Although the show was sold as a thriller in the mold of the previous series starring McGoohan, Danger Man (retitled as Secret Agent in the US), its combination of 1960s countercultural themes and surrealistic setting had a far-reaching influence on science fiction and fantasy TV programming, and on narrative popular culture in general.
and 'they' would always be there to ensure that his captivity continues. ==Merchandise== ===Books=== In the late 1960s, the TV series quickly spawned three novels tied into the series.
Booth points out that McGoohan had outlined the themes of The Prisoner in a 1965 interview, long before Markstein's tenure as script editor on the brief fourth season of Danger Man. At any rate, part of Markstein's inspiration came from his research into the Second World War, where he found that some people had been incarcerated in a resort-like prison called Inverlair Lodge.
It was produced by Everyman Films for distribution by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. A single season of 17 episodes was filmed between September 1966 and January 1968, with exterior location filming in Portmeirion, Wales.
Using his own name, McGoohan wrote and directed the last two episodes—"Once Upon a Time" and "Fall Out"—and directed "Free for All". In a 1966 interview for the Los Angeles Times by reporter Robert Musel, McGoohan stated: "John Drake of Secret Agent is gone." Furthermore, McGoohan stated in a 1985 interview that Number Six is not the same character as John Drake, adding that he had originally wanted another actor to portray the character.
The world broadcast premiere was on the CTV Television Network in Canada on 5 September 1967. ===Filming=== Filming began with the shooting of the series' opening sequence in London on 28 August 1966, with location work beginning on 5 September 1966, primarily in Portmeirion village near Porthmadog, north Wales.
The Prisoner is a 1967 British avant-garde social science fiction television series about an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village, where his captors try to find out why he abruptly resigned from his job.
The series was first broadcast in Canada beginning on 6 September 1967, in the UK on 29 September 1967, and in the US on 1 June 1968.
McGoohan stated that the series aimed to demonstrate a balance between the two points. ==Episodes== The Prisoner consists of 17 episodes, which were first broadcast from 29 September 1967 to 1 February 1968 in the United Kingdom.
A four-page document, generally agreed to have been written by Markstein, setting out an overview of the themes of the series, was published as part of an ITC/ATV press book in 1967.
The exact number that was agreed to and how the series was to end are disputed by different sources. In an August 1967 article, Dorothy Manners reported that CBS had asked McGoohan to produce 36 segments, but he would agree to produce only 17.
According to The Prisoner: The Official Companion to the Classic TV Series, the series was originally supposed to run longer, but was cancelled, forcing McGoohan to write the final episode in only a few days. The Prisoner had its British premiere on 29 September 1967 on ATV Midlands, and the last episode first aired on 1 February 1968 on Scottish Television.
The world broadcast premiere was on the CTV Television Network in Canada on 5 September 1967. ===Filming=== Filming began with the shooting of the series' opening sequence in London on 28 August 1966, with location work beginning on 5 September 1966, primarily in Portmeirion village near Porthmadog, north Wales.
It was produced by Everyman Films for distribution by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. A single season of 17 episodes was filmed between September 1966 and January 1968, with exterior location filming in Portmeirion, Wales.
The series was first broadcast in Canada beginning on 6 September 1967, in the UK on 29 September 1967, and in the US on 1 June 1968.
McGoohan stated that the series aimed to demonstrate a balance between the two points. ==Episodes== The Prisoner consists of 17 episodes, which were first broadcast from 29 September 1967 to 1 February 1968 in the United Kingdom.
According to The Prisoner: The Official Companion to the Classic TV Series, the series was originally supposed to run longer, but was cancelled, forcing McGoohan to write the final episode in only a few days. The Prisoner had its British premiere on 29 September 1967 on ATV Midlands, and the last episode first aired on 1 February 1968 on Scottish Television.
Following this controversial ending, McGoohan "claimed he had to go into hiding for a while". ===Awards and honours=== The final episode, "Fall Out", received a Hugo Award nomination for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1969. In 2002, the series won the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award. In 2004 and 2007, it was ranked No.
