Frankenheimer's Seconds & Phil Spector

[The Song Of The Grange]

I was reading in Domenic Priore's 2005 book about Smile that Phil Spector was an investor in John Frankenheimer's film Seconds, which famously freaked Brian out so much.  I haven't been able to confirm this any where else.  Any of you Beach Boys sages know if Spector actually was an investor in the film, or should I chalk this up as another blurring of the truth via Smile mythology?  If indeed Spector was involved in Seconds, it would be an interesting twist of fate, since BW (possibly due to his madness at the time) associated the film with Spector.

[A Million Units In Jan!]

I don't know if that's true. I had always assumed that Brian, because of his paranoia, just kinda though Spector had something to do with it. I've never seen this movie either, though I've wanted to....

Just looked this up on Wikipedia, and a funny side note-at the end it mentions how this movie freaked Brian out, and it says that 'Seconds' was the last movie Brian saw in a theater until he saw the movie E.T.   

[Dr. Tim]

This was a topic on the old Smile Shop, and I know the film well.

While all these coincidences are good fun in a "gee-whiz" way, keep in mind that all this is synchronicity, not reality. On the reissue DVD and laserdisc of "Seconds", John Frankenheimer does a detailed running commentary on the adaptation of the book to the movie and the shooting of the movie. Brian, his life, and his deterioration are not mentioned anywhere, as inspiration or otherwise.  Nothing about Spector being involved either.

 If I remember right, Brian came in to the movie late and missed some of the beginning which sets up the  creepy premise.   The first line of the movie is not "Mr. Wilson?" but in fact is "Mr. Hamilton?" That is the name of the "original" character who Rock Hudson later plays as "Tony Wilson". The name doesn't come up until well into the movie where Hamilton's friend Charlie Evans tells him "You're to use the name Wilson" in going to the appointment where he gets "re-birthed". So from the "reality based universe" viewpoint Brian could not have intuited that the story was "about him" until then.  If his emotional memory is that the first line was his name, that's telling.

Sometime-poster Rasmus Skotte made a video using as its premise that "Seconds " really was about Brian and Spector was behind it with a wink-wink and goes with that premise to understand what happened in Brian's head. I just didn't want any "new student" of this board to think the movie had anything objectively to do with Brian Wilson, which it clearly doesn't. But my question then and now is:  what on earth was Brian thinking when he decided this would be a good movie to see? SECONDS is still a very disturbing film 40 years later for anyone to see, let alone an emotionally fragile fellow like Brian already starting to come apart. The jaw-dropping ending gave me a nightmare when I first saw it, I can only imagine what he must have thought.

BTW, Rock Hudson reportedly considered SECONDS his best work.

[The Heartical Don]

I have seen 'Seconds' long ago. I remember it as a great movie, ahead of its time. Sort of a grim metaphor on the theme of 'rebirth', and 'rejuvenation', and the price one may have to pay for it. Eerie, now as then. In the '60s people perhaps thought they could stay forever young, or feel themselves younger, by chemical intake. Now, it's a 'fitness and wellness' obsession combined with plastic surgery.

A must-see. I think it's as great as 'The Wicker Man', another classic cult movie. In fact, I do have a personal list with such movies (only mental) that particularly struck me. Another one: 'The Black Cat' (Edgar G. Ulmer, with Karloff and Lugosi in a-typical roles); and also: 'Kiss Me, Deadly' (Robert Aldrich), and 'Mirage' (Edward Dmytryk).

Strongly recommended.

[rasmus skotte]

Just for the record: I never stated that Spector was behind this movie. I just asked for the facts upon which Priore may have based his claim(?)

[A Million Units In Jan!]

Just for the record: I never stated that Spector was behind this movie. I just asked for the facts upon which Priore may have based his claim(?)

So is Rasmus really Song Of The Grange? Hmmm, the plot thickens 

[The Heartical Don]

Just for the record: I never stated that Spector was behind this movie. I just asked for the facts upon which Priore may have based his claim(?)

So is Rasmus really Song Of The Grange? Hmmm, the plot thickens 

He has undergone rebirth. His next moniker will be: The 6 Million Dollar Man.

[rasmus skotte]

Erm.. 'grange', '6 million $ man' - not quite following!
Anyway - for those who wanna dig a little deeper. Seek out the Brian Wilson's Radiant RayDIODish-article in Endless Summer Quarterly #84 (Summer Edition) 2009 where the Seconds synchronisities are mapped out.
Also:
http://www.tinhouse.com/mag/back_issues/archive/issues/issue_10/feature.html

Or the whole transcript here:
http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/s/seconds-script-transcript-rock-hudson.html

[Smilin Ed H]

"I think it's as great as 'The Wicker Man'".  Edward Woodward RIP.

[The Heartical Don]

"I think it's as great as 'The Wicker Man'".  Edward Woodward RIP.

I did not know he passed away. Great actor.

[Dr. Tim]

I like the Tin House article - how old is that?  And obviously a big fan of the film sat down and transcribed the whole thing.  Though there are places you can obtain copies of the preserved shooting scripts for a lot of these movies - I have one for Network which contains a few differences from the fniished edit.

I thought it was obvious I wasn't accusing Mr. Skotte or Million Units Jr. or whoever he is of any hanky-panky - I did say "wink wink" about the premise, which, as he says, was to explore the questions surrounding the legend of Bri's trip to the movies.

- signed, Dr. Tim Kardashian

[Smilin Ed H]

"I did not know he passed away. Great actor."

Announced today.

[A Million Units In Jan!]

No, I thought for some reason that Grange and Skotte were the same person using different monikers, due to the way that Rasmus made a post about wondering about where Priore got his facts from.

[The Song Of The Grange]

Just for the record: I never stated that Spector was behind this movie. I just asked for the facts upon which Priore may have based his claim(?)

So is Rasmus really Song Of The Grange? Hmmm, the plot thickens 

I am me for sure, the Cabinessence loving Song of The Grange.  See too the crow picture, circling the corn field, naturally!

[rasmus skotte]

I appreciate that, Dr. Tim. Just wanted to make sure. Wouldn't mind being 'Mr. 6 million $$ man' though! any volunteers? (wink...)

[Alex]

I appreciate that, Dr. Tim. Just wanted to make sure. Wouldn't mind being 'Mr. 6 million $$ man' though! any volunteers? (wink...)

Hello Mr. 6 Million Dollar Man! Or would it be 6 Million Euro Man??