This is the opening of the pilot episode. We don't yet know who, what or why but by just after 30 seconds we know he's a good guy. He buys a ticket even though he could just driven under the barrier. Excellent storytelling.
How funny this was a show I found very scary and unsettling. I used to have a lotus 7 replica, worked on the door at the top of the ramp and worked inside Parliament too. About time I watched it again.
At 1.23 a very good Trompe-l'œil painted background! In the last year I've parked several times at that first underground carpark he goes into at 0.23. Its still there! London buildings are a lot cleaner but so much more traffic. I went to Port Marion 30 years ago and bought a no6 mug "i am not a number I am a free man!"
Really must watch this series again! I have memories as a child, of sneaking downstairs when I couldn't sleep, and watching a strange TV programme, with Mini-Mokes and a giant bubble chasing people! I loved it when Channel 4 showed the entire series in the 80's - I made my girlfriend watch it, and she was at first confused, but did really enjoyed it! 😄
Love this great intro! For many years I worked at ITN & frequently did OB’s from Abingdon Green opposite Parliament. Our video / audio connection box was fixed to the railings just above the ramp McGoohan drives down before delivering his resignation, & this sequence would always play out in my head as I connected the camera & comms while gazing down at the ramp… possibly one reason I occasionally connected the outgoing to the incoming!
@@STEVEC66 that’s interesting to hear. They had a lot of trouble with water ingress several years back which was a mammoth task to repair. Basically the whole green had to be dug up & waterproof membranes + bitumen laid down before the green was re-turfed & re-paved.
I had it in one of my playlists for many years . There aren't any opening titles but I couldn't play it anymore because You Tube said it wasn't able to be viewed in the UK !!. This may account for the faster speed , it gets past the copyright algorithm .
It is a bit of an oversight by the writer/producer that a man as angry as The Prisoner would stop to take a parking ticket from the dispenser. Although i know the barrier would not rise unless he did. Maybe I am analysing the intro a bit too deeply? Still a brilliant series, still watching it, my favourite! 🤔😜
Maybe there was a camera which recognised his number plate and if he hadn't taken the special ticket he would not have been able to enter the secret tunnels. Or maybe something worse would have happened. It seems as if he definitely knee he HAD to have the ticket.
Fun fact: the producers actually built an office in an unused room of the underground parking garage (I know that the Brits say "car park"), adding a little verisimilitude.
I remember this series from the 1960's. I do wonder what ever happened to the two cars, the Lotus Seven and the Austin Princess Hearse. The registration, KAR 120 C is currently on a Caterham seven from 2001, no record of the Austin though.
If I recall, the original Lotus 7 with the registration KAR 120C was sold off after the making of the title sequence. It then had to be re bought to complete sequences in the Episode "Fallout".
There were 3 used, the first one with the KAR plate still belongs to Caterham, the other 2 that just wore the plate for some shots I can't find, I read years ago one had been crashed on a track after being sold to a private buyer but I can't confirm it anywhere
really important now. I think Patrick McGoohan was on the spectrum - or might have been Bipolar. A mad genius. Despite the misgivings cited re: Lew Grade, have to say it was amazing he took a chance like that on McGoohan - up to a point - cannot believe the drink-driving charge meant McGoohan had to bicycle to the studio for a time, etc. He seemed devoted, protective of his wife and daughters. Love the stories of him slumming it in L.A. during the 70's while Ms. McGoohan cleaned up as a realtor! Would a staunch Catholic belief really predicate say kissing women on screen? Mel Gibson is not a devout Catholic? It's wrong to speculate and I'm really not trying to stir the pot - it really doesn't matter - McGoohan was a creative force who had a singular vision who blended intelligent art with "meaning" and having "a message" with "subtext." Like Kubrick who had to ultimately pull "A Clockwork Orange" from the British market for a time due to the ensuing uproar, I don't think McGoohan fully anticipated the strong reaction after the final episode "Fall Out" that would basically force him and the family into exile to "on the other side of the pond" as they would say. I wish say Rafferty were more readily available for viewing. I have no illusion that McGoohan didn't expect a backlash of some sort to Fall Out - kudos to him for sticking to his guns, and not selling out. He'd rather bear the brunt of the Fall Out - than be stamped, numbered, indexed... as a "Sell out" It was the crazy late 60's, after all. Magic. Lightning in a Bottle. Not possible otherwise.
He was a great actor who never played the game ( like when he was offered Bond but didn't want to play a womaniser) even Danger Man never carried a gun ,,,,
Imagine if Kubrick and McGoohan had worked together on something. Would that be too much of a good thing and their would fight? 201 was being filming in one part of pinewood at the same time that The Prisoner was being filmed in another.
This intro underline the logical flaw in the Prisoner Series. The entire thing is about getting him to reveal why he resigned. Well, for someone who is intent on holding back that information, why the hell is he ranting and banging his fist on the table when he hands over his resignation?? Did his favourite soccer team lose? Did he tear his best trousers? Seems all that ranting was nothing to do with his reasons for resigning; just shouting for the sake of it. Total logical flaw ...... Lol
The best part of the whole series it goes downhill after that Lol I am old enough to have watched it on tv made even less sense on reviewing . ,recently. Maybe if you were on LSD it would be more entertaining .
