Muddy River

Who is number one?

Well, I finally got around to seeing the last episode of The Prisoner, courtesy of The Video Underground. This is the old British cult spy/SF/paranoid thriller that was featured on television back in 1968. The basic outline of the story involves a British spy (refered to in the show only as number 6) who resigns in anger. He is followed back to his apartment, gassed, and wakes up the next morning in The Village. The Village, on the surface, has the look of some pleasant seaside resort. But its a place from which there is no leaving, and whose members are stripped of their individuality. The show follows his attempts at trying to escape from the Village, and the efforts, led each episode by "the new number two", to try and break number six. Who runs The Village? Like so many things in the show, that bit of infomation is left ambiguous.

As I've heard, the final episode leaves more questions unswered than answered. It's certainly ended in a crazy and over the top manner. Does number six really escape? Fans of the show are still dabating this, and I probably have nothing new to add to the endless arguments of ardent fans over the last 36 years debating what exactly The Prisoner is all about. Though something in the final episode does remind me of the escape sequence and ending of Terry Gilliam's Brazil.

Be seeing you...

Now that was fun

Saw the Return of the King last night, this time in its entirety. No alarms sending us streaming out into the rain half way throught the movie this time.

I have to admit, when I first heard that they were making a movie version of Lord of the Rings, my first reaction was loud groan and a roll of my eyes. It can't be done, I thought. (Does anyone remember the made for TV animation version of the Return of the King? It still gives me shudders.) Yet, part of me was still hoping that maybe, just maybe, they might pull it off.

Three films later, and Peter Jackson has certainly pulled it off. Yes, he made changes to the story here and there. Some worked better than others. But in the end, I have not felt this giddy about a movie since I was a kid. From the scene of Faramir riding off to battle in a futile charge against impossible odds, to Eowyn rushing to her Uncle's aid on the Pelennor Fields, to Frodo at Mt Doom, the movie had my rapt attention for the full three plus hours.

Now, when does the extended version come out? And, will I get a chance to see it on the big screen?

a complaint

One may debate the merits Quentin Tarentino's films. But whatever you think of his films, I think we can all agree that none of his films, Kill Bill included, are suitable for a five year old. Especially a very jumpy, talkative five year old. To top it off, the man who brought this charming little angel to this most violent of movies falls asleep at the most climactic scene, the sounds of his snores rising above the mayhem emanating from the speakers.

We want information

The Video Underground now has the old British series, The Prisoner, on DVD. I've caught random episode of this show on its occasional late night runs on either PBS or A&E. But I've always missed the final episode for one reason or another. Now I can view the entire series, and finally find out how it ends. Assuming, of course, that the final episode doesn't dissappear from the video strore.

Rashomon

Thanks to the Video Underground, a small little video store in JP with a strong offering of independant and foreign films, I've been working my way throught the films of Akira Kurosawa. I just finished watching Rashomon. Definitely worth checking out.

The characters attempt to understand the circumstances surrounding the death of one man and the rape of his wife. Much of this is told in flashback, with each person involved recounting a different version. It shows how muddied the truth can become, as each version of the events is shown to be questionable.