Directed by William Friedkin and written by William Peter Blatty that is based on the novel by the latter, The Exorcist is the story of a 12-year old girl who has been possessed by a demon as her mother calls upon two priests to save the girl. The film is a study into the concept of possession, evil, and what men must do to save the life of an innocent girl. Starring Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, Jason Miller, Mercedes McCambridge, Jack McGowran, and Max von Sydow. The Exorcist is a visceral and terrifying film from William Friedkin.
The film is a simple story of a girl who is possessed by a demon as she inhabits strange and destructive behaviors as her mother calls upon a priest to find out what is going on after doctors and scientists come to no conclusion. It’s a film that is about faith but also evil at its most diabolical where a girl is possessed by this demon where a troubled priest has to find out what he’s facing as he would call upon someone who is experienced with the idea of exorcism. William Peter Blatty’s screenplay is very complex in its approach to the narrative where it takes this simple premise and broaden it to create something grand and engaging. While the film is largely set in the Georgetown section of Washington D.C. where the actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is living for a film shoot as she has taken her daughter Regan (Linda Blair) to the production. The film begins in Iraq where an elderly priest in Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow) is doing archeology work as he makes a chilling discovery that would set the tone for the entire film.
One of the unique aspects of the script is the strand of multiple narratives that are told as there is the story about Chris and her daughter Regan as the latter becomes possessed. Their narrative starts off as a normal story of a mother and daughter living in Georgetown with Chris being a normal mother despite her demanding profession. When Regan starts to feel sick and do strange thing, the story becomes more intense where Regan would eventually be possessed as the voice of this strange demon would emerge harming Regan and those who come close to her. Another part of the narrative involves a priest in Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) as a psychiatrist for a nearby church in Georgetown who has just lost his mother and blames himself where he would also lose his faith. Father Karras’ narrative would show a man unsure if he can do his duty as he is lost while he reluctantly helps Chris after meeting the police detective Lt. William F. Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb) who investigates a murder nearby the MacNeil home.
Blatty’s script also succeeds in its structure where the second act is where Father Karras and Chris would meet as it play into the concept of exorcism. It’s where Father Karras would meet the possessed Regan for the first time as he is aware of what must be done but he’s also conflicted due to his lack of faith. The film’s third act is about the exorcism where Father Merrin comes in as he knows how to perform the exorcism. The climax that is about the exorcism is definitely intense as well as intriguing for the fact that these two priests are dealing with a little girl who is speaking the words of evil.
William Friedkin’s direction is definitely evocative in terms of the compositions and the mood he creates for these moments of terror and suspense. While much of the film is shot largely in Washington D.C. as the home where Regan and Chris live in is shot in New York City as some of its exteriors are also shot. The film begins with this beautiful sequence in Mosul, Iraq as it is an odd way to start a horror film but it does play into what Father Merrin would discover during a typical archeology find. What he sees would set the tone for what would come as the first ten minutes set in Iraq would then shift into Washington D.C. where everything is calm and straightforward at first. The usage of the wide and medium shots help play into the locations where Friedkin isn’t trying to establish certain locations but is more about playing into a city that is becoming haunted by strange events.
Friedkin’s approach to the suspense and horror is slow-building as well as be in unexpected moments such as the spider-crawl sequence as well as a moment where doctors try to treat Regan only to be baffled by what they saw. The moments of violence is quite intense as well as being very scary for some of the sequences where Regan, in her possessed state, would attack her own mother. Some of Friedkin’s compositions are ravishing for the way it displays the severity of the situation as it would come to ahead in this climatic third act where Father Merrin would make another appearance since the film’s opening sequence for this exorcism. The exorcism sequence goes on for a good 30 minutes as it has a lot going on as well as moments that are very scary as it play into the idea of good vs. evil and faith where the latter has Father Karras is still haunted by his own sins. What happens in this sequence isn’t about saving a girl’s life but what men would do to rid of evil from the world. Overall, Friedkin creates an intoxicating yet riveting film about priests trying to save a possessed young girl from the clutches of evil.
Cinematographer Owen Roizman does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography for the many interior lighting and shading for the scenes at the MacNeil house to some of the nighttime exteriors set in Washington D.C. as well as some of the daytime scenes with Billy Williams providing some beautiful photography for the scenes set in Iraq. Editors Norman Gay and Evan A. Lottman do amazing work with the editing as it has these unique rhythms that play into the suspense with some jump-cuts as well as some other stylish cuts that help create that sense of terror. Production designer Bill Malley, with set decorator Jerry Wunderlich and art director John Robert Lloyd, does excellent work with the look of the MacNeil home and its rooms as well as Regan‘s that include the bed when it shakes plus the homes and places of the other characters. Costume designer Joseph Fretwell III does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual with the exception of the pea-stained nightgown of Regan that is filled with all sorts of crazy shit.
Makeup artist Dick Smith, with special effects makeup work by Rick Baker, does incredible work with the look of Regan in her possessed state as well as the look of Father Merrin as this elderly-looking priest. The sound work Robert Knudson and Chris Newman, with additional sound editing by Richard King and sound design by Steve Boeddeker for the 2000 re-release, is fantastic for the sound effects that are created as well as those eerie moments in Regan‘s room during the exorcism sequence. The film’s music soundtrack is this great mixture of ambient-based pieces as well as some classical music that is played in the background from composers like Krzysztof Penderecki and Anton Weber as well as cuts by Les Baxter and the film’s theme music by Mike Oldfield that is just one of the most chilling piece of music on film.
The casting by Louis DiGiaimo, Nessa Hyams, and Juliet Taylor is great as it feature some notable small roles from writer William Peter Blatty as an associate of the director on the film Chris is working on, Tito Vandis as Karras’ uncle, Vasiliki Maliaros as Karras’ ailing mother, Rudolf Schundler as Chris’ servant Karl, Gina Petrushka as Karl’s wife Willi, Barton Heyman as Dr. Klein who suggests that Regan gets some special help, Peter Masterson as a doctor in the clinic, and Father William O’Malley as Father Joseph Dyer as a priest who is a friend of Karras as he tries to make sense of what is going on. Jack MacGowran is superb as Chris’ director Burke Dennings as this guy that likes to drink where he would antagonize Karl and have a very dark encounter with Regan. Kitty Winn is terrific as Chris’ friend/personal assistant Sharon who helps Chris whatever she can as she would get a close look at the horror that is the possessed Regan. Lee J. Cobb is brilliant as Lt. William F. Kinderman as a detective who investigates a murder nearby the MacNeil home as he has some very keen observation as well as being an eccentric due to his love for films.
