AMC Releasing a New "The Prisoner" In November 174
DynaSoar writes "The Prisoner is one of the most influential and enduring TV shows to have appeared during the 1960s. This single-season (1967-68), 17-episode series, starring its co-writing, co-directing executive producer Patrick McGoohan, maintains a steady fan base and gains more with each syndication re-release. For over 40 years there have been announced intentions and projects to resurrect this surreal psychodrama combining science fiction, allegory, and spy thriller in a new series or movie (but always without McGoohan, who adamantly refused, saying 'he'd done it'). Finally, since December 2008 a remake has been in the can. In November 2009, AMC will begin airing an original six-part mini-series of The Prisoner starring James Caviezal as the spy who resigns only to find himself abducted and transported to 'The Village,' where he is renamed (or rather renumbered) Number Six, and where the minds behind his incarceration attempt to pry and/or trick secrets from his brain. Chief among those minds is the visible face of the administration, Number Two, played by Ian McKellen. Unlike the original, with a new Number Two in each episode, McKellen appears throughout. To promote the upcoming release, AMC is presenting (along with a ton of 'additional material') the entire original 17 episodes, free for the streaming."
Soo.... (Score:4, Funny)
So this The Prisoner... ... is the new number two?
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If "Number Two" is the usual euphemism for a shit, then possibly so. Aside from personal dislike for casting Ian McKellan in everything, there are so many things that can go wrong here, it'll be a miracle if it's anywhere near as good as the original series. Heaven help us if they try to dumb it down or make it more accessible. A lot of remakes are really worthwhile (okay, some remakes) bringing it up to date for a modern audience and shaving off some of the things that would alienate people today (wobbly
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Lets break this down:
1) Magneto is behind this whole thing? Seriously unless there is a mutant or a midget lurking about this guy doesn't need to be there the whole time. Number two is supposed to change. That's called the premise.
2) Jesus as number 6?!?! First of all you can't make him a fucking Yank(no offense). Second of all he just doesn't fit the role.
3) I like suave in my super spy. Six is just an emotional basket case in the trailer. McGoohan was super cool and when the cool broke down it was an even
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2) Jesus as number 6?!?!
He's not Jesus, he's an actor. If he's a good actor he can play a myriad of parts. Look at Morgan Freeman's role in Unforgiven as opposed to his role in Robin Hood. Look at Patrick McGoohan's character in The Prisoner as opposed to his role in Braveheart.
First of all you can't make him a fucking Yank(no offense).
First off, number six is British (and so is McGoohan). Secondly, unless he's as bad a Kevin Kostner (who can only play himself, and play him badly at that) a good actor can a
You only THINK that AMC is "Releasing" Him (Score:2)
Inn fact, he's really still in "the Village" the whole time. You can tell - because his apartment door in London still opens by itself.
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He may be a good actor but he's no #6 doesn't have the temperament.
They changed the character to a Yank. It's in the trailer. I'd be just as pissed if they changed him to a Canuck.(ok maybe a little less pissed)
There is a certain numerological correspondence with 6 and Jesus.
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There is a certain numerological correspondence with 6 and Jesus.
The numerological correspondence is not with Christ, but with the antichrist.
Re:Soo.... (Score:4, Interesting)
>>>it'll be a miracle if it's anywhere near as good as the original series.
That's what people said in 1987, 1988, and 1989 about Star Trek TNG, but it did eventually prove itself to be just as good as the original (and often times better like season 4). TNG eventually scored 12% of the American audience, equal to how many had watched the original in the 60s.
As for "The Prisoner" after years of hype by fans I finally watched it last year, and I was unimpressed. Yes it is an intelligently-written series, but there were a lot of moments where I wanted to reach for the fast-forward button because many of the middle episodes were excruciatingly dull.
Okay you can now mod -1 for me, since you disagree. ;-)
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As for "The Prisoner" after years of hype by fans I finally watched it last year, and I was unimpressed. Yes it is an intelligently-written series, but there were a lot of moments where I wanted to reach for the fast-forward button because many of the middle episodes were excruciatingly dull.
