THE UNMUTUAL WEBSITE
PRISONER FAN FILMS - A COMPLETE GUIDE & REVIEWS
By The Village Observer
This page of The Unmutual Website is a complete guide to the films and videos made by Prisoner Fans over the last 25 years. Please note that these are not professionally produced Prisoner spoofs (such as The Simpson's episode "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes" - a guide to broadcast Prisoner spoofs will appear at The Unmutual Website soon). This guide also does not include Prisoner Documentaries. It is a guide to Drama and Comedy films made by Prisoner fans, and is split up into sections according to the producers.
Guide to review ratings: *****Excellent/unmissable. ****Very good effort. ***Perfectly watchable. **Don't bother. *An embarrassment to Prisoner fandom.
SIX
OF ONE PRISONER SOCIETY:
"BY PUBLIC DEMAND" (1979)
The first
known Prisoner fan film - an hour long drama based on the series. The plot
is centred around a group of Village rebels who wear outfits based on playing-cards.
A little too pretentious for its own good, and confusing in the extreme. A
couple of nice performances, but also some terribly wooden ones. Sound and
editing poor. However, one must put it into context of the time in which it
was made (and the limited equipment available) - and it's nice to see the
pre-fire Portmeirion Hotel interior. Perhaps it is best left in 1979, however,
as the experience of viewing the film is ultimately an uncomfortable one.
Rating: **
"SUPERDAVE"
(1995)
A
5-minute short film, produced and directed by Grahem Currie, filmed purely
as an opener to that year's Convention, with Dave Barrie turning into Superman
to enable him to get from Worcestor to Portmeirion in time. Some very funny
moments and very well shot. Blink and you'll miss it, but worth including
in this list because of its quality.
Rating: ****
PAUL SMITH
"THE
PRISONBEAR - REVIVAL" (2006)
Based
on the "Toy Movie" segments of the 1990s Channel 4 series "The
Adam and Joe Show", "The Prisonerbear - Revival" is a 12-minute
spoof of the opening episode of the series, "Arrival" using Teddy
bears and toys in the lead roles. Superb production and puppetry, alongside
an incredibly witty script, make this arguably the finest fan-film ever made
to be based on the series. It also remains wonderfully true to the original,
whilst also providing countless laughs along the way. Worth a mention also
are the countless "hard to spot" background references, and the
tremendously well-produced props (such as the "model village" map
and "Bally Hoo" newspaper). Simply wonderful. The finished film
is available to view online HERE.
Rating: *****
"THE
PRISONBEAR II - STALEMATE" (2006)
A
follow-up to the above-reviewed short film, and this one too doesn't fail
to disappoint. Turning his attention to several Prisoner episodes this time,
this second effort is somewhat darker than the first, leading to a slightly
smaller "laugh count" than "revival". Nevertheless, there
are still enough moments of hilarity (and some returning catchphrases and
welcome re-appearances such as the delicious-sounding Village Announcer) too
to keep one in good spirits, and the production efforts are again second-to-none,
with the helicopter escape sequence and control room particularly superb.
Paul's vocal range for a variety of comedy voices are also worthy of mention,
as are the fantastic sets and model work on view. Can't wait for the next
one! The finished film is available to view online HERE.
Rating: ****
SCREEN
SIX PRODUCTIONS
"VILLAGE
DAY" (1998)
Easily the most ambitious project ever attempted by Prisoner fans
- a full-length feature film based on the series, with David Stimpson (best
known for his re-enactments at 1990s Conventions) starring, Directing and
Producing. The kindest word I can find to describe the film is embarrassing.
The plot idea is fine when viewed in isolation (a colleague of Number Six,
searching for him, gets abducted also) but the execution is appalling. The
acting (Erica Whittle's maid and Nigel Kitcher's Corpse aside), not to mention
the stunts, are laughable in the extreme. Many scenes go on for far too long,
with little editing and appropriate direction - if one cuts out the padding
you're left with 15 minutes of the 90. The sound quality isn't much better,
with many scenes inexplicably filmed in zoomed long-shot with no additional
mic. The original music is Prisoneresque and is the film's only plus point.