Linda Blair is amazing in her role as Regan as this innocent and playful 12-year old girl who becomes ravaged by her possession as she maintains this great sense of physicality and terror with Mercedes McCambrige providing some great voice work as the demon who possesses Regan. Jason Miller is excellent as Father Damien Karras as this troubled priest who had lost his faith where he tries to return to some normalcy only to see what happened to Regan as he does whatever he can to help her. Max von Sydow is remarkable in a small but crucial role as Father Lankester Merrin as a Catholic priest who sees the danger of a demon’s return as he would lead the exorcism to save Regan as it’s one of von Sydow’s defining performances. Finally, there’s Ellen Burstyn in a phenomenal performance as Chris MacNeil as Regan’s mother who is trying to make sense of what has happened to her daughter as it’s just this riveting performance of a woman calling upon whoever can save her daughter.
The Exorcist is an outstanding film from William Friedkin that features astounding performances from Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller, Linda Blair, and Lee J. Cobb. Along with a intriguing screenplay, gorgeous visuals, eerie music and sound effects, and moments that are definitely scary. The film is truly not just a standard for the genre of horror but it’s also one of the most daring and confrontational films about faith and the ideas of good vs. evil. In the end, The Exorcist is a magnificent film from William Friedkin.
William Friedkin Films: (Good Times) - (The Birthday Party) - (The Night They Raided Minsky’s) - (The Boys in the Band) - The French Connection - Sorcerer - (Brink’s Job) - Cruising - (Deal of the Century) - To Live and Die in L.A. - (Rampage (1987 film)) - (The Guardian (1990 film)) - (Blue Chips) - (Jailbreakers) - (Jade) - (12 Angry Men (1997 TV film)) - (Rules of Engagement) - (The Hunted (2003 film)) - Bug - Killer Joe
© thevoid99 2016
The Following is part of Bubbawheat’s 31 Days of Tales from the Crypt Blog-a-thon that celebrates the HBO horror-comedy series that ran from 1989 to 1996.
Based on the EC horror comic The Haunt of Fear, On a Deadman’s Chest is an episode of the HBO horror series Tales from the Crypt which is the story of a rock star who gets a tattoo of a woman he hates where the tattoo would suddenly come to life and scare him. Directed by William Friedkin and teleplay by Larry Wilson, the episode plays into a man trying to get rid of the one thing that he believes is destroying his band. Starring Yul Vasquez, Sherrie Rose, Tia Carrere, Paul Hipp, Heavy D, Steve Jones, and Gregg Allman. On a Deadman’s Chest is a wild and terrifying episode of Tales from the Crypt.
The episode revolves around a singer for a popular hard rock band who has issues with his guitarist’s new wife as he fears she’ll break up the band. At the suggestion of a groupie, the vocalist Danny Darwin (Yul Vasquez) meets a mysterious tattoo artist who would make a tattoo of the woman he hates which he doesn’t know about as it starts to come to life where he tries to find ways to get rid of it. It’s an episode in which a man’s hatred for a woman and his friend’s newfound happiness drives him to do something drastic as it relates to this mysterious tattoo he receives. The script plays into Danny’s obsession with getting rid of Scarlett (Tia Carrere) whom he thinks will cause his band to break-up as he refuses to listen to the warning of the tattoo artist Farouche (Heavy D) who says that the tattoo he’s making is about what is under his skin and what is he thinking. Thus, it starts to get out of control as his emotions finally take its toll forcing him to do something thinking it will get rid of his problem.
William Friedkin’s direction is pretty simple for the way it plays into a rock singer dealing with the new wife in the band as he goes for some stylish shots in a few high angle crane shots while maintaining an intimacy for some of the concert scenes. Plus, there is an element of dark humor in the sequence where Danny gets his tattoo from Farouche as it is presented in a very gorgeous scenery shot by cinematographer Rick Bota. Things do intensify once Danny tries to get rid of the tattoo through plastic surgery but things don’t work as it becomes a moment of paranoia where Robert DeMaio’s editing help play into that air of suspense. Even as the mixture of Merl Saunders’ rock and electronic score and some gnarly special effects by Dean W. Miller help play to the climatic terror that Danny would go through. Even as there’s also a famous reference to one of Friedkin’s great films that is the name of the band Danny is leading. Overall, Friedkin creates a very fun and exhilarating episode about a man’s hatred coming back to haunt him.
The incredible cast includes appearances from Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones as a roadie and Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band as the club owner while Heavy D is fantastic as the tattoo artist Farouche who sports an eye patch and has some mysterious things to say about his work as an artist. Sherrie Rose is superb as the groupie Vendetta who also dislikes Scarlett as she tries to get Danny to chill by suggesting him to go see Farouche because of the tattoo she has on her left breast. Paul Hipp is excellent as the guitarist Nick Bosch as a musician who wants a new life with Scarlett as he deals with Danny’s antagonist attitude as well as trying to do what is right for the band. Tia Carrere is amazing as Scarlett as Nick’s new wife who feels mistreated by Danny as she just wants Nick to be happy while wanting to settle things with Danny where things don’t go well at all. Finally, there’s Yul Vasquez in a brilliant performance as Danny as this rock singer who becomes paranoid over his bandmate’s new life as he thinks Scarlett will break up the band where things go wrong after he gets a mysterious tattoo.
On a Deadman’s Chest is a phenomenal episode of Tales from the Crypt from William Friedkin. With a great cast, a chilling story, and some stylish technical work, the episode isn’t just one of the most gory and scary but also one of its funniest. Especially for the intro and outro from the Cryptkeeper who manages to find humor in these stories of misfortune. In the end, On a Deadman’s Chest is a spectacular episode of Tales from the Crypt from William Friedkin.
© thevoid99 2015
Based on the novel Le Salaire de la pleur (The Wages of Fear) by Georges Arnaud, Sorcerer is the story of four different men in a South American village who take a job to carry a transport cart full of nitroglycerine through the jungles. Directed by William Friedkin and screenplay by Walon Green, the film is a remake of the 1953 film The Wages of Fear by Henri-Georges Clouzot, the film is an exploration into the world of fear and what drives men into taking a dangerous job where they risk their lives for money. Starring Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, Ramon Bieri, and Amidou. Sorcerer is a mesmerizing and very dark film from William Friedkin.
The film is about four different men from four different countries who take a job to carry two trucks full of nitroglycerine through the South American jungle in order to defuse an oil well explosion just 200 km from a small town. It’s a film where these four men from very different worlds are forced to work together as they’re putting their lives on the line as well as be well-paid once the job is done. Yet, carrying a truck full of nitroglycerine through 200 km of treacherous South American jungle as well as bad weather and narrow roads through its mountains. Walon Green’s screenplay definitely has an unusual structure where it’s first act takes place in four different locations to establish who these four men are and why they would go to this very poor town in South America. The second act is about these four men where three of them take on different identities as they work through odd jobs against the comfort of the previous lives where they find out about this job where money is the motivation.
