VILLAGE WHO

As mooted by The Unmutual Website in 2008 (article HERE), 2|Entertain are this month releasing the classic Tom Baker Doctor Who story "The Masque of Mandragora". This will be of interest as it features several sequences shot in Portmeirion and the DVD includes a featurette on how Portmeirion has changed since the filming of the story and how its unique features were utilised.

The DVD can be ordered from Amazon by typing the title in the search box HERE.

EVENTS UPDATE

It is soon the time once again for "Prisoner" fans to head to London for the April Prisoner Tours weekend (9-11 April 2010), which includes Dave Lally's unmissable London Locations Walkabout. On the Friday and Saturday evenings there will be informal pub gatherings for attendees, and on the Saturday morning a tour of the Borehamwood Prisoner locations, with the London tour taking place on Sunday.

For more details, visit the events page.

WINTER NEWS

With a short delay in updating the site, a huge number of "stop press" items are now outstanding, here is a collection of them.

Firstly, Ernest Borgnine's autobiography includes mention of PMcG, and PMcG himself is interviewed on the new Braveheart DVD release (left). Article on The Prisoner as a game HERE. Updated Portmeirion Hotel building work info HERE. The village featured on S4C on 8/1/10 Nodyn of 2010 as Elin Fflur presented amongst others Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion in Portmeirion.

Sad news - Charlotte Wallace, the last surviving child of Portmeirion's architect Clough Williams-Ellis, died on December 30th 2009 aged 89.

Latest remake news is that it will be aired in the UK during Spring. You can read an interview with the remake's music provider HERE.

In other news, IYF Number Two Derren Nesbitt appears in a play HERE. In the winter 2009 edition of "Electric Sheep" magazine (ISSN 9771765 649004, £3.95)
Andrew Cartmel discusses The Prisoner. There are details of an R1 re-release on DVD HERE. Tocco Lite uses "I am Not a Number" in its mobile phone advertising.

With thanks to Andrew Frith, Alan Jones, Cathy Frumerman, Roger Goodman, Lew Stringer, John Green, Kevin Ryerson, Giles Kendrick, Lee Arnall, Simon Wells, Dave Lally, Tom Mayer, Leslie Glen for this news item.

SPONSOR A COTTAGE IN SECOND LIFE

More news has reached TUW regarding the excellent village on "Second Life" (new link HERE and new video HERE.)

Not only is the village expanding to include locations from "The Girl Who Was Death" and "Living in Harmony", as maintaining the site is costly opportunities are now available for users to move into the village for as little as £0.30 and also sponsor a cottage!

With thanks to Catty for this news item.

COMIC DOWNLOAD

Following on from a recent article HERE, news has reached TUW from Brian Gorman as follows; "There is now a free download of my 2008 Prisoner-inspired comic book, 'BORDERLINERS: Ceremony Of Innocence' at http://www.doomwatch.org/borderliners.html

There's also more info at the link about Ian McKellen allowing me to use his likeness."

With thanks to Brian Gorman for this news item.

RARE PMcG PLAY RELEASED

Exciting news from TUW's friends at Network DVD is that the very rare and unreleased Patrick McGoohan play "Serjeant Musgrave's Dance" is due for imminent release in 2010.

Most of the early TV plays starring McGoohan have sadly been lost, but along with 4 others SMD has remained intact in the BFI archives.

Visit the Network website HERE for more information.

Also released is the Vincent Tilsey ("Chimes" & "Do Not Forsake") written drama "The Guardians", a 13-part series with lots of Prisoneresque undertones. Click HERE for details & ordering.

BBC PAYS TRIBUTE

Patrick McGoohan featured on the BBC News Channel's 'Review 2009 - We Remember'. This was shown on the afternoon of the 1st January 2010. A
large section of the opening sequence was shown, along with a few captions of information about Patrick McGoohan.

The final one went along the lines of 'Patrick McGoohan once stated that 'Mel Gibson (left) will always be known as Mad Max. . . I will always be just a number''.

With thanks to Crispin Hodges for this news item.

REMAKE AIRS

After years of rumours, hints, links, and teasers, the last few days have finally seen the airing of the Prisoner remake mini-series, produced by AMC.

The 6 episodes were screened between 15th and 17th November in the US to much anticipation, some scepticism, and were aired to mixed reviews.

