Frankenheimer's other film, Seconds
Has anyone seen Frankenheimer's 1966 film Seconds starring Rock Hudson? That was a movie that was truly ahead of its time. It also employs many of the same techniques (and also has several similar plot points) as The Manchurian Candidate:
SEMI-SPOILERS BELOW (these don't give away the ending or premise of Seconds, but they do reveal certain scenes -- so read at your own risk):
- both are filmed in black and white
- both have an eerie and dark aura to them
- both have a nightmarish dream sequence in which a person's actions are manipulated
- both involve an organization with a rather sinister agenda
- both feature inventive camera work and distinctive visual motifs; the camera angles are especially unconventional in Seconds
- common theme: paranoia, being "handled" and "watched"
END OF SEMI-SPOILERS
Like TCM, Seconds is also based on a novel and is visually innovative in telling its story and creating an atmosphere. Seconds is even bolder and more cutting-edge than TCM in that regard. If you liked TCM, I recommend it.