Customer Rating: 
Summary: "Isn't it easier to go forward when you know you can't go back?"
Comment: Based on a novel by David Ely, adapted for the screen by Lewis John Carlino (The Great Santini) and directed by John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate, Ronin), Seconds (1966) stars Rock Hudson (Pillow Talk, Ice Station Zebra). Also appearing is Salome Jens (Harry's War), John Randolph (Pretty Poison), Will Geer (In Cold Blood), Jeff Corey (The Sword and the Sorcerer), Murray Hamilton (Jaws), Frances Reid (The Andromeda Strain), and Richard Anderson (Kitten with a Whip), whom I best remember as the character Oscar Goldman from the television series "The Six Million Dollar Man".
As the film begins we meet an aging banker named Arthur Hamilton (Randolph) preparing to take the train from the city to his home in Scarsdale. Prior to getting on the train he's given a slip of paper containing only an address by an unknown man, followed up by a phone call later that night from a friend he thought passed away sometime ago. The next day Arthur goes to the address, and after some cloak and dagger stuff he ends up in an innocuous office environment where he meets a man named Mr. Ruby (Corey) who makes him a fantastic offer, one that entails Arthur breaking all ties from his past and starting over again with a new identity. After some convincing Arthur signs on, which leads various aspects including faking his own death, financial arrangements, numerous cosmetic surgical procedures and extensive physical reconditioning (that eventually turn him into Rock Hudson), and a brand new identity. As a result, Arthur Hamilton is no more, as he's now Tony Wilson (Hudson), a bachelor and established artist who has a swank pad on a Malibu beach. While adjusting to his new life Tony meets a blonde woman named Nora (Jens), a sort of free spirit weirdo type and the pair attend a Bacchanalia wine festival where Nora gets nekkid and dances in a vat of grapes, along with a bunch of other oddballs. Tony may be Tony on the outside, but he's still conservative Arthur on the inside, and has difficultly letting go of inhibitions developed from his previous life (eventually Tony does seem to get into the swing of things). Sometime later Tony throws a cocktail party, one intended to allow him to meet his neighbors (and vice versa), gets snockered, and slips back into his previous life, causing a bit of trouble with those in attendance who happened to go through the same process he did in being `reborn'. Anyway, Tony/Arthur makes a trip back to Scarsdale to visit his widowed wife, staying in role of Tony, claiming to be a past acquaintance of Arthur's, and learns some interesting truths about himself from back when he was Arthur, which leads to Tony deciding go back to the company with the intent of starting anew again, this time wanting the freedoms he now perceives not available to him in his initial go around...turns out what he wants is possible, but there's a few catches involved resulting in an unexpected and particularly disturbing finale.
I thought this a most excellent film with a thoughtful and intelligent story and characters. The main crux of the feature seems to be with Arthur trying to come to terms with his new identity and perceived freedoms, struggling with having to distance himself from the life he once knew after being absolved of all previous responsibilities. On the surface it might seem easy, even favorable, but imagine cutting all ties to who you are, your family, friends, etc., and picking up somewhere else as someone completely different. Also imagine learning exactly what people thought of you, especially those closest to you, when allowed to express their true, unadulterated feelings...keep in mind these are individuals you left behind to start a new life specifically because you felt life wasn't worth continuing under your previous identity (chances are you're going to get a perspective you might have been aware of peripherally, but never actually delved into for fear of having to actually face your own failings). I thought the concept of a company, complete with shareholders, board members, etc., who's sole business was to provide well to do individuals with the possibility of happiness by faking their own death and starting over under a completely developed and established identity an interesting one, and I especially liked the amount of detail provided in terms of how they went about accomplishing the goal. I thought all the performances here strong, especially Hudson, whom I had grown accustomed to seeing primarily in bedroom comedies with Doris Day. The story here featured an uniqueness for me in that while it have specific science fiction elements, it also looked at the human condition pretty thoroughly, in terms of an individual forced to view his own life and learning that which he had been taught to strive for, ultimately did not fulfill some very basic necessities (i.e. being rich and successful doesn't necessarily to happiness...although it doesn't hurt). The direction was certainly interesting and innovative, especially the unusual camera angles employed (there were a few shots that seemed perhaps the camera was actually mounted on the performer's shoulder). Normally some of the shots employed would be used to create a sense of tension, but here it was more of a sense of unease, as if we were experiencing something that shouldn't be...it's difficult to explain, but perhaps it would make more sense after having watched the film. At the very least it tended to keep things interesting. One scene I really enjoyed, beside the ending, was when Tony/Arthur visited his former wife in the guise of Tony, and got the lowdown on himself. While her comments about the man she believed dead weren't caustic or mean, they weren't entirely flattering, either. She had some very perceptive ideas about her dead husband, ones she couldn't share with him when she was alive due to his distant and disconnected nature. I thought the ending especially strong, throwing in a great twist, one I really didn't see coming, but one that fit in perfectly in terms of how the company operated. There were some hints to the ending provided earlier in the story, but they were subtle enough not to be overly revealing. All in all I thought this an excellent, slightly unnerving film, worth watching more than once.