So now it has been shown what did you think of the remake? Click HERE to read reviews and other viewers' thoughts, and you can submit your own for others to read!

AMC are also providing an interactive online graphic novel to accompany the series, which can be seen HERE.

ALBERT ELMS DIES

More sad news has reached The Unmutual Website recently with the news that composer Albert Elms, who provided much of the original music in "The Prisoner" including the entirety of "Living in Harmony" died in October.

He also worked on several other ITC series in the 1950s and 1960s aswell as several films, and his contribution to the series was massive. TUW extends its sincere sympathies to Mr Elms' family and friends.

A Times Online obituary can be read HERE.

With thanks to Simon Coward and Al Samujh for this news item.

NETWORK RELEASE DM SEASON 1

Following the tremendous success of their box set of the hour-long "Danger Man" episodes, January 2010 sees the release of the "half hour" shows from Network, several of which of course contain footage filmed in Portmeirion.

The set will include all 39 episodes in a 6-disc set plus some extras and a limited edition booklet by Andrew Pixley and is the first release of the episodes in the UK since the early Carlton releases.

Ordering details and the full specifications of the set can be found on Network's website HERE.

With thanks to Matt Courtman and Phil Baker for this news item.

REMAKE SCREENING NEARS

With the US premiere of the "Prisoner" TV remake now only 2 weeks away, more details are emerging about the series, and AMC has been deluging US TV with commercials for the series.

The screening details and episode titles are as follows: Nov. 15, Sun. - episodes "Arrival" and "Harmony". Nov. 16, Mon. - episodes "Anvil" and "Darling". Nov. 17, Tue. - episodes "Schizoid" and "Checkmate".

More information on the remake including trailers, news, interviews, and images can be found on AMC's website, including a Village Map HERE. Whilst there has been no announcement regarding a UK screening date, articles about the series are still appearing, including HERE and HERE.

With thanks to Catherine Frumerman, and Lina Sinistaj. Image (c) AMC.

GRAHAM NEARN R.I.P.

It is with much sadness that news has reached The Unmutual Website that Graham Nearn, the founder of Caterham Cars, has passed away. He was 76.

Instrumental in bringing the Lotus 7 into the World of Number Six, and also releasing the limited-edition Prisoner 7 in the 1990s, Graham even appeared in "Fall Out" on screen in the sequence in which Number Six's house is being made ready.

An interview with Graham about his involvement in Lotus, Caterham, and the series can be read HERE, with news articles HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

With thanks to Carol Brady, Catherine Frumerman, Andrew Frith, Alan Jones, and Paul White.

WALKABOUT SUCCESS

One of the highlights of the Prisoner calendar each year is Dave Lally's twice-yearly Prisoner location tours, or "Walkabouts"

On Sunday 4th October 2009 the latest of these took place, and photos from the day are online HERE. There will be 2 walks again in 2010, so keep an eye on the events page for details!

The Unmutual Website has also received reports of another organisation or persons running Prisoner tours. Please note these have no connection to TUW or Dave's tours, and as such complaints about locations being wrongly identified or missed out should not be directed here.

DO NOT FORSAKE THE MUSIC

An interesting article has appeared at Down The Tubes detailing a US-based band called "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling". They plan to record 17 songs, each with a link to the episodes of "The Prisoner".

Click HERE to read the full article.

With thanks to Lew Stringer for this news item.

THE COLONEL'S LEGACY

The quarterley "Life" newsletter for Hackney's St Joseph's Hospice in London featured an interesting mention of The Prisoner recently, in an article about one of its supporters.

It appears that "Chimes" actor Kevin Stoney in his will left his future royalties from the show, and others such as Doctor Who, to the hospice.

Click HERE to see the article in full.

McGOOHAN SIMPSONS RELEASED

After a long wait, fans in the UK of both Patrick McGoohan and of The Simpsons can now have their wishes granted with the recent R2 DVD (left) release of season 12 of the popular cartoon comedy series.

The set includes the episode "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes" in which McGoohan provides the guest voice of his Number Six character in a Prisoneresque special in which Homer Simpson is transported to the mysterious "Island" with countless Prisoner visuals and references.

The set also includes a deleted scene from the episode, which shows Homer riding on a PennyFarthing bicycle.

The set is available from Amazon, simply type "Simpsons 12" into the search box HERE.

With thanks to Leslie Glen and Allan Young for this news item.