Patrick McGoohan made a list of seven episodes that "really count". See question #4 here: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/tv/the-prisoner/part1/ [faqs.org]
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Season 1? Why not compare shows strictly by their pilots, while you're at it?
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...shaving off some of the things that would alienate people today (wobbly sets or very bad special effects)... But The Prisoner doesn't fall into any of those categories as far as I can see
What about the episode where the computer exploded because number six simply asked it "why"? I have the series on tape; PBS rebroadcast it a decade or two ago, and some of the effects and props are cheesy indeed. Not as bad as some on STOS, I'll admit.
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Good catch. In that case, I'll grant you that some aspects of it could stand improvement for a modern audience. As I said, it's possible to do a good remake of The Prisoner. I just think that given the overall timelessness of its surreal events and setting, i
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I doubt the remakers will have the balls to finish the series with Patrick McGoohan's grand fuck you
AMC, American Movie Classics, hmmm... Truth is that, by virtue of being unconstrained by many requirements of network TV, cable has become the medium of choice for dark, ballsy and trippy TV series so far. Currently, there's plenty of talent out there making television, which in another age would have been in film, the pioneer at recognizing the medium's potential being David Chase, with "The Rockford Files
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As far as finales are concerned, "The Sopranos" rivals and probably bests "The Prisoner" in the "fuck you" department
Excellent point.
remember that McGoohan wanted to film only 10 episodes, but the production company told him "no", it had to be 16
Is that how it went down? The way I heard it, McGoohan wanted to keep the show going, but his corporate masters canceled the show early (for being too damn weird, most likely).
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Aren't there at least two episodes where the change in Number 2 is a key plot element? One, late in the series is where Number 6 gets "elected" as the new Number 2, where the earlier change
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but nobody likes cheese in their chocolate.
Have you never eaten a chocolate cheesecake??? Delicious barely begins to describe the experience.
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Heh! Wrong sci-fi series.
Inside of Me (Score:4, Insightful)
Something small and quiet just died...
Anyone bet that they don't totally ruin it? (Score:5, Insightful)
From the comic pdf, it looks like they've completely missed the original point.
He had resigned because ... that is never stated ... and then he is kidnapped but he doesn't know which side kidnapped him.
The guards didn't use guns. Aside from Rover, it was purely psychological. Even the times he escaped, he was betrayed by people he thought he could trust who turned out to be working for The Village.
Psychological. That's the key.
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We don't have attention spans long enough for story ideas that cannot be swiftly resolved with guns.
Let's try an jive thing up a bit, eh? You know, like 24, with brainwashing!
Re:Anyone bet that they don't totally ruin it? (Score:5, Insightful)
I know this is a joke, but the thought of tv moving so smoothly from a show about a villainous agency who kidnaps and tortures the hero, to a show about a heroic agency who kidnaps and tortures the villain has left me too wistful to laugh.
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To see things go the other way, compare "U.F.O." (early 70s) to "The X-Files". In "U.F.O.", the heroes are the organization set up to keep the alien invasion secret from the general public...
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We don't have attention spans long enough for story ideas that cannot be swiftly resolved with guns.
Poppycock I'm tired of watching stupid shite that's been dumbed down by some idiot producer who assumes that everyone else is dimmer than he is the 40 Watt waste of space.
Re:Anyone bet that they don't totally ruin it? (Score:4, Insightful)
No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.
-- H. L. Mencken
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Poppycock I'm tired of watching stupid shite that's been dumbed down by some idiot producer who assumes that everyone else is dimmer than he is the 40 Watt waste of space.
Yeah, that's one highly intelligent and well-written sentence.
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Yes.
And old James Burke's shows. He'd throw in a prop or sound effect - but Connections is basically a man in front of a camera.
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Even worse - if you make it to the end of the comic, you see the last seen is him holding his smartphone with the caption below of "sponsored by..." whichever phone company it was. Palm, I think.