A great shame as the enthusiasm that went into the project is unrivalled.
Rating: *
TR7 PRODUCTIONS/STEVEN RICKS
In latter years, Steven Ricks became famous for his tireless documentary making regarding The Prisoner, unearthing incredible information about the series. His early forays into Prisoner film-making, however, were more light-hearted.
"THE
PENNY FARTHING MYSTERY" (1987)
Perhaps
one of the most ambitious, and also most enjoyable, Prisoner projects ever
attempted. A 30-minute animated puppet version of The Prisoner, based on the
Tony Reeve "P-Nuts" comic strips of the 1980s. Ricks and his team
display incredible talents with regards to film-making in what must be a terribly
difficult format to pull off. There are some genuinely hilarious sequences
(instead of a Hearse in the opening sequence, insert Postman Pat and you get
the idea) with the central theme (based on the episode "A, B and C")
of The Village trying to find out what the central character, Paddy McGoolash,
would have done had he not resigned from his last TV series, "Blunderman".
Superb.
Rating: *****
"PADDY
IN WONDERLAND" (1988)
A
sequel to the above effort. Whilst the filming techniques have improved further,
with some very clever shooting and puppetry on show, the film suffers perhaps
from being a little too clever, and its running time of 50-minutes means it
drags a little. Based on "Alice in Wonderland" this film is more
clever than amusing, and whilst employing Stanley Unwin to provide some character
voiceovers was a masterstroke, the film is ultimately a disappointment compared
to the original.
Rating: ***
"A LITTLE
KNOWLEDGE" (1989)
Live
action drama this time for Steven Ricks and co. A nice idea - the main plot
being that a Village Guardian is made a Prisoner. As one would expect from
TR7, the filmmaking is excellent but this film suffers where most fan-films
do in that, whilst talented film makers, Ricks and co are not professional
actors and, as such, the film suffers. Possibly the best fan-made live-action
Prisoner-based drama made, but then the competition, as you'll see, isn't
up to much.
Rating: ***
MATHEW LOCK/UNNORMAL PRODUCTIONS:
"THE
PADDY FITZ AFFAIR" (1989)
Max
Hora - murdered during a Six of One Convention. But who is the mysterious
balaclava'd man? Has the feel of a typical fan film but at only 15-minutes
in length doesn't suffer from being too long for its own good. A few problems
with the sound dubbing but quite well acted and shot in a way that keeps you
watching. Good use of Convention footage intercut with the scripted sequences.
The music reminded me of Davison-era Doctor Who, which can only be a good
thing.
Rating: ***
"SCHRODINGER'S
CAT" (1994)
A
typically surreal offering from Lock - Cardigan Bay's 2 finest detectives
(played by Leon Finch and Geoff Lake) search for Max Hora's missing cat. Some
nice film-making techniques employed, a nice idea, and a couple of amusing
moments, do not, sadly, make up for the fact that it goes on a little too
long, and the acting is only a little better than that which you'd find in
a school nativity play.
Rating: **
"TRANSFERENCE"
(1995)
Intended
to follow "Fall Out", with The Village being de-commissioned, this
effort from Mathew is an interesting mix of stills photography and sound.
Oddly, it works. The photography and sound are both of a very high quality
throughout and the dialogue is at times gripping, and Prisoneresque. The music
is also top-notch. The only down side is my mind's own tendency to wander
when watching slide shows, and i'm not sure about Number Six's voice, but
this shouldn't take anything away from a very decent, and brave, 12-minute
film of high quality.
Rating: ****
"PLAN
6 FROM OUT OF THE VILLAGE" (1996)
A
spoof genuinely of the highest order, filmed in the style of a 1950s sci-fi
B-movie with added (intentionally) poor special effects, scratchy film and
ham acting. Mathew really grasps the genre well throughout - with even the
films flyers and trailers done in the same style. However, it does suffer
a little from being a "one-joke" movie, whereby the idea of the
film itself is funny but the novelty soon wears off. After a while it becomes
difficult to watch (as with B-Movies themselves, I guess) but is a very well-executed
piece of work. Well worth watching.
