prisoners

The Prisoner - Complete Series Megaset (40th Anniversary Edition)
$99.95
"The Prisoner" starring Patrick McGoohan is one of the most imaginative series of all time. Patrick McGoohan stars as a top-level spy (presumably his role in the series "Secret Agent") who abruptly resigns. Apparently McGoohan knows too much, for he is shortly thereafter gassed and when he awakes he is in a surreal place known as "The Village" from which a person may not leave. The Villiage is indeed something out of Kafka, and McGoohan's attempts to escape and reclaim his life are the foundation of each of these 17 episodes.

The series engages the viewer at all times, and became a cult favorite both in Britain and the States when it aired in the late 1960s. I was in junior high when this series aired, and I rarely missed it. Most of my friends were similarly hooked.

It is terrific that this complete series is now available on DVD. Most of us will want to snap it up. Highly recommended. RJB.

The Prisoner: The Complete Series Megaset (Collector's Edition)
$69.95
While the previous review was correct that the special features, remastering, audio and video are identical in this new release (including the fold out of the classic village map) there are a couple of things this version of the Prisoner Megaset has that others don't, but should have had from the get go. The first advantage is this collection has the disk collected in ten slim line cases, which cuts down on your shelf space considerably compared to previous releases and their full sized DVD cases. Also this release has a pretty extensive PRINTED episode guide booklet that gives more than just a synopsis. You also get a little history of the making of that episode.

Now these extras may not be worth the double dipping for those who already bought the previous sets, but for those who never took the plunge now is the time. Not only do you get the great features from the original set, but also stuff you can read and enjoy without having to put a disk in your player. I give the higher rating for this set, which is a more complete and more compact set than all the rest (minus one for not getting it right the first time).

The Prisoner of Zenda (1937 and 1952 Versions)
$19.98
Ronald Colman and Stewart Granger play identical roles as an impersonator of a king held ransom. Both films are classic representations of what Hollywood could do. Every film buff should have these two films in their collections.

Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit of Hope, Healing and Forgiveness (Chicken Soup for the Soul)
$14.95
This book is a great resource for prisoners who need inspiration. I go into prisons on a weekly basis and visit inmates and have met quite a few who have found inspiration in this book.