The Prisoner - The Complete Series

( 17 )

Overview

So far as its legions of fans are concerned, The Prisoner was the most fascinating and intellectually challenging sci-fi/fantasy program ever put on the air. Produced in England, the series was the brainchild of actor Patrick McGoohan, who also played the central character. During the opening credits, An unidentified McGoohan was seen angrily resigning his unspecified high-level government job, only to be promptly drugged, kidnapped and spirited off to a mysterious, Orwellian community known only as The Village. ...
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Overview

So far as its legions of fans are concerned, The Prisoner was the most fascinating and intellectually challenging sci-fi/fantasy program ever put on the air. Produced in England, the series was the brainchild of actor Patrick McGoohan, who also played the central character. During the opening credits, An unidentified McGoohan was seen angrily resigning his unspecified high-level government job, only to be promptly drugged, kidnapped and spirited off to a mysterious, Orwellian community known only as The Village. Though allowed to freely roam the colorful grounds of his new home which resembled a lavish seaside resort, coupled with a garish amusement pier, the protagonist -- now referred to only as "Number Six" -- could not escape, lest he be chased down and killed by a huge, balloonlike sphere known as a Rover. On each 60-minute episode, Number Six was confronted by "the new Number Two," whose job it was to extract vital information from our hero though just what sort of information was never explained. Defiantly shouting "I am not a number! I am a free man!," Number Six succeeded in confounding the efforts by Number Two -- and the never-seen Number One -- to break him down. Throughout his bizarre and oftimes hallucinatory adventures, Number Six learned two valuable lessons: To stubbornly maintain his individuality at all times and all costs, and to trust absolutely no one, not even his faithful butler, an enigmatically mute dwarf Angelo Muscat. Only in the final episode, written and directed by McGoohan himself, did Number Six earn the right to become "an individual" -- thereby discovering the secret behind the Village and the true identity of Number One. Or did he? Devotees of the series still debate the actual outcome of the saga, just as they pick apart and analyze the hidden clues, meanings and metaphors in each preceding episode. On one thing, however, most agree: The character played by Patrick McGoohan was supposed to be John Drake, the world-weary espionage agent whom the actor had previously played on Danger Man a.k.a. Secret Agent. Such was the mesmerizing power of The Prisoner that even those who couldn't make heads or tails out of the series still remain among its most fervent fans. Debuting October 1, 1967 on British television, the series was first seen in America from June 1 to September 21, 1968, as a summer replacement for CBS' The Jackie Gleason Show one of the seventeen episodes, "Living In Harmony," was not seen on CBS during this initial run In response to overwhelming viewer demand, the network -- whose executives admitted that they were thoroughly flummoxed by the series -- reran the show from May 29 through September 11, 1969. Thereafter, The Prisoner became a near-permanent fixture on many PBS stations, its popularity enhanced by several home-video releases of varying quality.
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Special Features

Ultra-rare Original Footage of the 1966 Location Shooting, Accompanied by Commentary with Series Production Manager Bernie Williams; ; Bonus Program: The Prisoner Video Companion; ; Rare, Alternate Version of the Episode "The Chimes of Big Ben"; ; Rarely Seen "Foreign File Cabinet" Footage; ; Rarely Seen "Textless" Intro & Outro; ; Original Broadcast Trailers; Original Series Promotional Trailer; Gallery of Original Production and Promotional Materials; Production Stills Galleries; Interactive Map of The Village; Prisoner Trivia
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 10/27/2009
  • UPC: 733961208559

    • Rating:

  • Source: A&E Home Video
  • Presentation: Special Edition
  • Time: 14:00:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 1,545