For the American Jack Scanlon (Roy Scheider) who is a fugitive for the mob, it’s a chance to remain in hiding while French banker Victor Manzon (Bruno Cremer) is also a fugitive for different reasons as he was forced to leave his wife and quaint life to avoid going to jail. The other two is an Arab terrorist named Kaseem (Amidou) who has fled Jerusalem following a bombing that he took part in while the wild card is an assassin named Nilo (Francisco Rabal) who was supposed to stay in this small town temporarily but ends up staying because he wants the money. Much of the film’s second half is about the journey through the jungle as the stakes become more treacherous where it’s not just about these four men using their skills but also having to work together despite their differences.
William Friedkin’s direction is truly intense from the way he opens the film to introduce the four principle characters all in the span of 24 minutes. All of it takes place in four different locations as well as in shooting styles where Nilo’s line of work in Vera Cruz displays his personality as everything he does is simple and to the point. The activities of Jack and Kaseem are very violent where the former was just a driver for a mob heist that went wrong while Kaseem is forced to watch his friends be killed and captured. For Victor, he is forced to flee France because of a bribery and fraud scandal that he had been accused of as all of his chances for alibis fall by wayside. Much of the direction for these scenes are simple and quaint where there’s a sense of comfort. All of that goes away once the film moves to this very desolate village in South America where much of it is shot in the Dominican Republic as well as some locations in Mexico and New Mexico.
There are moments in the film where Friedkin goes for these entrancing wide shots of these jungles where it’s a world that has a sense of beauty but it’s also unforgiving. There’s also some tense moments in the film where Friedkin makes the journey to be on where men have to trust each other as it includes this very gripping sequence in the rain where the trucks each carrying three boxes of nitroglycerine has to cross this already fragile suspension bridge through heavy rain. It’s a moment in the film where it’s about the sense of unknown and whether anyone will survive or will the bridge break and the truck will fall into the river and blow up. It’s among these moments that Friedkin creates that plays into the suspense as he also adds moments of surrealism in a very famous sequence involving this very strange landscape. Overall, Friedkin creates a very intense yet harrowing film about four men who play with their lives for money.
Cinematographers John M. Stephens and Dick Bush do amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from the use of lighting schemes for the scenes set in the jungles along with some unique lights for some of the stranger moments as well as some darker moments for the scenes set in the rain. Editors Bud Smith and Robert K. Lambert do brilliant work in the editing to create some very unconventional rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense as well as some stylish dissolves for the surrealistic moments. Production designer John Box, with set decorator Robert W. Laing and art director Roy Walker, does fantastic work with the set design from the different places the men live in their previous lives to the suspension bridge as well as the small South American town they live in.
Costume designer Anthony Powell does nice work with the ragged look of the men with the exception of Nilo who often wears some designer suit. Sound editor Charles L. Campbell, with additional sound design from Aaron Levy for the remastered version of the film, does excellent work with the sound to play into the sense of terror such as the suspension bridge scene as well as the scenes set in the jungle. The film’s music by Tangerine Dream is just incredible as its electronic-driven score plays into the sense of tension and suspense that occurs in the film as it features additional pieces by Keith Javert, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis.
The casting by Louis DiGiamo is superb as it features some notable small roles from Anne-Marie Deschott as Victor’s wife, Friedrich von Ledebur as a bartender at a bar the men often frequent at, Joe Spinell as a friend of Scanlon in South America, Rosario Almontes as a barmaid who would give Victor a cross as a sign of good luck, Karl John as a German friend of Kaseem who was supposed to be the fourth man, and Ramon Bieri as the oil company representative who would pick the men for the job as well as the one who would pay them. Amidou is excellent as an Arabic terrorist who flees Jerusalem to hide from the Israelis as he is efficient in engineering in creating some things as well as having an intense dislike for Nilo. Francisco Rabal is amazing as the assassin Nilo who is a man that can do anything to get what he wants as he has this mix of being a cunning killer who tends to rub everyone the wrong way.
Bruno Cremer is fantastic as Victor as this French banker who becomes disgraced due to accusations of fraud as he is forced to leave his posh life to work in order to survive as he takes the job in hopes to find redemption as he would befriend Kaseem and Scanlon. Finally, there’s Roy Scheider in a marvelous performance as Jackie Scanlon as this former criminal who is hiding from the mob as he is this everyman that just wants the money and the chance to not be in danger from the mob as it’s a very gritty and engaging performance from Scheider.
Sorcerer is a phenomenal film from William Friedkin that features a great leading performance from Roy Scheider as well as strong supporting work from Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, and Amidou. The film is definitely one of the rare remakes that manages to be as good or as equal as to the original as it isn’t just a worthy homage to The Wages of Fear but also manages to be something of its own. In the end, Sorcerer is a tremendously sprawling and exhilarating film from William Friedkin.
William Friedkin Films: (Good Times) - (The Birthday Party) - (The Night They Raided Minsky’s) - (The Boys in the Band) - The French Connection - The Exorcist - (Brink’s Job) - Cruising - ((Deal of the Century) - To Live and Die in L.A. - (Rampage (1987 film)) - (The Guardian (1990 film)) - (Blue Chips) - (Jailbreakers) - (Jade) - (12 Angry Men (1997 TV film)) - (Rules of Engagement) - (The Hunted (2003 film)) - Bug - Killer Joe
Related: The Wages of Fear
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the novel by Gerald Walker, Cruising is the story of an undercover New York City cop who is tracking down a serial killer through the S&M gay nightclubs as gay men are the targets of the deaths. Written for the screen and directed by William Friedkin, the film is an exploration into the world of the gay subculture of leather bars during the late 1970s/early 1980s before the AIDS crisis would emerge. Starring Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Richard Cox, and Don Scardino. Cruising is a chilling although uneven thriller from William Friedkin.
The film is set into the sub-culture of the gay leather bars and sadomasochistic clubs in New York City where a New York City cop goes undercover to find a serial killer who had been killing gay men. Along the way, the cop deals with the growing homophobia among his fellow policemen while struggling with his role as an undercover cop as his personal life starts to fall apart. It’s a film that plays into a man going into a world that he doesn’t really know much about as he gets extremely close to this world. Even as he begins to wonder who the killer is as William Friedkin’s screenplay takes its time for the film’s protagonist in Steve Burns (Al Pacino) to study this gay subculture he’s in as he has to pretend to be gay by the way they walk and how they act.
