The Prisoner Returns to TV

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The Prisoner Returns to TV
Topic Started: Oct 21 2009, 01:13 AM (234 Views)
Black Tiger	Oct 21 2009, 01:13 AM Post #1
Charter Member Posts: 1,818 Group: Members Member #50 Joined: September 15, 2005	Just saw several outdoor posters advertising a new Prisoner tv show debuting November 15th on AMC. The original Prisoner, with Patrick McGoohan remains one of my all-time favorite tv shows, so this more than piqued my curiosity. After a little research, I found it will be presented as a six-part mini series starring James Caviezel as Number Six and Sir Ian McKellen as Number Two. If you go to the amctv.com website, you can view a long trailer (McKellen has some really great lines) plus footage from a presentation at the San Diego Comic Con. If the new show is half as good as the original, it will still be must-see tv. Edited by Black Tiger, Oct 21 2009, 01:15 AM.



Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer	Oct 22 2009, 03:26 AM Post #2
Balconeer Creeper Posts: 14,184 Group: Members Member #244 Joined: July 6, 2007	I wasn't aware of a new Prisoner, but BT's post made me think about the original show. I must say that I only saw the show a few times, and I was terribly confused (moreso than usual). I remembered the white balloon, and Patrick running hither and yon (mainly on a beach), but not much else. I think I was scarcely past the age of 10 when it was on, but with the modern miracle of tellyvision, and a bunch o' cash to my cable provider... Yesterday when I got home and it was finally time to view some tube, I opted for my cable system's On Demand option. I noticed a new selection on the main screen entitled Tellyvision something or other, and inside that function was the original Prisoner! The system currently has the first 6 episodes, so I watched the 1st one. Not bad. It was definitely made because of the ~~Derek Flynt~~ James Bond craze, but it was a bit of a mystery. I'll see how it hiolds up as I view episode 2 sometime soon.
	"She's got style, she's got grace She's got long, long legs, she's got... Savoir Faire"


JazzGuyy	Oct 22 2009, 07:34 AM Post #3
Balcony Gang, Foist Class Posts: 2,181 Group: Members Member #110 Joined: June 1, 2006	Do we need a remake of this though? The original was close to perfect. I don't know how a remake could be an improvement and probably won't be as good. I still don't understand the obsession with remaking something that was excellent.



Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer	Oct 22 2009, 07:53 AM Post #4
Balconeer Creeper Posts: 14,184 Group: Members Member #244 Joined: July 6, 2007	JazzGuyy Oct 22 2009, 07:34 AM I still don't understand the obsession with remaking something that was excellent. $$$$$$$$ JazzGuyy Do we need a remake of this though? I say NO!
	"She's got style, she's got grace She's got long, long legs, she's got... Savoir Faire"


panzer the great & terrible	Oct 22 2009, 09:54 AM Post #5
Mouth Breather Posts: 10,357 Group: Members Member #13 Joined: September 3, 2005	The only movies that should be remade are movies like The Fly that weren't that good in the first place, but were a good idea, and there aren't many.
	We Wear Short Shorts Flying Purple People Eater


JazzGuyy	Oct 22 2009, 10:58 AM Post #6
Balcony Gang, Foist Class Posts: 2,181 Group: Members Member #110 Joined: June 1, 2006	I assume part of the rationale for a remake is so they can make it for "today's audience" who can't possibly identify with something made 40 years ago, when there was no CGI, rapid cutting and all the other up-to-date trappings. Am I the only one who thinks that is insulting?



panzer the great & terrible	Oct 22 2009, 10:41 PM Post #7
Mouth Breather Posts: 10,357 Group: Members Member #13 Joined: September 3, 2005	It's insulting and partly untrue. Griffith started rapid cutting around 1912.
	We Wear Short Shorts Flying Purple People Eater


JazzGuyy	Oct 23 2009, 06:37 AM Post #8
Balcony Gang, Foist Class Posts: 2,181 Group: Members Member #110 Joined: June 1, 2006	panzer the great & terrible Oct 22 2009, 10:41 PM It's insulting and partly untrue. Griffith started rapid cutting around 1912. Yeah, but I don't think he used it to the extent it is used today. That is what I was talking about. Compare a modern movie fight with its hundreds of cuts to the past.



Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer	Oct 23 2009, 10:14 AM Post #9
Balconeer Creeper Posts: 14,184 Group: Members Member #244 Joined: July 6, 2007	To get away from the subject for a second (I don't do this often), I'd like to mention that D W Griffith was the answer on Jeopardy this week. Actually it was an answer in the form of a question. The question, or answer, or... Oh the damn thing behind the $600 card was "He directed The Birth Of A Nation". To get back on track staggers, I watched episode 2 of The Prisoner last night: The Chimes Of Big Ben. No. 6 tried to escape (I see this could be a recurring theme) with the help of a russian lady. Of course the ringing of Big Ben played a big part in the episode. The russian lady kept calling the clock Big Bill. I don't know JazzGuyy, but certain things get remade. Whether it's because of money, or because it's an homage to the original, it's hard to say. I mean how many times does somebody need to remake A Christmas Carol, or Huck Finn? The new show might be good, 'cause I love Ian McKellan, I think he's the shit. I think he's great in Apt Pupil (I hope that's the title, and that I didn't use King's novella title) and Gods And Monsters. I mentioned that there were 6 episode of the original Prisoner on my cable service. Wrongo, all 17 are available until Nov. 30th.
	"She's got style, she's got grace She's got long, long legs, she's got... Savoir Faire"


