Researching The Prisoner set - help please?

[number_61]

Hello there all, sorry to bother you with such a sweeping request but
I am about to undertake some academic thesis which - hopefully - will
include some research into the history of the actual filming of the
original TV series.

What I am looking for is some suggestions to kick start this
investigation, references or book suggestions. I am specifically
interested in the stage set, histories or commentaries that describe
the set and the logistics of filming.

If anyone could spare a minute or so to point me in the right
direction I would be very grateful.

I'm sure you get requests like this from students all the time, but I
assure you my intentions - academically - are positive and sincere (I
happen to be a fan of the series) and I hope my research will
eventually be of interest to the denizens of this group.

Many thanks,

Steve

[Brian Watson]

"number_61" <beat...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:00de23eb-f155-4ad3...@k6g2000vbz.googlegroups.com...

Well, avoid like the plague anything written by a bloke called Langley.

It's always badly written (IMO), and he always seems to make it more about
Mr Langley than about Mr McGoohan, if you get my drift.

I can particularly recommend the two volumes called "The Prisoner, The
Original Scripts, Part One and Part Two" that were edited with remarkably
comprehensive annotations by Robert Fairclough (both were published by
Reynolds and Hearn, 2006, I think).

A lot of what you want is covered in them.

I would also recommend http://www.theunmutual.co.uk/ website for a wealth of
links and references to other resources.

If you are into the "dressing up and pretending to be a prisoner" aspects of
Prisoner fandom, you might like to contact an outfit called Six Of One
(BOF).

They still claim to be the only "official" fan club (on the basis of one
"thank you for your interest" letter<g>), even though all the original key
members left in disgust some years ago when the club's financial matters
suddenly stopped being open to question and one person was actually recorded
in his own home without his knowledge.

Hardly in keeping with the spirit of the programme, I'd say.

Still, that's just my 2p-worth of opinion on the matter.

I wasn't a member at the time but I have spoken with people on both sides of
the dispute and, frankly, I wouldn't join 6o1 (BOF) if my life depended on
it.

Anyway, I'm sure there will be many responders stepping up to say what a
fine organisation it is now and all that is in the past etc etc etc.

Either that, or they'll take it to email.

Good luck with it anyway.
--
Brian
"Fight like the Devil, die like a gentleman."

[moorl...@gmail.com]

http://www.the-mausoleum-club.org.uk/timescreen/Trial%2011/ts11.htm

http://www.the-mausoleum-club.org.uk/timescreen/Trial%2012/ts12.htm

Some of that is more accurate than more recent books. Sometimes progress isn't all it's cracked up to be.

[roger]

"number_61" <beat...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:00de23eb-f155-4ad3...@k6g2000vbz.googlegroups.com...

> I am specifically
> interested in the stage set, histories or commentaries that describe
> the set and the logistics of filming.

One of the best and most colourful places to start would be 'On The Trail Of
The Prisoner: A Walking Guide To Portmeirion's Prisoner Sites'. With sales
approaching 10,000, it is one of the most popular 'Prisoner' books ever, and
is available here

http://www.prizbiz.supanet.com/page12.html

or

http://www.portmeiriononline.co.uk/product.asp?id=1250&random=169155300&cid=140&scid=112

and, as the publisher, I must declare an interest.
:-)

[jack]

This may prove interesting.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inside-Prisoner-Radical-Television-1960s/dp/0713484136

[jack]

On Apr 16, 8:14 am, number_61 <beaty1...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

One site has interviews of the principle crew members the other is a
critique of many of the fan based materials and books and looks at the
cinematic methods of McGoohan.

http://www.the-prisoner-6.freeserve.co.uk/prisoner_updates.htm

http://numbersixwasinnocent.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html

[Dick Spanner]