ALL SCI-FI

[Pow]

Released by Paramount Pictures on October 5, 1966 and directed by John Frankenheimer. The screenplay is by Lewis John Carlino and is based upon the novel of the same name by David Fly.

Synopsis: Arthur Hamilton is a middle-aged man whose life has lost purpose. He's achieved career success and all the things that go with it materialistically, but finds it an empty and unfulfilling existence.

His love for his wife has dwindled, and he seldom sees his adult child.

One day, a mysterious and covert organization known as the Company approaches Arthur and makes him an astonishing offer.

Through their highly advanced and sophisticated medical techniques and surgical methods, the Company can make Arthur into a youthful and vigorous man.

They can then relocate him into a community filled with "reborns" such as himself. They can give him a second chance at life.

Arthur takes the Company up on their offer and is given the new identity of Antiochus "Tony" Wilson.

Arthur/Tony embraces his new life with excitement and enthusiasm. However, in time Arthur/Tony becomes as dissatisfied and empty in this life as he was in his old life.

And then the nightmare begins.

Frankenheimer said that "Seconds" had the same theme as many of his other films. They concern an individual trying to find himself in society and maintain their individuality in a mechanized world.

Frankenheimer felt that most societies want everybody to be exactly the same because it's so much easier to rule over.

The theme of individuality of the human spirit and the fight against regimentation is always there for people according to Frankenheimer.

Initially, Frankenheimer was reluctant to cast Rock Hudson as the lead because he felt Hudson was a lightweight actor.

John Frankenheimer was interested in Laurence Olivier or Kirk Douglas as the lead.

Hudson's agent convinced Frankenheimer to cast Rock while they were at a party.

Frankenheimer praised Rock's performance in the film.

In order to shoot a scene at Grand Central Station without drawing attention from the crowds passing through there, Frankenheimer hired a male model and a Playboy bunny to make-out on the stairs while being filmed by a fake camera crew.

This distraction allowed the real crew to shoot the actual film scene with a camera in a suitcase.

Actors John Randolph (Arthur Hamilton) and Rock Hudson (Tony Wilson) spent a good deal of time together before the production began. This was done so that Hudson could learn Randolph's mannerisms so that he could repeat them after the transformation.

This was John Randolph's first film in fifteen years. John had been Blacklisted in Hollywood earlier.

John learned to do many things with his left hand because Hudson was left-handed.

Originally it was planned to have Hudson perform both the roles of Arthur, with aging makeup, and Tony without the makeup.

Hudson convinced John Frankenheimer to have two different actors play the older Arthur and the younger Tony.

Hudson felt that he would be unconvincing as the older Arthur. Frankenheimer agreed that this would indeed work better.

Rock Hudson really got drunk for the scene where his character of Tony becomes drunk at a party.

"Seconds" did not do well at all when it was first released but is now considered a SF cult classic.

Frankenheimer thought the reasons were twofold as to why the movie performed poorly. Fans of Hudson who wanted to see him did not wish to see him in this type of movie.

Those who like dark science fiction weren't interested in seeing Hudson do such a dramatic and complex role.

If you like a dark SF theme in a film noir-style, then this is for you.

It addresses the middle-aged crisis that so many men and women feel. Being lost and adrift in society; achieving all the things we're told comprise success., only to have it leave us empty. These themes are the focus.

The film takes a frightening turn towards the end and concludes on to a disturbing finale.

The surgery is the only real SF dimension to this film. The rest of the film is about the emptiness life can become, even when we've done everything right. At least by society's standards.

I found this a very compelling and uneasy movie to view. It shines a harsh (but realistic) light upon modern civilizations and their inherently flawed value system.

[Bud Brewster]

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Wow, what a weird trailer. Apparently it's a weird movie. Watch this and tell me if you agree . . . or disagree.

The narrator is the man who does the opening for The Invaders.

___________________ Seconds (1966) trailer


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Krel]

[johnnybear]

This is one of those rare films that I liked a lot that I don't own on DVD! Rock's new life seems great at first, but later on he begins to regress into the same thought patterns as his other self!

There was a slight similarity with John Randolph and Hudson around the eyes I thought which was a nice touch to sort of say that not all of Arthur had been removed! Richard Anderson appears here as the surgeon without his toupee and he did seem like an actor who felt comfortable with and without it, but later on in his life he did sport a very large thicker grey wig so maybe not?
JB