Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Prisoner: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 22, 2024

"The Prisoner: The Complete Series" (1960-1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include the TV series "Danger Man"; multiple archival cast and crew interviews; documentaries; promotional materials; trims; audio commentaries; and a lot more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for each episode. Region-Free.

Until the perestroika, the Soviet Bloc was a giant prison system with strict rules that only a select few elite members of the Party had the authority to bend. Ordinary people were constantly brainwashed to believe that the Soviet Bloc was an idyllic paradise where everything they needed was provided to them -- food, housing, healthcare, education, entertainment. They were taught to think that staying within the Soviet Bloc was their duty and were trained to nourish and support it.

However, the rosy description of the Soviet Bloc did not match reality, and the bigger the discrepancies between the two grew, the more ordinary people began asking obvious questions. If the Soviet Bloc was such an idyllic paradise, why did it treat the people living there as prisoners and criminals? Why was there a food shortage? Why was electricity scarce and mandatory blackouts implemented? Why did people have to wait decades to be eligible to purchase a car? Why were people not allowed to choose the village or city where they wanted to settle down and start a family? Why were people not allowed to obtain passports and leave the Soviet Bloc to see what was on The Other Side? For decades, the Party had managed to avoid the awakening with the help of a humongous network of undercover agents that reprogrammed the curious and weeded out the “fascists” who resisted the reprogramming. The Party had also built a humongous human database, with interconnected branches in friendly states all across the globe, where every single person was assigned a file with a number. Even its top members were not spared. Everyone was monitored by someone else, and the one doing the monitoring was monitored by someone else, who was also monitored by someone else. So, like bees serving their precious queen, the Party’s spies were constantly feeding its humongous human database, ensuring that the curious and the “fascists” were never a threat to its existence.

Eventually, the escape attempts became too many and impossible to contain, and leaked information from The Other Side rapidly began multiplying the curious and the “fascists”. Some emerged even among those who were professionally trained to protect the Soviet Bloc. And the more people acquired unfiltered information about their reality and what was beyond it, the more they began to properly assess the nature of their existence. They could see what was previously made invisible to them. After that, it was only a matter of time before their idyllic paradise came crashing down.

As odd as it may sound, though it should not, the classic TV series The Prisoner is a miniature reimagination of the giant prison system The Party created, but with two major adjustments. The Village, where Patrick McGoohan’s character, Number Six, awakens and begins exploring has a self-sustained supply system. Someone, somewhere, somehow is always providing what the brainwashed residents require to be happy. In other words, there are no obvious reasons for them to question anything. Also, McGoohan is allowed to see how The Village is managed and reach The Other Side, and, at the right time, his experiences evolve into a fascinating examination of human identity, the nature of existence, and spirituality. In other words, The Prisoner also tackles grand ideas that were incompatible with the status quo within the Soviet Bloc and were way ahead of its time.

Seen through the prism of contemporary developments, The Prisoner again seems astoundingly relevant. For example, the system Leo McKern’s character, Number Two, manages is a wonderful replica of the giant “security system” globalist forces and governments want to implement. A person’s every move, every transaction, and every engagement will be stored in it. A person will be treated as a digit by it as well. The Prisoner also anticipates the emergence of AI and its enormous manipulative powers. Its final act effectively depicts the establishment of the ultimate virtual authoritarian system and its takeover of the classic contemporary Western society.

In 2009, Nick Hurran directed an excellent remake of The Prisoner with Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen. Like the original TV series, this remake tackles a wide range of ideas and concepts about social order, political power, individualism, and freedom.

The Prisoner: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Prisoner arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

Previously, the classic TV series was released on Blu-ray by U.S. label A+E Networks and British label Network. You can see our listings of these releases here and here. This recent Australian release introduces the same restoration of the TV series that the other two releases did some time ago.