Yet, he would struggle with his job and being undercover as his sporadic visits with his girlfriend Nancy (Karen Allen) are limited as the only person he can talk to his superior Captain Edelson (Paul Sorvino). Upon trying to find evidence and such about the world and who the killer might be, things do get more complicated where the film’s third act does become a mess. Even as the narrative reveals not just who the killer is and his motivations but it’s one that is never developed as Friedkin seems to try and make the killer a complex character but it never really gets fleshed out. Friedkin does also explore the world of homophobia from the way a couple of patrol officers harass two men in drag in one scene as well as the beating of a suspect from cops that would disgust Burns.
Friedkin’s direction is very interesting in the way he maintains an air of suspense in the film while the killings that are presented are quite brutal and gory. The film does open with a scene on the Hudson River where crew members on a barge ship find a severed arm. Friedkin’s use of close-ups and medium shots are very prevalent while he also infuses some very strange moments such as Burns at a leather bar dancing and getting high as it plays into his own descent. Friedkin maintains that sense of paranoia as well as terror in the way Burns deals with these murders as some of the violence is quite gruesome. The scenes at the leather bars and S&M clubs are quite provocative to showcase a world that is quite dangerous as well as foreign to a mainstream audience. Yet, some of it does play to stereotypes with the exception of a few characters who are fleshed out. Overall, Friedkin creates a very engaging yet messy thriller about a man going undercover into the world of gay leather bars and S&M clubs.
Cinematographer James A. Contner does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the grimy look of the seedy New York City streets where many of the clubs happen as well as some of its low-key lighting in its interiors and other dazzling shots in those clubs. Editor Bud S. Smith, with additional editing by M. Scott Smith for its 2007 reissue, does amazing work in the editing to capture the air of suspense and terror in the killing scenes as well as some straightforward cuts for the dramatic moments. Production designer Bruce Weintraub, with set decorator Robert Drumheller and art director Edward Posini, does fantastic work with the look of the nightclubs that Burns would go to as well as the apartment that he would live in.
Costume designer Robert De Mora does nice work with the costumes that features a lot of stylish clothes and leather gear that many of the gay men would wear. Sound editor Charles L. Campbell, with additional remixing by Aaron Levy for its 2007 reissue, does superb work with the sound from the way the parties at the clubs sound to the moments in many of the locations in New York City. The film’s music by Jack Nitzsche is brilliant for its very eerie classical guitar score that plays into its suspense while the soundtrack features music by the Germs, Willy DeVille, John Hiatt, Mutiny, and other underground punk and dance-rock acts of the times.
The casting by Louis DiGiamo is terrific as it features some notable small roles from James Remar as a roommate of Burns’ gay neighbor, Ed O’Neill as a detective, Mike Starr and Joe Spinell as a couple of patrolmen who harass two men in drag, Powers Boothe as a hanky salesman, Allan Miller as a chief of detectives, and Gene Davis as one of those men in drag who is also an informant for Captain Edelson. Jay Acovone is superb as a young hustler who is a suspect in the case as Burns sees him as a victim while Richard Cox is excellent as another suspect in the case who is actually really troubled. Karen Allen is pretty good in a somewhat thankless role as Burns’ girlfriend as she is often concerned about him.
Don Scardino is wonderful as Burns’ neighbor Ted whom Burns befriends as he brings a nice complexity to a character that could’ve been a stereotype but manages to be so much more. Paul Sorvino is amazing as Captain Edelson who is the one contact that Burns has as he is concerned with Burns’ well-being as well as see gays as real people rather than the stereotypes his homophobic officers act towards him. Finally, there’s Al Pacino in a marvelous performance as Steve Burns as an undercover cop who takes his first undercover assignment as he struggles with his new surroundings as he tries to find the killer while dealing with the homophobia that surrounds the police department as it’s one of Pacino’s more underrated performances.
Cruising is a stellar yet flawed film from William Friedkin that features an excellent performance from Al Pacino. While it’s a film that is very controversial in the way it explores a part of a gay subculture that was taboo at its time. It is still interesting as it navigates into a dark world where gays are the victims where a man tries to find their killer. In the end, Cruising is a very good film from William Friedkin.
William Friedkin Films: (Good Times) - (The Birthday Party) - (The Night They Raided Minsky’s) - (The Boys in the Band) - The French Connection - The Exorcist- Sorcerer - (Brink’s Job) - ((Deal of the Century) - To Live and Die in L.A. - (Rampage (1987 film)) - (The Guardian (1990 film)) - (Blue Chips) - (Jailbreakers) - (Jade) - (12 Angry Men (1997 TV film)) - (Rules of Engagement) - (The Hunted (2003 film)) - Bug - Killer Joe
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by William Friedkin and written by Tracy Letts that is based on his 1996 play, Bug is the story of a woman who finds herself in a rural Oklahoma motel with a paranoid man whose obsession with conspiracy theories has him thinking that bugs and the government are out to get him. The film is a return to the horror genre that Friedkin was known for back in the 1970s as it also explores a world filled with terror in the most unlikeliest of places. Starring Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Lynn Collins, Brian F. O’Byrne, and Harry Connick Jr. Bug is a terrifying and chilling film from William Friedkin.
Set almost entirely in a motel room in the middle of nowhere in Oklahoma, the film revolves a bar waitress who meets a former war veteran who believes that bugs and the government are out to get him. In turn, the waitress starts to believe that everything this man says is real as forces try to interfere. It’s a film that plays into the world of paranoia as well as a woman dealing with loneliness as the well as the presence of her abusive ex-husband. The film’s screenplay by Tracy Letts maintains a sense of intimacy as it plays to the loneliness of bar waitress Agnes (Ashley Judd) who is still reeling from the disappearance of her child years ago where she parties with her friend R. C. (Lynn Collins) who invites this drifter named Peter (Michael Shannon).
Peter is a man that just went AWOL from an experiment that has him believing that bugs are inside of him as he is this unlikely quiet fellow who intrigues Agnes. Yet, Peter’s belief that bugs are trying to kill him has Agnes bewildered until she starts to believe as it raises questions about if anything Peter is saying is true or is he delusional. Even as Agnes doesn’t trust anyone but Peter as she starts to have bruises and such where it plays into a sense of mystery in the film.
William Friedkin’s direction is very intimate but also stylish in the way he plays into the lonely life of a waitress who keeps being stalked by her ex-husband Jerry (Harry Connick Jr.) as she numbs herself with drugs and partying. Much of Friedkin’s direction features some tight-close-ups and medium shots with very few wide shots where it’s only used in a scene where a helicopter is flying above this motel in the middle of Oklahoma. While there’s some scenes shot outside of the motel room, most of the film takes place inside this motel room where it’s intimate but also very chilling in its cramped setting as it gets more troubling as the film progresses. Especially where Friedkin just keeps the setting tighter and more unsettling where there’s an uncertainty by what is really happening as there’s some moments that are very violent as well as shocking that proves that Friedkin still has that ability to create some high-octane scares. Overall, Friedkin creates a very scary and compelling film about paranoia.
