SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Altho73 — 15 years ago(March 27, 2011 02:17 AM)
Charlie was being killed at the end just like Arthur
A failure such as Charlie would be pushed to give a referral because that is the ONLY WAY that the Company can get new clients. What they are doing is highly illegal, they can't just place adverts for their service in magazines!!!
EVERY person in that day room is destined sooner or later to be killed and used as bodies for new clients. Of course the company lie to them and place the illusion in their minds that they are merely waiting to go into surgery for a new identity but that is never even being considered. Of course the company want to milk them as much as then can before they are terminated. -
MrE2Me — 15 years ago(April 03, 2011 05:42 AM)
- Yeah, the more I think about it, the more this seems to be the case. I think I was just so distracted by the unfortunate pillow effect that I overlooked it.
- I like your ideas here, they're appropriately cynical. It's cool that the film didn't spell everything out. I wonder how much the book does (hence my original question).
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timcook-72420 — 10 years ago(February 04, 2016 08:15 AM)
At first, I figured Charlie would be killed, just like Arthur - but remember even when Charlie first phoned Arthur, he was in the Company waiting room, after his failure with his first new body. The only way the Company would let him have another chance was if Charlie sponsored someone else - and he thought of Arthur. Even if Arthur succeeded as Tony Wilson, Charlie would still get another go at rebirth, once the company was satisfied at Wilson's progress. Arthur failed and returned to The Company, and Charlie, suspecting his friend would refuse to sponsor, shed a tear at their final meeting as he knew Arthur would be killed. The speed at which Arthur/Tony is euthanized hints that Charlie's 'cadaver' will in fact be his dead friend Arthur/Tony! Charlie makes it, but at Arthur's expense.
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Altho73 — 10 years ago(February 06, 2016 06:12 AM)
No, you are misunderstanding the situation here. All of the men in the day room are in the CPS (cadver procurement section) and are kept there until a new client is found that matches their height, weight and build. Then they told a lie that they are going into surgery for another re-birth when in reality they are to be killed to provide a body for a new client from the outside whose death will have to be faked.
The speed at which Arthur/Tony is euthanized hints that Charlie's 'cadaver' will in fact be his dead friend Arthur/Tony! Charlie makes it, but at Arthur's expense.
That does not make sense because -
- Charlie is already on the inside, his initial identity has already died for which a body has been provided, his rebirth failed so he has been taken back inside, he no longer exists in the real world so THERE IS NOBODY TO DIE so there is no need to provide a body for.
- Rock Hudson was around 6'4", Murray Hamilton was around 5'8" so there is no way on earth that the authorities would accept that a 6 foot 4 inch body was the identity of a 5 foot 8 inch man even if he was carrying his wallet.
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timcook-72420 — 10 years ago(February 08, 2016 12:55 PM)
Having watched the film again, I guess you're right. It was such a bleak ending I was looking for some trace of optimism, in the hope at least Hamilton's friend might survive, if not Hamilton himself. There's such emphasis placed on sponsoring another client I thought it was the only option for someone wanting a second new identity - you get another go if you find The Company another client. Looks like you're right though. It's still odd Wilson is killed so soon when Charlie had wait a long time for the 'opportunity.' And Rock Hudson was 5 inches taller than John Randolph, so either it's a goof or The Company had some way of overcoming the height problem.
I watched Seconds in order to write an overview for a film new website. If you're interested, take a look, would love to hear people's opinions (beware, there are spoilers): https://lalafilm.com/2016/02/08/review-seconds-1966/ -
lebellue — 9 years ago(November 27, 2016 02:16 AM)
I would imagine that when he was young he had some experience with women checking him out. His wife although older, was very attractive.
Of course, it would be an adjustment to suddenly look like Rock HudsonThat is definitely in a league of it's own! -
fordraff — 14 years ago(April 17, 2011 11:50 PM)
In the novel, Wilson has the sudden reaction on the plane simply because this is the first time he was called Mr. Wilson by someone out in "the real world," and he became scared and anxious. It's also a foreshadowing of the difficulty he was going to have adjusting to being Mr. Wilson. He never did make an adjustment to being Wilson and became an embarrassment to the other reborns.
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EllisFowler — 14 years ago(April 22, 2011 08:24 AM)
I like both endings. In the novel, his death is more or less virtual but not actual - he's just sitting there like a bump on a log with the rest of the "sheep." The film's ending is certainly more horrific, the novel's anticlimax is beyond depressing.
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aaron4885 — 9 years ago(January 21, 2017 05:57 PM)
I can answer;
- He was not used to being attractive to women. It suddenly came to him that this women was eyeing him with intent.
- The truth is ALL those in the 'waiting room' were nothing more than pieces of meat. Since they were all drugged (remember they all had to take their pills) daily to keep them content. The analogy is the Meat Packing plant where he met his ride.
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Deluge69-663-991830 — 10 years ago(July 01, 2015 12:33 PM)
SPOILERS
First, let me be straight - I hate the notions of remakes, mostly to get the Short Attention Span Crowd to watch.
However, what about retelling this same basic story, only this time it's a rich old lady who is transformed into a young hot beauty? And with the same dire consequences.
Would also be very topical, with plastic surgery and all. Would really scare all $hit out of many women today.
Heard there already is a remake that will soon be out. And it doesn't acknowledge its original source. Hate to say "I hope it bombs", but I hope it does.