The Avengers International Fan Forum

Darren · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2008 Posts: 1784 Location: UK

Written by Brian Clemens

Directed by Peter Hammond

Production completed: 5 July 1963

cyberrich · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 8:41 am Post subject:

10/10. My very fave Cathy episode. Even though I prefer The Joker, nothing can detract from the genuinely creepy atmosphere of this classic. Rich.

Darren · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2008 Posts: 1784 Location: UK

This was an episode that works so well for the as-live studio recordings. The cameramen certainly have to be on their toes, never more than two cameras to a scene and mostly just one (the one camera upstairs for Cathy's room and landing shots which can look down to the hallway and above the kitchen).

Thank goodness the episode was given to Peter Hammond as I can't see it working with anyone else. He really draws out the creepiness and the twisted stylised character performances. Things like the cutting of the apple by Martin (that must have been Hammond rather than scripted) and that wonderful montage of twisted photographs representing his insanity.

The set design from Terry Green was so perfect. They had so many great designers at Teddington Studio doing incredible things on a budget. The hallways forms the centre piece and everything else branches off of it.

Maurice Good is excellent as Martin (Who'd have thought he'd be the only original series actor to turn up in The Avengers in Canada:)) and I've always liked Kenneth Colley as an actor. Janine Gray isn't someone I'm familiar with but she has a certain Linda Thorson look at times and can be rather childlike.

I like that rare film sequence. Shame the original film didn't exist as the telerecordings render it too murky. I love the silly bits like the guys outside the pub cheering as Steed and Cathy drive past. It does feature one of my least liked Dankworth track (I'm assuming it was his) with the seemingly random xylophone hits.

Brian Clemens love of Hitchcock is very clearly showing through and this episode could easily be adapted as a Thriller episode (probably was as I've not seen that show). It's no surprise he chose to resurrect the script for series 5.

Rightly a classic.

10/10

Charlie Parker · Little Wonder Joined: 08 Sep 2008 Posts: 181

My personal favourite of all time. Brooding with atmosphere and excellently directed by Peter Hammond. A brooding mix of haunted house and a truly unpleasant villain... Maurice Good proves that the most menacing villains are those who are calm, charming and non-blasé about what his actions.

Ian Wegg · Have Fingers... Will Type! Joined: 15 Sep 2011 Posts: 286

I've mentioned before that I'm not keen on studio bound nature of the pre-film era but in this case it works well with a fabulous set (and the one piece of location filming featuring Steed's "new" Lagonda is a welcome early distraction for an old petrolhead like me!)

Very atmospheric, I can imagine the impact this episode must have had when first shown.

A 9 from me.