The Avengers: The Emma Peel Collection (1965-1967) – Imprint Television #3 Unboxing (1 Viewer)

[Capt D McMars]

Once I heard that they had upgraded this box set to Blu ray I was in. Waiting patiently for the price to drop, and ordered it...it came a few days ago and the transfers are amazing!!
And the packaging is pretty nice as well, however, not having shelf room, you can just shelve the 4 BD cases instead. Here is the info on this nicely upgraded set of my favorite era of this classic UK series. Now if they could just do the same for Blake's 7 I'd be a happy man!!!

Now, this 16-disc Blu-ray set brings together every episode from the Emma Peel era in stunning high-definition encompassing the complete Series 4 and 5, plus a copious collection of vintage and new Special Features celebrating this peak era of The Avengers.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 1080p high-definition presentation from the original 35mm elements
• Collectable double-sided Hardbox packaging LIMITED to 1500 copies
• 120-page booklet featuring essay by Dick Fiddy of the British Film Institute and Story Information for every episode taken from the original studio files
• Original ‘as broadcast’ mono audio tracks (LPCM)
• Original ‘as broadcast’ “The Avengers in Color” opening slate on Series 5 episodes
• Audio Commentary on “The Town of No Return” by producer / writer Brian Clemens and director Roy Ward Baker
• Audio Commentary on “The Master Minds” by writer Robert Banks Stewart
• Audio Commentary on “Dial A Deadly Number” by writer Roger Marshall
• Audio Commentary on “The Hour That Never Was” by director Gerry O’Hara
• Audio Commentary on “The House That Jack Built” by director Don Leaver
• Audio Commentary on “The Winged Avenger” by writer Richard Harris
• Audio Commentary on “Epic” by guest actor Peter Wyngarde
• NEW Audio Commentary on “The Joker” by filmmakers Sam Clemens and George Clemens (sons of writer/producer Brian Clemens) (2022)
• Audio Commentary on “Return of The Cybernauts” by Diana Rigg’s stunt-double Cyd Child
• Audio Commentary on “Murdersville” by producer / writer Brian Clemens
• Filmed introductions to eight Series 5 episodes by producer / writer Brian Clemens
• Filmed introduction to “The ₤50,000 Breakfast” by guest actress Anneke Wills
• Brief audio recollection from guest actor Francis Matthews on filming “The Thirteenth Hole”
• “THE AVENGERS AT 50” – Footage captured from the 50th anniversary celebration of the series, held at Chichester University in 2011. Includes: video message from Patrick Macnee, interviews with producer / writer Brian Clemens, director Don Leaver (never before released), director Gerry O’Hara (never before released), stunt co-ordinator Raymond Austin, guest actress Carol Cleveland, guest actress Anneke Wills, writer Roger Marshall, and Patrick Macnee’s biographer Marie Cameron
• “Dame Diana Rigg at the BFI” – 2015 on-stage interview and Q&A held at the British Film Institute in London to celebrate 50 years of Emma Peel
• “The Series Of No Return” – audio interview with actress Elizabeth Shepherd, who was originally cast as Emma Peel
• Granada Plus Points featuring actor Patrick Macnee, composer Laurie Johnson, writer Roger Marshall and stunt-double Cyd Child
• Bonus Series 6 episode “The Forget-Me-Knot” – Emma Peel’s final story and the introduction of Tara King
• “K Is For Kill” – excerpt from The New Avengers episode featuring appearances by Emma Peel

ARCHIVAL MATERIAL

• Armchair Theatre episode “The Hothouse” starring Diana Rigg (the performance that led to Rigg’s casting as Emma Peel in The Avengers
• Chessboard Opening Title sequence used on US broadcasts for Series 4
• German and French title sequences
• Series 4 UK Commercial Break Bumper slates
• Alternative titles / credits / end tag of select Series 4 episodes
• Series 4 Commercial Break Bumpers
• Production trims from select Series 5 episodes
• “The Strange Case Of The Missing Corpse” – Series 5 teaser film
• German television interview with Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg by Joachim Fuchsberger
• Colourisation test footage for “Death At Bargain Prices” and “A Touch Of Brimstone”
• Reconstructed John Stamp Series 4 trailer
• “They’re Back” Trailers, Series 5 Trailer and Series 5 German Cinema Trailer
• Extensive Photo Galleries from the studio archives
• 1973 Interview with Diana Rigg discussing her US sitcom Diana, and leaving The Avengers
• Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1, b&w / colour
• Audio English LPCM 2.0 Mono
• English subtitles for the Hard of Hearing (Series 4 & 5 episodes only)

