R.I.P. The magnificent PATRICK MACNEE
I did intend to post a list of credits for Pat MacNee…somehow…it just seems appropriate that this magnificent gentleman starred alongside Honor Blackman (Ms. Gale); Diana Rigg (Emma Peel); Linda Thorson (Tara King); and Joanna Lumley (Purdey)…they were ‘THE AVENGERS’…!!!
God Bless, Patrick MacNee…Gentleman until the last…
R.I.P. PATRICK MACNEE.
“Are you ready, Mrs. Peel?”…
John Steed: [during a friendly bout of fencing] "We ought to get away… Down to the coast for a while."
Emma Peel: "We?"
John Steed: "Why not? We can build sandcastles together."
Emma Peel: “I refuse to carry your bucket and spade.”
R.I.P, the incomparable John Steed…
R.I.P. Patrick McNee, Mr. John Steed
I’m going to watch an episode … can’t believe it, again one of my childhood heroes gone
Another iconic figure of the last century
When I was a kid I also wanted to be in his shoes, just to be next to Diana Rigg
RIP
When I was a kid, I loved watching The Avengers series with him.
R.I.P.
[size=12pt]THE AVENGERS: A TOUCH OF BRIMSTONE[/size] (Season 4, Episode 21)
To honour the great John Steed (1922-2015) I watched this episode of the famous TV-series. It wasn’t a random pick. I had a crush on miss Peel as a boy and this particular episode is best known for the ‘queen of sin’ costume miss Peel is wearing (she designed it herself). Actually there were so many references to sadomasochism that the episode ran into censorship problems back home (a few moments involving a whip were cut) and wasn’t aired at all on American TV. I had never seen it before.
Both Patrick MacNee and Diana Rigg are in fine form and they get fabulous response from Peter Wyngarde as the criminal mastermind. The convoluted story is rather episodic, with Steed & Peel asked to investigate a series of seemingly harmless practical jokes played on important figures. The trail leads to a secret organization called the Hellfire Club and it soon becomes clear that their leader has more serious plans …
The episode was directed by James Hill, who had done a Conan Doyle adaptation one year before (A Study in Scarlet, 1965) so it’s probably more than just a coincidence that there are similarities to some of the Sherlock Holmes stories about secret societies performing occult rituals. One scene involving a test which could cost Steed a few fingers, is reminiscent of a famous short story, The man from the South, by Roald Dahl (about a similar, very risky trial). The ending, with a planned terrorist attack, seems inspired by the historic Gunpowder Plot* (minus the political implications, the motivations of the criminal mastermind remain more than just a little obscure).
“The Queen of Sin”
Sad news! The Avengers a favorite show of mine growing up.
R.I.P. Mr. MacNee.
The Avengers is one of those series which I loved as a kid, but which is now not a pleasure anymore to watch. The directing is dated (often comparatively stiff), the stories and the characters are a bit boring, it does not work anymore for me. Which is a pity, as I really wanted to still like it. The magic is gone.
Depends on which episode you watch. Some of them are indeed very dated, others hold up very well. The episode I watched wasn’t great storywise, but dialogue and acting were excellent, better than in most contemporary series.
I more often watch episodes of older series like The Man from Uncle, Bonanza, etc. and what I said about The Avengers, goes for most other series: some episodes look very dated, childish, others are still okay.
that’s why I don’t watch this stuf anymore, I just wan’t to remember things as they were
[quote=“scherpschutter, post:1069, topic:1512”]Depends on which episode you watch. Some of them are indeed very dated, others hold up very well. The episode I watched wasn’t great storywise, but dialogue and acting were excellent, better than in most contemporary series.
I more often watch episodes of older series like The Man from Uncle, Bonanza, etc. and what I said about The Avengers, goes for most other series: some episodes look very dated, childish, others are still okay.[/quote]
I tried a few some years ago, but gave up.
Contempoarary series are in every respect better.
The only one from the 70s which is still fascinating is The Rockford Files. Not every episode of course, but many are still excellent, even if the directing is not that great, but still competent.
R.I.P
Always preferred The New Avengers, which may be even more dated but thats fine with me.
Italian director and screenwriter Sergio Sollima has died in Rome at age of 94, Sollima is known and loved by all fans of Western movies and those who remember the great success of his Sandokan TV series with Kabir Bedi in the 1970s. Often referred to as the other Sergio, he directed and wrote the screenplays for “The Big Gundown” (1966), “Face to Face” and “Run, Man, Run” (both 1967).
R.I.P Sergio Sollima, thank you for your great contribution to Spaghetti Westerns. Perhaps tonight I’ll have a marathon of The Big Gundown, Face to Face and Run Man Run.
Damn
R.I.P. Sergio, one of the greats.
Yes R.I.P. One of those directors I wish would have made more films, especially in the 70’s.
Sad to say goodbye to the last of the 3 Sergios but he had a very good innings and left some great films for us to enjoy.
Like Ennioo said, I wish he had made more though.
R.I.P to one of the genuine maestri.
The Three Sergios (Sounds like a lost Spaghetti ;)), finally together at peace. RIP :’(
Great innings, but still a great loss. The Big Gundown was a film that made me feel as though I’d found what I was looking for in this genre. It’s the movie I’d point anyone to who wanted a first look at Spags past the Dollars trilogy and OUaTitW.
RIP
The last of the big three
Actually my first contact with Sollima wasn’t his westerns, but the Sandokan series, very popular here in Portugal when I was a kid… I just notice now that the Italian Gomorra series is directed by his son Stefano Sollima, very good stuff, almost like an early La Piovra.
RIP to a great regista