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Patrick McGoohan The Prisoner, Number Six
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Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Prisoner: Arrival
1. The Village [15:33]
2. Helicopter Tour [5:30]
3. The Labour Exchange [6:26]
4. No Way Out [8:53]
5. A New #2 [6:50]
6. Escape Attempt [7:52]
1. Why Did You Resign? [11:06]
2. New Neighbor [7:36]
3. Dreadful Interrogation [3:57]
4. Developing Trust [11:05]
5. Toward an Open Sea [7:57]
6. The End of a Nightmare [8:53]
Disc #2 -- Prisoner: Free For All/Dance of the Dead
1. Election Time [11:29]
2. Red Hot Stuff [6:55]
3. "Truth Test" [6:57]
4. Attempt to Escape [6:36]
5. Word Without Fear [8:54]
6. According to Plan [9:36]
1. Medical Attention [9:15]
2. Find a Girl [9:14]
3. Carnival [10:48]
4. Dutton [10:24]
5. The Trial [6:39]
6. The Chase [4:09]
Disc #3 -- Prisoner: Checkmate/ The Chimes of Big Ben
1. Fine Game [11:17]
2. Breaking Point [9:47]
3. New Experiment [9:41]
4. Disconnection [7:00]
5. Mayday Call [6:51]
6. Misunderstanding [5:44]
1. Why did You Resign? [11:14]
2. New Neighbor [7:14]
3. Dreadful Interrogation [7:58]
4. Developing Trust [8:05]
5. Toward the Open Sea [6:33]
6. The End of a Nightmare [9:14]
Disc #4 -- Prisoner: A, B, and C/The General
1. "A" [14:22]
2. Second Dosage [7:56]
3. Meet "B" [6:00]
4. #14 [9:21]
5. Who is "C"? [5:29]
6. Mystery [7:20]
1. Speed Learning [14:55]
3. Investigation [9:55]
2. "Here's Your Passport" [6:00]
4. Approval Session [8:07]
5. Projection [3:59]
6. Introducing the General [7:26]
Disc #5 -- Prisoner: The Schizoid Man/
1. A New Man [14:14]
2. Meeting Himself [7:18]
3. Testing [9:13]
4. Clues [6:34]
5. Schizoid Man [5:16]
6. Fooling Everyone [7:53]
Disc #6 -- Prisoner: Many Happy Returns/It's Your Funeral
1. Free At Last [3:07]
2. On the Boat [6:47]
3. Finally On Land [7:41]
4. Old Territory [10:15]
5. Looking for Answers [9:41]
6. Same Old Story [6:15]
1. Lady in Distress [3:08]
2. Monitoring Activities [8:01]
3. A Plot to Kill [6:15]
4. A Warning [7:06]
5. Preventing Death [6:25]
6. Caught in the Act [10:21]
Disc #7 -- Prisoner: A Change of Mind/Hammer Into Anvil
1. The Committee [1:51]
2. Unmutual [7:16]
3. The Frontal Lobe [9:47]
4. Rest Well [7:40]
5. The Trick's On You [8:07]
6. Social Conversation [8:55]
1. Hammer or Anvil"? [1:49]
2. Strange Behavior [7:03]
3. In the Dark [6:56]
4. A Threat [8:33]
6. The Anvil [6:34]
5. A Message [8:18]
Disc #8 -- Prisoner: Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling/Living In Harmony - Bonus Features
1. Thought Transfer [8:02]
2. A Different Body [9:44]
3. Proving Himself [11:30]
4. Austria [8:15]
5. Professor Seltzman [5:34]
6. Reversing Identities [7:23]
1. Back In Town [10:26]
2. Jail & the Trial [9:52]
3. The New Sheriff [7:15]
4. Clean Up the Town [6:28]
5. Escaping [5:02]
6. Deception [11:56]
Disc #9 -- Prisoner: The Girl Who Was Death/Once Upon A Time
1. Cricket [7:23]
2. Standard Disguise [7:10]
3. Tunnel of Love [9:40]
4. Battle of Wits [9:28]
5. Evil Plan [7:49]
6. Countdown [7:52]
1. A Returning #2 [6:47]
2. Degree Absolute [4:02]
3. Childhood [13:50]
4. Pop! [10:45]
5. Behind Bars [4:44]
6. The Embryo Room [10:16]
Disc #10 -- Prisoner: Fallout/ Bonus Features
1. Well Come [12:20]
2. #48 [8:12]
3. #2 Returns [7:23]
4. Free to Go [7:19]
5. Meet #1 [6:46]
6. Evacuate! [8:51]
1. Introduction [5:51]
2. Roots of the Prisoner [5:06]
3. Notes, Anecdotes, and Nonsense [6:22]
4. #6 [4:25]
5. Subversive? [7:37]
6. Does #6 Escape? [2:42]
7. What Does It All Mean? [2:48]
8. End of the World? [4:44]
9. Individualism? [5:13]
10. The Prophecy [3:11]
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Menu