Some great production, but also some of the worst acting ever. The wooden McGoohan is terrible, every gesture overdone, every line squeaked out like some thespian on a stage. Lol
This has to be the best intro ever to a TV series.
This is the opening of the pilot episode. We don't yet know who, what or why but by just after 30 seconds we know he's a good guy. He buys a ticket even though he could just driven under the barrier. Excellent storytelling.
@@altern8tive ...the plot thickens
Parking pass
i’m standing outside his flat on Buckingham place watching this on my phone
@@Gbhbbgvsbnjhhdchhb Freak ;-)
Yeh, but he parked on a yellow line 😂
Fantastic intro
Be seeing you… excellent series and one of the best opening sequences ever
How funny this was a show I found very scary and unsettling. I used to have a lotus 7 replica, worked on the door at the top of the ramp and worked inside Parliament too. About time I watched it again.
Were you there when Airey Neave died?
At 1.23 a very good Trompe-l'œil painted background!
In the last year I've parked several times at that first underground carpark he goes into at 0.23. Its still there!
London buildings are a lot cleaner but so much more traffic.
I went to Port Marion 30 years ago and bought a no6 mug "i am not a number I am a free man!"
Still looks good enough to be shown on tv theses days probably better than most of the rubbish that’s on now and to think this was in the 60s .
Not that many people would ‘get’ it
Really must watch this series again! I have memories as a child, of sneaking downstairs when I couldn't sleep, and watching a strange TV programme, with Mini-Mokes and a giant bubble chasing people! I loved it when Channel 4 showed the entire series in the 80's - I made my girlfriend watch it, and she was at first confused, but did really enjoyed it! 😄
One of my favourite programs of all time
The door with 'way out' on sets up the whole series.
It's an often used phrase in the UK to indicate the exit.
Be seeing you!
"err,, only in colour sir..."
"Much more expensive.."
He only wanted that holiday and pay rise they owed him 😂
I am afraid he was on a zero hours contract.
@@stephenspence1192 He would never have put up with that!
He got the holiday, but not the pay rise.
Yes, it was a matter of conscience.
Love this great intro! For many years I worked at ITN & frequently did OB’s from Abingdon Green opposite Parliament. Our video / audio connection box was fixed to the railings just above the ramp McGoohan drives down before delivering his resignation, & this sequence would always play out in my head as I connected the camera & comms while gazing down at the ramp… possibly one reason I occasionally connected the outgoing to the incoming!
Seems Abingdon Green Car park is due to close now.
@@STEVEC66 that’s interesting to hear. They had a lot of trouble with water ingress several years back which was a mammoth task to repair. Basically the whole green had to be dug up & waterproof membranes + bitumen laid down before the green was re-turfed & re-paved.
RIP Mr McGoohan.
“Be seeing you…”
@@KevinMurphy-kk6yz👌👁️🇬🇧
Edward the First, Longshanks...
Great to see this again, slightly overspeed compared to the original sound track though.
I had it in one of my playlists for many years . There aren't any opening titles but I couldn't play it anymore because You Tube said it wasn't able to be viewed in the UK !!. This may account for the faster speed , it gets past the copyright algorithm .
One of the most iconic tv series ever , “ I am not a number , I’m a free man “ ……
The reality is it will soon be a crime to say those words ………
Many a true word.....
You could always say those words. But western society made sure it was a mockery of a statement.
@@paultrought267
For sure , but I’m not a number and I am a free man ………
Lovely clean uncluttered London..............
with roads you could actually consider driving on
ridiculous what 60 years can do to a city
Il est beau, un génie ❤🙏
Great show legend great actor Patrick rip he was great in ice station zebra and brave heart
Port Merion is the Mecca for this series The Prisoner
Based in North Wales
Amazing place
Yes it is! Been there a few times.
Sir Clough Williams-Ellis got fed up over the whole thing.
@@lawrencedoliveiro9104 I can believe it!
Wonderful stuff! Remember this from when I was a child!
Filing system at 1:28 is, in fairness, better than that on my Chromebook.
London looked beautiful back then compared to today.
Britain...what the hell happened ??
The prisoners stopped fighting back
I agree...
Windrush, Dr Beeching, Idi Amin kicking out the Asians and town planners destroying perfectly good town centres.
Brexit 😂
@@growlerthe2nd712 but we weren't part of Europe when the Prisoner was made ? 🤷
Timeless and brilliant 👌
It is a bit of an oversight by the writer/producer that a man as angry as The Prisoner would stop to take a parking ticket from the dispenser. Although i know the barrier would not rise unless he did. Maybe I am analysing the intro a bit too deeply? Still a brilliant series, still watching it, my favourite! 🤔😜
Still ahead of the times after nearly 57 years.
