A curious phrase seen on a poster in the General Store in the episode Hammer Into Anvil, but what does it mean? Well it means what it says, save for the fact the phrase is the wrong way round! There was once the thought that it might have been a message left behind by another spy, as a contact phrase from one spy or agent to another. But that seems a bit daft to me, and it was only mentioned once as far as I know, and no-one took it seriously at the time as I recall.
However spies and agents seem to like meeting in music shops. Take the Girl Who Was Death for example. That episode enjoys a scene which surely has it's inspiration in Mission Impossible, when originally Daniel Briggs, predecessor of Jim Phelps, would go to a record shop and receive his instructions via a record! The only two questions are, in The Girl Who Was Death who is the voice on the record? And who is the listener? Be seeing you.
According to my knowledge "Music begins where words leave off" is the English translation of E.T.A. Hoffmann's (1776 - 1822)saying "Wo die Sprache aufhört, fängt die Musik an". Only small and easily ignored references pointing to the manifold sources of the PRISONER series in general. Nontheless, it is never made clear as for why the Village authorities would put that much emphasis on music. After all, there is a Village-owned brass band that performs publicly. It may be a deliberate decision of the authorities to do so because of both the entertaining and appeasing character inherent in music. Or, rather, it's the producers who would. On the other hand, they are quite right. No feature movie, no television series can be conceived of without any music background. As early as in the silent era movies were piano-accompanied in small and medium sized theatres whereas the major houses mostly did have their own film orchestra.
ReplyDeleteEven the dullest synthie flickering is capable of changing the perception of a film comletely. Just what it is that film music does is not often recognized until there isn't any music at all and its absence is utilized for dramatical ends. - BCNU!
Hello Arno,
ReplyDeleteYours is a very interesting comment, Hoffmann eh, thank you for that. In my researches I discovered that the phrase 'Music begins where words leave off' should be 'Words leave off where music begins.'
I think the Village administration places such emphisis on music because music has the capability to sooth. After all did not the orchestra play music on the deck of the Titanic while the abandonment of the ship was taking plac, the orchestra played until the very end in fact. And it has to be said that an orchestra was forced to play each and everyday at Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. And so it is in The Village that there is a Brass Band concert each and everyday. It is as No.6 said "Music makes for a quiet mind."
And there are few films, if any, that cannot do without incidental music. the right music in the right place, can add much to the drama of film or television. Even No.6 has a soundtrack to his dreams in 'A B and C.'
Regards
David
BCNU
PS
ReplyDeleteWhat I should have said was, even No.6's dream is accommpanied by a musical composition!
David
BCNU
"Words leave off where music begins." is just the literal translation of the German "Wo die Sprache aufhört, fängt die Musik an." It's merely "speech" for (spoken) words. But the Village Band and the KZ inmates orchestras in the same breath, hmm... I really don't think the Village and any concentration camp compare or play in the same league. But have you ever considered why it's Radetzky March they play? What is this 19th century Habsburger Donaumonarchie topic doing in - or: with? - The Prisoner? Certainly, it coincides with architectural features of the Village, the general retro-style of it. I would have loved to see more of it throughout the episodes but it remains a rather sporadical thing. - BCNU
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
ReplyDeleteI was not comparing the village to a concentration camp, just simply how music has the power to calm a stressful situation, as it did for both crew and passengers as the Titanic was sinking.
There is an almost holiday camp atmosphere about the village, a place where some citizens can relax and enjoy themselves, sunbathing, playing beach ball. Swimming, building sandcastles etc, etc. But there is a darker side to the Village, where medical experiments take place by the doctors in 'Dance of the Dead' 'Checkmate,' and 'A Change of Mind.' For those like the Rook death is preferable to living out his life in the village. And look what the doctor-No.40 did to Roland Walter Dutton! For some, those who refuse to accept, to settle down, and give the the village administration what it wants, the village must seem like hell on Earth, but with all the comforts of home!
I have observed in comments, that those who view 'the Prisoner' in foriegn contries, often search the series for something from their own particular country, and so view 'the Prisoner' from that viewpoint. There is nothing wrong in that, and only to be expected. It is but an observation which myself and my wife have made, nothing more.
I had never considered the Radetzki March before in the context of 'the Prisoner,' the reason why the Brass band play it. Here in England Brass Bands do play such rousing military music. The Radetzky March certainly suits the village, but then so too does 'Pop Goes The Weasle,' not that I am comparing the two. Because there is a multitude of different musical scores used in 'the Prisoner,' all of which I enjoy listening to.
