Retro TV

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Yes I remember that one well from first time around, Lew: the one with the lighthouse ....it was very atmospheric that one.

Excellent trivia regarding your relative.

[alanultron5]

"Look Stop Me. . ." is notable for the first `Solo` appearance by Jimmy Jewell after he and Ben Warris split up (They had been a middling double act since the 40s) Just after filming the Avengers ep, Jewell was signed up for "Nearest and Dearest"

[alanultron5]

I have been following the original Star Trek on channel 70. Personally- i'd rather they hadn't `re-done` the effects- but there you go! These too have colossal plot holes- but still good fun! Loved the villain in "Whom Gods Destroy" he blew everyone else off the set!!

[JT Mirana]

I have been following the original Star Trek on channel 70. Personally- i'd rather they hadn't `re-done` the effects- but there you go! These too have colossal plot holes- but still good fun! Loved the villain in "Whom Gods Destroy" he blew everyone else off the set!!

I quite like the new effects, they're well done and don't go all George Lucas to the detriment of the series.

I'm enjoying this more than Next Generation, which strikes me as so dated it's almost unwatchable sometimes.

[alanultron5]

I agree there! Next generation seems more dated than the original series! Its not that I dislike the enhanced effects on the old series - If I had a choice, I would like to see them as they were made!

[stevezodiac]

Thursdays papers had photos of the Tracey brothers from the new Thunderbirds series. 26 episodes to be shown starting this Spring. But the CGI effects will never match the originals which you know were created by hand and a lot of hard work. That's why I only watched the first Spider-Man film, the CGI of him swinging through the city just did not exhilarate.

And don't get me started on photo-shopped page 3 girls....

[Lew Stringer]

Thursdays papers had photos of the Tracey brothers from the new Thunderbirds series. 26 episodes to be shown starting this Spring. But the CGI effects will never match the originals which you know were created by hand and a lot of hard work. That's why I only watched the first Spider-Man film, the CGI of him swinging through the city just did not exhilarate.

And don't get me started on photo-shopped page 3 girls....

The new Thunderbirds series is going to be a mixture of CGI and hand made model work, but I don't know to what extent.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Alan: the problem with the Star Trek special effects shots from the three 60s series. was that they were not especially effective, with obvious model work and wobbly matte lines......not only that but the same 17 shots. of the Enterprize in space were used repeatedly ad-infinitum ( I noticed this as a kid) in continuity shots, which looks bad when seen in a boxed set today.....however those with deep pockets can shell out for a blu-ray version that gives the options for the new CGI establishing shots as well as the original effects.


I just discovered that the 60s series was shot in superior 35mm ......it always looked so cheap I wrongly assumed it was a lower grade 16mm job.


I havr some of the early shows and even standard

DVD looks a lot clearer than it used to appear.

[alanultron5]

Rab! I got Blue Ray of first Trek season 1966-7. I can watch them in both versions now! I regard the new effects as ok- but do like to watch them in original form! For a US series- the funding was poor! Compare it to the production values of the "Invaders" circa 1967-8 which had far higher budget and Star Trek-sadly does look `cheap` by comparison. Harking back to the avengers- sadly, they lost much US funding and had to cease as production costs were so prohibitive! The Linda Thorson season did very well in the UK and outstanding in France- but had rather failed in the USA and that was that!
In France it won a TV award which Linda collected on behalf of the show - wearing the shortest mini-dress in creation! and this was at height of mini-micro skirt fashions in 1970! Linda was `dropped` from "Emmerdale" a few years back -supposedly for causing trouble on set! Is Pat McCnee still with us? He's be over 90 if still going I think.

[Kashgar]

Hi AU,

Patrick MacNee is still alive and well and will be 93 next month despite claims to the contrary following an internet 'death hoax' last week.

[paw broon]

Just noticed the mention of Jewell and Warriss. They featured in an eponymous strip in Radio Fun. I'm fortunate enough to have some copies and, only my opinion, they were funnier in the comic than on radio and tv.They must have been popular enough at one time to get the strip.
As for The Avengers, yes there are plot flaws and some of the fight scenes so obviously reveal the double, but it is still the classiest action show that has been on tv. Imo, the weirdness started back in the Mrs. Gale days and, of course, a couple of those Diana Rigg stories were adaptations of Honor Blackman episodes. I'm terrible at remembering episode titles and I'll have to dig out my Avengers guide to relieve the frustration of forgetting.

[alanultron5]

Nice to know Pat M still about! Hope he's doing ok! I am old enough to recall the Honor Blackman series which were more `serious` Are they all wiped? A pity if so.

Re- the Linda Thorson season; there is one strange episode no one ever seems to mention "My Wildest Dream" that one was all about carrying out murder via dreams and Peter Vaughn was the `supposed` villian- only he wasn't!! Very oddball episode indeed!

[paw broon]

All the Mrs. Gale episodes are available on dvd. Oddly, they were released in Netherlands before being available here - apart from on "dodgy" tapes and dvd's. Some of the episodes are really excellent and the relationship between Mrs. Gale and Steed is very interesting, complicated and funny at times.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I thought the Gale episodes were a bit creaky though, Paw...shot on videotape.

The series got a real shot in the arm after moving up to 35 mm film....

[paw broon]

I think that is part of their charm. And they reflect how tv was back then. No Hiding Place, Dixon of Dock Green, early Quatermass etc. were all required viewing and made in the same way, or done live. There was also the factor of Mrs. Gale being the first serious, female tv action hero. No messing about there. I can forgive the clunks and ad libs when the script was forgotten as it was, and is, pure escapism. This has made me want to fire up the dvd player and have a wallow