The picture, presented in widescreen (2.35:1), enhanced for 16X9 TVs, looks sharp and clean, exhibiting a few minor flaws, and the Dolby Digital mono audio, available in both English and French comes through very well. Extras include an original theatrical trailer, a commentary track by director John Frankenheimer, and English subtitles.
Cookieman108
By the way, there are a couple continuity errors and the presence of production equipment in a few shots, but these flaws felt relatively minor to me given the strength of the story and the performances.
Customer Rating:
Summary: "No, Mr. Wilson, you can never go back..."
Comment: Like the "Manchurian Candidate," "Seconds" is one of John Frankenheimer's best works--a film that is rarely seen and relatively unknown and a far cry from the typical Rock Hudson/Doris Day vehicle made during the mid-60's.
Gritty, unsettling, and disturbing describes this tale about a married, middle-aged man (John Randolph), a Princeton grad and bank VP from Scarsdale NY, now granted a virtually new identity via a manufactured "death" to be "reborn" with plastic surgery. Enter one "Tony Wilson" handsome, successful, late 30-ish professional artist seeking youth, meaning, and freedom with dire consequences.
Frankenheimer's film is one that deserves multiple viewings to fully appreciate the director's subtle touches of irony inserted in to the scenes. For example when Randolph finally arrives at the clandestine organization for his appointment with Mr. Ruby (Jeff Corey) and his eventual transformation, he makes his trek through a slaughterhouse and meat packing plant ( "Honest Abe's"), a portent of evil things to come.
The disc includes an informative full audio commentary from Frankenheimer himself, and apparently, Kirk Douglas was offered the role first, but bowed out at the last minute resulting in Hudson as the director's second choice.
Supporting cast are all excellent as well as is James Wong Howe's eerie camera angles and photography. Not really a horror film, but the disturbing and final scenes will remain with you long after the credits roll.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A little known classic
Comment: Directed by John Frankheimer (The Manchurian Candidate) and filmed in glorious black and white, Seconds is a thriller concerning personal identity. Considered a failure upon its release, its a bit of a lost / little known classic.
Personally, what makes the film so interesting is the number of odd circumstances and loose ends presented by the film. Some have pointed these out as a flaw, but upon repeated viewing these "holes" make the film's plot and character motivations more interesting and fun to discuss.
The film has a great start and a great finish. What few problems the film has with pacing are more than compensated for by the "suprise" ending. Also, the film has a wild scene with a Baccanalian (sp?) festival with a suprising amount of nudity for a film made in the 1960's.
Customer Rating:
Summary: if you could ,would you start over again
Comment: that is the central question in john frankenhammer's "seconds"
a middle aged man,bored and not happy with his life is told of a company called reborns that "for a fee" will make you over and give you a new life. after so talking and an operation the man comes out looking like rock hudson. great who wouldn't want to look like rock. but then your looks are all that has changed and the problems you had are still with you, as rock finds out.
the last 10 mins. of this movie will stun and scare you to death. no more about it but to say rock hudson gave the proformance of his life and this thriller will be with you long after it ends.
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Seconds" is still upseting
Comment: this movie would have been a hit today. the last 30 mins will leave you just stuned. rock hudson shows what he could do when given a chance. it should be in everyones collection of great over looked gems. not for the faint of heart
Summary: "Isn't it easier to go forward when you know you can't go back?"