In the 1970s and into the 1980s, as the series gained cult status a large amount of fan produced material began to appear, with the official appreciation society forming in 1977.
McGoohan stated in a 1977 interview (broadcast as part of a Canadian documentary about The Prisoner called The Prisoner Puzzle) that, during the filming of the third season of Danger Man, he told Lew Grade, managing director of ITC Entertainment, that he wanted to quit working on Danger Man after the filming of the proposed fourth series.
In the 1977 account, McGoohan said that Grade approved of the show despite not understanding it; whereas, in the 1988 account, Grade expressed clear support for the concept. Other sources, however, credit Markstein, then a script editor for Danger Man, with a significant or even primary portion of the development of the show.
According to a 1977 interview, Lew Grade requested 26 episodes; McGoohan thought this would spread the show too thin, but was able to come up with 17 episodes.
In the 1970s and into the 1980s, as the series gained cult status a large amount of fan produced material began to appear, with the official appreciation society forming in 1977.
The exact details of who created which aspects of the show are disputed; majority opinion credits McGoohan as the sole creator of the series, but a disputed co-creator status was later ascribed to Markstein after a series of fan interviews were published in the 1980s.
In the 1970s and into the 1980s, as the series gained cult status a large amount of fan produced material began to appear, with the official appreciation society forming in 1977.
The first VHS and Betamax releases were through Precision Video in 1982 from 16mm original prints.
The documentary received a separate DVD release, featuring an extended cut, in November 2007 accompanied by a featurette titled "Make Sure It Fits", regarding Eric Mival's music editing for the series. In My Mind (2017, 78 mins) documentary film by Chris Rodley about his experiences interviewing Patrick McGoohan in 1983 for the Six into One: The Prisoner File documentary.
In 1993 PolyGram Video released the entire series plus a special feature called The Best of The Prisoner on five VHS cassette tapes. In North America, MPI Home Video released a total of 20 VHS videotapes in 1984 encompassing the entire series: one tape for each of the 17 episodes plus three more containing "The Alternate Version of 'The Chimes of Big Ben'", a documentary, and a "best of" retrospective.
Using his own name, McGoohan wrote and directed the last two episodes—"Once Upon a Time" and "Fall Out"—and directed "Free for All". In a 1966 interview for the Los Angeles Times by reporter Robert Musel, McGoohan stated: "John Drake of Secret Agent is gone." Furthermore, McGoohan stated in a 1985 interview that Number Six is not the same character as John Drake, adding that he had originally wanted another actor to portray the character.
In 1986 Channel 5 Video (a now a defunct home video brand owned by Universal Pictures) released a series of all 17 episodes on VHS and LaserDisc.
In a 1988 article from British Telefantasy magazine Time Screen, though, McGoohan indicated that he had planned to pitch The Prisoner before speaking with Grade.
In the 1977 account, McGoohan said that Grade approved of the show despite not understanding it; whereas, in the 1988 account, Grade expressed clear support for the concept. Other sources, however, credit Markstein, then a script editor for Danger Man, with a significant or even primary portion of the development of the show.
In 1988, the first officially sanctioned guide – The Prisoner Companion – was released.
Roger Langley the organiser of the Six of One The Prisoner appreciation society has published several books, guides and novels inspired by the TV series (including Patrick McGoohan: Danger Man or Prisoner? first published in 2007 and revised and updated in 2017 with input from Catherine McGoohan). ===Comics=== In 1988, DC Comics released Shattered Visage the first part of a four-part series of comics based on the characters in the TV series.
MPI also released editions of nine LaserDiscs in 1988 and 1998, the last disc of which comprised the final Episode 17, "Fall Out", plus "The Prisoner Video Companion" on side two. ====DVD==== In 2000, the first DVD release in the UK was issued by Carlton International Entertainment, with A&E Home Video releasing the same DVDs in North America/Region 1 (in four-episode sets as well as a comprehensive 10-disc "mega-box" edition).
