous was filmed at Black Park; the location for, amongst other things, Blake's 7: The Web and a location I have actually visited!

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:51 pm

Alex

Yes, I've also been to Black Park, which has been a location for various film and TV productions due to it's close proximity to Pinewood Studios.

JohnSteedFr · Post by **JohnSteedFr** » Sun Jul 05, 2015 1:46 am

MikeR, I bought your book.
I should get it in 8 days! I can't wait!!!!

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Sun Jul 05, 2015 8:36 am

John

That's great, do let us know your views when you've had a chance to go through some of it.

JohnSteedFr · Post by **JohnSteedFr** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:52 pm

Hi Mike, this is Tuesday, July 14th (our National Day here in France

) and I received your book yesterday (it's basically 1.47AM at this very moment).
I had some time already to read it, I'm on page 45, about to embrace--oh yes--the Gale force.

This is a very detailed book, notably about the Ian Hendry era, it joins Alan's books, which makes you take things for granted and the introduction was special, even more so now after Brian Clemens' passing last January. But what he said and the way he wrote was touching: the vessel is still on its journey through time.

Alright, and off I go again (to see the rest

).

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 8:07 am

John

Yes, Brian Clemens was very obliging when he agreed to my request to write the forward for the book and true to his word he wrote it extremely quickly and emailed it to me.

I hope you enjoy the rest of Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots and learn a whole lot more about The Avengers.

JohnSteedFr · Post by **JohnSteedFr** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 6:05 pm

I'll be reading the part for Series 3. I learnt new elements, like Honor's wig. I had no idea she used one for the fights. And you also confirmed me what a friend had told about John Bryce. He was more or less involved in the process of getting the avengers girl in leather. My friend had said he was the 'motorbike type of guy' and Alan's book 'With umbrella, scotch and cigarettes' also contains a comment from Richard Bates, in which he reveals John Bryce was an enigma, he would wear suits with long hair and all of the sudden, he showed a new style: short hair, wearing jeans and cowboy boots on set.

John Bryce seems to have given that breath of fresh air to the series.

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 6:41 pm

Joris

Again you are very kind regarding the book.

If there was one other person associated with The Avengers beside Brian Clemens who assisted me greatly with research for the book, then it was Richard Bates, who is absolutely brilliant. Every time I exchanged emails with him he would always end by saying, "If there's anything else I can assist you with just email me."

I found the period between season 3 and season 4 when the series went onto being made on film as being extremely interesting and talking to Richard made all the conflicting reports in the media and entertainment press make sense.