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The Prisoner dvd release - The Complete Series Review
The Prisoner dvd release is one of those wonderful cult gems that has a vibrant and devoted following, but it was kind of thing you had to stumble upon or The 67th Annual Golden Globes box set disney movies are children¡¯s favorite show and COLD CASE dvd is good show about men,Two and a Half Men dvd my favorite show is Two and a Half Men dvd The 67th Annual Golden Globes welcomed Ricky Gervais as host at a gala at the Beverly Hills Hilton, and it wasn´t long into his opening monologue before NBC COLD CASE dvd show is the best populor show on tv box set disney movies brass were doubtless holding their breath, hoping that jokes about his penis and its relative size didn´t go too far. Too late. But things settled down and the winners, true to tradition, were full of emotion and impromptu remarks. The most unusual thank-you went out to Jeff Bridges´ Mad Men Season dvd longtime stand-in, Lloyd, and perhaps the funniest acceptance speech came from surprise winner Robert Downey, Jr., who did a "no thanks" speech instead. As for biggest surprise winner, that would be "The Hangover," for Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical. House MD dvd and the pop king Michael Jackson ultimate collection music, cds The Beatles Collection dvds is also classical music. las vegas dvd series is a tv show about the city One Tree Hill dvd is suit for students in college love One Tree Hill dvd
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be introduced to by a friend in the know. While a major hit in the U.K. upon its 1967 debut, the 17-episode series remained an obscure classic in the U.S., appreciated mainly by science-fiction fans and media studies students at liberal arts colleges.
That could all change very soon, however, with the premiere of AMC's reimagined miniseries on Nov. 15. Television audiences will soon get a new introduction to the world of the Village and the character of Number Six, but hopefully it might lead some to rediscover the bizarre and imaginative original on which it's based. A&E is clearly hoping that as well, releasing this Blu-ray set in a timely fashion to capitalize on the new version.
The premise is deceptively simple. A British secret agent (Patrick McGoohan, the show's co-creator and producer, who frequently also served as writer and director) resigns from his job in a fury, without giving a reason for his departure. He is subsequently gassed in his home and wakes up in a secluded, idyllic place called The Village. There, he's given a number instead of a name and subjected to a series of elaborate interrogations designed to root out the reason why he resigned (this all happens in just the opening credits). Over the course of the 17 episodes, Number Six is pitted against a series of Number Twos, all trying to extract the information and break his spirit through various methods ¨C mental, physical and pharmacological.
That explanation barely scratches the surface, however, of this layered and complex series. If you want to take it as a simple cat-and-mouse story, you can look at it that way, but you can also go deeper into the themes of identity, free will, politics, paranoia, trust and the nature of truth. It's also dripping with symbolism and surreal imagery, like the "penny-farthing" bicycle that serves as the Village's logo. For many, the most memorable and iconic image of the series, however, is that of Rover, an impersonal white balloon sphere capable of suffocating any individual attempting to escape. The description may not seem that imposing, but it is to the credit of the show's creators that they manage to make such simple, non-descript objects so terrifying.
Part of the fun of The Prisoner dvd release is watching the clever, resolute and self-assured Number Six come up against one Number Two after another, each convinced that they will be the one to make him crack. Yet he never succumbs (thus the introduction of a new Number Two in each episode). Sometimes he's given a brief but ultimately futile hope of escape, as in "The Chimes of Big Ben," "Many Happy Returns" and "Checkmate." Other times, he is put through a mental or drug-induced ordeal to task his sanity, as in "A. B. and C.," "The Schizoid Man," and "Once Upon a Time." There are also episodes which find him taking on the establishment directly, as in "Free For All," "Dance of the Dead" and "It's Your Funeral." Whatever the scenario, the series is full of twists, and always keeps you guessing.
Speaking of twists, The Prisoner dvd release has become infamous for having one of the most shocking and bizarre endings of any television series ever. It was so controversial that there are stories about McGoohan being attacked in the streets by angry viewers after the finale aired in the U.K. I won't spoil it here, but it will definitely leave you scratching your head. Unfortunately, McGoohan always refused to explain what it means, and since he passed away in early 2009, we will probably never know. So take from it what you will.
The series also has a marvelous design aesthetic, combining mod style with the colorful Mediterranean-inspired architecture of the Village itself. The exteriors were all shot on location in the village of Portmeirion, a real-life seaside resort in North Wales, while the futuristic (for the time) interiors were mostly shot on sound stages. The costumes are instantly recognizable as well, from Number Six's black jacket with white trim to the colorful cloaks and hats worn by the Village residents.