In 1989, Oswald and Carraze released The Prisoner in France with a translated version appearing shortly after.
From the 1990s, numerous other books about the TV series and Patrick McGoohan have been produced.
In 1993 PolyGram Video released the entire series plus a special feature called The Best of The Prisoner on five VHS cassette tapes. In North America, MPI Home Video released a total of 20 VHS videotapes in 1984 encompassing the entire series: one tape for each of the 17 episodes plus three more containing "The Alternate Version of 'The Chimes of Big Ben'", a documentary, and a "best of" retrospective.
7 on TV Guides Top Cult Shows Ever. In 1997 and 2001, TV Guide listed "Fall Out" as the 55th Greatest TV Episode of All Time. In 2005, readers of SFX magazine awarded the series fifth place in a poll of British fantasy and science fiction television programmes. A 2005 survey of leading rock and film stars by Uncut magazine ranking films, books, music or TV shows that changed the world, placed The Prisoner at No.
MPI also released editions of nine LaserDiscs in 1988 and 1998, the last disc of which comprised the final Episode 17, "Fall Out", plus "The Prisoner Video Companion" on side two. ====DVD==== In 2000, the first DVD release in the UK was issued by Carlton International Entertainment, with A&E Home Video releasing the same DVDs in North America/Region 1 (in four-episode sets as well as a comprehensive 10-disc "mega-box" edition).
The 1998 The Simpsons episode "The Joy of Sect" also includes a gag involving Rover. ===Film adaptation=== Christopher Nolan was reported to be considering a film version in 2009, but later dropped out of the project.
MPI also released editions of nine LaserDiscs in 1988 and 1998, the last disc of which comprised the final Episode 17, "Fall Out", plus "The Prisoner Video Companion" on side two. ====DVD==== In 2000, the first DVD release in the UK was issued by Carlton International Entertainment, with A&E Home Video releasing the same DVDs in North America/Region 1 (in four-episode sets as well as a comprehensive 10-disc "mega-box" edition).
It was released to DVD in the early 2000s as a bonus feature with A&E's release of The Prisoner series.
The series received mixed reviews, mainly unfavourable, with a 45/100 rating by 21 critics and 3.6/10 by 82 users as of July 2018. ====The Simpsons (2000)==== The series is parodied in the 2000 The Simpsons episode "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes".
7 on TV Guides Top Cult Shows Ever. In 1997 and 2001, TV Guide listed "Fall Out" as the 55th Greatest TV Episode of All Time. In 2005, readers of SFX magazine awarded the series fifth place in a poll of British fantasy and science fiction television programmes. A 2005 survey of leading rock and film stars by Uncut magazine ranking films, books, music or TV shows that changed the world, placed The Prisoner at No.
Following this controversial ending, McGoohan "claimed he had to go into hiding for a while". ===Awards and honours=== The final episode, "Fall Out", received a Hugo Award nomination for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1969. In 2002, the series won the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award. In 2004 and 2007, it was ranked No.
In Australia, Umbrella Entertainment released a DVD set in 2003.
Following this controversial ending, McGoohan "claimed he had to go into hiding for a while". ===Awards and honours=== The final episode, "Fall Out", received a Hugo Award nomination for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1969. In 2002, the series won the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award. In 2004 and 2007, it was ranked No.
In 2005 DeAgostini in the UK released all 17 episodes in a fortnightly partwork series. ====40th anniversary DVDs==== The Prisoner: 40th Anniversary Special Edition DVD box-set released in 2007 featured standard-definition versions from high-definition masters created by Network.
7 on TV Guides Top Cult Shows Ever. In 1997 and 2001, TV Guide listed "Fall Out" as the 55th Greatest TV Episode of All Time. In 2005, readers of SFX magazine awarded the series fifth place in a poll of British fantasy and science fiction television programmes. A 2005 survey of leading rock and film stars by Uncut magazine ranking films, books, music or TV shows that changed the world, placed The Prisoner at No.
