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

[Capt D McMars]

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.

Well I don't know about that, I'm watching the series with many other films and we are talking time here, the viewing time for is is quite finite running 2 buisnesses and sleep is a factor as well. So I guess I'll find out, but as of now, these look and sound great and no video or pitch anomolies have occured in the set that I purchased. I'm sorry for your hardships, and I guess I'll see for me self...or perhaps you aquired a bad Disc or set or..?

 

[Luckless Pedestrian]

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.

Thanks for the info. I guess either I'll be content with the S5 Lionsgate Blu-ray and Emma Peel DVD set, or buy the S4 Studiocanal in case I someday stumble upon a region-free player (I have a few movie Blu-rays that I also presently can't watch).

If I saw this in front of me in a store, I'd buy it even though I have S5 on Blu-ray. But I seem to have better self-control when it comes to buying stuff online. And, import or not, I'd be more likely to find a thousand-dollar bill on the sidewalk than something like this boxset anywhere in the Chicago-area physical-media desert.

 

[Nick*Z]

Well I don't know about that, I'm watching the series with many other films and we are talking time here, the viewing time for is is quite finite running 2 buisnesses and sleep is a factor as well. So I guess I'll find out, but as of now, these look and sound great and no video or pitch anomolies have occured in the set that I purchased. I'm sorry for your hardships, and I guess I'll see for me self...or perhaps you aquired a bad Disc or set or..?

Just a heads up. I returned the original set and was sent a replacement. Both exhibit the same gate weave anomaly. This could have been corrected with a bit more proactive image stabilization and quality control in check before exporting the files to disc. It's not baked into the 35mm prints but the result of shoddy sprockets (probably, though not certain) and perhaps, not in the budget to correct. Either way, it exists. The more of this set you watch, the more the anomaly repeats.

As I said before, the transfer 'quality' with regards to digital clean-up and mastering is A-1. Which makes the gate weave issue a real niggling concern as these would have (and could have) been considered 'reference quality' transfers with just a bit more time and money invested. Just saying. Would definitely still recommend this set to fans. But it's not perfect and that's a genuine shame!

 

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Apologies for continuing to bring up the Lionsgate Blu-ray here, but since it'd been awhile and was on the brain, I decided to watch some tonight. I then realized that I have more Avengers on Blu-ray here than I thought. IMDb shows a 16-episode S5, an 8-episode S6, and a S7 whose premiere was Diana Rigg's farewell.

But apparently those first 24 episodes were all part of "Series" 5, and Rigg's finale was the start of "Series" 6. And all 25 episodes are included on the Lionsgate "Season" 5 Blu-ray. I think I've got everything figured out now. I think.

 

[mark27b]

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.

Got those too, what I really want is the complete The New Avengers in HD on Blu not just a single Cybernaught episode

 

[Capt D McMars]

Just a heads up. I returned the original set and was sent a replacement. Both exhibit the same gate weave anomaly. This could have been corrected with a bit more proactive image stabilization and quality control in check before exporting the files to disc. It's not baked into the 35mm prints but the result of shoddy sprockets (probably, though not certain) and perhaps, not in the budget to correct. Either way, it exists. The more of this set you watch, the more the anomaly repeats.

As I said before, the transfer 'quality' with regards to digital clean-up and mastering is A-1. Which makes the gate weave issue a real niggling concern as these would have (and could have) been considered 'reference quality' transfers with just a bit more time and money invested. Just saying. Would definitely still recommend this set to fans. But it's not perfect and that's a genuine shame!

Did you approach ViaVision with this issue, and asking for feedback? Did they reply, and if so what was it?
Asking for a Friend ~

 

[Capt D McMars]

Thanks for the info. I guess either I'll be content with the S5 Lionsgate Blu-ray and Emma Peel DVD set, or buy the S4 Studiocanal in case I someday stumble upon a region-free player (I have a few movie Blu-rays that I also presently can't watch).

If I saw this in front of me in a store, I'd buy it even though I have S5 on Blu-ray. But I seem to have better self-control when it comes to buying stuff online. And, import or not, I'd be more likely to find a thousand-dollar bill on the sidewalk than something like this boxset anywhere in the Chicago-area physical-media desert.

For me, I just grew tired of NOT being able to watch and possess the series that I wanted. Being locked out because my player didn't play the non region A/1 discs. I wanted the whole Blake's 7 series that I had loved on PBS, and even today BBC America has refused to release the series here in the states!!!
John, do yourself and your collection a favor...get the multi region blu ray player!!! Today nice ones are under $100...Free yourself from being locked out of your movie life, stop shooting yourself in the foot and finally get what you want!!!
If you can't do that, I've got no sympathy for you!!

 

[smithbrad]

John, do yourself and your collection a favor...get the multi region blu ray player!!! Today nice ones are under $100...Free yourself from being locked out of your movie life, stop shooting yourself in the foot and finally get what you want!!!
If you can't do that, I've got no sympathy for you!!

