October 29, 2016

MYMMS LOCATION TOUR

Happy Saturday, Spy Vibers! It was another super busy week here at the Spy Vibe lair, keeping up with my art students and spending a bit too much time at the doctor's (all is well!). I got a chance to dive back into some of my photographs from the summer's tour of 1960s spy TV locations. It's an amazing experience driving through what is affectionately called Avengerland because so much of the landscape and architecture remains unchanged since those classic spy shows were filmed. Before the whole group convened for an official weekend of location-spotting, my pal Mike Richardson took a few of us around to a number of notable spots. One such place was North Mymms, with its tollgate road, church, and old vicarage. Episodes from various series used the locations, including The Avengers: The Hidden Tiger, Something Nasty in the Nursery, Mission Highly Improbable, Never Say Die, The Professionals: Lawson's Last Stand, and Department S: The Pied Piper of Hambledown. Here are just a few snaps to put you in the picture. Check out more location info at Avengerland. Related posts: Portmeirion PhotographyLost Avengers Found, Ian Fleming's Grave, Avengerworld BookAvengers Pop Art InterviewDiana Rigg Auto Show, Avengers Interview: Alan HayesJaz Wiseman InterviewAvengers Interview: Mike RichardsonAvengers Interview: Rodney MarshallAvengers Interview Rodney Marshall 2CatsuitsJohn Buss InterviewFarewell SteedShakespeare Spies: Diana RiggLost Diana Rigg InterviewDiana Rigg BFI ScreeningAvengers Season 5 TitlesThe Avengers SingLost Avengers Vol 2-7Enjoy!





Selected Spy Vibe Posts: UNCLE FashionsThunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview:Spy Film GuideLost Avengers FoundThe Callan FileMission Impossible 50thGreen Hornet 50thStar Trek 50thPortmeirion Photography 1Filming the PrisonerGaiman McGinnins ProjectIan Fleming GraveRevolver at 50Karen Romanko InterviewMod Tales 2Umbrella Man: Patrick MacneeNew Beatles FilmThe Curious CameraEsterel Fashion 1966Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview007 Tribute CoversThe Phantom Avon novels returnIan Fleming FestivalArgoman DesignSylvia Anderson R.I.P.Ken Adam R.I.P.George Martin R.I.P.The New Avengers ComicsTrina Robbins InterviewThe Phantom at 80007 MangaAvengerworld BookDiana Rigg Auto ShowThe Prisoner Audio Drama ReviewDavid McCallum novelAndre Courreges R.I.P.Who's Talking on Spy VibeUFO Blu-rayAvengers Pop Art Interview, Fergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes InterviewJaz Wiseman Interview, Diana Rigg BFI InterviewCasino Royale Interview: Mike RichardsonLost Diana Rigg InterviewHonor Blackman at 90UNCLE SchoolIan Fleming Memorial, Portmeirion PhotosDoctor Who ExhibitFarewell SteedPussy Galore ReturnsDiana Rigg birthdaySherlock at 221BInvisible AgentSaint Interview: Ian DickersonSaint DoppelgängerFleming's TypewriterRare FlemingFleming's MusicIan Fleming's JapanJim Wilson Corgi InterviewFantomas DesignJohn Buss interview, Saint VolvoMod Tales InterviewAgente Secreto ComicsDanger Man Comics 2Danger Man ComicsJohn Drake ComicsDer Mann Von UNCLEGolden Margaret NolanMan From UNCLE RocksteadyPussy Galore CalypsoCynthia Lennon R.I.P.Edward Mann FashionLeonard Nimoy TributeShatner at 84Bob Morane seriesThai Bond DesignBond vs ModernismTokyo Beat 1964Feraud Mod FashionGreen Hornet MangaAvengers Interview: Michael RichardsonIan Fleming: Wicked GrinJane Bond Hong Kong RecordsRyan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMANComics Week: Jimmy OlsenShakespeare Spies: Diana RiggShakespeare Spies IRodney Marshall Avengers InterviewRichard Sala: Super-EnigmatixCold War ArchiePlayboy Bunny InterviewThe 10th Victim Japanese and KindleU.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

October 24, 2016

SACRED COWS

Happy Monday, Spy Vibers! Let's get the week started with Get Smart and the Sacred Cows. No, not those beloved series conventions, such as the cone of silence, but that hypnotic pop group from KAOS. Working as musical minions to the Groovy Guru, the Sacred Cows cast a spell on listeners and promoted baddie dogma, like "Rebellion is Hip". The group was created for The Groovy Guru episode, which originally aired on January 13th, 1968. Take a listen- if you dare! Enjoy!


