RIP William Friedkin

[choombaz]

The French Connection
The Exorcist
To Live And Die In LA

Sure he made a lot of rubbish but that right there is an incredible legacy to leave behind. I had the great opportunity to see him speak live introducing the underrated Sorceror (terrible title though) and he’s every bit as an arrogant genius that he comes across as.

He made a couple of other interesting films as well that from a historical point of view are important:
Cruising - a deeply sleazy horrible film that astoundingly got made by a big time director and a big time star.
Rampage - one of the most unappreciated and completely forgotten about serial killer movies that really unpacks the psychological nature of the subject
Killer Joe - a very recent and very solid return to form that showed he was still capable of incredible dexterity and wtf cinema
Rules Of Engagement - one of the through lines of his career was he was very good at court room drama and did it a number of times this is another great example
Conversation with Fritz Lang - an incredibly fascinating documentary interview that is exactly what the title says it is
Twilight Zone mid 80s - he did a great episode called Nightcrawlers about a returning war veteran.

I’m embarrassed to say I have never seen The Boys In The Band and The Night They Raided Minskys, his first two films, but I hear great things about them and will have to seek them out.

And in the year that his greatest film is getting released in 4K and a sequel to the same film is coming out.

What a unique, complicated staggering talent. He will be missed.

RIP William Friedkin

 

[Wor-Gar]

The French Connection
The Exorcist

These two films really did change Hollywood in their time.

 

[Mr.E]

One of my favorite directors. A shame, but his legacy will live on.

 

[choombaz]

Despite the alternate version and Mr Friedkin’s constant changing of view on the film, The Exorcist will always be his mountain and goes far far beyond just being an astoundingly well directed film and no amount of bad sequels will ever tarnish it.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Exorcist sequel already coming soon.

 

[Khev]

Somehow Satan returned.

 

[choombaz]

Exorcist sequel already coming soon.

Yep. And with Ellen Burstyn as well.

 

[Johnny Utah]

A great director with balls.

His blurays were always chock full of extras, and his interviews were legendary.

RIP

 

[JAWS]

I loved listening to him talk film. He will be missed.

I have a love / meh relationship with his films.

The Exorcist I love and most of the rest of his catalog was meh for me.

In fact I just watched To Live and Die in LA last week. Someone will have to explain the appeal of that film to me.

Anyways RIP William.

 

[Mr.E]

A great director with balls.

His blurays were always chock full of extras, and his interviews were legendary.

RIP

Ballsy is right. Well said.

His film commentaries remain some of my favorites. Though I wish he had done one for Sorcerer. He'll be missed.

 

[choombaz]

Ballsy is right. Well said.

His film commentaries remain some of my favorites. Though I wish he had done one for Sorcerer. He'll be missed.

Some of his commentaries were brilliant but the one he did for The Exorcist The Version You’ve Never Seen was god awful he just narrated what was on the screen. I dunno maybe he was forced to do it.

From memory he said at that screening he had recorded a commentary for Sorceror so maybe it will see the light of day at some point.

 

[choombaz]

I loved listening to him talk film. He will be missed.

Yeah there is a sitdown between Blatty and Friedkin on one of the Exorcist discs that’s endlessly fascinating.

In fact I just watched To Live and Die in LA last week. Someone will have to explain the appeal of that film to me.

Yeah I haven’t watched it in a while and I admit I have a fascination with it but it’s very silly, that Wang Chung music is just really wrong for the film and the car chase isn’t as good as some people insist it is. It does have a really violent streak at times that I like though.

 

[jsgord58]

I was pissed at him for years due to his beating out Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof) for the best director Oscar.
Fiddler was the movie that I saw at 13 years of age and which started my lifelong love of movies.
But now I really appreciate Billy Friedkin and his work. May he rest in peace.

 

[Mr.E]

Some of his commentaries were brilliant but the one he did for The Exorcist The Version You’ve Never Seen was god awful he just narrated what was on the screen. I dunno maybe he was forced to do it.

From memory he said at that screening he had recorded a commentary for Sorceror so maybe it will see the light of day at some point.

Yes, that commentary was a little stiff but I still dig it. He probably got tired of talking about The Exorcist at times.

 

[choombaz]

https://decider.com/2023/06/20/who-censored-the-french-connection/