Here's a nice li'l essay on John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate, one of my favorite movies. D'Angelo is right in that the film is weird in a way that it doesn't prepare you for, unlike David Lynch or Peter Greenaway's works. (I'm not familiar with Harmony Korine, except for Kids which he didn't direct.) It's too bad Frankenheimer couldn't really follow it up, but it is a tall order. Seven Days in May is a good thriller, but not as interesting. Seconds is intriguingly weird (and has a surprisingly graphic orgy scene for a movie with fifties stars and production values) but gets dragged down by a clunky script.
Anyway, the article is a good opportunity to see that weird-ass conversation between Frank Sinatra and Janet Leigh. The part where she says she introduced herself as "Eugenie" because she was feeling fragile is pretty rich. She's fragile? He's the one who looks like he's about to vomit out his eye sockets.
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We watched Seven Days in May just a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it more than either of us expected. Edmond O'Brien as the dipso Senator was really good particularly when he went out into the desert by himself and (knowing what we know now) were afraid for him and his solid bravery.
It's been a while since we last saw the Manchurian Candidate and may have to do so again. The scene I just watched as part of the article you linked to was quite chilling. I always thought Janet Leigh was scary enough in Psycho but the train scene was super weird. Good find.
It's quite possible I'm being unfair to Seven Days here. The Manchurian Candidate was both dreamlike and hyperreal. I remember the other movie as being like a good TV play. But now that you mention, I should maybe go back to it. Buth Lancaster always was pretty intense.
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