Comment: Based on a novel by David Ely, adapted for the screen by Lewis John Carlino (The Great Santini) and directed by John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate, Ronin), Seconds (1966) stars Rock Hudson (Pillow Talk, Ice Station Zebra). Also appearing is Salome Jens (Harry's War), John Randolph (Pretty Poison), Will Geer (In Cold Blood), Jeff Corey (The Sword and the Sorcerer), Murray Hamilton (Jaws), Frances Reid (The Andromeda Strain), and Richard Anderson (Kitten with a Whip), whom I best remember as the character Oscar Goldman from the television series "The Six Million Dollar Man".
As the film begins we meet an aging banker named Arthur Hamilton (Randolph) preparing to take the train from the city to his home in Scarsdale. Prior to getting on the train he's given a slip of paper containing only an address by an unknown man, followed up by a phone call later that night from a friend he thought passed away sometime ago. The next day Arthur goes to the address, and after some cloak and dagger stuff he ends up in an innocuous office environment where he meets a man named Mr. Ruby (Corey) who makes him a fantastic offer, one that entails Arthur breaking all ties from his past and starting over again with a new identity. After some convincing Arthur signs on, which leads various aspects including faking his own death, financial arrangements, numerous cosmetic surgical procedures and extensive physical reconditioning (that eventually turn him into Rock Hudson), and a brand new identity. As a result, Arthur Hamilton is no more, as he's now Tony Wilson (Hudson), a bachelor and established artist who has a swank pad on a Malibu beach. While adjusting to his new life Tony meets a blonde woman named Nora (Jens), a sort of free spirit weirdo type and the pair attend a Bacchanalia wine festival where Nora gets nekkid and dances in a vat of grapes, along with a bunch of other oddballs. Tony may be Tony on the outside, but he's still conservative Arthur on the inside, and has difficultly letting go of inhibitions developed from his previous life (eventually Tony does seem to get into the swing of things). Sometime later Tony throws a cocktail party, one intended to allow him to meet his neighbors (and vice versa), gets snockered, and slips back into his previous life, causing a bit of trouble with those in attendance who happened to go through the same process he did in being `reborn'. Anyway, Tony/Arthur makes a trip back to Scarsdale to visit his widowed wife, staying in role of Tony, claiming to be a past acquaintance of Arthur's, and learns some interesting truths about himself from back when he was Arthur, which leads to Tony deciding go back to the company with the intent of starting anew again, this time wanting the freedoms he now perceives not available to him in his initial go around...turns out what he wants is possible, but there's a few catches involved resulting in an unexpected and particularly disturbing finale.
I thought this a most excellent film with a thoughtful and intelligent story and characters. The main crux of the feature seems to be with Arthur trying to come to terms with his new identity and perceived freedoms, struggling with having to distance himself from the life he once knew after being absolved of all previous responsibilities. On the surface it might seem easy, even favorable, but imagine cutting all ties to who you are, your family, friends, etc., and picking up somewhere else as someone completely different. Also imagine learning exactly what people thought of you, especially those closest to you, when allowed to express their true, unadulterated feelings...keep in mind these are individuals you left behind to start a new life specifically because you felt life wasn't worth continuing under your previous identity (chances are you're going to get a perspective you might have been aware of peripherally, but never actually delved into for fear of having to actually face your own failings). I thought the concept of a company, complete with shareholders, board members, etc., who's sole business was to provide well to do individuals with the possibility of happiness by faking their own death and starting over under a completely developed and established identity an interesting one, and I especially liked the amount of detail provided in terms of how they went about accomplishing the goal. I thought all the performances here strong, especially Hudson, whom I had grown accustomed to seeing primarily in bedroom comedies with Doris Day. The story here featured an uniqueness for me in that while it have specific science fiction elements, it also looked at the human condition pretty thoroughly, in terms of an individual forced to view his own life and learning that which he had been taught to strive for, ultimately did not fulfill some very basic necessities (i.e. being rich and successful doesn't necessarily to happiness...although it doesn't hurt). The direction was certainly interesting and innovative, especially the unusual camera angles employed (there were a few shots that seemed perhaps the camera was actually mounted on the performer's shoulder). Normally some of the shots employed would be used to create a sense of tension, but here it was more of a sense of unease, as if we were experiencing something that shouldn't be...it's difficult to explain, but perhaps it would make more sense after having watched the film. At the very least it tended to keep things interesting. One scene I really enjoyed, beside the ending, was when Tony/Arthur visited his former wife in the guise of Tony, and got the lowdown on himself. While her comments about the man she believed dead weren't caustic or mean, they weren't entirely flattering, either. She had some very perceptive ideas about her dead husband, ones she couldn't share with him when she was alive due to his distant and disconnected nature. I thought the ending especially strong, throwing in a great twist, one I really didn't see coming, but one that fit in perfectly in terms of how the company operated. There were some hints to the ending provided earlier in the story, but they were subtle enough not to be overly revealing. All in all I thought this an excellent, slightly unnerving film, worth watching more than once.