Portmeirion adds architecture to 'the Prisoner,' just as the various musical scores add much to heighten the scenes within the series, without either the series might not be that which we have enjoyed for the past 44 years.
Regards
David
Be seeing you
The Prisoner, you'd certainly agree, is essentially very British. Your attitude towards the popularity of military music of any kind must be different from that of many people over here which (ref. WW1, WW2) tends to remain ambivalent. Which is quite alright, I think. As for the use of the Radetzky March a friend of mine spoke about the aspects and notion of - my addition: German or "teutonic" - "order" and "discipline", too much rules and regulatons. At least, that is (again: my addition), what British imagination subliminally might be or else: is thought to be afraid of. But at the same time isn't this march rather a parody of militaristic characteristics reminiscent of an operetta? Mind the extict Austrian-Hungaro empire, the Village-come-sanatorium, "Last Year In Marienbad", the spa that used to be a part of that empire. Just a couple of keywords.
ReplyDeleteIt is this spectrum of meaning and possible interpretations that pervades the series, as has already been written. It coincides with the two major symbols of the series: the Pennyfarthing representing the backwards-orientation and opposite and futile about science, the past. And Rover, the (pseudo) scientific, the albeit amorphous futuristic about the Prisoner. BCNU!
Hello Arno,
ReplyDelete'The Prisoner' is very much English, yet No.6 is played by an Irish-American actor, and the various No.2's are played by some very cosmopolitan actors and actresses from around the world. But yes, on the whole the series is quentisencially English or British.
It is strange that you use the words
'Sanatorium' and 'Spa,' because that is how The Village is portrayed in THEPRISONER09, as a place to take 'broken' people to make them better, in the mind you understand, mentally, not physically.
The Penny Farthing can also be viewed as to the speed of man's progression, that perhaps he is advancing too quickly, and needs to slow down, and to assess how far man has come. The canopy of the Penny Farthing, is perhaps symbolic of how governments like to look after us whether we like it or not, under the guise of 'Health and safety,' forcing us to take care. And the Village Guardian? Physically could be the result of genetic engeneering!
Have a good weekend
David
Be seeing you.
The notion of a spa is something I've had in mind quite early on. As I wrote it's the Village Band playing "Radetzky March" and the association with the Marienbad spa/sanatorium in the Czech Republic, formerly Austria-Hungaro empire. The backwards aspect. I doubt that Bill Gallagher was aware of this on writing the script for the "re-invention". Which, it is said, will be screened here in Germany on Jan. 13th 2012. Of course that's Patrick's 3rd anniversary of his death. We don't know whether this was a deliberate decision by the TV station. - BCNU
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
ReplyDeleteHaving taken a look at the Mrienbad Spa/Sanitorium in the Czech Republic I can now see where you are coming from.
Bill Gallagher may not have heard of the Marienbad spa/sanitorium, but that is how he has projected the Village, as a place where broken people go to be made better. Not in any physical place, but a place in the subconscious mind.
The screening of THEPRIS6NER in Germany in 2012 may not be co-incidental. It may have something to do with the anniversary of the death of Patrick McGoohan. The new series is a reinvention of the original series, a reinterpretation of which I am a very enthusiastic fan, having much appreciation for the 2009 series which I have watched 5 times now.
Regards
David
Breathe in....Breathe Out......More Village.
I am not all too much convinced especially of the Reinvention's narrative qualities. Never mind. I've read your statements. About the screening date you could be right and it's intentional. We'll have to wait until the programme online time table shows it. Until this moment it's merely hear-say. But according to our experience in the past the TV station was anything but willing or capable of doing anything in order to at least point to the fact that they had originally broadcast the series in 1969 and thus commemorate and appreciate it when Patrick died. They told us no information was available and that the narrative mode was considered "not up-to-date" enough these days. Blah, blah. Franco-German ARTE on the other hand, in 2010, when they rescreened the original was more cooperative granting even access to the dialogue scripts of the four missing episodes to be dubbed. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
ReplyDeleteI'm curious, the dialogue scripts of the four missing episodes to be dubbed! Do you mean 'the Prisoner' was screened four episodes short? I would be pleased if you could elaborate for me.
