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I have a strange affection for this movie, despite its uncertain tone, which bounces from kid-friendly & cute to surprisingly dark, and then back & forth several times. The Cygnus itself is a dazzling vision—the Crystal Palace in space—but the actors (and/or the script) are too uneven. There's a strong movie in there somewhere, waiting to be remade to reach its real potential.
Alexis Kanner was just so wonderful in that scene! :)
"And hear the word of the Lord." (tinkles bell)
So true, and still so timely.
The remake isn't bad if taken as a completely different series, dealing with more Philip K. Dick-type scenarios than anything else. But as a sequel/reboot of The Prisoner, it fails miserably if you ask me. They should have eliminated any connection to McGoohan's classic & let their story stand on its own ... though perhaps it would never have been greenlighted in the first place, would it?
I agree that not every episode was as good as the best ones, which were brilliant. But even the ones that were more filler at least had an interesting idea or two in them, even so. If McGoohan had gotten his wish, there would have been fewer episodes to begin with, as you know. Still, if that had been the case, we might not have gotten the wonderful Surreal, Theater of the Absurd final episode, made all the powerful by having to completed in a couple of days & causing the creative team to dig deep for an ending that worked on a visceral, dreamlike, depths-of-the-Unconscious-spilling-out-in-a-flood way. To me, that final episode is TV's finest hour.
I'm about due for another visit myself!
Eloquently said, Ace_Spade! :)
This is the rationale behind seemingly pleasant, comfortable dystopias, such as that of Brave New World, and the fear-dominated ones like 1984. The late Neil Postman, in his book Amusing Ourselves to Death, said that there are two forms of dystopia: that of 1984, where we're controlled by what we fear, and that of Brave New World, where we're controlled by what we love. The latter is certainly comfortable enough (even though it appears that the drug soma is required at times for even the elite of society to make it through the day) ... but its inhabitant have no real depth or authenticity. They do have plenty of distractions & sense-satisfying amusements, and for many that's enough, even in our own society.
But if one starts to questions things, to delve into one's own being, to strive to become a personally authentic person, that becomes a danger to the ruling system.
He had seen it happen to others in the Village, including people had had known from his previous life, after all. And he had no way of knowing that the Village wanted him as a convert, or that there were orders against any permanent damage. So he had to walk a very fine line.
After all these decades, it's still the most intelligent, thought-provoking TV series ever made, to my mind.
It's still a wonderful film. All too often, good work is inexplicably forgotten, while mediocre work is remembered.
Criterion is releasing it this November.
Excellent choices. And the entire album What's Going On is simply & undeniably one of the single best albums of the past 60 years.
So sorry to hear this news. Chariots of Fire is a favorite of mine, and he was a standout out in that film. And he was quite good in NBC's attempted revival of Dark Shadows, a series that should have lasted longer than it did, because it really captured the essence of the original while adding something new as well. And again, he was a standout.
Agreed. WAAAAAAAAY too much!
Because they're basically nice, kindly people with good hearts.
Always loved that song. A gentle, understated song that sticks with you.
In a previous "Barney is sure Andy is getting married" episode, when they redo the bedroom and throw a surprise party for the "happy couple", I love how at the end, Gomer tells Barney, "Boy, what a dumb trick. Don't ever call me dumb again, Barney. Great party, but a dumb trick."
What a great episode!
Gomer: "Oh, I told her about how Barney wasn't worried about her, because he's got her right in his hip pocket."
Andy: "You told her that?"
Gomer: "Yep, she liked it so much she had me say it twice."
I need to go back to the episode where Barney tries to find a wife for Andy & basically has a cattle call of available women come over to Andy's house. I especially love the dinner he & Thelma Lou plan to get Andy & Helen together ... until Barney decides that Helen wont do (from meory):
Helen: "I'm afraid I'm not a very good cook."
Barney: "Oh, you're just being modest."
Helen: "No, it's true."
Barney: "Well, for gosh sakes, what are you gonna feed your husband?"
Helen: "He'll have to settle for TV dinners, I suppose."
Andy: "What's wrong with TV dinners? I like 'em."
Barney: "No you don't!!!"
Just watched it on Svengoolie last night and had the delightful surprise of recognizing it as a film I'd seen on TV in my childhood, back in the early 1960s. Over the decades I'd vaguely recall something about a monster that materializes its arms & legs to go out killing its enemies, but for the life of me, I just never could remember what its title was. But a few minutes into it last night, the light bulb went on over my head. :)
Still a solid, efficient B-movie with both wit & some genuine scares. Who can ask for more?
And then Barney's "expert" advice to Opie: "Just step right out in front of her and say, 'Here I am, you lucky girl! Play your cards right and I might let you walk with me!' It never fails!"
That's what made it so enjoyable.