Oh no! The Yanks have done a remake of classic 1960s Brit TV series The Prisoner and - wouldn't you know it! - writer Bill Gallagher(Lark Rise to Candleford)'s six-part "reimagining of themes and characters" has made some significant changes. In fact, the only good thing about the series promises to be Ian McKellen as Number Two.
Prisoner aficionados will recall that in the original series, a different actor played Number Two each week.
Sir Ian comments: “The original ITV series, starred Patrick McGoohan who created the story with George Markstein in 1967. There were 17 episodes of which I saw only a couple first time round. Google identifies numerous support groups for the cult classic. Like them, I admire Patrick McGoohan's acting as 'Number 6' but I also cherish memories of his stage performance as Ibsen's Brand, which is available on DVD. I hope he takes this new version of The Prisoner as a compliment rather than a challenge to his great achievement. "
Actually, since he died in January, McGoohan is unlikely to take it as anything, unless they have Cable TV in Heaven.
McKellen continues: "Our director Jon Jones has cast the charismatic Jim Caviezel ["Jesus", in Mel Gibson's The Passion of Jesus Christ-ED] as 'Number 6' and it was exciting to meet him on 30 July, when the producers from AMC treated a few of the creative team to dinner at the Century Club in London. The following day was the first read-through of the six hour-long episodes, on the 14th floor of the ITV centre, next-door-but-one to the National Theatre on the south bank of the river Thames. Not all the actors were present, as at least half of them live in South Africa where much of the filming will take place . . . In attendance were the hierarchy of AMC who are following their success with Mad Men with another adult television screenplay in association with ITV in London. I hope they weren't disappointed!
"Apart from the director and producers, the writer Bill Gallagher was there at the far end of the long refectory table where we all sat. I couldn't see him clearly and I doubt he or anyone near him could catch all the tentative mumbles and whispers of the cast as the hours rolled by. Read-throughs are nerve-wracking for the actors, still unfamiliar with their roles and so not much willing to commit to any sort of performance and yet, we feel being somehow judged by our employers. But by the end, the room was full of enthusiasm (as well as relief) and some kind soul started a round of genuine applause.
"What was obvious was that none of us had misjudged the scripts. Bill has written his heart into the story, which is at least as gripping as the one on which it is based. More than that, it's difficult to add without spoiling your eventual enjoyment of the show. The Village remains, though no longer in Wales where McGoohan railed against his imprisonment. Number 2 (my part) is still in charge, though I'm glad to report no longer played by a number of actors. As for Rover and the rest, you will just have to wait and see.”
What else has changed? Well, the setting is no longer Portmeirion, but Swakopmund, "a Bavarian-style resort in Namibia that is surrounded by desert and has an eerily striking collection of pastel A-frame cottages".
But then, as Caviezel insists: “I feel this project stands on its own. There’s a huge allegorical piece in the background, but there’s a lot of eye candy as well. It’s definitely a commentary on right here and right now."
As is TV's inability to think up new material (remember the re-imagined Minder, anyone? No, nor do we!)
Check out what the New York Times had to say: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/arts/television/11prisoner.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2
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