"The Prisoner" returns

[docm]

Network: AMC (Mad Men, Breaking Bad etc.)

Writer: Bill Gallagher (Conviction - won UK's Edgar for best miniseries teleplay)

When: November, 2009

Synopsis: a man named Number Six inexplicably wakes up one morning in a mysterious prison-like desert resort, retaining shadowy memories of a place called New York. The inhabitants have no knowledge of a world outside of this village, nor do they seem concerned that they go by numbers instead of names. Number Two is the prime minister/security chief of the desert town.

Six and Two are portrayed as being opposing players in a dangerous & twisted game of chess. At one point Number Six proclaims,"I am not a number, I am a free man." Number Two responds,"You only think you're free..."

Number Six: Jim Caviezel (William Tell (201?), Passion Of The Christ, Deja Vu, Final Cut)

Number Two: Ian McKellen (a list too long to list)

 

[KickLaBuka]

pays the bills.

 

[CalliArcale]

I'm very excited about this one, too. Was it you who posted links to all that publicity material a few months ago? Judging by the trailers, despite the American #6, it has the very real potential to be awesome. Indeed, muddling the nationalities may actually help, since in the old series, the identity of #6s captors was deliberately obfuscated. (For those not familiar, a major part of #6s quandry is that he doesn't know who runs the Village or which side they represent -- and therefore cannot judge whether or not he should give them information. Therefore, he doesn't.)

 

[docm]

I'm very excited about this one, too.

Have you seen the new 9 minute trailer just shown at Comi-Con?

Link....

 

[CalliArcale]

Oooooh, I can't wait! They've definitely kept the spirit of the original, without attempting to duplicate or redo it. They're telling a new story with the same ideas.

 

[gunsandrockets]

"Synopsis: a man named Number Six inexplicably wakes up one morning in a mysterious prison-like desert resort, retaining shadowy memories of a place called New York. The inhabitants have no knowledge of a world outside of this village, nor do they seem concerned that they go by numbers instead of names. Number Two is the prime minister/security chief of the desert town."

I'd heard they were remaking The Prisoner. The original show only makes sense in the context and conditions of the bygone Bi-polar world of the Cold War. As in the classic line, "Whose side are you on?"

The synopsis of the new show confirms to me that a remake is a mistake. Ugh. :roll:

 

[docm]

You object saying the original was a bi-polar world and today is not, but in reality today is even worse: a multi-polar world....the US, Russia (by intent if not as strong as before), China and other the emerging technocracies, not all of which are friendly.

Truth be told it was easier before.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Heard ads on TV for the new Prisoner today. Haven't been in visual range of the TV to see when it opens yet, but it must be soon

 

[drwayne]

A multi-polar world can be reduced to a bipolar one easily, us versus them, with overtones of
good versus evil.

Just kidding, was not intending to turn this into a political discussion, just making a joke.

Happy haloween all!

Wayne

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Maybe they'll use this for the theme song!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is2nSoqFRHU[/youtube]

The Prisoner was an awesome series! WAAAY before Twin Peaks, Lost and similar shows. I'll look forward to this one.

 

[Mee_n_Mac]

Heard ads on TV for the new Prisoner today. Haven't been in visual range of the TV to see when it opens yet, but it must be soon

According to my Comcast box it start 11/15 with "The Arrival" (as did the original series, which is free on demand right now). Starting on Mon AMC will start a preview show.

 

[CalliArcale]

*frantically scribbles date on calendar*

I do NOT want to miss this one!!!

 

[tam8ttec]

I was excited also to see this new series, but its disappointing like usual. too hollywood for me. I really love patricks acting in the old series, he gets right into it.....ill still watch the new one just for entertainment and to compare it with the old one. be seeing you ;

 

[bdewoody]

I always thought the original was about a place where they sent spies after they decided they didn't want to be a spy anymore. Thats probably because Patrick McGoohan had previously played a spy in a TV series.

 

[CalliArcale]

I caught "Arrival". I liked it. It's not the same as the old series; they seem to have made a conscious effort not to be replicating the old series, which was prudent. I'm not sure it would even be *possible* to make a series like that today and not have it get laughed at. I was particularly pleased with Ian McKellan, who appeared to be utterly delighted with the role of #2. His performance reminded me a little bit of Leo McKern's #2. (McKern was one of only two #2s who appeared more than once, IIRC. That's one big departure from the old series; #2 doesn't seem to be an office with a revolving door on it.)

bdewoody -- the original "Prisoner" was cagey about just who and what #6 was before his arrival in the Village. He resigned from *something*. It's pretty strongly implied that he was indeed a spy. It is deliberately kept secret which side has captured him. Was he captured by his own people, wanting to know why he was so angry and so ready to leave? Or was he captured by the enemy? They would want to know the same thing, since a high-level spy quitting so abruptly might signal a readiness to be suborned, and perhaps be the first sign of something really big going on.

It was inspired by an episode of "Danger Man" (US title "Secret Agent Man" -- probably everybody's heard the theme song at some point), starring Patrick McGoohan, in which he went to a retirement home for secret agents. The purpose of the home was ostensibly to thank them for their service, but in practice it was more to control their movements and keep them from capture or defection. It was filmed at a resort town called Portmerion in Wales. McGoohan and the production team liked the location so much that it was later chosen as the location for "The Prisoner", making it almost impossible to *not* conclude that "The Prisoner" was a sequel to "Danger Man". But according to McGoohan, it was not a sequel. Just rather similar in a few respects.

BTW, the "Danger Man" episode didn't occur in a vacuum either. It, in turn, was inspired by a real-life retirement home for valuable secret agents.

 

[bdewoody]

I watched both series and I assume your expalnation is why I thought the Village was an enforced retirement home for wayward spies. Patrick McGoohan must have really liked playing the part of a spy as that was his occupation in "Ice Station Zebra".

 

[MeteorWayne]

ISZ was a great movie. I haven't seen it on the tube in far too long.

 

[bdewoody]

Ice Station Zebra as far as I know was one of very few modern movies that had no female stars. Definitely not a chick flick.

 

[tam8ttec]

ISZ was a great movie.


where is this movie I cant find it

 

[bdewoody]

ISZ was a great movie.


where is this movie I cant find it

Net Flix has it.

 

[bdewoody]

I tried to watch an episode of the new Prisoner but it didn't hold my interest. Maybe it will get better.

 

[tam8ttec]

Net Flix has it.

thnx

 

[tam8ttec]

I tried to watch an episode of the new Prisoner but it didn't hold my interest. Maybe it will get better.

I agree with you on this one.....it bores me