Whether the remake turns out to be a success or a letdown, nothing will diminish the originality and the spirit of the source material, which still looks and feels unlike anything ever broadcast on television.
Score: 10 out of 10
- AMC TV
Video and Presentation
Presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio in 1080p resolution, The Prisoner dvd release looks quite impressive for a 40-year-old television series. Although slightly faded with time, the colors are rich and true to the era of the late '60s. The picture is sharp and clean, and generally free of any dust, scratches or imperfections, with the exception of a few stock landscapes here and there. Although you won't find the depth and detail here of a modern TV series, this is a lovely restoration that fans will appreciate.
Score: 7 out of 10
Languages and Audio
Most notable here is the lack of a lossless track. The film was newly remixed in 5.1 Dolby Digital, although you can still watch the episodes with their original mono tracks. Despite the lack of an HD audio presentation, the sound here does a fine job, with nice separation and some effective moments of directionality. It can be a bit crowded at times, and the voices can have a pinched quality to them, but the dialogue is clear and consistently discernible (although the audio commentaries are not as clear). The opening title music is brash and brassy, too, but it certainly sets the mood.
Score: 7 out of 10
"If whatever we wanted to say is not already contained within the episodes of the series then I failed in the production of them and any amount of chit-chat now will not make good that omission." Despite this introductory quote by McGoohan about the pointlessness of such a venture, the hours of bonus features included in this definitive five-disc set actually go a long way towards providing a thorough background, context and interpretation of the series.
The full list of extras includes:
* "Don't Knock Yourself Out"
* The Pink Prisoner
* You Make Sure it Fits!
* Promo for AMC's The Prisoner dvd release miniseries
* Newly restored original edit of "Arrival" with an optional music-only soundtrack
* Original edit of "the Chimes of Big Ben" episode
* Production crew audio commentaries on seven episodes
* Trailers for all episodes
* Archive textless material, including the title sequence with clean themes by Ron Grainer, Wilfred Josephs and Robert Farnon
* Commercial break bumpers
* Image Archive
* Production Paperwork Archive
- AMC TV
"Don't Knock Yourself Out" is a fascinating hour-and-a-half documentary about the making of The Prisoner dvd release. Through archival footage, home movies from the set, clips from the episodes and interviews with many of those involved in the original production, you get a pretty good idea of the genius and the chaos that went on behind the scenes.
Considering McGoohan doesn't weigh in ¨C he's notoriously reluctant to talk about the series ¨C the rest of the participants do a good job of filling in the blanks, although many of them are surprisingly forthright about how difficult it was to work with him. What emerges is a rather unflattering portrait of an uncompromising, strong-willed egotist with a forceful personality and a short fuse. The show's producers and some of the guest stars talk about tantrums and fights on the set and his intolerance for anything less than perfection. But in the midst of it all, you also get the image of a brilliant, fiercely talented man who was absolutely devoted to his work. The Prisoner dvd release wouldn't be what it is without him.
"You Make Sure it Fits!" is a nine-minute interview segment with Eric Mival, who was the music editor on the series. Mival talks about how he became involved in the production, the work that went into each episode and the challenges of fitting the music to the editing. This rather dry talking-head could have been made a bit livelier with the inclusion of some of the actual music, but oddly, this feature has no soundtrack.
"The Pink Prisoner" features the full interview with actor Peter Wyngarde, who played Number Two in the episode "Checkmate." Wyngarde is quite the character, and seems to have memorized most of his answers to the mumbled off-screen questions that we never hear. In fact, a credit at the end reveals that the entire interview was written by the idiosyncratic Wyngarde himself. It's most interesting at the end, in light of the upcoming miniseries, where the actor talks about the possibility of remaking The Prisoner dvd release as a feature film and his ideas about what would and wouldn't work in the theater.
- AMC TV
The disc is filled with tons of archival footage, deleted sequences and alternate scenes (most of which were previously released in the 40th anniversary DVD collection). There are also commentaries on seven episodes, some of which duplicate the content in the documentary, but it's still quite fascinating to hear about the ins and outs of the production from those who suffered through it.
The image archive contains over 1,200 stills from the well-documented production. There's also an archive of paperwork, including scripts, call sheets and press releases. A 30-second trailer for the AMC miniseries rounds out the special features. Obviously, this is another exclusive to this release.
Score: 9 out of 10
The Bottom Line
Whether you're a fan of the original series or have never seen it before, this is a good opportunity to check it out before the upcoming reimagined AMC miniseries airs. And with a beautifully restored picture and surround sound, this is the best way to enjoy it.
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Topic: The Prisoner - The Complete Series Review