Disc #1 -- Prisoner: Arrival
   Play "Arrival"
   Play "Alternate Version of The Chimes of Big Ben"
   Scene Access
      "Arrival"
      "Alternate Version of The Chimes of Big Ben"
   Bonus Features
      Play "Arrival" Trailer
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      DVD Credits
      Rare Alternate Footage
         Textless Intro
         Textless Outro
         Foreign "File Cabinet" Footage
      Photo Gallery
      Trivia Game
Disc #2 -- Prisoner: Free For All/Dance of the Dead
   Play "Free For All"
   Play "Dance of the Dead"
   Scene Access
      "Free For All"
      "Dance of the Dead"
   Bonus Features
      Play "Free For All" Trailer
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      DVD Credits
      Play "Dance of the Dead" Trailer
      Photo Gallery
      Trivia Game
Disc #3 -- Prisoner: Checkmate/ The Chimes of Big Ben
   Play "Checkmate"
   Play "The Chimes of Big Ben"
   Scene Access
      "Checkmate"
      "The Chimes of Big Ben"
   Bonus Features
      Play "Checkmate" Trailer
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      DVD Credits
      Play "The Chimes of Big Ben" Trailer
      Photo Gallery
      Trivia Game
Disc #4 -- Prisoner: A, B, and C/The General
   Play "A, B, & C"
   Play "The General"
   Scene Access
      "A, B, & C"
      "The General"
   Bonus Features
      Play "A, B, & C" Trailer
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      DVD Credits
      Play "The General Trailer"
      Photo Gallery
      Trivia Game
Disc #5 -- Prisoner: The Schizoid Man/
   "Play "The Schizoid Man"
   Play "Bernie Williams Interview"
   Scene Access
      "The Schizoid Man"
      "Bernie Williams Interview"
         Production
         Rebellion
         On Location
         Rover & Number 6
         The Villagers
         Number 6
   Bonus Features
      Play "The Schizoid Man" Trailer
      Photo Gallery "The Schizoid Man"
      DVD Credits
      Production/Promotional Materials Gallery
         Gallery
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      Trivia Game
Disc #6 -- Prisoner: Many Happy Returns/It's Your Funeral
   Play "Many Happy Returns"
   Play "It's Your Funeral"
   Scene Access
      "Many Happy Returns"
      "It's Your Funeral"
   Bonus Features
      Play "Many Happy Returns" Trailer
      Photo Gallery
      DVD Credits
      Play "It's Your Funeral" Trailer
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      Trivia Game
Disc #7 -- Prisoner: A Change of Mind/Hammer Into Anvil
   Play "A Change Of Mind"
   Play "Hammer Into Anvil"
   Scene Access
      "A Change Of Mind"
      "Hammer Into Anvil"
   Bonus Features
      Play "A Change of Mind" Trailer
      Photo Gallery
      DVD Credits
      Play "Hammer Into Anvil" Trailer
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      Trivia Game
Disc #8 -- Prisoner: Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling/Living In Harmony - Bonus Features
   Play "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling"
   Play "Living In Harmony"
   Scene Access
      "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling"
         New Menu Item
      "Living In Harmony"
   Bonus Features
      Play "Do Not Forsake My Oh My Darling" Trailer
      Photo Gallery
      DVD Credits
      Play "Living In Harmony" Trailer
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      Trivia Game
Disc #9 -- Prisoner: The Girl Who Was Death/Once Upon A Time
   Play "The Girl Who Was Death"
   Play "Once Upon A Time"
   Scene Access
      "The Girl Who Was Death"
      "Once Upon A Time"
   Bonus Features
      Play "The Girl Who Was Death" Trailer
      Photo Gallery
      Trivia Game
      Play "Once Upon A Time" Trailer
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      DVD Credits
Disc #10 -- Prisoner: Fallout/ Bonus Features
   Play "Fall Out"
   Play "The Prisoner Video Companion"
   Scene Access
      "Fall Out"
      "The Prisoner Video Companion"
   Bonus Features
      Trailers
         "Fall Out"
         Series Trailer #1
         Series Trailer #2
      Photo Galleries
         "Fall Out"
         1967 Press Conference
         the Village of Portmerion
      Promotional Materials Gallery
         Enter Gallery
      DVD Credits
      Play "The Prisoner Behind the Scenes"
      "Your Village" Interactive Map
      Trivia Game
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 17 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(11)

