The Complete Prisoner Megaset [DVD]

I was delighted to have this as the sequel to my copy of the boxed set of "Danger Man / Secret Agent". It was used but like new in condition. Discs in pristine condition. Excellent quality sound and image. The included featured bonus rare alternate version of the episode "The Chimes of Big Ben" was not the same quality of sound and image, but was close enough to be enjoyable. The only real disappointment in this boxed set was lack of subtitling, a feature actually listed on the box but not found on any of the discs. A real plus was the "Video Companion to 'The Prisoner'". a fascinating 28 minute feature on Disc 10 discussing the allegorical themes and unsettled debates over interpretations and misinterpretations of the series, plus on Disc 5 a retrospective Behind the Scenes interview with Original Production Manager Bernie Williams on the making of the series. Both features reiterated Patrick McGoohan's insistence that "the prisoner Number 6 is most vehemently NOT John Drake!" (I think he is.) Spoiler alert. The "Video Companion" near the end states that Number 1 is in reality Number 6! But since 16 of the 17 episodes represent Number 1 as giving orders over the phone to Number 2 about breaking the resistance of Number 6 this is an inconsistent contradiction. Even as an "allegory" it makes no sense, especially if "the viewer is supposed to be the real subject being urged to retain personal identity by rebelling against conformity". Stupid nonsense void of real meaning, the only real defect of the "Video Companion". (Laughing at you for taking it seriously?) Just disregard. Most fun was the multiple Trivia Quizzes, and the simple Map of The Village allowing four scans of the area N E S W as bounded by mountains and the sea. The "viewing sequence of episodes" in this 2009 A&E (CBS) DVD boxed set of 10 discs (5-pack thin case) is according to the order endorsed by The Prisoner Appreciation Society "6 of 1".A final note: The 16th episode Once Upon A Time explicitly stated that the "Absolute Degree" involved a drug, and that the whole procedure was an extreme and radical measure that would end in the death of either Number 6 or Number 2. Neither of them could leave before one of them was dead. The episode Living In Harmony established that another hallucinogen had been administered along with external props set up on the grounds of the Village to make the entire experience of the 19th century western adventure intensely real to Number 6. An earlier episode established that the Village was on the coast of Spain. The final situation is evocative of the films The Matrix, Total Recall, and Superman DC Comics' "Black Mercy", a lethal plant parasite which allows the victim to mentally experience what is most desired as being absolutely real while in reality it paralyzes the victim as it drains life away. Number 2 is dead, but revived, Number 1 is unmasked by Number 6 during a violent armed revolt, Number 6 destroys the Village by igniting the ballistic missile that was the headquarters and control center of Number 1, and escapes in the cage on wheels with Number 2 and Number 48 and the Butler by driving directly out of a tunnel to London on an unbroken multilane highway (from the coast of Spain!) in the space of about one hour. There, he leaves the mobile cage, reacquires his Lotus and drops off the Butler at his apartment which is numbered 1 on the door, a door which opens automatically as did the door of his apartment in the Village accompanied by Village music! He then speeds down the highway as he did at the beginning of the series as if the whole experience is going to endlessly repeat.All the clues point to the fact that the "Absolute Degree" procedure has caused permanent brain damage with an irreversible perpetual hallucination begun with the ice cream cone in episode 16 which then played continuously all through the final episode 17 Fall Out, and as in Total Recall will end in his death in hospital with Number 6 chemically lobotomized and enjoying the illusion of freedom after "escape", while Number 2 and Number 1 in reality are still alive and in charge, and the Village and its population of inmates and warders will continue to operate.The A&E 2009 Boxed Set I received did not have the U.S. episode intros with the blip images of a blond woman flashing split-second on screen a few times as the angry Agent strode down the hallway light dark light dark before he angrily opened the door, which suggested to the viewer the private reason he resigned (who was she?). It also did not include the song "Secret Agent Man"--"they've given you a number and taken away your name"--Of course not, that's a different series! The Prisoner makes a great sequel to Danger Man/Secret Agent after viewing episodes Korashi and Shinda Shima, broadcast originally after the final episode of The Prisoner."Be Seeing You."

