The Avengers International Fan Forum

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With the quality and prevalence of colourization increasing are you rooting for the next DVD or Blu-Ray release of The Avengers seasons one through four being colourized?

mariocki · Have Fingers... Will Type! Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 421

I voted ‘No’ but I wouldn’t mind seeing a short sequence in colour just to see what it would look like. I find the filmed series very atmospheric and fear some of that would be lost were it to be colourised.
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dissolute · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2018 3:15 pm Post subject:

There WERE some colourisation tests done in the 80s - for "A Touch of Brimstone" and another series 4 episode, maybe "Death at Bargain Prices"?

I'm sure they're extras on one of the Studio Canal sets or something as I've seen them.
They were awful so the project was fortunately canned.
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mrspeel01 · Thingumajig Joined: 20 May 2016 Posts: 81

Short sequences of experimental "colorization" that was completed in late '80s or early '90s is included as extras on the series 4 Optimum sets. This is from "Death at bargain prices" and " a touch of brimstone" (presenting the Queen of sin sequence).

The original masters of the sequences are apparently lost so what is presented is from VHS tape. The outcome is very much of the quality that was available at that time. The technology has improved greatly since then although the interest in the colorization process has lessened in recent years. Even Legend Films who were a leader in that field, are no longer involved with it.

Recently, however, the "lost" Doctor Who story "power of the Daleks" was animated in B&W, but BBC America wanted a colour version as well so paid for it. They presumably thought this would appeal more to newer/younger WHO fans.

Avengers does not have the same fanbase/audience as Doctor Who does at the present time, so I am doubtfull that it will happen anytime soon. The cost of the process is still expensive, especailly for 26 episodes, so Studio Canal would have to be certain that the end product would sell well enough to justify it.

I have no problem with it at all, as long as the original is still available. I certainly would buy it. Although the "film noir" look of the original monochrome cannot be beaten, it would be intereresting to see it fully in colour. I remember that the early seasons of the US series "Bewitched" and "I dream of Jeannie" as well as some other series, were restored and colorized a few years back, but the restored B&W versions were also released so buyers could choose whichever they wanted, or have both of course!

A downside to it is that in future, the colour versions may well be the ones that broadcasters choose to use, though,of course, that is not a certainty.

Darren · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2008 Posts: 1819 Location: UK

Until there is a way of doing that manages to include the subtle colour differences in skin tone etc then I'm not too keen. The earlier tests weren't very impressive. It would probably depend on the episodes chosen. Off the top of my head i can't think of a season 4 episode that would flourish in colour.

mrs_emma_peel · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2018 1:27 pm Post subject:

I would vote 'yes' although the noir quality of the b/w episodes will always be superior.
If the quality of the colourisation equalled or even approached that of the amazing work recently done by NZ director Peter Jackson on b/w WW1 footage,
then, yes, I'd definitely like to see some episodes in 'colour'. Or, if there are any grains of colour within the original black and white prints -
a conversion and matching to colour would be more realistic, as with the BBC colour restoration of the previously b/w Dad's Army episode Room at the Bottom.
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dissolute · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 12:54 pm Post subject:

My major problem with colourisation is that they never bother to verify what the correct colour should be and just do whatever they feel like. Look at all those pictures Phillip Broomfield does, they drive me bonkers.
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Frankymole · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 3:24 am Post subject:

Yes, the Doctor Who ones I've seen have been done much more carefully with regard to existing colour stills. Mind you, there aren't that many colour stills from the Cathy Gale era, but there are plenty from Season 4.
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cyberrich · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 2:20 pm Post subject:

While it would be interesting to see a decent colourisation of season 4, I would probably still prefer to see the monochrome version,the way it was meant to be seen. I have the Laurel and Hardy boxset which includes both b/w and colour versions.I did watch a few minutes in colour but it just didn't feel right, and so I switched it off and played the b/w version. The colour versions will be fine for a certain type of viewer, and a lot of people just refuse to watch b/w. I love old movies, and I love b/w and colour equally,but if it's meant to be in b/w then I prefer to watch it that way. Smile