Cinematographer Michael Grady does excellent work with the cinematography from the grimy look of its daytime exterior/interior settings to its exterior look at night as well as the use of blue for a very chilling third act inside the motel room. Editor Darrin Navarro does brilliant work with the editing as it has this sense of style in its approach to jump-cut and rhythms while knowing when not to cut in certain scenes involving dialogue. Production designer Franco-Giacomo Carbone and set decorator Frank Zito do fantastic work with look of Agnes‘ motel room in its grimy look as well as what it would look like with tin foil in the film‘s third act. Costume designer Peggy A. Schnitzer does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual to play into the film‘s American Midwest tone.
Sound designer Steve Boeddeker and sound editor Ronald Eng do superb work with the sound from the way the helicopter sounds from inside the hotel to the sparse sound textures that play into Agnes and Peter‘s paranoia.. The film’s music by Brian Tyler is wonderful as it‘s very low-key in its electronic setting while there‘s some additional music by Serj Tankian who provides some fast-paced metal music that. Music supervisor Jay Faires brings in a soundtrack that features a diverse array of music from country, rock, blues, and metal to play into the world of the Midwest.
The casting by Bonnie Timmerman is great as it features a notable appearance from Brian F. O’Byrne who appears in the film’s third act as someone looking for Peter. Harry Connick Jr. is fantastic as Agnes’ ex-husband Jerry who wants to get back with her but is often stalking her as he wants her money. Lynn Collins is superb as R.C. as Agnes’ lesbian friend who introduces her to Peter as she would eventually question Peter’s state of mind. Ashley Judd is amazing as Agnes as a lonely waitress who is reeling from loss as her friendship with Peter has her questioning about her surroundings and everything in the world where Judd goes all out in being insane. Finally, there’s Michael Shannon in an incredible performance as Peter as a former war veteran who went AWOL as he believes that bugs and the government are out to get him where there’s a crazed element to his performance as it’s one full of terror but also complex as there’s an ambiguity into whether he’s crazy or it is really happening to him.
Bug is a remarkably riveting and horrifying film from William Friedkin. Armed with great performances from Michael Shannon and Ashley Judd as well as Tracy Letts’ haunting script. The film is definitely a return-to-form of sorts for Friedkin after a period of hit-and-miss film as it showcases his mastery in suspense and horror. In the end, Bug is a phenomenal film from William Friedkin.
William Friedkin Films: (Good Times) - (The Birthday Party) - (The Night They Raided Minsky’s) - (The Boys in the Band) - The French Connection - The Exorcist - Sorcerer - (Brink’s Job) - Cruising - (Deal of the Century) - To Live and Die in L.A. - (Rampage (1987 film)) - (The Guardian (1990 film)) - (Blue Chips) - (Jailbreakers) - (Jade) - (12 Angry Men (1997 TV film)) - (Rules of Engagement) - (The Hunted (2003 film)) - Killer Joe
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by William Friedkin and written by Tracy Letts from his play, Killer Joe is the story about a young drug dealer who is going through money troubles as he and his family hire a contract killer to his mother so that he can collect the insurance money. The film revolves around a family trying to get money from someone they despise only to make a deal with someone they shouldn’t have trusted. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Thomas Haden Church, Gina Gershon, and Juno Temple. Killer Joe is a grimy yet unsettling film from William Friedkin.
The film is a look into the troubled world of a very dysfunctional family living in West Dallas, Texas where a young drug dealer named Chris Smith (Emile Hirsch) is in deep debt as he owes a lot of money to loan sharks. The only way he can get the money is to have his mother killed so his younger sister Dottie (Juno Temple) can collect the insurance money worth $50,000 and he can split the money between himself, his sister, their father Ansel (Thomas Haden Church), and their stepmother Sharla (Gina Gershon). By hiring the detective/contract killer Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), they hope the plan would work but since the Smith family has no money. Dottie becomes Joe’s retainer until the money is given to Dottie but things become complicated leading to all sorts of trouble. Notably as Joe has some specific rules for Chris and Ansel to follow along with some secrets that could ruin things.
Tracy Letts’ screenplay plays into the dysfunctional world of this family where Chris is a young dealer who is in trouble because of his mother as he owes a lot of money. Though Chris is a fuck-up, he is desperate to get out of debt as he turns to his father for help but Ansel doesn’t have the money to help him out as Chris ropes the family in on the solution of how they can get some big money. By hiring Joe Cooper to do the job, Chris is unaware of the implications that he has bargained for as well as the danger he’s putting Dottie in. Especially as she’s this young, child-like woman who is kind of eccentric but also a representation of innocence though she too doesn’t like her mother very much as she’s also on board with the idea of having her mother dead. Joe is intrigued by Dottie as he wants to do a lot for her but is also a man who is a complete professional in what he does.
While Ansel and Sharla are characters who are only on board because of the money, once things become complicated in relation to what happens after Joe does the job. Notably as secrets are unveiled as well as resentment towards Chris over the danger they’re being put through as Joe is a man that is given a task for what he does and he wants what he’s being paid for. There were rules that Ansel and Chris had to follow but Chris’ conflict over what is happening to Dottie makes him uneasy as he tries to cancel the hit only to be reminded of the trouble he’s in. It adds to not just the conflict that Chris is facing but also the damage of his actions as he realizes how far down he’s in as he put his family in danger and has to deal with the consequences from not just the loan sharks but Joe as well.
The direction of William Friedkin is definitely unsafe and discomforting in not just the way he portrays a family that are dysfunctional and selfish but also the world they’re in as they live in a trailer park in the West Dallas, Texas. While there’s some scenes shot in New Orleans, Friedkin makes West Dallas into this very vast yet grimy place where things are in decay while and it’s a world where people tend to live by their own rules. It’s also a place where Friedkin uses Texas something that is considered Gothic with its images of lighting and rain where it plays a sense of doom that is to come while some of the locations showcase a place that had lost some of its splendor.
It’s not just West Dallas that’s a character in the film but also some of the presentation that Friedkin goes for as he maintains something that is stylish but also has this air of suspense in some of the film’s darker moments. Even in scenes between Joe and Dottie where Joe is entranced by Dottie’s innocence as there’s also an element of creepiness that occurs from Joe. The violence in the film is quite brutal that includes a scene where Chris is beaten by a couple of hoods. Yet, that is tame compared to the film’s final sequence where Joe confronts Sharla and Ansel over the insurance money where it involves some moments that will push the limits of how much someone can take. Even as it would later be followed by a chilly climax to showcase not just some dark truths but also something that is inevitable about everything else. Overall, William Friedkin creates a truly visceral yet mesmerizing film about greed and loyalty that refuses to play nice.
Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel does excellent work with the cinematography from a more naturalistic setting for the exterior scenes in the day to some more stylish use of lights in some of the nighttime interior and exteriors scenes including moments in the rain. Editor Darrin Navarro does fantastic work with the editing to play up the sensation of the violence as well as using some rhythmic yet methodical cuts to play out the film‘s suspenseful moments. Production designer Franco-Giacomo Carbone and set decorator Alice Baker do superb work with the set pieces from the empty pool hall where Joe meets Chris and Ansel to the trailer home the Smith family lives in that includes Dottie’s very innocent room that is filled with posters of pop idols.
Costume designer Peggy A. Schnitzer does nice work with the film‘s clothes as it‘s mostly casual and grimy though the look of Joe is very dark with his boots and black cowboy hat. Sound designer Steve Boeddeker and sound editors Aaron Levy and Mace Matiosian do amazing work with the sound to play out the air of suspense in some of the film‘s locations along with some moments where the sound creates an atmosphere to create something that is very intense. The film’s music by Tyler Bates is terrific as it‘s very low-key with its use of ambient music to underplay the suspense and drama. Music supervisor C.C. Adcock creates a soundtrack that is offbeat as it ranges from country music, rockabilly, folk music, and some reggae as it includes contributions from Lee Hazelwood, Clarence Carter, Southern Culture on the Skids, and Reverend Horton Heat.
The casting by Denise Chamian is brilliant as it features some notable small roles from Danny Epper and Jeff Galpin as a couple of biker thugs who beat up Chris, Marc Macauley as the loan shark Digger that Chris owes money to, Sean O’Hara as the boyfriend of Chris’ mother Rex, and Julia Adams as Chris and Dottie’s mother Adele. Gina Gershon is excellent as Ansel’s wife Sharla who doesn’t really like Chris very much as she goes for the plan only for the money as she is also carrying a secret that would later impact things. Thomas Haden Church is superb as Ansel as a man who is unsure about getting involved with the scheme only to realize how beneficial it would be until he realizes the consequences it would bring.
Juno Temple is wonderful as Dottie as this very innocent young woman who is kind of an eccentric but also who is also quite girlish as she doesn’t seem to know what is really going on other than the fact that her mom is going to be killed. Emile Hirsch is amazing as Chris Smith as a young man in a lot of trouble as he tries to get himself out of trouble only to realize he’s made a deal that will bring in some serious consequences. Finally, there’s Matthew McConaughey in a performance for the ages as Joe Cooper where McConaughey is a man that is about his job while knowing what he can get in return as he’s also a man that’s in control but also instills a sense of order in what he does and what he wants as it’s definitely a performance full of terror and charisma.
Killer Joe is a phenomenal film from William Friedkin that features an unforgettable performance from Matthew McConaughey and a chilling screenplay from Tracy Letts. Along with a great ensemble that includes Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church, and Gina Gershon, it’s a film that doesn’t want to play nice while not being afraid to be ugly and dirty. For William Friedkin, the film is certainly his most captivating but also his most harrowing as it shows a master returning to form. In the end, Killer Joe is an outstanding film from William Friedkin.
William Friedkin Films: (Good Times) - (The Birthday Party) - (The Night They Raided Minsky’s) - (The Boys in the Band) - The French Connection - The Exorcist - Sorcerer - (Brink’s Job) - Cruising - (Deal of the Century) - To Live and Die in L.A. - (Rampage (1987 film)) - (The Guardian (1990 film)) - (Blue Chips) - (Jailbreakers) - (Jade) - (12 Angry Men (1997 TV film)) - (Rules of Engagement) - (The Hunted (2003 film)) - Bug (2006 film)
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the novel by Gerald Petievich, To Live and Die in L.A. is about two Secret Service agents trying to find a counterfeiter at any cost. Directed by William Friedkin and screenplay by Friedkin and Petievich, the film is a thriller that explores the complexities of two men doing whatever it takes to nab a criminal where they would question their own tactics. Starring William Petersen, John Pankow, Darlanne Fluegel, John Turturro, Dean Stockwell, Debra Feuer, and Willem Dafoe. To Live and Die in L.A. is an entrancing yet thrilling film from William Friedkin.
After the death of his partner Jimmy Hart (Michael Greene) who was a few days from retiring just as he was trying to uncover a counterfeit scheme. Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen) is determined to avenge Hart’s death by going after the notorious counterfeiter/artist in Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe) whose methods are considered legendary. With Chance given a new partner in John Vukovich (John Pankow), the two stake out across from the home of an attorney in Max Waxman (Christopher Allport) where they didn’t see Masters kill Waxman as Chance manages to take a small pocketbook of Waxman to find who he’s connected to. With the help of his informant Ruth (Darlanne Fluegel), Chance goes into deep into what kind of work Masters is doing as he had tried to get a hit put on his friend Carl Cody (John Turturro) whom Chance had just put in prison.
Vukovich secretly meets with Masters’ attorney Bob Grimes (Dean Stockwell) who organizes a deal for Vukovich and Chance to see Masters about deal as they pretend to be different men. A deal is made but Masters wants $30,000 for his work as it would prove to be difficult as Chance and Vukovich try to figure out how to get the money. Through Ruth’s information, Chance decides to rob from a Chinese man named Ling (Michael Chong) who is interested in buying $50,000 worth of diamonds. During the robbery, things go wrong when Chance and Vukovich realizes that something didn’t go right even though they got the money. Chance’s tactics hope it will make a deal with Masters in the hopes to bust him yet Vukovich becomes uneasy about everything that has transpired.
The film is about a Secret Service agent and his new partner trying to go after a counterfeiter by any means necessary where their tactics become questionable as they take on major risks for themselves and those going after this counterfeiter. The film is also a revenge story of sorts since it is about this agent trying to get revenge for the death of his old partner who is definitely intent on wanting to kill the man who did this and put him down. Yet, it would cause a lot of conflict to those around this man including his superiors and new partner who wants to do things by the book and not get into any kind of trouble.
The screenplay by William Friedkin and novelist Gerald Petievich is very complex in the way it explores the tactics of one man and how he is obsessed with trying to capture this criminal who definitely operates in his own way. Richard Chance is this very unconventional Secret Service agent who is willing to do anything to capture someone where will also break rules in the process. This would often get the ire of his superiors yet he gets the job done. When it comes to this assignment to capture this counterfeiter who killed his partner, Chance becomes more unhinged as the story progresses where he does things that are unconventional like the fact that he sleeps with his informant and often blackmails her to do things or else she breaks her parole. Yet, he is also quite reckless where he will do stupid things such as believe a criminal’s words as he will admit that it was his own fault as he would do whatever to make up for that mistake.
