Customer Reviews

The Prisoner: File #1

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Can you imagine waking up in a strange place, walking over to a window, looking out seeing this beautiful but strange village. It's not a dream, but the suspenseful truth as you contemplate your next move. Your stand in this matter is you will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered ~ my life is my own. Thus we have "THE PRISONER", the cast for this Patrick McGoohan's classic of seventeen episodes from British television was a series to end all series. It had everything as it debuted in the summer of 1968, making this the most unusual and intriguing series ever brought to the small tube.

As you listen to one of the most recognizable themes composed by Ron Grainer, we hear in the foreground ~ "I am not a number, I am a free man!" ~ Every week this was the tune on this hit show featured on CBS, taking each of us into the realm of Number Six (The Prisoner), as he struggled to find the identity of Number One and escape the grasp of his captors. Where am I? Why was I brought here? Moreover, how do I get away and not be recaptured?

Silva Screen has taken the time and patience to bring three separate segments to this outstanding CD ~ "ARRIVAL", The Prisoner (McGoohan-Number Six) gets his first encounter at The Village, Who runs this place, why am I here and can I escape? The dialogue is important with each cue, setting the tone and mood with Grainer's score ~ "THE CHIMES OF BIG BEN", watch the new resident who may offer a plan to leave The Village, can she be trusted, does she bring hope where there was none before, only one clue will tell, what is it? ~ "A, B, AND C", can Number Six keep his sanity or will he crack, when he is drugged a dreamy party emerges, listen to the Lullaby and see if you can predict the final outcome.

Stand outs come to mind ~ "MAIN TITLE", grabs you immediately ~ "Engadine's Party", mood creative ~ "Number 6 Dances With 'B'", gets under your skin ~ "Number 6 Is Drugged", captures the tone of the scenes ~ "Dreamy Party", takes you on a journey you've been before yourself ~ "End Title", tops off the whole series and album with flare. Ron Grainer's score is supreme, completely takes you into the realm of McGoohan's character ~ THE PRISONER!

The gang at Silva Screen ~ Reynold da Silva (executive producer), David Stone and James Fitzpatrick (re-release co-ordination) and Rick Clark (mastered by) has shown each "film-score-buff" the road beyond The Village, with this ultra-rare release just as we remembered it back in the glory days of the '60s ~ gotta love it!

Total Time 55:51 on 30 Tracks ~ Silva Screen SSD-1144 ~ (2002)

Very much improved sound. A huge improvement over previous releases. Put together in episode order (ie all the music from Arrival,then Chimes,AB&C etc, interspersed with atmospheric sound bites from each episode. A must for all Prisoner Fans. There are 3 volumes in total.

Wonderful collection; looks like the first of a three-part CD collection. Includes excerpts of classic dialogue from episodes in the series--"...I will not be pushed, indexed...." The liner notes include minor but interesting trivia on the soundtrack creators such as Ron Grainer--paid 48 English pounds for the license to use the Beatles' "All you need is love" in the final episode. The sound quality in this collection could use further enhancements, but you get full versions of the background music used in various scenes of the series, which is really nifty.

You have to watch the Prisoner to fully appriciate the musical manipulation that happens on the psychological level. The marches are sinister and the jazz pieces are exciting and uplifting.

The Prisoner / Original Television soundtrack /
File #1 - Music and some bits of dialog from "Arrival", "The Chimes of Big Ben" and "A,B, and C":

For the fan of the McGoohan series, this audio CD is essential.
Don't be unmutual. Buy this disc.

Be seeing you.

Graet! Wish it had a greater selection; some tunes from the whole series. Instead, this CD has music from up 'til ABC. I knew what I was buying. Just saying