‘Free For All’ and No.6 is on the telephone
speaking to No.2, who is seen speaking to No.6 on the telephone, but through the
television set.
Is this one of the first experimental
telephone video calls, a video phone it might be called, which is a very
rudimentary system when it comes to today’s mobile telephone video technology.
But then such technology had to begin somewhere! But what's strange, is that
moments after No.6 puts the receiver of the telephone down, the door to his
cottage, opens and there, stands No.2 framed in the doorway!
The question then is, and one I've not been
able to put an answer to, only to surmise how its possible for No.2 to arrive
on the doorstep of ‘6 Private’ so quickly. Could he have been calling No.6 from
a telephone kiosk? However I think its clear No.2 telephoned No.6 from the
Control Room. On the Other hand, seeing as the telephones in The Village are cordless,
is it possible to use such telephones like a mobile phone? This would make it
possible for No.2 to have been calling No.6 from just around the corner from
his cottage, and that would explain how it was No.2 could appear at No.6's
cottage door so quickly. However it doesn't explain the background of
the Control Room seen on the television screen. One answer might be, that an
image of a small section of the Control Room had been pinned to the outside
wall of ‘6 Private’ and No.2 was filmed telephoning No.6 there. Thus giving the
illusion that No.2 is in the Control Room, and at the same time creating the
answer of how he managed to get to ‘6 Private’ so quickly!’
Clever aren’t they? Yes, they are, damned
clever!
Be
seeing you.
Option 1: Your assumption could be true. But pinning a large photo to the wall isn't particulary smart is it. But something I would call very makeshift for a highly technologised place like this.
ReplyDeleteOption 2: No. 6 was talking to an avatar of No. 2 sitting in his office or, rather, "it" doesn't need to be sitting in some physical place as "it" is only a virtual personality.
Option 3: the scene is a surreal "injection" hinting towards the unfathomable capabilities and the ubiquitousness of the system. Needless to say, I like it most. - BCNU!
Hello Arno,
DeleteThree very interesting options. Yes, creating a Control Room background outside 6 Private would be very rather makeshift.
I like your option 2, that makes them damned clever!
BCNU
David
Arguably a viable thing to do but We wouldn't want to see (a) No. 2 like a football player after the match in the "mixed area", standing in front of an array of sponsor displays being filmed. What would the other Villagers think? Else, the place would have to be blocked off. Too pedestrian to be true. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteThat's very true. But in that case, how did Number 2 get from the Control Room to the door of Number 6's cottage in a matter of seconds?
DeletePerhaps this is one of those many instances in 'the Prisoner' which we are not supposed to question too closely!
BCNU
David
I was thinking of your idea of the background photo, mounted outside 6 Private. But this would enable potential bystanders to peek "behind" the Village mechanisms. Improbable the Village would do it. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteI realize its highly improbable, but its the only way I can account for Number 2 arriving at the door of 6 Private so quickly! Any ideas?
DeleteBCNU
Hi David and Arno,
ReplyDeleteI wonder, what if it is another case of a doubleganger? So that another "economy pack" of Number 2 would make the call, while the first one would pay the visit?
Another possibility might be that the video Number 6 saw had been pre-recorded. At times the Village was quite successful in predicting Number 6's (re-)actions.
BCNU
NoNine
Hello NoNine,
DeleteWell there are a couple of new ideas to throw into the mix! And having a double of Number 2 would certainly solve the question. And the idea of the telephone call having been pre-recorded would work, especially when taking Number 2's manipulative ability into consideration.
Be seeing you
David