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Psychological. That's the key.
I think you're confusing "psychological" with "weird". ;)
Re:Anyone bet that they don't totally ruin it? (Score:4, Interesting)
One of the biggest "aha!" moments actually occurred at the end of the final episode. When No. 6 returns to his apartment in London (after a wild ride altogether), the door opens automatically... JUST like in the Village. How's that for a mind-blowing twist?
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I think the parent poster meant #6, not #2.
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I think the butler did it (Score:3, Interesting)
Something small and quiet just died...
My first reaction was oh good maybe i'll understand it this time. Then I thought well if I did maybe some of the magic would be gone too. Sort of like how the mysteroulsy tantilizing aspect of the X-files slowly drained out and only sculley kept me watching and eventually that was not enough.
I recall seeing the prisoner on as a kid. Back then it was common for syndicated shows to be shown out of order since it was expected there was no story arc. for example, it did not matter what happened last week in
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Your reminiscences make me want to go and re-watch the whole thing. I have a fond memory of him drinking to the bottom of the glass and finding, written on tiny letters at the bottom, "you have just been poisoned". James Bond would never have survived that scene in Casino Royale if he hadn't watched The Prisoner as a kid.
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And I still don't really understand it. especially the last three episodes.
I think that's around the time script editor George Markstein left; the final episodes AFAIK more represent McGoohan's vision for the show.
Which- if it is the case- means that Markstein was a useful counterbalance to McGoohan's undeniable vision, because the final few episodes- particularly the last two- were definitely inferior, seeming to suffer from cod psychological/philosophical/surreal elements. The earlier episodes had some of that but got away with it, I assume because of Markstein's involvement.
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You're eating small live animals? Dude, that's a different kind of geek altogether!
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I'm DIGESTING my inner child...
Where's the "new" in this "news"? (Score:4, Informative)
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Well, it's new for us who did not go to the Comic-Con, and don't read other comic-related blogs. Better late then never.
On the other hand, it's highly likely that those who still don't know about it, also don't actually care about it. ;)
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Which might just put you in the OP's category of "people who don't care about the remake". I mean, if you think about it. ;)
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What makes you think everyone who knows of and likes The Prisoner follows every source that might possibly have news on this decades-old show?
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Why ruin a god thing? (Score:2)
Having said that, I wonder if the drugs will be any better....
Re:Why ruin a god thing? (Score:4, Funny)
Why ruin a god thing?
Oh come on now, just because Jesus is starring in it doesn't mean we need to bring God into it too.
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typos say more than they mean sometimes.
I assume this begins like a Mike Myers movie (Score:2)
With Number 1 spiraling back to earth from his trip aboard his spacecraft?
Link to the series (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.amctv.com/originals/the-prisoner-1960s-series/
If the link worked... (Score:4, Interesting)
AMCtv.com is using the latest version of Flash to bring you the best quality video. Please update your current flash player by clicking here
Does not update a x64 based linux OS nor can I find one on download sites.
Suggestions?
Re:If the link worked... (Score:5, Informative)
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1. Boycott AMCtv because it is not using "open" alternatives like, uh, Vorbis?
2. Change distribution to X?
3. Try under Wine?
4. Change community attitude towards non-free software?
5. Bitch to everyone who does not 100% agree with "FOSS is the only one" and "all information must be free"?
6. Convert to "iPhone for everyhting"?
Is that enough or you need more trolling? :-)
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Suggestions?
learn to use the internets [justfuckinggoogleit.com]?
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Not that easy. Been trying for a while. Abode release new version on July 30th. Still waiting for it to filter down. Their own website when to google in for x64 takes to a page that then tells you to use download center that does not have option x64 version, just x32.
Now if you have a google page/request that shows the good link, then you would be right. Maybe share it, so we can all learn to use google.
Re:If the link worked...Suggestions? (Score:2)
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AMCtv.com is using the latest version of Flash to bring you the best quality video. Please update your current flash player by clicking here
Does not update a x64 based linux OS nor can I find one on download sites.