Regards
David
BCNU
No, of course not. In Germany originally only 13 eps were dubbed and broacast in 1969 the missing 4 being "Free For All", "A Change of Mind", "The Schizoid Man" and "Living In Harmony". It may have been intended to screen them on a regular schedule, but eventually there were large periods of time, 3 or even 5 weeks, between 2 episodes. Nobody at the time knew when the following eps would be due. When ARTE decided to rescreen the series in 2010 they took on the challenge and completed the German version of the series. Thanks to one special person who'd set up the contact with the ARTE editor in charge we were given the dubbing scripts beforehand and thus being able to correct errors or make recommendations. Not all of our proposals were accepted and realised in the end. But, all in all, this was an extraordinary feat. The dubbing result is more than respectable. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
ReplyDeleteAh, now I comprehend, silly of me. I'm just pleased that we've got British television, although that is not to say that television channels over here have not made mistakes when it comes to 'The Prisoner.' For example, when Channel 4 screened 'the Prisoner' in 1984, they added the usual opening sequence to the episode 'Living In Harmony,' thinking that it had been left out of the film for some reason!
Regards
David
BCNU
We don't know why those 4 eps were dropped. One can only imagine the (subversive) political implications of "Free For All" may have considered to delicate to be shown to the German post-war public. Especially as general election (nothing to be mocked) were due in October of 1969. "Harmony", they might have thought, would have been incomprehensible for the audience, "Change" also too disturbing stuff and "Schizoid"...? It's up to speculation. I once talked briefly to Mr. Brinkmann, the dialogue editor. But he didn't want to give an interview or answer questions. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
ReplyDeleteCompliments of the season to you.
How curious to say the least. Mind you Germany was still in turmoil for a long time after the war, and 'the Prisoner' is seen as being subversive in some quaters. I recall how soon after Romania achieved democracy in the 1990's, an old friend of mine announced how he was going to Romania in order to take 'The Prisoner' to the Romaina people. I'd have thought that at that time 'the Prisoner' was the last thing the people of Romainia needed after having suffering so much in the former years of Communism. I mean I have made 'the Prisoner' my life, but there are limits!
Regards
David
BCNU
Indeed, the German Prisoner "community" has gone a long way since the first broadcast in 69 and the following years of (relative) neglect until ARTE TV in 2010 not only did the rescreening but actually provided the genuine German premiere of The Prisoner, now the entire series. And of course we are glad we were able to contribute to it. I still recommend the PDF about the ARTE screening. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
ReplyDeleteWe have discussed several aspects of 'the Prisoner,' but may I ask how the state of appreciation for 'the Prisoner' series is in Germany these days? Is there a German appreciation society or fan club? I know there is a French society dedicated to 'the Prisoner.' In America there used to be, or perhaps there still is, the fan club Once Upon A Time And here in Britain there is Six of One.
Regards
David
BCNU
Hi David! In Germany there isn't an official club or even society dedicated to The Prisoner. It's just a few individuals like me and some 5 oder 6 other active keeping the spirit alive and furthering the show and its topics. Before the first German set of DVDs was published we gathered for the first time, then organised 4 small "conventions". Thanks to the new media and the internet there are more people than ever who know about the series or have seen it once or even many times. But as the flipside of it it's also very difficult to get people to join a physical gathering, get to know each other in person etc. That's why we eventually quit organising such events. It's too much work for 2 or 3 persons to do. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHi Arno,
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting comment. Once upon a time there used to be many small groups up and down Britain, but all but two have now gone, only London and the South East, and that of Birmingham groups still exist today, and Six of One of course, but even that society is much reduced to what it was back in the 1990's and 80's. And you are right, it is very difficult to get people involved these days. I myself was once exteremly active in the field of appreciation for 'the Prisoner.' But these days I go my own way, and do my own thing. A friend of mine does organise what he is pleased to call 'Mind Mash' events in London, where fans gather to discuss and debate 'the Prisoner,' and screen a video or two. In 2010 there was a special guest, script writer Vincent Tilsley, yet only about 17 people turned up for the event. Each year my friend is left out of pocket, yet he organises this event because he likes to. The only events linked to 'the Prisoner' which take place over here are London Walkabouts visiting 'Prisoner' locations, as well as a Bus-About going to locations further
afield from London, which are not organised by Six of One, and of course 'the Prisoner' convention at Portmeirion, although the conventions are not as well attended as in the past. so I can appreciate you stopping organising such conventions, a great deal of work for little pay-back.
Regards
David
BCNU
If you don't mind, I think our conversation would be facilitated to some degree using normal e-mail functions. Also, not everything needs to be exchanged coram publico in this forum. Just click the "feedback" link once and I'd then get back to you by normal e-mail. - It can be done. ;-) BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
ReplyDeleteI quite understand, and I always respect people's right to privacy. I have sent you a brief message via feedback. Look forward to talking soon.
Regards
David
BCNU