Rating: ***
THE
LIVERPOOL GROUP:
Consisting
of Mitch Benn (now a famous comedian in his own right), James Roberts, Jamie
Riley, Simon Threadgill, Paul Collings, Richard Baker, Graham Currie, Roy
Fishwick and Janet Fishwick.
"DO
NOT FOR GOD'S SAKE" (1986)
Their
first foray into Prisoner spoofdom. A 50-minute amusing take on The Prisoner.
Despite their (then) youth, the team show a remarkable eye for film-making
and precision. However, the film suffers from being their first (one-off features
are not the best format for their comedic talents) and after a while it drags
on a little.
Rating: **
"ONE
MAN SHOW" (1986)
A
tried and trusted format of dubbing apt music, or comedy sketches, over the
top of Prisoner footage. Some predictable sequences, but the "Not the
Nine O Clock News" dubs are very amusing.
Rating: ***
"TWO
MAN SHOW ONE" (1987)
Another
15-minute effort matching the same format as the previous year's effort. More
of the same, with some amusing sequences. Benefits from not being too long.
Rating: ***
"THE
REALLY NOGGER PICTURE SHOW" (1987)
The
first truly funny fan-film. A selection of filmed sketches lampooning the
series and Six of One ("Really Nogger" is an anagram of Roger Langley).
Although there are heavy doses of Python and "Not the Nine O Clock News",
if you're going to rip off anything it's best to choose the best comedy examples
to draw inspiration from. It is a truly funny effort. Some of the writing
is superb, and coupled with some excellent performances (particularly by Benn)
and the sheer likeability of the performers makes this one not to miss. The
highlights are the "Dead Rover" sketch and "Prisoner Points
of View".
Rating: ****
"NOGGER
II - SON OF NOGGER" (1988)
A mixture
of filmed sketches and live on stage material from the 1988 Prisoner Convention
and a true "tour-de-force". There is not a poor sketch amongst the
50 laugh-filled minutes. Again, much is borrowed from some familiar comedy
material but their ability to transpose the sketches into Prisoner-related
subjects is a joy to watch. Much of the material is based on Six of One, but
there are still some wonderful Prisoner-related sketches with a Prisoner version
of The Two Ronnies' "Mastermind" sketch and a near-perfect Prisoner
take on the BBC series "The Duty Men" the highlights. Unmissable.
Rating: *****
"NOGWELL"
(1988)
A 30-minute selection of sketches filmed in Portmeirion, made purely
for the enjoyment of themselves and their friends, with Six of One coordinators
bearing the brunt of their humour on this occasion. Not of interest unless
you know the subjects. If you do, the "Oscar Wood" and "Howard
The Duck" sequences will amuse.
Rating: ***
"NOGGER
III" (1989)
Another collection of video sketches and live material similar to the previous
2 years offerings. Suffering a little from a lack of ideas, and missing the
incomparable Mitch Benn, the formula is perhaps a little tired. However, a
live ballet version of The Prisoner opening titles, and "Carry on Prisoner"
are a nice reminder of the group's collective talent.
Rating: ***
"NOGWELL
II" (1989)
Aware that there is perhaps more milage in lampooning their
friends and Six of One personnel rather than The Prisoner, the group ditch
the video sketches to perform a live, and mostly improvised, show in one of
the Portmeirion cottages. Very funny if you know the targets, dull if you
don't - but then it wasn't filmed for the purposes of distributing amongst
general fandom.
Rating: ***
"NOGWELL
III" (1990)
The same format as the above offering, but with another drop
in personnel and no proper writing the fully-improvised amusements, whilst
hilarious to the (slightly sozzled) cottage audience at the time, mean that
subsequent viewing finds little of interest.
Rating: **
LONDON PRISONER GROUP:
"THE
MOKEES" (1989)
Cashing in on the success of the previous years "Nogger
Show" from the Liverpool Group, the London Group try their hand at Portmeirion
and London-filmed Prisoner comedy sketches and don't disappoint. The "Randall
and Hopkirk" spoof is highly amusing (with Nigel Kitcher superb in the
lead role), as is the lampooning of Dave Lally's London Walkabout patter.