Rick Masters is definitely a criminal who is very unique in his own way. He is an artists who likes to paint and then burn his paintings while he goes into great care into forging $20 bills in order to use it for his own criminal means. He knows that he couldn’t use $50 or $100 bills to do things as it would be too suspicious as he often lurks around in the underworld. He also goes into clubs where he has a girlfriend (Debra Feuer) around to aid him in a few of his things while he’s also ensuring that if there’s a problem. He’ll take care of it or let someone else do it. Then there’s John Vukovich who is a more straight-laced officer that is forced to see the kind of things that Chance does where he becomes anguished over what to do as he would turn to a lawyer who is also working for Masters. Things eventually become complicated as it would involve a showdown.
Friedkin’s direction is definitely engaging for the way he presents the film as it is shot on location in Los Angeles and nearby areas where it has this degree of style to its look and setting. It’s flashy but also very gritty in some of its locations where Friedkin does make Los Angeles a character in the film. Notably as Friedkin shoots a lot of scenes at night, in the evening, or at dawn where it adds to this element of style where it’s a place that is unsettling but also exciting. Friedkin creates a lot of unique compositions to help play out the suspense with some slow, methodical movements with the camera along with more intense-driven moments such as a chase inside the airport or a frenetic car-chase scene through the L.A. river.
The direction also have Friedkin explore the two different worlds between an agent and a criminal as it does have similarities to his 1971 film The French Connection. This time around, it’s not a battle of wits but rather a cat-and-mouse game of sorts with a revenge angle into the mix. Friedkin takes great time to reveal the two different lifestyles of Chance and Masters where the latter definitely surrounds himself in a very private world where he goes all over the place while Chance is more grounded in the streets. The eventual showdown is quite unexpected as Friedkin also takes more of a grimy approach towards the violence. Overall, Friedkin creates a mesmerizing and eerie crime film that explores the complexities of vengeance and power.
Cinematographer Robby Muller does brilliant work with the film‘s stylish photography from some wonderful shots of daytime exterior and interior settings to more stylish looks at night including the use of colored lights to set the mood for those scenes while second-unit photographer Robert D. Yeomen shot the scenes in the chase scene. Editor M. Scott Smith does excellent work with the editing from the intensity of the chase scenes to the more methodical cutting style in its suspenseful moments. Production designer Lilly Kilvert, along with set decorator Cricket Rowland and art director Buddy Cone, does nice work with the set pieces from the studio where Masters works at to the look of some of the locations in Los Angeles.
Costume designer Linda M. Bass does wonderful work with the costumes from the more rugged look of Chance to the more stylish clothes of Masters who always wear dark colors. Sound recorders Jean-Louis Ducarme and Rodger Pardee do superb work with the sound to capture the chaos of the locations as well as the intimate moments in the conversations. The film’s music by Wang Chung is a major highlight of the film for its chilling synthesizer-driven music from some eerie ambient-like pieces to more upbeat new wave music that plays up to the energy as it proves that there’s a lot more to Wang Chung than Everybody Have Fun Tonight.
The casting by Robert Weiner is amazing for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Robert Downey Sr. as Chance’s superior Thomas Bateman, Michael Greene as Chance’s partner Jimmy Hart, Steve James as Masters’ street organizer Jeff Rice, Christopher Allport as the attorney Max Waxman, Michael Chong as the Asian man Chance and Vukovic kidnap, and Debra Feuer as Master’s girlfriend Bianca who would aid him in a few things. Dean Stockwell is terrific as Masters’ attorney Bob Grimes who secretly meets Vukovic about setting up a meeting while John Turturro is wonderful as Masters’ friend Carl Cody who gets himself in trouble while being aware that Masters might eliminate him. Darlanne Fluegel is excellent as Chance’s informer Ruth who reluctantly gives him information while feeling pushed about the power that he has.
John Pankow is great as the straight-laced John Vukovic who sees all of the things that Chance does in his line of work while becoming troubled by some of the things he encounters as he tries to maintain a grip between what should be done at any cost or to play by the rules. Willem Dafoe is fantastic as the very devious and secretive Rick Masters who is a man with a great sense of wit but also can be very cunning in his pursuits as it’s definitely one of Dafoe’s great performances. Finally, there’s William Petersen in a marvelous performance as Richard Chance where Petersen displays a sense of recklessness as well as unpredictability to a man who is determined to seek vengeance while doing things that would prove to be troubling.
To Live and Die in L.A. is an incredible film from William Friedkin featuring top-notch performances from William Petersen, John Pankow, and Willem Dafoe. The film is definitely one of the great crime thrillers of the genre as well as a very underrated film to come out of the 1980s. Featuring Robby Muller’s entrancing cinematography and superb music of Wang Chung, it’s a film that is definitely full of style and provides the audience something that is different from what is expected in the crime genre. In the end, To Live and Die in L.A. is a remarkable film from William Friedkin.
William Friedkin Films: (Good Time) - (The Birthday Party) - (The Night They Raided Minsky’s) - (The Boys in the Band) - The French Connection - The Exorcist - Sorcerer - (Brink’s Job) - Cruising - (Deal of the Century) - (Rampage (1987 film)) - (The Guardian (1990 film)) - (Blue Chips) - (Jailbreakers) - (Jade) - (12 Angry Men (1997 TV film)) - (Rules of Engagement) - (The Hunted (2003 film)) - Bug (2006 film) - Killer Joe
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the book by Robin Moore, The French Connection is the story of two New York City detectives who go on the hunt to bust a French smuggling ring in their city. Directed by William Friedkin and screenplay by Ernest Tidyman, the film is an exploration into how two narcotic officers try to bust a smuggling ring through their own unconventional tactics while dealing with those who are targeting them. Starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Rey, Tony Lo Bianco, and Marcel Bozzuffi. The French Connection is a chilling yet entrancing thriller from William Friedkin.
In Marseilles, a criminal named Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey) is planning to smuggle a large shipment of heroin to New York City with his accomplice Pierre Nicoli (Marcel Bozzuffi) and a famous French TV actor in Henri Devereaux (Frederic de Pasquale) to help out. Meanwhile, undercover narcotic agents Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy “Cloudy” Russo (Roy Scheider) are in Brooklyn watching over a drug transaction as they capture a young man who reveals where the drug connection comes from. Later at a bar, Doyle and Russo eye a man named Salvatore “Sal” Baca (Tony Lo Bianco) and his wife Angie (Arlene Farber) as they were sitting at a table with mobsters as the two follow them where it becomes clear that Baca is operating a business behind their diner. Learning about their criminal records, Doyle is convinced that something is happening as they notice the appearance of famed mob lawyer Joel Weinstock (Harold Gray) with Baca.
