Friday, August 29, 2008

SECONDS - Jerry Goldsmith - "Theme & Party" (1966)

Back in the 50's and 60's people worked all week and Friday and Saturday were the only times that seemed to matter most of the time. These days people seem to party all week long, but anyway that's why I like to try and do something a little special on Friday and Saturday night, and tonight, it's a film that I really liked the first time I saw it, and the last time I saw it! "SECONDS !!!

You want to start life over, the journey begins at the dry cleaners!

Then you have to go through the meat locker and into Honest Arnie, The Used Cow Dealer's, meat truck!

Now, how in the world are you going to resist Will Geer? Yes, it's Grandpa Walton!! We always knew that show was evil, and here's the absolute proof!!

This is the master plan for this particular transmutation!!

Veteran actor with a portfolio longer than Highway 101, John Randolph, turns in a great performance as the pre-Rock Arthur Hamilton!! This is his obituary!

Arthur is rebuilt and reborn as Tony Wilson! This is damn near a "Frankenstein" film!

The Corporation couldn't get Tony a gig as a professional tennis player, but they manage to set him up in his second dream, a working artist living in Malibu where he meets the unpredictable Nora Marcus on the beach! Nora was portrayed by Salome Jens who went on to play Mae Olinski in The "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" TV series and the female shapeshifter in 15 episodes of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" in the 90's!!!

So Nora takes Rock on a Hippie Bachanalia trip, and I'm pretty sure Doris Day would not approve of this behavior!

Drinkin' wine, smokin' dope, gettin' nekkid, Rock's starting to dig this role!

Man, what a good sport Rock was! These days, as a promo, they'd bottle this wine and sell it at high commidity prices! A Vintage Rock Hudson Burgandy 1966!

Then finally, "The Party Gets Rolling!!", and the music of Oscar winning genius Jerry Goldsmith kicks into gear. You might remember Jerry from a couple of his contributions to minor projects like "Star Trek", "Alien", "Rambo" and "The Man From Uncle!" A normal person could probably retire just on the royalties he got for writing the theme for, "The Waltons!"

So, Rock/Tony is having a dream come true listening to Elazabeth Fraser talk about changing 'sects'! Rock is hilarious in this scene!!!

Boozed and confused, you don't think this can go on much longer!

Then, just like a true champion, he's back up again! After you listen, I think you'll agree that Rock Hudson had a great laugh!!!

Totally gonzo and wasted out of his ever livin' gourd, "Looks as if our host is in orbit!"

Rock Hudson does such a great job in this film!! Drunker than a skunk, and still looking cool!

Now you crossed over the line Buddy, we're gonna have to send you back!

John Franenheimer's direction is amazing and some of the cinematography by James Wong Howe is very strange, like the people are on rollers. It all makes for a very nice unsettling and very creepy feeling in a film! This is a great movie and a highly recommended Netflix rental!

4 comments:

Uncle Gustav said...

Two notes: the people-on-rollers photographic thing was picked up by Scorsese in Mean Streets, and my beloved Salome WAS the Terror from the Year 5000!

Greg Goodsell said...

As good as this film is -- the older you get, the truer it gets! Brrrrrrr..... a TRUE hooror film!

Eegah!! and Tabonga! said...

Yes, Salome Jens would have been about 23 in 1958 in one of her first performances in film, "Terror From The Year 5000." They really had to ugly her down for that role!

Shaun M. said...

Watch this last night... I don't care what people say or how many times they say it, I'll take The Game over Seconds every time! But seriously, it's a solid one-time view.

Awesome work btw.

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