Suggestions?
You should be able to find an x86_64 Linux version of the current flash. I'm running Debian Testing/Unstable and the current version of flashplugin-nonfree gets the 64bit Flash 10 plugin.
If you just want a tarball [macromedia.com] of it, you can download it from Adobe Labs.
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Thank you - one step closer. Found file and instructions for Ubuntu 9.04, but does not seam to work 8.04.
Will keep trying.
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Geeze, for a flatter you're pretty dumb. Of course you can travel around the world by traveling in one direction: the outer diameter.
Apple 2 video game (Score:5, Interesting)
I remember the old Prisoner 2 video game for the Apple II. They gave you a secret number and all you had to do was not give it to them when they asked. Sounds easy. Just don't type the number.
Well, they got me! Applesoft programs would sometimes crash into prompt with an error and line. One would almost instinctually list out the line to see what the error was. So when the video game seemed to crash I listed out the line..... You lose!
I have never enjoyed losing a game so much.
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I remember this being featured in that wonderfully idiotic "thriller" The Recruit where Colin Farrel is "caught" and interrogated, being asked for the name of his instructor. He gives in after 3 days, and the back "wall" of the chamber he is held in moves away to reveal the rest of his classmates, watching his every move and choice while "captured."
I pity them (Score:5, Insightful)
I can't imagine what it must be like to work on a production like this. The actors, the writers, the directors... everybody. Imagine knowing, every day you go in to work, that you're working on inane, pointless crap that's nothing more than the result of an endless negotiation between lawyers for the sake of earning a few bucks. Imagine knowing that out there, somewhere, is a truly classic work of art that you had absolutely nothing to do with. Knowing that somewhere inside you there might be a person who's just as intelligent and creative as Patrick McGoohan, but instead you're stuck making some senseless drivel that borrows the name of his vision. What a horrible, sad, soulless existence that must be. Truly, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Re:I pity them (Score:5, Insightful)
Sadly that form of existence, called "living your life in a walking daze", is the state of nearly all people in this society.
They work for someone who is no bit better than them, has some crappy ideas, but has the money to make others with much better ideas, work for him to make them real.
They fall into a passive state of not thinking for yourself. Not leading. And when they come home, they do the same, by watching TV.
I don't think it's actually life anymore. You are just a material that gets used up. A human resource.
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Everyone is asleep but me! [xkcd.com]
Anymore? As opposed to a utopian time when all men were free and lived only for themselves? Never existed outside of wishful thinking and revisionist history.
I work for myself (Score:2)
I work for myself. I use my boss and my employer to provide money and health care to myself, giving them some of my talent, time*, and effort in return. I'm an equal partner in my working conditions; if I don't like them I have great freedom to go get another job or start my own company.
Re:I pity them (Score:5, Insightful)
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\'.'/
Is that an icon version of Mothula [zeldadungeon.net]?
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The Prisoner was a lot like Star Trek (the original series) in the sense that is tried to make socio-political statements that were relevant to the time and audience. Some of those episode that strike you as pointless crap might have seemed more relevant if you were living in the UK during the 60s and keeping up with the politics and pop culture of the time.
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On the upside it encouraged me to add the original series to the Netflix queue again. So, uh, good job, guys?
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Imagine knowing, every day you go in to work, that you're working on inane, pointless crap that's nothing more than the result of an endless negotiation between lawyers for the sake of earning a few bucks.
That's most of humanity. It's called "working for a living". No different from videogame programmers.
Alternative running order (Score:5, Interesting)
Arrival
Dance of the Dead
Checkmate
Free for All
The Chimes of Big Ben
Many Happy Returns
The Schizoid Man
The General
A, B and C
It's Your Funeral
Living in Harmony
Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling
A Change of Mind
Hammer Into Anvil (my favorite ep)
The Girl Who Was Death
Once Upon a Time
Fall Out
In this order, the series consists of three cycles. Cycle one (ending with Many Happy Returns) focuses on #6 trying to escape. Cycle two (ending with Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling) focuses on 'intrigue in The Village' as #6 adjusts to his captivity. The final cycle consists of #6 taking charge and subverting The Village from within. Continuity is also improved in this sequencing.