BONUS DISC 1: ADDITIONAL SPECIAL FEATURES

• More interviews from “THE AVENGERS AT 50” including composer Laurie Johnson, writer and guest actor Jeremy Burnham, stunt-double Cyd Child, and a screenwriters’ panel discussion featuring Brian Clemens, Richard Harris, Richard Bates and Terrance Dicks
• “Brian Clemens In Conversation” – on-stage interview at the British Film Institute in London discussing his early writing career
• Diana Rigg German Super8 films: “Das Diadem”, “Minikillers”, “Der Goldene Schlüssell”
• Extensive Photo Gallery from The Avengers Fashion Show
• Diana Rigg Photo Gallery

BONUS DISC 2: THE ORIGINAL EPISODES FILE

• Featuring the 4 original episodes from the Cathy Gale era of the series which were remade in Series 5: “Death Of A Great Dane”, “Don’t Look Behind You”, “Dressed To Kill” and “The Charmers” (Standard Definition)
• Audio Commentary by writer Roger Marshall on “Death Of A Great Dane”
• Audio Commentary by actress Honor Blackman and UK presenter Paul O’Grady on “Don’t Look Behind You”
• Filmed introduction by Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman to “Don’t Look Behind You”
• “Tunnel Of Fear” – a full-length, previously lost episode from Series 1, recovered in 2016
• “THE AVENGERS AT 50” – interview with Honor Blackman by Paul O’Grady

 

[darkrock17]

Very nice, but wrong place to post this though; this is the movie thread, not TV

 

[Al.Anderson]

Waiting patiently for the price to drop ...

It's $179 on Amazon! What was it before it dropped? I was interested but that's crazy.

 

[Randy Korstick]

It's $179 on Amazon! What was it before it dropped? I was interested but that's crazy.

Yeah Season 4 and 5 are available in the UK for a fraction of that price.

 

[Capt D McMars]

Yeah Season 4 and 5 are available in the UK for a fraction of that price.

I got mine dierctly from ViaVison for $131.12 USD, but the slammer was the shipping @$31.00 USD = $162.12 to the door.

 

[Capt D McMars]

Very nice, but wrong place to post this though; this is the movie thread, not TV

soory

 

[Sam Favate]

Is this set region-locked?

 

[Capt D McMars]

Is this set region-locked?

No, I don't think so, When I dropped in the disc it was set to region 1 and it played fine...but then I have a multi-region layer. What I like are the wonderful restoration of the episodes. I had bought the dvd boxset, and these are head and shoulders above those.

 

[The 1960's]

No, I don't think so, When I dropped in the disc it was set to region 1 and it played fine...but then I have a multi-region layer. What I like are the wonderful restoration of the episodes. I had bought the dvd boxset, and these are head and shoulders above those.

​

The Avengers: The Emma Peel Collection (1965-1967) - Imprint Television #3 | Via Vision Entertainment

Mrs. Peel... We're needed!

viavision.com.au

Tributes To Your Favorite Classic TV Stars

This thread is for the express purpose of paying tribute to your favorite Classic Television Stars. It can be on their Birthday or the Anniversary of their passing or it can be at whatever time you are thinking about them. Express your love through text and photos and videos. Discuss their bios...

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Tributes To Your Favorite Classic TV Stars

In Memory Diana Rigg (July 30, 1938 – September 10, 2020)

www.hometheaterforum.com

Tributes To Your Favorite Classic TV Stars

In Memory Diana Rigg (July 30, 1938 – September 10, 2020)

www.hometheaterforum.com

 

[ScottRE]

Is this set region-locked?

I have the Space:1999 set and it's not region locked. I don't think any of their releases are. They ARE pricey and The Avengers set is out of stock at their website. But if you want the series in restored HD, not region locked and assembling special features from all sorts of prior releases in one spot (and in a beautiful package) this is the set to get. But for 2 seasons, $160 is an enormous amount of money for a vintage title. I have no regrets over the Space:1999 purchase and I consider it the definitive release of the series. Had they included at least the Linda Thorson run (to assemble all of the episodes shot on film), I probably would have gone for it.

 

[Capt D McMars]

I have the Space:1999 set and it's not region locked. I don't think any of their releases are. They ARE pricey and The Avengers set is out of stock at their website. But if you want the series in restored HD, not region locked and assembling special features from all sorts of prior releases in one spot (and in a beautiful package) this is the set to get. But for 2 seasons, $160 is an enormous amount of money for a vintage title. I have no regrets over the Space:1999 purchase and I consider it the definitive release of the series. Had they included at least the Linda Thorson run (to assemble all of the episodes shot on film), I probably would have gone for it.

