Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very, very impressive and befitting Blu-ray box set for The Prisoner!, 29 Sep 2009
Before its release I had read a variety of views and hopes about how this first ever Blu-ray box set of the complete series of the The Prisoner would work out. Having literally just received it this morning and admittedly only having watched the first episode, I'm happy to report it's very, very impressive indeed (so far)! The picture has been remastered very well. I've seen a lot of good old remasters recently, but in my opinion this one appears to be up there with the Bond remasters, Zulu and The Italian Job (and that's a high standard!). The image is sharp. There is little to no noise in the dark scenes and picture areas. The colours are lovely, really allowing the set and costume design to shine. There's also a good level of fine detail. Of course the picture quality may differ in the rest of the series, but taking the first episode on the first disc as the benchmark, I'm optimistic about the overall result. The sound is available in standard Dolby 5.1 (not HD audio from what I can see) but it's well done. Some of the dialogue is a little muffled, but I think that's due to the use of on location/on set sound as opposed to extensive use of ADR (which we are all, I guess, most used to these days). The music covers the surround sound field very nicely and is crisp and nice quality. There's also the option to listen to the original mono soundtrack, which I briefly tried. The menu and presentation on the disc is also nicely done. It's worth mentioning the cardboard box itself. It's larger than I expected but it provides a very attractive housing for the whole package. It's about the width of 2.5 Blu-ray boxes, and about 2-3 boxes high (I'm not really sure how/where I'm going to store it, to be honest!). Inside there's a long book companion to the series alongside a bespoke Blu-ray case holding the multiple discs (about the same size as the Star Trek Original Series 1 box, for reference, so I suppose you can keep that our your shelf and store the presentation box elsewhere...). I'm now looking forward to enjoying this magnificent series with picture and sound quality befitting of such an unique, unusual and timeless programme. Overall, very highly recommended!
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Knock yourself out., 18 Oct 2009
I already had the Carlton DVD set which was released in 2000 and the upgrade in picture quality in going to Blu-ray is excellent and makes the Portmeirion exteriors really shine. The remixed DD 5.1 soundtrack is satisfactory though there is the option to listen to the original mono mix. The extras are also very good indeed, especially the documentary "Don't knock yourself out" which is not always complimentary towards McGoohan's people-handling techniques. I especially enjoyed the
still media slideshows set to original music cues from archive tapes which appear on each of the four feature discs. An excellent paperback by Andrew Pixley is included and this covers everything one would need to know about the production of The Prisoner. I have my gripes about the handsome but insanely oversized presentation box, but the 6-disc set itself is snugly fitted into a case about the 1.5 times the width of a standard blu-ray case.
Overall, this set is absolutely essential for Prisoner fans who are upgrading from the Carlton DVD set or even those who haven't even got any of the DVDs (could such people really exist?).
Knock yourself out and get an order into Amazon.
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible restoration of a classic series, 30 Sep 2009
"Wow!" was my honest reaction upon hearing the familiar opening thunderclap in 5.1 surround and seeing Patrick McGoohan hurtling down that runway in his car as never before. The picture transfer for a series of this age is astonishing. Of course, by having the foresight to shoot it on 35mm colour film (a luxury at the time) the makers of The Prisoner ensured it was future-proof for home entertainment. Portmeirion looks postcard-perfect: bright, vivid colours and a crispness of image that certainly belies the 40-plus years since it was filmed. This does rank alongside the early Bond releases on Blu-ray as having an exemplary presentation.
As regards the content, much has been written elsewhere so I won't duplicate it, except to say that this is essential viewing. Not just an engrossing action/spy series, it has many surreal subtexts that hold a mirror to the individual vs. society; it is still as relevant today. There is a 1977 interview with Patrick McGoohan that ends with him being asked what phrase should sum up the show to anyone after watching it. He replies simply, "'Be seeing you.' It means quite a lot..."
It's also a requirement to watch the episodes in a logical order, which is not the sequence of their original transmission. Just search the web and you'll find several recommendations. Apart from all 17 instalments, the set comes with an authoritative companion book and a cornucopia of extra features that surely make this the last word on the subject. If anyone thinks they don't need another Prisoner boxset, trust me: by hook or by crook you will!
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