Where do you find it? I've never had the chance to watch this show. It's not on any of the big streaming services here in Canada - at least not that I am aware of.
@@LetsRoleplay It’s on Amazon Prime in the States, not sure if it is in Canada. Otherwise you may be left to hunt down the show on VHS, DVD, or Blu-Ray which is unfortunately costly. Not too many places streaming this show which is a shame given it’s one of television’s masterpieces.
One of the all time coolest episode theme music compositions ever! The horns give it such presence. Have to love the over use of the phrase "Be Seeing You" , as if they had a choice, they were all prisoners there.
The most prophetic TV series ever produced! Blew me out of the water when I first saw it in 1967. A complete revolution in TV programming that is the basis for so many other movies and TV series. McGoohan was a genius.
@@FHIPrincePeter Funnily enough, I love The Persuaders theme, too. It's a fantastic, atmospheric, dreamy piece of music. Cheesy to say, I know, but they don't make music like they used to ;-)
The high-wheeled bicycle is considered to be "an ironic symbol of progress" in this show; it was a prop usually seen in the control room of The Village, and is closely associated with No. 6's captors. Like the outward manifestations of The Village itself, the bike appears normal, harmless, reassuring, even quaint -- but it DISTRACTS ONE from recognizing the existence of the creepy, intrusive, antiseptic, morally ambiguous, highly-technocratic, and potentially violent mechanisms of social control that lie just beyond ones' sight, ready to swoop if need be. There is suggested a sharp dichotomy between our "genuine", slow-paced past based on human relationships, rugged individualism, and aesthetics, and a soulless modern era emphasizing division, distrust, and conformity at the same time. This dichotomy, which was only then emerging in Britain and the West as it had earlier in the USSR, was among McGoohan's main themes in producing the show.
...and look where we are today. The Prisoner was a warning; the nightmare scenario has become a terrifying reality. We even invite Alexa into our homes!
Producers of the new Bond films wanted Patrick McGoohan to play James Bond before Sean Connery, but he turned it down due to Bond's excessive killing and promiscuity. It is also reported that it was Patrick McGoohan who recommended Connery for the role of Bond. The rest, is history.
All true! McGoohan was very principled and creative and didn’t want to play a cartoonish character. James Bond actually was a newspaper comic strip in Britain at the time.
The theme music to a superb series that followed another superb series (Danger Man). God bless all associated with this work. Thanks to Lord Lew Grade, Patrick McGoohan, Edwin Astley, Ron Grainer, Bernard Williams, Jack Shampan and everyone involved. What a treasure trove these individuals have left us all. The Prisoner and Danger Man, both iconic legendary 60's series, reek of pure quality and are exemplary of the very best that dramatic arts can offer. Absolutely stupendous in every respect. I love these songs today as I did when I first heard them way back then. The series they announced were the height of dramatic quality. They render modern dramatic series as utter contemptible rubbish in comparison.
I watched that in the States as Secret Agent. Johnny Rivers made a fortune on the theme music. Leo McKern (Number 2) was the High priest dude trying to paint Ringo red in "Help" two years earlier. Good stuff back then.
Patrick McGoohan was multi-talented, with an exceedingly creative mind, great wit and superb taste. Of all of his work in the medium of television, this series is his lasting testament - from conception to writing, and casting to production (with Ron Grainer's music, together with Jack Shampan's art direction in the closing credits, the perfect - and iconic - fit). An excellent job of editing, not to mention the quality of the transfer; thanks so much for posting this.
There must have been more than one Village scattered throughout the world, because The Village was at times shown to be an island community, but in the last episode The Village appeared to be somewhere in London.
I was 10 when this came out. My favorite show then & remains my favorite. A remarkable creation, very prescient. Last night I watched an episode of Danger Man (Secret Agent in the US) called "Colony 3" which seems to be the precursor for The Village. The episode is about a spy village the Communists run in Russia, which is a perfect replica of an English village, to teach their spies how to be "English". They have permanent residents, defecting Communists from the UK but once you're there, you can never leave. Very much like The Village. And a GREAT episode!
What struck me was how little traffic there was on the streets of London! Also strange to think that Patrick McGoohan's car is now 50 years old ('C' reg = 1965) - I'm getting old too! :(
There is no value in that. 1. They need to know something he knows 2. They are testing if there system and methods of choosing agents, or keeping them in line works. It's not just that he has information, or may be a traitor, they are testing to see if there is a problem that goes just beyond him. Depending on your knowledge of the show, the cold war and Orwellian society, it's fairly possible that the village is a joint operation between both sides, and a traitor, or worse, someone who has proof that "war is peace", they need to contain. But again, killing is not the best option because they can use him to see if there is a systematic problem rather than just him as an individual.
On the rare occasions when my parents let me stay up late to see this in the 1960's I would have nightmares afterwards about 'Rover' - 5 decades later this oversized psychopathic beach ball just makes me chortle. Still, a great series though, and way ahead of its time.
The Canadian label Disques Cinémusique recently released large excerpts from two soundtracks composed and conducted by Ron Grainer in the early sixties : Nothing But the Best and The Moon-Spinners. Available as download and stream on most digital stores online.
I read somewhere that the John Drake character, which was No. 6, later became a character in " Ice Station Zebra " . And, he went from a teetotaler, to a social drinker, to a raving drunk.
It might be a variant of Albertus, as was suggested. The City of London crematorium, use a very similar style, and actually claim that it's theirs! I know this because I worked on their signs and had the font (typeface, in old money) supplied to us by their art/print department......
"We want...information...information...information..." "You won't get it!" "By hook or by crook, we.... okay, seriously, tell us how you were able to make lightning flash inside of a building!! You can't expect us to allow you to break the laws of time and space without picquing our interest!!"
one of those cars had passed me recently, and I quickly called out, ' hey, are you the new number 6' He didn't get it, which didn't surprise me: he looked quite old though....
@@freedomvigilant1234 Alas, Number One is a computer or A.I. entity. The robots have risen. :) All kidding aside, it is one of my favorite theme songs and arguably one of the best TV shows of all time.
Although I don't want to spoil fan's feelings for Number 6, for many years I always wondered who Number 1 was. In a recent boxset, watching the last episode it hit me. The only other person to have an almost every part showing was the Butler. He sees everything, heard everything but never spoke. Even in the end the butler is back in Number 6's home. Who better to keep an eye on him. Number 1 was the butler. Comments in support or against are welcome
Number 2: "I am the new Number 2." Number 6: "Who is Number 1?" Number 2: "You,.. are Number 6." Number 2 dodged that question like a modern politician.
You are number six.... Hidden in plain sight. All that "I didn't know until I wrote the last episode" bs. Lol. Great actor and excellent series. And that's coming from a young man born in the 80's.
The greatest TV series ever. Pat McGoohan was the most talented man in film\TV for many years. Both he and Stanley Baker turned down Bond but neithers career suffered for it
if you got sky they are repeating this on true entertainment channel 183 at 9 pm weekdays. along with the avengers with honor blackman and the persuaders.. great fun !!
When London was still a beautiful city. Now it's in its fat old 'hooker' stage of life; pity. The opening theme makes me think of the 'Gilligan's Island' theme. Whereas 'The Prisoner' depicts 'how it all began' with visuals; Gilligan does it with the words to its folk song theme.
@@joansmith6092 some episodes had more than one Number 2 - weird - and Leo McKern was Number 2 in two episodes - Number 2 did not always fail but was seen leaving when definitely defeated - the main reason for all the switches was finding actors who didn't have existing theatre contracts in an era when most did.