I would describe the overall quality of the restoration as good. Clearly, it is the healthiest and most attractive presentation of the TV series on the home video market. However, I must say that plenty could have been done differently so that on Blu-ray the series look as good it should. For example, it is very easy to tell that some minor denoising corrections have been applied, though it is difficult to gauge how grain exposure is impacted. Why? Because it is just as easy to tell that encoding could have been optimized, too. So, grain fluctuations are clearly affected differently. Delination, clarity, and depth are pleasing, but there is room for various meaningful improvements. Color balance is very convincing. In fact, it is the one area where I do not think meaningful improvements can be made. Some minor adjustments could be introduced, but virtually all will address small issues introduced by the denoising corrections. Image stability is very good. All episodes look very healthy.

Danger Man - All episodes of the TV series have been restored as well. While there are some traces of denoising corrections here too, I think that the overall quality of the visuals is better. The encoding is slightly better, too.

The Prisoner: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Prisoner is presented with broadcast LPCM 2.0 and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks. Danger Man is presented with LPCM 2.0 Mono tracks. However, only The Prisoner is presented with optional English SDH subtitles.

Both 2.0 tracks are fully restored. On The Prisoner and Danger Man the dialog and narration are exceptionally easy to follow. The music sounds great, too. I was quite surprised by how rich and potent it was on Danger Man, which was clearly shot with a smaller budget. On The Prisoner dynamic intensity is impressive too, but its production values are superior as well, so this is not unexpected. I spent approximately a month with both and did not encounter any issues to report.

The Prisoner: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

DISC ONE

• Commentary One - this audio commentary was recorded by production manager Bernie Williams and film librarian Tony Sloman. A text version commentary is available as well. Both are included on the "Arrival" episode.

• Commentary Two - this audio commentary was recorded by writer Vincent Tilsley. A text version commentary is available as well. Both are included on the "Arrival" episode.

• Filming Arrival - 8mm camera footage. Mute. (10 min).

• Arrival Original Edit Restoration Comparison - (4 min).

• Photograph Montage Footage - silent footage used in "Arrival". (1 min).

• Original Ad-Break Bumpers - (1 min).

• Unused Trims - trims from "Arrival" and "The Chimes of Big Ben". Mute. (10 min).

• Village Snaps -
  
  1. Arrival
  2. The Chimes of Big Ben
  3. "Leslie Gillait 35mm Transparencies"
  4. Portmeirion photographs from 1966
  5. Behind the scenes

• Isolated Music and Effects Tracks -

DISC TWO

• Commentary One - this audio commentary was recorded by director Pat Jackson. A text version commentary is available as well. Both are included on the "The Schizoid Man" episode.

• Commentary Two - this audio commentary was recorded by director Peter Graham Scott. A text version commentary is available as well. Both are included on the "The General" episode.

• Text Commentaries - additional text commentaries.

• "You Make Sure It Fits" - interview with editor Eric Mival. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• "Another Number" - interview with "The Schizoid Man" guest star Jane Merrow. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• "The Prisoner: Behind the Scenes" - interview with production manager Bernads Williams. In English, not subtitled. (26 min).

• Trailers -
  
  1. A. B. and C.
  2. Free for All
  3. The Schizoid Man
  4. The General

• Village Snaps -
  
  1. A. B. and C.
  2. Free for All
  3. The Schizoid Man
  4. The General

• Isolated Music and Effects Tracks -

DISC THREE

• Commentary - this audio commentary was recorded by production manager Bernie Williams, film librarian Tony Sloman, and editor John S. Smith. A text version commentary is available as well. Both are included on the "Dance of the Dead" episode.

• Text Commentaries - additional text commentaries.

• Peter Wyngarde in "The Pink Prisoner" - interview featurette. (10 min).

• "Portmeirion 1939" - 16mm kodachrome amateur footage. (8 min).

• Trims - episode trims from "Many Happy Returns" (2 min).