As one who still has region free capability, but no longer takes or wants to take advantage of it, it's not necessarily for everyone. Some of the down sides, at least for me:

- I have multiple setups and did not want to buy a region free player in every setup or be held to one setup
- You are still paying a premium price for whatever the player is, up and beyond its normal value to have that capability added, I tend to want a player of a certain quality level and that costs even more to be region free
- Whenever needing to buy a new player you always have to keep in mind can I get that model region free?
- As titles made their way to the US market, I found myself rebuying it for the flexibility of always knowing I could play it on any setup I may have now, and in the future (who knows what the future may hold for region free players or the cost)

Interestingly, the only title I still have from another region is "The Avengers" from Studio Canal. I likely would be replacing it with this new region free version, but in my case, I previously ripped my UK version for playback on my media server so there is no longer an issue.

I can understand where the idea of being region free is more important than some of the issues that bothered me above, and I respect that. However, just saying, some might find it more of a hassle then a value. At least I did.

 

[Nelson Au]

I am familiar with The Avengers, I had seen the show as a kid, but not as an adult. I only knew the Diana Rigg years from occasional TV random screenings, so I had not realized her era was only from 1965 to 1968, a total of 51 episodes after doing a little research. I guess the transition from black and white to color made it seem like there was more.

I was giving this set some consideration. I also have the Via Vision 1999 set from Scott‘s high recommendation.

 

[wranim8]

Just FYI for Avengers fans, seasons 2 - 6 are now on Amazon Prime.

 

[Nick*Z]

Did you approach ViaVision with this issue, and asking for feedback? Did they reply, and if so what was it?
Asking for a Friend ~

ViaVision has absolutely nothing to do with these masters. They are a third-party distributor. The rights holder is ABC. The transfers were remastered by StudioCanal. Good luck getting a response from them! I contacted them over their horrendous work on The Lion in Winter and never heard back.

 

[Luckless Pedestrian]

John, do yourself and your collection a favor...get the multi region blu ray player!!! Today nice ones are under $100...Free yourself from being locked out of your movie life, stop shooting yourself in the foot and finally get what you want!!!
If you can't do that, I've got no sympathy for you!!

Wow, harsh! (haha)

I hardly think having a few unviewable Blus (of movies I already have on DVD) constitutes not having what I want and shooting myself in the foot. More Region B stuff of interest would have to be coming out to get me to buy another player.

 

[Capt D McMars]

Wow, harsh! (haha)

I hardly think having a few unviewable Blus (of movies I already have on DVD) constitutes not having what I want and shooting myself in the foot. More Region B stuff of interest would have to be coming out to get me to buy another player.

We all have priorities and mine was to be able to get around the studios unwillingness to produce region friendly titles. These RF BD players are affective and cost friendly. But all falls into whether you want to continue to wait and be dissapointed or take the initiative and get a machine that WILL Work. This opens up a world of great films and TV series that are unavailable to those without and proper machines.
Harsh, sorry, but the truth usually is. We all have freedom of choice...you seemed like you were waiting on the wrong people.

 

[Capt D McMars]

Mrs Peele, you're needed!!

 

[Capt D McMars]

a Girl like that -

 

[Bartman]

The announcement of this set prompted me to watch these seasons for the first time since I was a child in the UK. The're available to stream on Prime in beautiful StudioCanal transfers. The B&W episodes are clever but the whitty repartee of the color episodes and outrageous situations are starting to wear on me. Were the writers and producers on drugs? Of course what you're getting with these recent Blu-rays is permanence and extras.

 

[Capt D McMars]

The announcement of this set prompted me to watch these seasons for the first time since I was a child in the UK. The're available to stream on Prime in beautiful StudioCanal transfers. The B&W episodes are clever but the whitty repartee of the color episodes and outrageous situations are starting to wear on me. Were the writers and producers on drugs? Of course what you're getting with these recent Blu-rays is permanence and extras.

They are a product of thier time and the memories of chidhood. The swinging 60s is definatly reflected in theb style and dress of the series. And of course that amazing Bently of Steed's.

 

[DVDvision]

It sounds to me the audio on the Imprint discs is superior sounding to the SC other releases (UK, DE, FR). I think they may have used the masters without making adjustment and adding noise reduction or other destroyer items. The deep end and voice tones really are nice to hear here.

 

[DVDvision]

Addition, on another note, I gave a shot to the Season 5 extra disc, and the Honor Blackman episodes, though they are in SD, are AVC encoded coming up at 5gb each episode. The video seems free of DNR, and the audio also is full. It looks to me these are the masters ported on Blu without additional tampering.
Imprint as literaly beaten to the post every release from other countries.
Now if only they make an additional Blackman box set on Blu-ray, and add the Tara King set, they will rule supreme.
Until UHD come along that is

 

[retroman]

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.

No audio pitch problems that I have noticed or seen reported elsewhere with this set.