The above video confirms that none of the ViaVision/Imprint are region locked...all are region free. I thought so but it's nice to have official conformation too.
I all ready have a nice Space 1999 BD set, and have been waiting for this Emma Peel Mega set to be upgraded and Boy Howdy...it sure has!!!

Sorry it's oop on the Imprint site but other sources are showing in stock, so I'd jump on it before it's just OOP everywhere...this is, if you are lookiing for it, worth every penny now. Scalpers are standing by, just sayin'!!

 

[Harry-N]

How is the audio "pitch"? There were problems with an earlier set of the color episodes where the timing of the episodes were correct at around 50-51 minutes, but the pitch of the music and voices was raised to the old PAL levels.

It almost doesn't matter really to me as the price of this set is way too high for two seasons of an old series, especially one that I already have in older DVDs with the proper pitch, plus I can currently stream all of them on Amazon Prime.

 

[ScottRE]

I'm gonna keep an eye on the secondary sellers but yeah, it is a big price tag.

At the moment I'm content with this.

 

[Dave Lawrence]

I'm gonna keep an eye on the secondary sellers but yeah, it is a big price tag.

At the moment I'm content with this.


View attachment 176563

Nice picture. But no New Avengers in your collection?

 

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I have a S5 The Avengers Blu-ray with both Lionsgate and Studiocanal logos on the back cover. Doesn't look like it, but I'll ask anyway: was there ever a similar S4 released along with this? Reason I ask is that the S5 is region-free (my Sony UBP-X800M2 is picky as all hell, but it plays on that), and if there were a corresponding Lionsgate/Studiocanal S4 I'd get that and skip the new box. I think I'd only be missing nine Emma Peel episodes that way.

I know there's a Studiocanal S4, but like I said my Sony is stupid picky. Won't even play R2 DVDs that play without a hitch on my old Panasonic portable DVD player.

 

[ScottRE]

Nice picture. But no New Avengers in your collection?

Those are in storage. But yep I do have the old A&E sets

 

[jayembee]

I have a S5 The Avengers Blu-ray with both Lionsgate and Studiocanal logos on the back cover. Doesn't look like it, but I'll ask anyway: was there ever a similar S4 released along with this? Reason I ask is that the S5 is region-free (my Sony UBP-X800M2 is picky as all hell, but it plays on that), and if there were a corresponding Lionsgate/Studiocanal S4 I'd get that and skip the new box. I think I'd only be missing nine Emma Peel episodes that way.

I know there's a Studiocanal S4, but like I said my Sony is stupid picky. Won't even play R2 DVDs that play without a hitch on my old Panasonic portable DVD player.

No, Lionsgate only released S5 on blu-ray.

I have the British Studio Canal releases on S4, S5, and S6, as well the Network release of the The Cybernauts Trilogy. I'm happy with those.

 

[Capt D McMars]

I'm gonna keep an eye on the secondary sellers but yeah, it is a big price tag.

At the moment I'm content with this.


View attachment 176563

Nice...Rog Blake is trying to get in....

 

[Nick*Z]

Once I heard that they had upgraded this box set to Blu ray I was in. Waiting patiently for the price to drop, and ordered it...it came a few days ago and the transfers are amazing!!
And the packaging is pretty nice as well, however, not having shelf room, you can just shelve the 4 BD cases instead. Here is the info on this nicely upgraded set of my favorite era of this classic UK series. Now if they could just do the same for Blake's 7 I'd be a happy man!!!