JazzGuyy	Oct 23 2009, 11:24 AM Post #10
Balcony Gang, Foist Class Posts: 2,181 Group: Members Member #110 Joined: June 1, 2006	I have the whole original Prisoner series on DVD and also saw it when it was first on back in the '60s and have watched it a total of 4 times (maybe 5) so I know it well. I consider it one of the finest things ever done on TV, not only because of its interesting theme but because of the quality of the acting in it. This is why I wonder if a remake is worth the effort and will offer us anything. "A Christmas Carol" gets made again and again because it's a tour de force for an actor and actors want to do it. There's not too many cases where an actor is the center of attention for most of the minutes in a film. You watch various Carols for the acting, certainly not the story which is pretty corny. "Huck Finn' needs to get remade because I don't think there's ever been a version that came anywhere near capturing the book's spirit. I probably won't be remade any more though because of the presence of the n-word, which would offend all of the people who don't understand why it needs to be there. I don't mind remakes when they replace inadequate predecessors but when you have something that is already about as good as anyone could expect or wasn't worth making the first time, then you don't need a remake.



Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer	Oct 23 2009, 12:29 PM Post #11
Balconeer Creeper Posts: 14,184 Group: Members Member #244 Joined: July 6, 2007	JazzGuyy Oct 23 2009, 11:24 AM I consider it (The Prisoner---Stony) one of the finest things ever done on TV, not only because of its interesting theme but because of the quality of the acting in it. Have you seen the Emma Peel Avengers? If so, which do you like better, The Avengers or The Prisoner?
	"She's got style, she's got grace She's got long, long legs, she's got... Savoir Faire"


Frank Hale	Oct 23 2009, 12:53 PM Post #12
Balcony Gang, Foist Class Posts: 828 Group: Members Member #59 Joined: October 6, 2005	Well, of course, you might get some disagreement on what are �inadequate predecessors�. As to �The Prisoner�, I bought the set last year with the intention of wallowing in some fond 60�s memories. But I haven�t been able to get into it. I�m about half way through and am considering just cutting to the last episode in which, if memory serves, nothing is really explained. (Don�t tell me if I�m wrong.) It�s a bright central premise, and the show is certainly well produced, Leo McKern being particular fun, but every episode is essentially the same thing, and my tolerance for that has diminished markedly in my dotage. I agree, though, that a remake is probably ill-advised. Mr. McGoohan was the whole show. And BTW, why a new Blu-Ray release? Wasn�t the thing in 16mm to begin with?



JazzGuyy	Oct 23 2009, 01:07 PM Post #13
Balcony Gang, Foist Class Posts: 2,181 Group: Members Member #110 Joined: June 1, 2006	Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer Oct 23 2009, 12:29 PM JazzGuyy Oct 23 2009, 11:24 AM I consider it (The Prisoner---Stony) one of the finest things ever done on TV, not only because of its interesting theme but because of the quality of the acting in it. Have you seen the Emma Peel Avengers? If so, which do you like better, The Avengers or The Prisoner? Yes. I have all the Avengers episodes available in my collection and have seen the Emma Peel episodes several times. I don't love one more than the other. They are two rather different series. Ones an apple; the other's an orange. The Avengers was at heart a stylish parody of the spy/adventure genre. The Prisoner I consider more a satire (in the Swiftian sense) and political commentary. The Prisoner is serious; the Avengers is fun. Do I like one more than the other. Of course not.



JazzGuyy	Oct 23 2009, 01:09 PM Post #14
Balcony Gang, Foist Class Posts: 2,181 Group: Members Member #110 Joined: June 1, 2006	Frank Hale Oct 23 2009, 12:53 PM Well, of course, you might get some disagreement on what are �inadequate predecessors�. As to �The Prisoner�, I bought the set last year with the intention of wallowing in some fond 60�s memories. But I haven�t been able to get into it. I�m about half way through and am considering just cutting to the last episode in which, if memory serves, nothing is really explained. (Don�t tell me if I�m wrong.) It�s a bright central premise, and the show is certainly well produced, Leo McKern being particular fun, but every episode is essentially the same thing, and my tolerance for that has diminished markedly in my dotage. I agree, though, that a remake is probably ill-advised. Mr. McGoohan was the whole show. And BTW, why a new Blu-Ray release? Wasn�t the thing in 16mm to begin with? The ending was deliberately enigmatic. Ultimately, it seems to be that the enemy is us. It was filmed in 35mm and supposedly widescreen (1.66). It was originally conceived as a movie from what I have read.



Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer	Oct 26 2009, 08:46 AM Post #15
Balconeer Creeper Posts: 14,184 Group: Members Member #244 Joined: July 6, 2007	JazzGuyy Oct 23 2009, 01:07 PM The Prisoner is serious; the Avengers is fun. Do I like one more than the other. Of course not. The Prisoner is serious in nature, but there's some very subtle wit going on. I saw episodes 3 thru 5 this weekend. Jolly good!
	"She's got style, she's got grace She's got long, long legs, she's got... Savoir Faire"


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