And yes, #6 does have a name: Carl (his fiancee would know his name, after all).
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His first name may have been Carl, but his last name was Drake. The only reason they didn't use it during the series is that it was done by a different production company than the one that'd done Secret Agent, and they couldn't get permission. In fact, if you can find and read the novels that were written about the series, one of them starts, "Drake woke up."
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One can also obtain the DVD "The Prisoner: Special Edition" and look into the 'extras'. Two episodes had their soundtracks redone, but on this DVD were presented in their original form. Doesn't add meaning such as this reordering, but worth a comparison if one's a fan.
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Where do you get that his "real" name is Carl? If The Prisoner (#6) has a "real" name, it's John Drake, (ie, Secret Agent, aka Danger Man, from which Patrick McGoohan first starred.) In fact, the photo used of #6 in The Village is a stock photo of "John Drake" from Secret Agent. However, I have never heard of #6 being referred to as "Carl", even by his fiance. I just re-watched "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling" (the episode with Janet, #6's fiance) and she never once utters "Carl."
.
Please, if you can, point
Jesus as the Prisoner? (Score:3, Interesting)
Wow, Jesus (James Caviezal) is is not a number but a free man. FYI, Caviezal was struck by lightning during the filming of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". Kind of like getting eaten by that big bouncing ball...
If one believes in God... (Score:3, Funny)
...one might think the lightning strike was a divine verdict on the whole tawdry spectacle of The Passion Of The Christ.
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One could as easily think that the fact that getting hit by lightning and not dying might be a devine verdict in the other direction.
Proper use of quotes in title (Score:2)
I suspect that more people will be happy with AMC putting free the old The Prisoner, than releasing a new one.
What number will he have? The old one was 6, maybe next one will be 66, and we should wait till the real good version, in the reboot of the serie, when will be 666 (if the prisoner is 666, i would be v
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Verbally the title could be a little ambiguous, Is not the same AMC releasing "The Prisoner", than AMC releasing the prisoner
Originally the title was: Number Six Returns: AMC Releasing "The Prisoner". Less ambiguous but with enough double meaning to be catchy. The original did require fixing as it was max length before adding the quotes, and they caused it to truncate at the 'e' in 'Prisoner'. I didn't see it in the editor but did in the post-submission display.
What number will he have? The old one was 6, maybe next one will be 66, and we should wait till the real good version, in the reboot of the serie, when will be 666 (if the prisoner is 666, i would be very afraid of some entity called AMC that not only managed to imprison him, but plans soon to release him to the world)
If only you'd noticed that Jesus from 'The Passion of Christ' was playing the the hero, this last bit would have had much more impact. Someone already mentioned Caviezal h
I wish them the best, it isn't an easy chore... (Score:3, Interesting)
About 8 years ago, I came up with, but never penned (maybe to the benefit of all), the idea of taking the concept of The Prisoner, and the concept of reality TV and bringing them together.
The psychological aspects alone would have been awesome, get a bunch of unsuspecting "reality show" contestants together, seperate them into groups based on political beliefs, make them increasingly paranoid with each episode, force them in some way to work with/against each other, make them believe they were in fact prisoners in some kind of foreign or even an American prison camp, and totally play on that situation.
Like I said, it may be a good thing I never did that. It could have made me millions, or could for someone daring enough to do that (in which case, send me money via paypal), it could have majorly screwed things up, but it was a concept worth thinking about at least.
I guess that means I'll... (Score:5, Funny)
What's the point ? (Score:4, Insightful)
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I guarantee you that the new series will generate interest in the old series.
My kids would have never watched the old Star Trek series had they never been exposed to the "Enterprise" series.