Maybe there was a camera which recognised his number plate and if he hadn't taken the special ticket he would not have been able to enter the secret tunnels. Or maybe something worse would have happened. It seems as if he definitely knee he HAD to have the ticket.
@@malcolmbacchus866 🤔
Fun fact: the producers actually built an office in an unused room of the underground parking garage (I know that the Brits say "car park"), adding a little verisimilitude.
I remember this series from the 1960's. I do wonder what ever happened to the two cars, the Lotus Seven and the Austin Princess Hearse. The registration, KAR 120 C is currently on a Caterham seven from 2001, no record of the Austin though.
If I recall, the original Lotus 7 with the registration KAR 120C was sold off after the making of the title sequence. It then had to be re bought to complete sequences in the Episode "Fallout".
There were 3 used, the first one with the KAR plate still belongs to Caterham, the other 2 that just wore the plate for some shots I can't find, I read years ago one had been crashed on a track after being sold to a private buyer but I can't confirm it anywhere
01:31 - I aspire to get out of a car as cool and smoothly as that. Bucket list stuff.
Unvergessen ❤
seemed to be more footage on this than when the serious started.
Ah - the days when you could actually drive in London! The Prisoner - strange but somehow very compelling!
Back when the UK was great-not like the 2024 disaster😡
The man behind the desk is George Markstein.
OMG they sent Rees Mogg after him
Could be. Even now they're not sure who acted the 'undertaker' role in the intro.
How right they were in 1967.
The uk is the village
No traffic in central London. Heaven
They did a renewed version of this in the 2000s. Absolutely no where near as good as the original!, what was the point??!!
Sounds like your typical modern remake.
i do that every day, what country, what place and what year is it yaaaaahggg
0:44
Be seeing you.
Good old 15 frames per second.
I always wondered how a secret agent could be so oblivious to a hearse that is nefariously shadowing his movements.
Show!
This is an INTENSE scene. Iconic. Once in the "secret agency" there is NO WAY OUT.
FOR GOOD .....WHY ...
💙
you know why cruise reinvented mission impossible, you can not better the prisoner series
Good County Leitrim man Patrick McGoohan. Son of Eire.
Born in New York City.
Considered for James Bond, but he didn’t approve of the character. So he created his own.
Who is No1? You are No6!
小山田さん、良かったピッタリ
I’m Not a Pronoun I’m a free man. 😉👌 Be seeing you
I wish I had thought of that.
your in wales love
really important now. I think Patrick McGoohan was on the spectrum - or might have been Bipolar. A mad genius. Despite the misgivings cited re: Lew Grade, have to say it was amazing he took a chance like that on McGoohan - up to a point - cannot believe the drink-driving charge meant McGoohan had to bicycle to the studio for a time, etc. He seemed devoted, protective of his wife and daughters. Love the stories of him slumming it in L.A. during the 70's while Ms. McGoohan cleaned up as a realtor! Would a staunch Catholic belief really predicate say kissing women on screen? Mel Gibson is not a devout Catholic? It's wrong to speculate and I'm really not trying to stir the pot - it really doesn't matter - McGoohan was a creative force who had a singular vision who blended intelligent art with "meaning" and having "a message" with "subtext."
Like Kubrick who had to ultimately pull "A Clockwork Orange" from the British market for a time due to the ensuing uproar, I don't think McGoohan fully anticipated the strong reaction after the final episode "Fall Out" that would basically force him and the family into exile to "on the other side of the pond" as they would say.
I wish say Rafferty were more readily available for viewing. I have no illusion that McGoohan didn't expect a backlash of some sort to Fall Out - kudos to him for sticking to his guns, and not selling out. He'd rather bear the brunt of the Fall Out - than be stamped, numbered, indexed... as a "Sell out"
It was the crazy late 60's, after all. Magic. Lightning in a Bottle. Not possible otherwise.
He was a great actor who never played the game ( like when he was offered Bond but didn't want to play a womaniser) even Danger Man never carried a gun ,,,,
Imagine if Kubrick and McGoohan had worked together on something. Would that be too much of a good thing and their would fight? 201 was being filming in one part of pinewood at the same time that The Prisoner was being filmed in another.
What type of car was he driving?
Lotus Seven
Whose number one. Not, who's number one.
BCNU ......
specifically not too near rhyll but adiquitly far away from
"60s" not "60's"
Plank
i thought that video meant prisoner cell block h aussie australian television tv series
This intro underline the logical flaw in the Prisoner Series. The entire thing is about getting him to reveal why he resigned. Well, for someone who is intent on holding back that information, why the hell is he ranting and banging his fist on the table when he hands over his resignation?? Did his favourite soccer team lose? Did he tear his best trousers? Seems all that ranting was nothing to do with his reasons for resigning; just shouting for the sake of it. Total logical flaw ...... Lol
The best part of the whole series it goes downhill after that Lol I am old enough to have watched it on tv made even less sense on reviewing . ,recently. Maybe if you were on LSD it would be more entertaining .
Some great production, but also some of the worst acting ever. The wooden McGoohan is terrible, every gesture overdone, every line squeaked out like some thespian on a stage. Lol