Seconds (1966)

Desperate to escape his dreary life, an aging banker (John Randolph) succumbs to a mysterious organization's offer of a new identity and a fresh start. Surgically transformed into a handsome young man (Rock Hudson), he begins a hedonistic existence in the Malibu colony. But it isn't long before he questions the wisdom of what he did. Based on the novel by David Ely and directed by John Frankenheimer (MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE). While the movie plays out like an extended episode of TWILIGHT ZONE, this psychological horror film conjures up an intense paranoia and sense of dread as it follows a dissatisfied middle class man's attempt to recapture his dreams, only to find out that he didn't have a dream after all. The movie requires a suspension of disbelief in that the entire process would seem extremely cost prohibitive to a middle class banker not to mention the money needed for his expensive post surgery lifestyle. That aside, it's an unsettling nightmare vision. The film was both a box office flop and gathered mediocre reviews but it has since blossomed into an admired cult film. Originally Frankenheimer wanted one actor to play both the old and young versions of the character but Hudson didn't feel comfortable playing the older version of himself. James Wong Howe's creative B&W cinematography was justly nominated for an Oscar (the film's only nomination). With Salome Jens, Murray Hamilton, Jeff Corey, Frances Reid, Will Geer, Elisabeth Fraser, Wesley Addy, Barbara Werle, Richard Anderson and Dody Heath.