First disc so far plays great and looks wonderful. Presented in the original 4:3 the colors are very vivid and the sound is decent. I am playing the 5.1 vs the Mono for now. Seller is great. Product came quick, great shape, fair price. Highly recommended. Will probably buy more from them.

This show was something else in the day

Time has done little to diminish the quirky impact that THE PRISONER has upon its audience. First seen in the USA as a summer series in 1967, it managed to capture the psychadelic, day-glo, pop culture mood on the surface while narrowly riding along on an almost Orwellian plot conception. It was talked about, pondered, and discussed. Some admired the series citing it as a look into the 1984 society that might be descending upon us. Others were confused as it was hardly your average series. Even the star, Patrick McGoohan, was better known as the "James-Bond-type" Secret Agent Man, seemed to be either trying to astound or confuse the audience. The nearest America had to THE PRISONER was the pop-psychadelic The Avengers but even that, while bending the rules, still played the game in the tried and true way.Here was a mystery wrapped in a pop-art engima. Who was the prisoner? "I am not a number" was a catch phrase but one that struck the war weary world a bit too close to home for them to feel comfortable with it. Why was he there and, more to the point, where exactly is there?Although I saw it before, this time I noticed cordless phone, flat screen televisions and other things that were too minute that I did not get them the first go-round.The Blu-Ray DVD, providing us with all the episodes (including the infamous LIVING IN HARMONY wild west episode that was excluded when the program aired originally in the USA) does one of the best jobs of reproducing the series to disk. The colors are vivid and intense and for the first time you can see the details of the village. Suddenly everything (the colorful uniforms and umbrellas - are they rainbow bright? the colors of the Vatican guards?) and the scenery pops out at you. But there is still the haunting and captivating tale that awaits viewers. It is truly one of those series that you can watch many times over and discover something new or different with each viewing.The final episode, FALL OUT, sparked a controversy. A series that had captured and confused with its allegorical illusions now confounded the audience. But the scenes as Number 6 reached for Number 1, will remain etched in everyone's minds long after seeing it. Did it mean anything? Did it mean a lot? Much like the last episode of THE SOPRANOS, the fade to black story line will never satisify the viewer. After sixteen episodes that captivated and provoked the viewer, how could it?But if you are seeing it for the first time or the hundreth, get the Blu-ray version and you will find another aspect of this feat - a visual one.

I loved this series because of it's "non-formula", thought provoking concept. It got a little "out there" towards the end, though! I originally watched this as a kid, but enjoyed the depth of it so much more as an adult.

Few things can be as good as this. I bought it last year, not realising it was 50 years since its first broadcast. And I must admit that I was totally bowled over by it.From the very first episode you are watching something totally different from anything you've ever seen before. The story concerns a retired agent who cannot realistically be allowed to retire. As a result he is taken to an environment in which he is to spend his remaining days. This place is known as “The Village” (Portmeirion)―the place where the retired agent (renamed No. 6) spends each episode attempting to, in one way or another, escape from.Of course there is more to it than this little summary. But one need not go into all the so-called philosophical themes underlying the episodes and series to enjoy it. You simply just have to sit back, get nice and cosy with a drink in hand and enjoy the spectacle of The Prisoner.There is one criticism. It is that the last four episodes aren't, in my view, anywhere near as good as the first thirteen. And even within the first thirteen there are some episodes better than others with at least 5-7 stand-out episodes in the whole series. When you watch it you'll see what I mean. So what went wrong with the final four? For me, it seemed that they ran out of ideas and didn't know how to end it. So, you get a western-style episode (which doesn't even begin with the Lotus Seven S II racing around London) followed by three quite bizarre episodes. These didn't make much sense to me. They were full of surreal scenes, lots of shouting and the plot (if there was any plot) was difficult to follow.But this shouldn't put you off to what is on the whole a fantastic series and one, if you haven't seen before, that is definitely worth watching. It’s true to say that it's one of those few series you'd wish you hadn't watched before so you could enjoy watching it all over again for the very first time. It's simply that good.One final thought. I do find it hard to believe that this was made fifty years ago. When I look at the TV today I hardly find anything worth watching at all. Perhaps this is why The Prisoner stands out so much. It certainly was a classic of the time and is still very much a classic today. Watch and enjoy. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. I'm certainly looking forward to watching it for a second time in the not too distant future.However, the final words should be left to Patrick McGoohan himself. On the back of the DVD box set he is quoted (August 2007) as saying:‘While we were shooting The Prisoner there were some in high places who predicted doom for “that crazy thing with the numbers.” After the final episodes screened in London one prestigious newspaper wrote “Good riddance to bad rubbish!” Surprising as it may seem, forty years on “that crazy thing” still has its adherents and gathers more as it is discovered by a new crop of viewers. Thanks to network's fresh and vastly improved edition, The Prisoner can journey happily into the future.’I hope you find my review helpful.