The picture, presented in widescreen (2.35:1), enhanced for 16X9 TVs, looks sharp and clean, exhibiting a few minor flaws, and the Dolby Digital mono audio, available in both English and French comes through very well. Extras include an original theatrical trailer, a commentary track by director John Frankenheimer, and English subtitles.
Cookieman108
By the way, there are a couple continuity errors and the presence of production equipment in a few shots, but these flaws felt relatively minor to me given the strength of the story and the performances.
Customer Rating:
Summary: "No, Mr. Wilson, you can never go back..."
Comment: Like the "Manchurian Candidate," "Seconds" is one of John Frankenheimer's best works--a film that is rarely seen and relatively unknown and a far cry from the typical Rock Hudson/Doris Day vehicle made during the mid-60's.
Gritty, unsettling, and disturbing describes this tale about a married, middle-aged man (John Randolph), a Princeton grad and bank VP from Scarsdale NY, now granted a virtually new identity via a manufactured "death" to be "reborn" with plastic surgery. Enter one "Tony Wilson" handsome, successful, late 30-ish professional artist seeking youth, meaning, and freedom with dire consequences.
Frankenheimer's film is one that deserves multiple viewings to fully appreciate the director's subtle touches of irony inserted in to the scenes. For example when Randolph finally arrives at the clandestine organization for his appointment with Mr. Ruby (Jeff Corey) and his eventual transformation, he makes his trek through a slaughterhouse and meat packing plant ( "Honest Abe's"), a portent of evil things to come.
The disc includes an informative full audio commentary from Frankenheimer himself, and apparently, Kirk Douglas was offered the role first, but bowed out at the last minute resulting in Hudson as the director's second choice.
Supporting cast are all excellent as well as is James Wong Howe's eerie camera angles and photography. Not really a horror film, but the disturbing and final scenes will remain with you long after the credits roll.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A little known classic
Comment: Directed by John Frankheimer (The Manchurian Candidate) and filmed in glorious black and white, Seconds is a thriller concerning personal identity. Considered a failure upon its release, its a bit of a lost / little known classic.
Personally, what makes the film so interesting is the number of odd circumstances and loose ends presented by the film. Some have pointed these out as a flaw, but upon repeated viewing these "holes" make the film's plot and character motivations more interesting and fun to discuss.
The film has a great start and a great finish. What few problems the film has with pacing are more than compensated for by the "suprise" ending. Also, the film has a wild scene with a Baccanalian (sp?) festival with a suprising amount of nudity for a film made in the 1960's.
Customer Rating:
Summary: if you could ,would you start over again
Comment: that is the central question in john frankenhammer's "seconds"
a middle aged man,bored and not happy with his life is told of a company called reborns that "for a fee" will make you over and give you a new life. after so talking and an operation the man comes out looking like rock hudson. great who wouldn't want to look like rock. but then your looks are all that has changed and the problems you had are still with you, as rock finds out.
the last 10 mins. of this movie will stun and scare you to death. no more about it but to say rock hudson gave the proformance of his life and this thriller will be with you long after it ends.
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Seconds" is still upseting
Comment: this movie would have been a hit today. the last 30 mins will leave you just stuned. rock hudson shows what he could do when given a chance. it should be in everyones collection of great over looked gems. not for the faint of heart