After Doyle’s informant reveals about a large shipment of heroin coming to New York City, Doyle and Russo go to their supervisor Walt Simonson (Eddie Egan) to wiretap and follow the Bacas about what they’re doing. Simonson brings in federal agent Mulderig (Bill Hickman) to the case as he and Doyle have an intense dislike towards one another. With the cops watching Baca, Doyle notices Charnier for the first time as he tries to follow him yet Charnier is fully aware of what is going on as he decides to toy with Doyle. With Baca concerned about the trade as he learns he’s being watched, Charnier decides to make some moves by getting Nicoli to get rid of Doyle. Yet, Doyle learns that he’s being targeted as he and Russo go on the case to follow Baca where they see him switch cars as Doyle believes something is in that car that will help make or break the as he goes after Charnier.
The film is about a couple of NYC narcotic agents trying to discover a smuggling ring led by a French criminal who is masterminding everything. Yet, they deal with all sorts of things as it becomes clear that not only does this mastermind is aware of their every move but he becomes a greater challenge to the police where he would do whatever it takes to make they screw up. For Popeye Doyle, it’s all about trying to stop a drug trade from happening and getting this mastermind and take him to justice. What happens is that he finds himself taking on the greatest challenge of his career.
Ernest Tidyman’s screenplay has a very unique approach to the narrative where its first half moves back and forth from France to New York City where Charnier is planning everything while Doyle and Buddy Russo are doing their jobs and eventually discover about this smuggling ring that’s going to happen. Doyle and Russo are men who are willing to bring down the drug trade as they would also do things that often has fellow cops and other questioning their tactics. Still, it brings in results as they go by instinct as they’re aware that not everything is as simple as it seems. By uncovering this smuggling ring that’s about to happen, they take their time to see how it plays out where things become much more complicated in the second half.
Notably as Charnier finally arrives in the U.S. where he becomes aware that there’s cops following him yet he is someone who is willing to play along and do whatever to piss them off. He knows that the American partners he’s working with are scared yet he is the most calm as he can deal with a situation and is willing to do anything to get rid of the problem. By targeting Doyle, Charnier eventually realizes that he’s facing an opponent that is determined to do whatever it takes to go after Charnier. The film’s climatic scene involving the transaction and the police becomes one of the most chilling moments where it is about a showdown between Doyle and Charnier and who will outwit who.
William Friedkin’s direction is truly mesmerizing in the way he presents the film from the opening scene in Marseilles, France where a cop tries to go after Charnier only to lose and then cuts to New York City to establish what kind of cops Doyle and Russo are. Friedkin starts the film off very slowly to see how Charnier discusses his plans as it then goes to America where Doyle and Russo watch someone to see what he’s doing as they realize something is up. While the film is shot largely on location to maintain a sense of realism through hand-held cameras as it includes a few running chase scenes. It does have this air of intimacy to see how Doyle and Russo work together and the relationship they have where Russo isn’t as aggressive as Doyle while Doyle is more determined making their relationship unique.
The film’s second half is more intense as it involves a lot of following how Charnier and Doyle try to outwit each other in a scene at a subway station. It is one of the most intriguing moments in film that doesn’t require a lot of stylish cutting. Then comes one of the film’s most unforgettable moments where an assassin tries to kill Doyle as Doyle goes after him leading to one of the most gripping and intense car chase scenes ever. It’s all about Doyle trying to go after this train that is above him to capture the killer where it’s all about what Doyle isn’t trying to hit where he would nearly get killed in the process. This would eventually lead to this elaborate presentation where Doyle and Charnier would finally come face-to-face once again yet the results would eventually show something that would be complicated. Overall, Friedkin creates a gripping yet exhilarating suspense film that just refuses to play by the rules.
Cinematographer Owen Roizman does excellent work with the film‘s photography from the sunny look of Marseilles to the more grimy look of early 1970s NYC in its nighttime scenes. Editor Gerald B. Greenberg does brilliant work with the editing to utilize methodical cuts for its slow, suspenseful moments while using more stylish cuts for the film‘s car chase scene. Art director Ben Kasazkow and Edward Garzero do terrific work with the look of Charnier‘s home in France to the look of the hotels he lives in while Doyle lives in a more grimy apartment.
Costume designer Joseph Fretwell III does nice work with the costumes from the street clothes of Doyle and Russo to the more refined suits of Charnier. The sound work of Theodore Soderberg and Christopher Newman is fantastic to play out the suspense from the intimacy of the conversations to the chaos that occurs in the chase scene. The film’s music by Don Ellis is wonderful for the way it plays off its suspense with its piano and low-key orchestra to build things or to take charge in the intense moments.
The casting by Robert Weiner is amazing for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Benny Marino as Boca’s cousin, Ann Rebbot as Charnier’s wife, Patrick McDermott as the drug chemist testing the heroin, Harold Gray as mob lawyer Joel Weinstock, Arlene Farber as Boca’s wife Angie, Frederic de Pasquale as the French actor who works with Charnier unaware of what he’s carrying in the car, and Eddie Egan as Doyle and Russo’s superior Walt Simonson. Bill Hickman is excellent as the federal agent Bill Mulderig who criticizes Doyle and Russo’s tactics as he often goes into blows with Doyle. Marcel Bozzuffi is wonderful as Charnier’s hitman Nicoli who is aware of how things go wrong while Tony Lo Bianco is very good as the low-level criminal Sal Boca who deals with phone taps and other issues that he feels could jeopardize the deal.
Fernando Rey is superb as Alain Charnier as a man who is the mastermind behind the smuggling ring as he finds a worthy opponent in Doyle as he does whatever he can to outwit in the most charming of ways. Roy Scheider is great as Buddy Russo who is the more professional of the two detectives as he tries to keep Doyle in tact while backing him up when he knows something isn’t right. Finally, there’s Gene Hackman in a magnificent performance as Popeye Doyle as a detective whose unconventional tactics has gained him the ire of some people yet he always bring results as he faces his greatest challenge in Charnier while doing whatever it takes to do what is right.
The French Connection is an outstanding film from William Friedkin that features incredible performances from Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, and Fernando Rey. The film is definitely among one of the great suspense-thrillers of the genre that features one of the most unforgettable chase scenes in cinema. It’s also a thriller that doesn’t play by the rules while keeping the audiences intrigued by everything that is happening. In the end, The French Connection is a tremendous film from William Friedkin.
William Friedkin Films: (Good Time) - (The Birthday Party) - (The Night They Raided Minsky’s) - (The Boys in the Band) - The Exorcist - Sorcerer - (Brink’s Job) - Cruising - (Deal of the Century) - To Live and Die in L.A. - (Rampage (1987 film)) - (The Guardian (1990 film)) - (Blue Chips) - (Jailbreakers) - (Jade) - (12 Angry Men (1997 TV film)) - (Rules of Engagement) - (The Hunted (2003 film)) - Bug (2006 film) - Killer Joe
© thevoid99 2013