Replongeons-nous dans la version originale du cultissime Prisonnier avec ce luxueux coffret qui, en sus des épisodes de la série, nous offre un DVD entier de bonus et un splendide livret qui fera de vous un distingué doctor es Prisoner pour un prix dérisoire. Des économies substantielles pour financer le pèlerinage au Village.

注.このレビューはPrisoner [DVD] [Import] (1968)についてのものです。類似の商品にも表示されますが。。。海外発送で遅いとか、中古で多少の傷とか、ありましたがこれは仕方ないです。問題は購入した側の自己責任ですが、このDVDは北米などの本国仕様。リージョンはなんとかなっても、英語音声、英語字幕のみ。当然なんですが聞き取りや速読が必要。おまけにこの作品の場合、言葉が非常に重要な要素。以前の国内放送で何回も見ているので、おおよそは理解出来ましたが...まあコレクションとして大事に残します。

Note that this is a review of the Blu-ray box set by 'Network'.I don't write too many reviews on here but I really did feel that this was worthy of spending some time composing a few sentences. I have been a fan of the Prisoner since a friend of mine introduced the series to me some 30+ years ago and I have had both VHS cassette (remember those?) and DVD versions of the entire series for many years.I'm not going to comment too much on the series itself, others have already stated how fantastic it is and I would give this 5 stars for the series alone; full of great plots, mind games, and wonderful dialogue, not to mention the picturesque 'Village' of Portmeirion where we have stayed more times than I can remember.I had been happy with the DVD versions and watched the odd episode now and again but I decided to take the plunge and buy the Blu-ray versions based on the comments of others relating to the quality of the production. I have to say I have been completely blown away by the image quality in these new versions; simply outstanding. The colours pop, bringing the entire village to life, the detail in the image is absolutely superb, you can clearly see the freckles and pores on McGoohan's face as well as beads of sweat on his forehead. The DVD versions look smudged and drab in comparison, I can't go back to watching them now. You also benefit from either a 5.1 or stereo soundtrack as opposed to the mono soundtrack of the DVDs, and it is so much better believe me.Some scenes do not seem to have benefitted from the full makeover (e.g. some of the wide shots, for example) but they still look a heck of a lot better than the DVD version. The one downside to this amazing quality is that you can clearly make out where some of the main characters have been replaced with body doubles for the wide-shots, more so than you ever could with the DVD version. Many of the wide shots featuring No. 6 and No. 2 are clearly not McGoohan and <insert Number Two actor of your choice here>, but this does not detract from the overall viewing enjoyment.There aren't too many extras in the box set but I don't care about that as I only bought it for the original series. There are some nice features though, including behind the scenes picture galleries, original cuts of 'Arrival' with original intro music, and the alternative 'Chimes of Big Ben' as well as a couple of documentaries. There's also a comparison of the original film spool with the post-production version so you can see what a great job they have made in breathing new life into this series.If you are a fan of the series and don't have a copy yet then Blu-ray is the only way to go. If you already have the DVD versions then toss those into the bin and buy these, for the price I paid from Amazon (£27) you really can't go wrong. It just goes to show the level of detail that can be extracted from a piece of film that is almost 50 years old, albeit using digital techniques/technology, and why many of us still shoot film in this digital age.We watched the entire series from start to finish over a few nights because it was just like watching them anew, the quality of the production just takes the whole viewing experience to a new level, you really feel like you are in 'The Village'.Be seeing you...