4 Star

(2)

3 Star

(1)

2 Star

(2)

1 Star

(1)

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Sort by: Showing all of 17 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    Visually Stunning

    Patrick McGoohan's magnum opus was, and remains, an intellectually-playful adventure, an episode-by-episode puzzle. With the release of the BluRay version, however, viewers are treated to the luscious scenery of The Village as it has never before been seen... feature-film cinematography, constrained only by the series' original 4x3 television format. As a result, individual episodes seem far more immersive and absorbing than watching standard def broadcasts, or even a good DVD. Only drawbacks: While the original negatives could be re-scanned for HD, the same isn't true for audio; it's the same audio-for-TV mix that we heard over the air years ago. And Disc 5, a standard definition DVD with special features, is unplayable on some high percentage of BluRay players; the original UK program developer chalks it up to the vagaries of the authoring standards vs. BluRay player firmware. So far, US distributor A&E has been unresponsive when asked for support. But don't let that deter you -- BluRay is the best way to watch this amazing series.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Gets better as it get older

    One of the few series that actually deserves its Cult Status. Was ahead of its time then and in this current post 911 era is still strong. Still you will either 'Get it' or you wont. Kinda like the X-files (though this is far better).

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 10, 2011

    Will make you think.

    The Prisoner was ground breaking series for the 1960's. Touching on subjects like mind control, the folly of political campaigns, education and the constant struggle for one to remain an individual in a world of conformity. As number six himself says, "I will not be pushed, stamped, filed, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

    This Blu-ray set contains all 17 episodes on 4 discs. A fifth disc containing bonus features is a standard definition DVD. Be advised the the DVD may not play in your Blu-ray player. Some players, especially those made by Panasonic, cannot read the disc. It contains pdf. files that the players can't read. The image quality is excellent and breathes new life into the series. Sound quality isn't. The 5.1 surround soundtrack tends to fluctuate in volume and the standard mono is just adequate.

    Overall an outstanding series that looks great in HD.

    B C N U

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 1, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Casino Royale
    Havana Bay (Arkady Renko Series #4)
    The Comedians
    Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

    Original to This Day

    Patrick McGoohan created a brilliant TV series that defied classification. There never has been, nor will there ever be a television show quite like it. The village is a quietly unsettling place that keeps people with information hidden from the rest of the world, with a Big-Brother-is-watching pervasiveness. The Prisoner of the title can trust no one, since nothing is ever as it appears in the beautiful village. Each villager is assigned and known only by a number and the whole menagerie is overseen by Number 2, who is charged with breaking McGoohan's Number 6 and gaining his secret information. But who really runs the village? Which side are they on? What intelligence agency? What will they do with the information they extract?

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 1, 2010

    The Prisoner,

    This has to be the worst series I have ever had the misfortune to buy, and a complete waste of money, it was a mystery from the beginning to the end, and even though I watched the whole series hoping to finally understand what it was all about it remained a mystery.

    1 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 24, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

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    Posted November 16, 2009

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 16, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 31, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

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    Posted November 3, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 27, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 3, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

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    Posted September 5, 2010

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    Posted April 8, 2010

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    Posted December 8, 2009

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    Posted February 24, 2010

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    Posted November 3, 2009

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Sort by: Showing all of 17 Customer Reviews