The Prisoner: File #1

The Prisoner: File #1

Patrick McGoohan's enigmatic 1967 TV miniseries about a spy who resigns his duties, only to be kidnapped and imprisoned in a seemingly idyllic seaside resort of undetermined national affiliation remains one of the medium's most compelling parables about individuality and the dangers of creeping conformity. Longtime fans of the cult show should welcome this first volume of the show's quirky, distinctive musical scores. Anchored by Ron Grainer's propulsive main and end titles, this volume features musical highlights of three Prisoner episodes ("Arrival," "Chimes of Big Ben," "A, B and C") as well as key snippets of dialogue. The cues here span library stock cues and the work of a number of British TV composers, ranging from tortuously treacly Muzak and jolly marching band music (Strauss's "Radetzky Waltz" in particular) to '60s jazz exotica, orchestral music, and spooky lullabies. As utilized by music editor Eric Mival in the show's unsettling context, it's the stuff of authoritarian-inspired nightmares--and some of the most consistently successful uses of musical irony in TV history. Also includes an unused main theme and informative illustrated booklet. --Jerry McCulley

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