Roger Langley the organiser of the Six of One The Prisoner appreciation society has published several books, guides and novels inspired by the TV series (including Patrick McGoohan: Danger Man or Prisoner? first published in 2007 and revised and updated in 2017 with input from Catherine McGoohan). ===Comics=== In 1988, DC Comics released Shattered Visage the first part of a four-part series of comics based on the characters in the TV series.
A&E subsequently reissued the mega-box in a 40th anniversary edition in 2007.
In 2005 DeAgostini in the UK released all 17 episodes in a fortnightly partwork series. ====40th anniversary DVDs==== The Prisoner: 40th Anniversary Special Edition DVD box-set released in 2007 featured standard-definition versions from high-definition masters created by Network.
The documentary received a separate DVD release, featuring an extended cut, in November 2007 accompanied by a featurette titled "Make Sure It Fits", regarding Eric Mival's music editing for the series. In My Mind (2017, 78 mins) documentary film by Chris Rodley about his experiences interviewing Patrick McGoohan in 1983 for the Six into One: The Prisoner File documentary.
Following this controversial ending, McGoohan "claimed he had to go into hiding for a while". ===Awards and honours=== The final episode, "Fall Out", received a Hugo Award nomination for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1969. In 2002, the series won the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award. In 2004 and 2007, it was ranked No.
Since its initial screening, the series has developed a cult following. A six-part TV miniseries remake aired on the US cable channel AMC in November 2009.
It also included a production guide to the series by Andrew Pixley. ====Remastered Blu-ray Disc Box-set==== The Prisoner: The Complete Series was released on Blu-ray Disc in the United Kingdom on 28 September 2009, following in North America on 27 October 2009.
Includes previously unseen interview material and insights from McGoohan's daughter, Catherine. ====The Prisoner (2009)==== In 2009, the series was remade as a miniseries, also titled The Prisoner, which aired in the U.S.
The 1998 The Simpsons episode "The Joy of Sect" also includes a gag involving Rover. ===Film adaptation=== Christopher Nolan was reported to be considering a film version in 2009, but later dropped out of the project.
In 2016, Big Finish Productions reinterpreted the series as an audio drama. ==Plot== The series follows an unnamed British man (McGoohan) who, after abruptly and angrily resigning from his job (seemingly being a government secret service post), apparently prepares to make a hurried departure from the country.
In 2016, Ridley Scott was in talks to direct the screen version. ==Reception== The finale of The Prisoner left open-ended questions, generating controversy and letters of outrage.
Roger Langley the organiser of the Six of One The Prisoner appreciation society has published several books, guides and novels inspired by the TV series (including Patrick McGoohan: Danger Man or Prisoner? first published in 2007 and revised and updated in 2017 with input from Catherine McGoohan). ===Comics=== In 1988, DC Comics released Shattered Visage the first part of a four-part series of comics based on the characters in the TV series.
In 2018 Titan Comics re-issued Shattered Visage as well as releasing The Prisoner: The Uncertainty Machine, another four-part series of comics about another spy returning to the Village.
Although Patrick McGoohan's Number 6 is depicted on covers of the 2018 series, the character plays no direct role in the story. ===Home media=== ====Video tapes==== Numerous editions of The Prisoner were released in the UK/Region 2 by companies such as Carlton, the copyright holder of the TV series.
The series received mixed reviews, mainly unfavourable, with a 45/100 rating by 21 critics and 3.6/10 by 82 users as of July 2018. ====The Simpsons (2000)==== The series is parodied in the 2000 The Simpsons episode "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes".
The box-set features all 17 remastered episodes plus extensive special features, including the feature-length documentary Don't Knock Yourself Out, a restored original edit of "Arrival" and extensive archive photos and production stills. ====50th anniversary==== The Prisoner: 50th Anniversary Set was released in the United Kingdom on 29 July 2019.
All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .
Page generated on 2021-08-05