Some sequences, such as "The Flashing Prisoner", however, don't
work. At 15-minutes it's a nice romp and well worth watching.
Rating: ***
"A
BITCH TO EDIT" (1990)
Similar format to the above, but this time suffers from a lack
of genuinely funny ideas. Nice opening sequence (based on "The Professionals")
and the "Assault in Battery" sketch are the only worthwhile moments.
Rating: **
"ALT
ARRIVAL" (1998)
The opening episode of The Prisoner condensed into 10 minutes.
Filmed in one take with no editing (employing simply a "stop/start"
method of recording) mean the film is amateurish in the extreme, but that's
the whole point and only adds to its bizarre charm. Some devilishly funny
sequences, with Darren Stokes' Number Six, and Simon Wells' Welsh Taxi Driver
being the highlights of this very, very funny short film.
Rating: ****
"VILLAGE
DAZE" (1998)
Taking its inspiration from the above mentioned "Village Day", a
short series of sketches written and performed by Nigel Kitcher, Sarah Jenkin
and Erica Whittle. Barely a funny moment to be found - just a collection of
high-pitched screaming and abominable acting/performance. Perhaps it wasn't
meant for a wider audience? One can only hope so.
Rating: *
THE LEICESTER GROUP:
"LET'S
GET READY TO LAUGH" (1996)
I was ready, but the laughter never came. A series of filmed
sketches which when they begin promise much (the "Bravefart" idea
had promise but didn't deliver) but ultimately disappoint. Some of the "Fast
Show" ideas are OK but, as with many of these films, perhaps suffer from
not being made by professional comic writers.
Rating: **
THE SHREWSBURY GROUP:
"VILLAGE
OF THE DAMNED" (1995)
Based on the 1980s short-film "Le Prisoner Du Village",
a live-action drama which finds the lead character (played by Geoff Lake)
attending his first convention only to find Portmeirion deserted, other than
some strangely-masked individuals. A nice idea and, to be fair, they make
a decent effort of it but, as usual, the ham acting and poor editing let it
down.
Rating: ***
PANTHA WATERWORTH
"APRIL
FOOL" (1995)
A
30-minute drama about a ridiculed fan. Prisoneresque rather than Prisoner-based.
I only hope the film itself was an April fool as if it was serious, the mind
boggles, although one can see some genuine creativity here and there.
Rating: **
ALEX GEARNS
"THE
PRISONER INSPIRED" (1988)
Yet another collection of Prisoner sequences over-dubbed with
apt music, this time choosing the format of other TV series theme tunes, with
M*A*S*H being the highlight. Perfectly watchable and amusing in places!
Rating: ***
MARK
HEVINGHAM
"THE PILLOCK" (1990)
9-minute
comedy pastiche of the series. Nicely filmed opening sequence, and very nicely
edited and put together piece overall, with some amusing gags (especially
the Number 10 character), which are well performed by likeable performers.
Especially good when you consider the short space of time it was filmed in.
Rating: ***
LUCY
DALTON
"MUFFIN IN THE PRISONER" (2018)
Wonderfully
witty animated version/pastiche of The Prisoner's opening title sequence (with
original soundtrack), featuring a teddy bear resigning. Thoughtful, amusing,
highly entertaining - a full episode is needed! Watch this film HERE.
Rating: ****
UNKNOWN
"TWO
OPINIONS IN THE VILLAGE" (1994)
35-minute
comedy spoof filmed in Portmeirion which is a very difficult watch. As always,
hats off to anyone willing to give these things a go, but other than the Bristolian
accents causing an inappropriate chuckle ("Oi voted for namber foive"),
it's not worth the bother. Nice idea and a few decent lines and good use of
music do not make up for the general poorness of acting and delivery.
Rating: **
Do you know of a Prisoner fan film not mentioned on this list? If so, contact us and we'll try and include it. If you're thinking of making your own, a little piece of advice. If it isn't supposed to be funny, and you have no professional actors or technicians at your disposal, don't bother. :-)
With thanks to Mark Hevingham and Paul Wadsworth.