• Trailers -
  
  1. Many Happy Returns
  2. Dance of the Dead
  3. Checkmate
  4. Hammer into Anvil

• Village Snaps -
  
  1. Many Happy Returns
  2. Dance of the Dead
  3. Checkmate
  4. Hammer into Anvil

• Isolated Music and Effects Tracks -

DISC FOUR

• Commentary - this audio commentary was recorded by writer Roger Parkes. A text version commentary is available as well. Both are included on the "A Change of Mind" episode.

• Text Commentaries - additional text commentaries.

• "Working From the Heart" - interview with "It's Your Funeral" guest star Annette Andre. (8 min).

• "Another Two" - interview with "It's Your Funeral" guest star Derren Nesbitt. (8 min).

• Trims - episode trims from "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling". (2 min).

• Production Footage -
  
  1. Filing Cabinet Insert Footage - used in foreign markets (mute)
  2. Rover raw footage (mute)
  3. Behind the scenes (mute)

• Textless Titles -
  
  1. View with Ron Grainer Theme
  2. View with Wilfred Josephs Theme
  3. View with Robert Farnon Theme

• Trailers -

• Village Snaps -

• Isolated Music and Effects Tracks -

DISC FIVE

• Commentary - this audio commentary was recorded by editor Eric Mival and editor Noreen Ackland. A text version commentary is available as well. Both are included on the "Fall Out" episode.

• Text Commentaries - additional text commentaries.

• "Don't Knock Yourself Out" - archival documentary. (95 min).

• "Many Happy Returns" 50 Years On" - archival location featurette. (12 min).

• "Television Greatest Hits" - excerpt from an archival interview with Patrick McGoohan. (3 min).

• "For the Love Of" - archival memorabilia featurette. (7 min).

• Trims - trims from "The Girl Who Was Death". (11 min).

• Textless Material - (6 min).

• Lava Lamp Raw Footage - used in No.2' Chamber (8 min).

• "Number 6" - German opening titles. (3 min).

• Trailers -

• Village Snaps -

• Isolated Music and Effects Tracks -

DISC SIX

• "In My Mind" (2017) - feature-length documentary. Presented with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 audio tracks, as well as optional English subtitles. (82 min).

• "Patrick McGoohan 1983" - archival interview with the star of The Prisoner. (33 min).

• "Catherine McGoohan 2017" - archival interview. (27 min).

• "The Prisoner Puzzle" - archival interview with Patrick McGoohan filmed for TV Ontario in 1977. (39 min).

• "The Prisoner Video Companion" - home video feaurette produced in 1990. (49 min).

• ITC Promotional Trailer - vintage film reel promoting ITC series for distribution. (30 min).

DISC SEVEN - DANGER MAN

• Commentary One - this audio commentary was recorded by writer Brian Clemens and director Peter Graham Scott and is included on the "View From the Villa" episode.

• Commentary Two - this audio commentary was recorded by writer Brian Clemens and director Peter Graham Scott and is included on the "The Nurse" episode.

• "The Danger Men" - interview documentary with producers Peter Price, writer Philip Broadley and stuntman Frank Maher. In English, not subtitled. (70 min).

• Rusher From Opening Titles Filming - in English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Textless Titles - in English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• UK Commercial Break Bumpers - in English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• US "Secret Agent" Title Sequence, Bumpers and Sponsorship Tags - in English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Gallery with Music Suite - music only. (7 min).

• Book - a 120-page illustrated book featuring an essay by television writer/historian Andrew Pixley, press information from the original studio files, and technical information.

The Prisoner: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Prisoner will always be revisited and praised because it offers a brilliant and timeless visual deconstruction of the ultimate authoritarian wet dream. It is all there, the archaic blueprint that was used to create the old Soviet Bloc, the improved blueprint that globalists and AI will work with to introduce a grander, superior replica of it. Patrick McGoohan is extraordinary as the lost visitor seeking a way out of The Village, but The Prisoner is a massive project uniting many equally talented people in front and behind the camera. In addition to The Prisoner, Imprint Films' seven-disc box set includes five episodes of Danger Man, another very entertaining TV series with McGoohan from the same period. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.