Sorcerer
1977 Directed by William Friedkin
Synopsis
Four exiled international criminals on the run hide out in a remote Nicaraguan village whose economy is dependent on an oil company. An oil well 200 miles away catches fire and can be extinguished only with explosives. The criminals are given a chance to earn a great deal of money by transporting highly volatile and sensitive explosives through hazardous and rugged terrain full of obstacles and danger.
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Cinebro Caused My Divorce - The June 100 Challenge (19/100)
William Friedkin was pretty adamant that Sorcerer was NOT a remake of The Wages Of Fear.
"No!" he may have harrumphed. "It's my version of the original book, goddammit!" he probably didn't bellow. I don't really know why he cared, to be honest. I mean, if you're going to do an adaptation of a book that has already been filmed twice before (the latter time for the little known 1958 American film Violent Road - anybody know where I can see this?) then you are going to get people making these suggestions.
Friedkin clearly is being led by what he sees in the original film, though. Even though the basic…
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And here was I, thinking the bridge scene wouldn't get to me.
Hard-hitting with slow punches to knock you out all the more. And that score.
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The level of immersion I experience while watching Sorcerer has easily improved by increasing the screen size I watch it on. The bigger, the better with this one. I won't say it's a perfect movie. As much as I like Roy Scheider, he wasn't the first choice, and it shows. He really lacks a center drive to hold the story together. Gene Hackman would have killed. Or Nick Nolte. But there are haunting moments and masterclass lessons in how you utilize explosions and use quick cuts sparingly to release tension. If there's one lost classic screaming for a blu-ray remaster, look no further. And fuck, that score is unreal.
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Without stepping on the toes of the classic "Wages of Fear", this film takes advantage of budget and exotic location work to produce its own great action movie. William Friedkin knows how to dislocate the viewer. He makes you feel extremely uncomfortable, with the psychology of the characters especially. This is another outstanding role for Roy Scheider. His disintegration, journeying to the heart of darkness, is complete, when an extraordinarily large tree blocks the road. He beats the ground; futilely attacking the jungle that is trying to kill him. The comparison to Martin Sheen's own descent into hell in "Apocalypse Now" is disturbingly close. Two late 70's movies, that go beyond the normal bounds of sanity. It reminds of how…
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[Digital Download]
My favorite Friedkin yet. INSANELY thrilling. I don't even remember the last time I was this stressed out while watching a movie. It's interesting how the influence of Costa-Gavras's Z has trickled its way into so many of William Friedkin's works. The post-oil well explosion scenes of the grieving natives are particularly reminiscent of Gavras's MISSING. Friedkin's signature atmosphere is very strong here, maybe even at its peak. The music, by the incredible Tangerine Dream, is great as well. It's shameful that this film isn't more wildly renowned.
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Great 70's movie that I've not seen before from Friedkin full of great tension and suspense,some of the jungle scenes are amazing,,will be looking for the Wages Of Fear original for a comparison.
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Without stepping on the toes of the classic "Wages of Fear", this film takes advantage of budget and exotic location work to produce its own great action movie. William Friedkin knows how to dislocate the viewer. He makes you feel extremely uncomfortable, with the psychology of the characters especially. This is another outstanding role for Roy Scheider. His disintegration, journeying to the heart of darkness, is complete, when an extraordinarily large tree blocks the road. He beats the ground; futilely attacking the jungle that is trying to kill him. The comparison to Martin Sheen's own descent into hell in "Apocalypse Now" is disturbingly close. Two late 70's movies, that go beyond the normal bounds of sanity. It reminds of how…
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Nihlistic to the last frame. A brutal journey into a world where life is a cheap commodity and survival is random.
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Taut and suspenseful thriller that doesn't quite justify a heavy load of character buildup early on. Every performance is good and helps to push that element of the movie in a more positive direction than it otherwise would. Brilliant driving sequences and great production design showcase the visual style.
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Cinebro Caused My Divorce - The June 100 Challenge (19/100)
William Friedkin was pretty adamant that Sorcerer was NOT a remake of The Wages Of Fear.
"No!" he may have harrumphed. "It's my version of the original book, goddammit!" he probably didn't bellow. I don't really know why he cared, to be honest. I mean, if you're going to do an adaptation of a book that has already been filmed twice before (the latter time for the little known 1958 American film Violent Road - anybody know where I can see this?) then you are going to get people making these suggestions.
Friedkin clearly is being led by what he sees in the original film, though. Even though the basic…
-
And here was I, thinking the bridge scene wouldn't get to me.
Hard-hitting with slow punches to knock you out all the more. And that score.
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@Camdun_Roar: There are moments of directorial brilliance pressed up against times where it was as if he'd never made a film before 6.5/10
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William Friedkin says this film's allegorical intent was to show how the world's countries needed to come together and cooperate or risk mutually-assured self-destruction; William Friedkin is out of his mind. Admittedly never boring, but I can't get behind the impetus to reclaim this as a masterpiece. The universally acclaimed setpiece is the truck crossing a rickety bridge. In The Wages Of Fear, Clouzot stages this in clear, calm daylight, the better to destroy your nerves, but Friedkin displays his maximalist tendencies, adding a raging river and uber-grainy bombastic rain; as soon as the truck makes it to the other side, he immediately cuts, a final jolt denying any release. This craving for overwhelming impact is on full display throughout,…
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[Digital Download]
My favorite Friedkin yet. INSANELY thrilling. I don't even remember the last time I was this stressed out while watching a movie. It's interesting how the influence of Costa-Gavras's Z has trickled its way into so many of William Friedkin's works. The post-oil well explosion scenes of the grieving natives are particularly reminiscent of Gavras's MISSING. Friedkin's signature atmosphere is very strong here, maybe even at its peak. The music, by the incredible Tangerine Dream, is great as well. It's shameful that this film isn't more wildly renowned.
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Not what I was expecting. It's a bit slow getting into it, but once the box of shoddy dynamite is uncovered, the tension ramps up and the adventure begins. Features strong performances all round, an excellent soundtrack and some riveting set pieces.