Obscure titles from the 60s
Had a bit of a break a few nights ago, so managed to tackle a couple of unwatched movies from the (too large) pile.
First up: Seconds (1966) by John Frankenheimer. Considered part of his unofficial "paranoia trilogy" (along with The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and Seven Days in May (1964), it stars Rock Hudson in what is probably his most "off the tracks" performance when compared to his body of work. It is definitely a sixties movie. The plot is...unusual. But it's not really a plot driven story, but rather a character study that asks viewers to reflect on the question "Even with a clean break from your life and all its expectations and responsibilities, can you really "make a fresh start"?" My copy is a Criterion Blu-ray, with many extras (haven't seen/heard them all yet) and an essay that examines the film's themes and place within Frankenheimer's body of work in the sixties. Frankenheimer never made a movie that wasn't trying to make some sort of statement (some more successfully than others) and his statements rarely left people indifferent. However, regardless of what one might think of the arguments Frankenheimer wanted to make about something, his skill as a filmmaker was undeniable. Worth a viewing, though may not be to all tastes (a bit arty as a film, and certainly a cultural artefact of its time).
Followed by: The Quiller Memorandum (1966). This is a more traditional spy thriller, though, in many ways, a bit of a "this isn't a Bond movie" kind of spy thriller. Starring George Segal in the main role (an unexpected transformation of the character from British to American to readers of the novel series upon which the film is based), it also has some supporting performances from Alec Guinness and Max von Sydow that add heft to the film. Shot on location in West Berlin (and beautifully so), it too is a cultural artefact of its day. Harold Pinter wrote the screenplay, which elevates the dialogue to a more interesting level than typical of such films. And the female lead (there's always one in this era's spy movies) is played by the astonishing Senta Berger (google her images--I was astonished, at any rate). I'd rate it good, not great, but worth a viewing for its visuals of West Berlin in the sixties, at least (and for Senta Berger
). My copy is a Twilight Time Blu-ray, with an isolated score track (by frequent Bond composer John Barry), along with a short essay by film historian Julie Kirgo (who apparently has a crush on the young George Segal).
I found the pair of films an interesting way to visit the sixties from a perspective that is off the beaten path of the typical cultural elements of the sixties that most people think of for film. Neither of these films will become cultural icons, but that makes them more, rather than less, interesting.
First up: Seconds (1966) by John Frankenheimer. Considered part of his unofficial "paranoia trilogy" (along with The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and Seven Days in May (1964), it stars Rock Hudson in what is probably his most "off the tracks" performance when compared to his body of work. It is definitely a sixties movie. The plot is...unusual. But it's not really a plot driven story, but rather a character study that asks viewers to reflect on the question "Even with a clean break from your life and all its expectations and responsibilities, can you really "make a fresh start"?" My copy is a Criterion Blu-ray, with many extras (haven't seen/heard them all yet) and an essay that examines the film's themes and place within Frankenheimer's body of work in the sixties. Frankenheimer never made a movie that wasn't trying to make some sort of statement (some more successfully than others) and his statements rarely left people indifferent. However, regardless of what one might think of the arguments Frankenheimer wanted to make about something, his skill as a filmmaker was undeniable. Worth a viewing, though may not be to all tastes (a bit arty as a film, and certainly a cultural artefact of its time).
Followed by: The Quiller Memorandum (1966). This is a more traditional spy thriller, though, in many ways, a bit of a "this isn't a Bond movie" kind of spy thriller. Starring George Segal in the main role (an unexpected transformation of the character from British to American to readers of the novel series upon which the film is based), it also has some supporting performances from Alec Guinness and Max von Sydow that add heft to the film. Shot on location in West Berlin (and beautifully so), it too is a cultural artefact of its day. Harold Pinter wrote the screenplay, which elevates the dialogue to a more interesting level than typical of such films. And the female lead (there's always one in this era's spy movies) is played by the astonishing Senta Berger (google her images--I was astonished, at any rate). I'd rate it good, not great, but worth a viewing for its visuals of West Berlin in the sixties, at least (and for Senta Berger
). My copy is a Twilight Time Blu-ray, with an isolated score track (by frequent Bond composer John Barry), along with a short essay by film historian Julie Kirgo (who apparently has a crush on the young George Segal).I found the pair of films an interesting way to visit the sixties from a perspective that is off the beaten path of the typical cultural elements of the sixties that most people think of for film. Neither of these films will become cultural icons, but that makes them more, rather than less, interesting.
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