Similarly, they gained an appreciation for The Who because they watched the Limp Bizkit version of "Behind Blue Eyes" on YouTube and then followed some Who links.
Remakes can have a positive impact on culture, even when the remakes are poor imitations of the originals... although I DO like Limp Bizkit's "Behind Blue Eyes"
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I've got news for you, your culture has already vanished. Some chopper has already decided that it's a good idea to remake Edge of Darkness. Clearly nothing is sacred and everything is up for grabs by the almighty dollar.
So while the media industry complains about... (Score:4, Insightful)
... "Knock-off Nigel" buying knock-off DVDs, they're busily pumping out knock-offs and "remakes" and "sequels" of stuff from the 1960s?
Dear film producers,
I will start buying DVDs again when you start producing original content. No, adding an Audi R8 and some explosions doesn't count as original.
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I will start buying DVDs again when you start producing original content.
Sometimes I suspect that the generation supposedly creating new stuff has no imagination.
Okay I'll bite (Score:3, Interesting)
What is AMC? I am guessing it's a US TV channel but I've never heard of it. A simple "US TV channel AMC" the first time it's mentioned in TFS would have helped!
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We don't get AMC in Minnetonka, MN. Only TCM (Turner Classic Movies), which is commercial free.
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It's American Movie Classics, which has been expanding their definitions of 'movie' and 'classics' since they first started. They began with movies like Casablanca, now they're on Bride of Chucky.
Seriously, Bride of Chucky. 11pm EST today.
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American Motor Corporation. They made such venerable cars as the Gremlin and the Pacer and various Jeep models. Then they were bought by Chrysler. Now they're making movies for some reason.
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Hey! Let's not forget their GOOD cars - like the Matador, and...um...
Actually, never mind.
(I grew up with a '73 Matador as the family car - dad hated it as long as we owned it.)
Watching the first episode... (Score:3, Insightful)
What's wrong with the original location? (Score:2, Informative)
I visited Portmeirion [portmeirion-village.com] a couple of years back while on holiday in Wales. IMHO it was the perfect location for The Prisoner - a quirky, custom made village built into the hillside/cliffs leading down to a stretch of beach. The original show used this location to great effect and as I walked around the village I felt sure I was about to be chased by a seemingly sentient, menacing, white bubble - either that or knocked down by a jaunty Mini Moke! [wikipedia.org]
Did they replicate the concrete boat in Swakopmund (Namibia)? I s
Comicon (Score:2)
I saw this at Comicon - they had clips from the upcoming series running, and were taking photos of people as ID Badges for the Village. Had a nice retro-modern look to their largish booth.
I got my ID. I hope the series is good so that it'll be a fond collectable item some day (not like I'd sell it), rather than yet another tchotchke from some worthless failed project.
The clips they showed looks like it has promise, but you never really know until you actually watch it.
I can't imagine they're going to get this right. (Score:2)
That said, I'd still like more...
information...
Thirty Six Hours vs The Prisoner (Score:2, Interesting)
Something tells me the last episode... (Score:2)
Something tells me the last episode won't resemble "Fall Out" -- the original last episode. If you haven't seen the original series, haven't seen the last episode when everything becomes "clear" (HAHAHAHAHAH!! [Read that as maniacal laughter]) and "#2" "Escapes" "The Village" [read the quotes as irony/dual meaning], you might still think there's a possibility that the new series will be a little bit faithful to the original.
Why did you think a giant bubble would stop them? (Score:2)
Please tell me this is a joke (Score:2)
I really hope they have not made plans to ruin yet another classic.
Without PMG being involved its just 'wrong'.
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I don't know if there were any actual ties to Kafka's work, acknowledged or otherwise, but there are strong parallels. And by a strange co-incidence, I like both. Number 6's struggle against the literally anonymous powers of The Village and the determination to assert his identity in an environment determined not to acknowledge it, the incomprehensibility of the rules and customs of the people in the Village (yet often with a hint of unknown purpose) and finally the way individuals can be replaced yet main