Selected Spy Vibe Posts: UNCLE FashionsThunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview:Spy Film GuideLost Avengers FoundThe Callan FileMission Impossible 50thGreen Hornet 50thStar Trek 50thPortmeirion Photography 1Filming the PrisonerGaiman McGinnins ProjectIan Fleming GraveRevolver at 50Karen Romanko InterviewMod Tales 2Umbrella Man: Patrick MacneeNew Beatles FilmThe Curious CameraEsterel Fashion 1966Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview007 Tribute CoversThe Phantom Avon novels returnIan Fleming FestivalArgoman DesignSylvia Anderson R.I.P.Ken Adam R.I.P.George Martin R.I.P.The New Avengers ComicsTrina Robbins InterviewThe Phantom at 80007 MangaAvengerworld BookDiana Rigg Auto ShowThe Prisoner Audio Drama ReviewDavid McCallum novelAndre Courreges R.I.P.Who's Talking on Spy VibeUFO Blu-rayAvengers Pop Art Interview, Fergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes InterviewJaz Wiseman Interview, Diana Rigg BFI InterviewCasino Royale Interview: Mike RichardsonLost Diana Rigg InterviewHonor Blackman at 90UNCLE SchoolIan Fleming Memorial, Portmeirion PhotosDoctor Who ExhibitFarewell SteedPussy Galore ReturnsDiana Rigg birthdaySherlock at 221BInvisible AgentSaint Interview: Ian DickersonSaint DoppelgängerFleming's TypewriterRare FlemingFleming's MusicIan Fleming's JapanJim Wilson Corgi InterviewFantomas DesignJohn Buss interview, Saint VolvoMod Tales InterviewAgente Secreto ComicsDanger Man Comics 2Danger Man ComicsJohn Drake ComicsDer Mann Von UNCLEGolden Margaret NolanMan From UNCLE RocksteadyPussy Galore CalypsoCynthia Lennon R.I.P.Edward Mann FashionLeonard Nimoy TributeShatner at 84Bob Morane seriesThai Bond DesignBond vs ModernismTokyo Beat 1964Feraud Mod FashionGreen Hornet MangaAvengers Interview: Michael RichardsonIan Fleming: Wicked GrinJane Bond Hong Kong RecordsRyan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMANComics Week: Jimmy OlsenShakespeare Spies: Diana RiggShakespeare Spies IRodney Marshall Avengers InterviewRichard Sala: Super-EnigmatixCold War ArchiePlayboy Bunny InterviewThe 10th Victim Japanese and KindleU.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

October 22, 2016

U.N.C.L.E. FASHIONS

Happy Saturday, Spy Vibers! It's been another busy week of teaching for me and I'm psyched we can finally spend a little extra time in the Spy Vibe lair together. Isn't it strange how time flies so quickly? For example, I can't believe it's been over a year since The Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie made its debut. A bunch of us had such a blast down in LA for a series of special events around the movie. Our friend, FX maestro Robert Short, hosted a super cool exhibit of U.N.C.L.E. memorabilia and artifacts (see Spy Vibe post here), Quentin Tarantino offered up a triple-feature of classic U.N.C.L.E. films at his cinema, and a large group of us gathered to see the new movie together (see my review here). One of the strengths of the film was its attention to design. The sets were beautifully dressed, some locations could have dropped right out of the first season of the original series, and Joanna Johnston created some stunning fashion inspired by the crossover period (1967-1968) between Mod geometrics and the emerging 1970s vibe. Spy Vibe is dedicated to 1960s "style in action", so it was natural to bask in the film's design. But if I had one complaint about Ritchie's U.N.C.L.E., it was that the design seemed to hang over the surface of the movie like, well, a new suit of clothes. The original Star Wars trilogy, for example, worked so well because it was a "lived-in" universe. There were moments in U.N.C.L.E. where it seemed to me that actors were playing dress-up. But I saw great effort and attention to style, which I appreciated, and the narrative itself showed the characters literally dressing for their undercover roles. Maybe if everyone had slept in their costumes for a week it would have felt more authentic to me. Still, these musings are not to take away from the gorgeous design work by Johnston and others. Check out these costumes below. They sure do photograph well! Enjoy!













Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview:Spy Film GuideLost Avengers FoundThe Callan FileMission Impossible 50thGreen Hornet 50thStar Trek 50thPortmeirion Photography 1Filming the PrisonerGaiman McGinnins ProjectIan Fleming GraveRevolver at 50Karen Romanko InterviewMod Tales 2Umbrella Man: Patrick MacneeNew Beatles FilmThe Curious CameraEsterel Fashion 1966Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview007 Tribute CoversThe Phantom Avon novels returnIan Fleming FestivalArgoman DesignSylvia Anderson R.I.P.Ken Adam R.I.P.George Martin R.I.P.The New Avengers ComicsTrina Robbins InterviewThe Phantom at 80007 MangaAvengerworld BookDiana Rigg Auto ShowThe Prisoner Audio Drama ReviewDavid McCallum novelAndre Courreges R.I.P.Who's Talking on Spy VibeUFO Blu-rayAvengers Pop Art Interview, Fergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes InterviewJaz Wiseman Interview, Diana Rigg BFI InterviewCasino Royale Interview: Mike RichardsonLost Diana Rigg InterviewHonor Blackman at 90UNCLE SchoolIan Fleming Memorial, Portmeirion PhotosDoctor Who ExhibitFarewell SteedPussy Galore ReturnsDiana Rigg birthdaySherlock at 221BInvisible AgentSaint Interview: Ian DickersonSaint DoppelgängerFleming's TypewriterRare FlemingFleming's MusicIan Fleming's JapanJim Wilson Corgi InterviewFantomas DesignJohn Buss interview, Saint VolvoMod Tales InterviewAgente Secreto ComicsDanger Man Comics 2Danger Man ComicsJohn Drake ComicsDer Mann Von UNCLEGolden Margaret NolanMan From UNCLE RocksteadyPussy Galore CalypsoCynthia Lennon R.I.P.Edward Mann FashionLeonard Nimoy TributeShatner at 84Bob Morane seriesThai Bond DesignBond vs ModernismTokyo Beat 1964Feraud Mod FashionGreen Hornet MangaAvengers Interview: Michael RichardsonIan Fleming: Wicked GrinJane Bond Hong Kong RecordsRyan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMANComics Week: Jimmy OlsenShakespeare Spies: Diana RiggShakespeare Spies IRodney Marshall Avengers InterviewRichard Sala: Super-EnigmatixCold War ArchiePlayboy Bunny InterviewThe 10th Victim Japanese and KindleU.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.