Now, this 16-disc Blu-ray set brings together every episode from the Emma Peel era in stunning high-definition encompassing the complete Series 4 and 5, plus a copious collection of vintage and new Special Features celebrating this peak era of The Avengers.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 1080p high-definition presentation from the original 35mm elements
• Collectable double-sided Hardbox packaging LIMITED to 1500 copies
• 120-page booklet featuring essay by Dick Fiddy of the British Film Institute and Story Information for every episode taken from the original studio files
• Original ‘as broadcast’ mono audio tracks (LPCM)
• Original ‘as broadcast’ “The Avengers in Color” opening slate on Series 5 episodes
• Audio Commentary on “The Town of No Return” by producer / writer Brian Clemens and director Roy Ward Baker
• Audio Commentary on “The Master Minds” by writer Robert Banks Stewart
• Audio Commentary on “Dial A Deadly Number” by writer Roger Marshall
• Audio Commentary on “The Hour That Never Was” by director Gerry O’Hara
• Audio Commentary on “The House That Jack Built” by director Don Leaver
• Audio Commentary on “The Winged Avenger” by writer Richard Harris
• Audio Commentary on “Epic” by guest actor Peter Wyngarde
• NEW Audio Commentary on “The Joker” by filmmakers Sam Clemens and George Clemens (sons of writer/producer Brian Clemens) (2022)
• Audio Commentary on “Return of The Cybernauts” by Diana Rigg’s stunt-double Cyd Child
• Audio Commentary on “Murdersville” by producer / writer Brian Clemens
• Filmed introductions to eight Series 5 episodes by producer / writer Brian Clemens
• Filmed introduction to “The ₤50,000 Breakfast” by guest actress Anneke Wills
• Brief audio recollection from guest actor Francis Matthews on filming “The Thirteenth Hole”
• “THE AVENGERS AT 50” – Footage captured from the 50th anniversary celebration of the series, held at Chichester University in 2011. Includes: video message from Patrick Macnee, interviews with producer / writer Brian Clemens, director Don Leaver (never before released), director Gerry O’Hara (never before released), stunt co-ordinator Raymond Austin, guest actress Carol Cleveland, guest actress Anneke Wills, writer Roger Marshall, and Patrick Macnee’s biographer Marie Cameron
• “Dame Diana Rigg at the BFI” – 2015 on-stage interview and Q&A held at the British Film Institute in London to celebrate 50 years of Emma Peel
• “The Series Of No Return” – audio interview with actress Elizabeth Shepherd, who was originally cast as Emma Peel
• Granada Plus Points featuring actor Patrick Macnee, composer Laurie Johnson, writer Roger Marshall and stunt-double Cyd Child
• Bonus Series 6 episode “The Forget-Me-Knot” – Emma Peel’s final story and the introduction of Tara King
• “K Is For Kill” – excerpt from The New Avengers episode featuring appearances by Emma Peel

ARCHIVAL MATERIAL

• Armchair Theatre episode “The Hothouse” starring Diana Rigg (the performance that led to Rigg’s casting as Emma Peel in The Avengers
• Chessboard Opening Title sequence used on US broadcasts for Series 4
• German and French title sequences
• Series 4 UK Commercial Break Bumper slates
• Alternative titles / credits / end tag of select Series 4 episodes
• Series 4 Commercial Break Bumpers
• Production trims from select Series 5 episodes
• “The Strange Case Of The Missing Corpse” – Series 5 teaser film
• German television interview with Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg by Joachim Fuchsberger
• Colourisation test footage for “Death At Bargain Prices” and “A Touch Of Brimstone”
• Reconstructed John Stamp Series 4 trailer
• “They’re Back” Trailers, Series 5 Trailer and Series 5 German Cinema Trailer
• Extensive Photo Galleries from the studio archives
• 1973 Interview with Diana Rigg discussing her US sitcom Diana, and leaving The Avengers
• Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1, b&w / colour
• Audio English LPCM 2.0 Mono
• English subtitles for the Hard of Hearing (Series 4 & 5 episodes only)

BONUS DISC 1: ADDITIONAL SPECIAL FEATURES

• More interviews from “THE AVENGERS AT 50” including composer Laurie Johnson, writer and guest actor Jeremy Burnham, stunt-double Cyd Child, and a screenwriters’ panel discussion featuring Brian Clemens, Richard Harris, Richard Bates and Terrance Dicks
• “Brian Clemens In Conversation” – on-stage interview at the British Film Institute in London discussing his early writing career
• Diana Rigg German Super8 films: “Das Diadem”, “Minikillers”, “Der Goldene Schlüssell”
• Extensive Photo Gallery from The Avengers Fashion Show
• Diana Rigg Photo Gallery

BONUS DISC 2: THE ORIGINAL EPISODES FILE

• Featuring the 4 original episodes from the Cathy Gale era of the series which were remade in Series 5: “Death Of A Great Dane”, “Don’t Look Behind You”, “Dressed To Kill” and “The Charmers” (Standard Definition)
• Audio Commentary by writer Roger Marshall on “Death Of A Great Dane”
• Audio Commentary by actress Honor Blackman and UK presenter Paul O’Grady on “Don’t Look Behind You”
• Filmed introduction by Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman to “Don’t Look Behind You”
• “Tunnel Of Fear” – a full-length, previously lost episode from Series 1, recovered in 2016
• “THE AVENGERS AT 50” – interview with Honor Blackman by Paul O’Grady

You failed to mention there is a lot of gate weave in several episodes including the Man Eating Plant which is pretty annoying because of the constant horizontal shift in the image. I'll agree, much of the set is primo. But the episodes that suffer from this weave are horrendous viewing experiences, in spite of the crystal clear image quality.

 

[Nick*Z]

It's $179 on Amazon! What was it before it dropped? I was interested but that's crazy.

It's ViaVision. Do not expect it to go much cheaper than this.