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Monday 11 November 2013

Its All In The Location

    For many years, within the circle of Prisoner appreciation, there has been a question regarding the location of that disused runway seen during the opening sequence to the Prisoner, a runway along which the Prisoner drives his Lotus 7. Now some have it that the location is at the Lotus at Hethel in Norfolk, whilst other say the location is in Hertfordshire at the Radlett Airfield. Now it would seem that there has been other extensive research carried out, and it has been confirmed, confirmed mark you, that the actual location for that runway scene in the opening sequence was filmed at the Santa Pod raceway at Poddington in Northamptonshire.
   What a load of old balderdash and piffle! Why should Pat McGoohan go to Lotus and say I want to use one of your cars in my new television series, have their Lotus 7 demonstrator repainted, and then take it all the way to Santa Pod in Northamptonshire to film it on the raceway, when Lotus had their own test track, a disused airstrip at their factory, situated on an old airfield? I mean I ask you........
   Now there is another British television series which is called Kingdom and stars Steven Fry and which was filmed completely in Norfolk. And in one episode they needed to film on an empty road, that road was an airfield at the Lotus car factory, and the same runway used in the opening sequence of the Prisoner and it was surely plain to see. furthermore I recorded a programme about Caterham Cars - formally Lotus - and it was confirmed that 'the Prisoner' driving his car along that runway in the opening sequence was filmed on their test track at the Lotus car factory at Hethel in Norfolk.
 FOOTNOTE;
   As it turns out the above is incorrect! I was wrong in my former belief, and Tony McKay, who had carried out extensive research into the location of that runway used in the opening sequence of 'the Prisoner' is right, the filming did take place at PODDINGTON. Yes I had my belief that Hethel was the location, so what changed my mind? Anonymous sent a link to a video on YouTube, this link;

http://youtu.be/Xmdyfsd-5h4

  And about 2 minutes 21 seconds into the video my eye was caught by something in the trees to the left. I checked this against the runway footage, and all my doubt was washed away in an instant.The area in the trees is circles in red in the following image.
     Whatever is it in the woods on the left of the picture, appears in the video footage taken at Santa Pod, Poddington. So I am pleased to have amended this blog article, and add my apologies to Tony McKay.
   
Be seeing you

18 comments:

  1. Piffle to you too. Lotus didn't move to Hethel until after The Prisoner opening sequence had been filmed. It's Podington. Perhaps you'd care to link to the evidence that you choose not to believe, so that others can make up their own minds?

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  2. I beg to differ with you both. According to Graham Arnold of Lotus Cars, the opening squence with the Lotus being driven along an airfield was filmed at Old Handley Page arirfield in Hertfordshire.
    Just out of interest, have others noticed as I have, that many racetracks on former aerodromes, all seem to have very similar skylines, complete with a low wood in the distance. I can see how easily confusion can arise.
    As anonymous says people can make up their own minds.

    John Darke

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  3. There is no doubt it is Podington - photographs of Podington match up perfectly with The Prisoner footage. Not just the runway, but EVERYTHING matches 100%, and I'm not the king of guy that uses capital letters without reason.

    Please visit this page to see the evidence: http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/tv-locations/96139-prisoner-runway-santa-pod-2.html

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  4. I have it on excellent authority that the sequence was filmed in my back yard with McGoohan animated by Gerry Anderson. That's piffle and balderdash, as is any suggestion that it was anything other than Podington, which has been 100% confirmed by people who have a track record (see what I did there?) of finding filming locations.

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  5. Wasn't the whole thing faked by Stanley Kubrick on a sound stage at MGM?

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  6. The Prisoner runway is Podington/Santa Pod - no boubt, case closed.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have been reading this piece of blog and all the comments. I have seen the photographic evidence of Santa Pod raceway at Poddington, and I have to say it is rather compelling. But I would just like to say this to all of you. It would be good if there was actually some documentary evidence for the location used, such as a location shoot sheet, is that what they're called? Then the case really would be closed.

    A4

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    Replies
    1. I've been hunting locations for over 20 years and in that time I'm come across very few documents and call sheets that have been of use, quite a few that have been misleading. I've also had many cases of first-hand accounts that have proved to be wrong. My rule has has always been to check for physical evidence and rely only on that. People and paperwork are not infallible.

      Delete
  8. Podington vs "The Prisoner" comparison photo:

    http://avengerland.theavengers.tv/spotting/Podington09.jpg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,
      I have a copy of the 'Avengerland' book somewhere, filed away in my archive. It was very well done/produced.

      Very kind regards
      David
      BCNU

      Delete
  9. I've just found this beautiful piece of evidence:

    Have a look at 2:21

    http://youtu.be/Xmdyfsd-5h4

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello readers,
    Having just looked at the video on YouTube supplied via the link sent by Anonymous, and having compared it to the film of the runway in the opening sequence, I realise now that Anthony MacKay is absolutely correct. The location is indeed Santa Pod raceway at Poddington. And I offer my appologies to Anthony for having doubted Poddington as the location. What made me change my mind? It's something seen in the woods on the left of the runway, which is clearly seen in both the YouTube video shot at Poddington, and the runway film sequence in 'the Prisoner.' It is fullproof and cannot be deinied.
    The only mystery remaining now, is why they chose to film the scene there, when they had two or three equally suitable aerodromes on their doorstep? Any ideas?

    Very kind regards
    David
    BCNU

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Appologies accepted - you would not believe the number of airstrips I went through before I found my way back to Podington - but once there, and having developed an 'eye' for runways, it was obvious that Gino was right all along!
      - Tony

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    2. Hello Tony,
      I take it that you simply didn't go to the other three airstrips that were named as possible locations, but others as well. That must have taken some time. But when I looked at that video on YouTube this morning, and compared that piece in the trees to the left of the runway to that in the opening sequence.......I thought why the hell haven''t I noticed that before?!! And from that moment all my doubt had been washed away.
      On another subject of location, can I ask you something? I've often wondered why No.1 Buckingham Place was specifically chosen for the Prisoner's house. I have never known why. So I thought you might know.

      Very kind regards
      David
      BCNU

      Delete
    3. Good question. It is certainly an oddity in terms of ITC location filming. The ITC guys often ventured into Belgravia, but seldom so close to the busy area around Victoria Station. I have no other insight other than suggesting that the proximity to Stag Place and other opening credit locations were a factor
      -Tony.

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    4. Hello Tony,
      Thank you for that. As well as the area, I was curious as to why they chose such a large house for a single occupation? It's not as though the Prisoner had any servants, well not that we see.

      I have finally got around to amending the above blog article, and was pleased to do it. I had intended doing it sooner, but what with one thing and another. I added the link to the video footage of Santa Pod seen on YouTube which an Anonymous sent as a link. The picture quality of the video is very good, and the object or clearing in the trees {seen in the picture} is very clear in the video.

      Very kind regards
      David
      BCNU

      Delete
  11. Just one more correction - it's McKay

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    Replies
    1. Hello Anthony,
      Yes of course it is, silly of me.

      David
      BCNU

      Delete