Sorcerer” is a gripping thriller film directed by William Friedkin and released in 1977. The movie is a remake of the French film “The Wages of Fear.” It follows four men from different backgrounds hired to transport a shipment of highly volatile nitroglycerin through the South American jungle.
William Friedkin, born on August 29, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois, is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter.
He gained widespread acclaim for directing “The French Connection” (1971) and “The Exorcist” (1973), both of which earned him Academy Awards for Best Director.
Friedkin’s intense and realistic approach to filmmaking and ability to create palpable tension has solidified his reputation as a master of the thriller genre.
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Revisiting “Sorcerer” (1977): A Troubled Masterpiece
Despite its turbulent production and commercial challenges, William Friedkin’s “Sorcerer” is often regarded as his favorite film.
The movie, a costly remake of Henri-Georges Clouzot’s classic “The Wages of Fear,” features a gripping narrative and an exceptional cast, with Roy Scheider being the only well-known actor among them.
The story revolves around four men with troubled pasts who are drawn into a dangerous mission to transport highly volatile cargo through the South American jungle.
Despite its initial poor reception and financial disappointment, the film has gained a cult following and received a more positive reassessment from film critics in recent years.
The movie’s unrelentingly dark and pessimistic tone and release in the shadow of the blockbuster “Star Wars” contributed to its commercial struggles.
Friedkin’s ambitious vision, showcased through impressive action sequences and realistic jungle settings, was marred by the film’s troubled production, including a grueling shoot in multiple locations and significant budgetary overruns.
While the film’s title and marketing misled audiences to expect a supernatural element akin to Friedkin’s previous works, it offers a gritty, suspenseful narrative that has garnered newfound appreciation in contemporary critique.
On this visually stunning Blu-ray version, “Sorcerer” is a spectacle to behold, but it falls short of being a fully immersive entertainment experience.
Despite William Friedkin’s insistence that the film is not a remake, its story and character developments closely mirror those of the original.
While the characters are intentionally portrayed as unlikeable, the actors’ performances challenge this portrayal, especially Roy Scheider’s Scanlon, whom the audience naturally gravitates towards, even when rooting for a rival truck to explode.
The lack of humor in the characters and the film’s focus on precise angles and cutting detract from the development of emotional tension and investment in their survival.
A Visual Spectacle with Missed Political Depth
Friedkin’s emphasis on mood and a cynical finish fails to fully engage the audience despite the film’s admirable technical aspects.
Roy Scheider’s performance is notable, but Scanlon’s character lacks the depth needed to captivate the audience fully.
Bruno Cremer delivers an excellent performance, showcasing the loss of a lavish lifestyle with his expressive eyes, while Amidou adds youthfulness to the cast.
Francisco Rabal’s portrayal of the ruthless hired killer remains enigmatic, with minimal exploration into his character.
Friedkin’s intention to cast Rabal in “The French Connection” is noted, with the chemistry between actors being a crucial factor in the success of a film, a missing element in “Sorcerer.”
While “Sorcerer” is visually captivating and technically impressive, its failure to fully engage the audience due to its character portrayal and lack of emotional depth is evident.
Friedkin’s remake of “The Wages of Fear,” while visually stunning and featuring a robust 5.1 audio transfer, is criticized for lacking the original’s political outrage and replacing it with a sense of dull pessimism.
Unlike the original film, which expressed fierce anger against economic injustices, “Sorcerer” seemingly accepts these conditions as a given.
Viewers may not be aware of Francisco Rabal’s impressive acting career, which includes diverse roles in iconic films and collaborations with renowned directors such as Luis Buñuel and Pedro Almodóvar.
Furthermore, the Blu-ray release lacks video extras, offering instead an adapted chapter on the film’s making from Friedkin’s book.
Despite the absence of additional video content, the packaging includes an illustrated color souvenir book featuring Friedkin’s account of the difficult shoot.
The stunning transfer captures the film’s grandeur, with the bridge sequence being particularly memorable, portrayed amidst pouring rain.
Although there are no video extras included, it’s noted that a wealth of film materials from the shoot was collected, suggesting the potential for a comprehensive documentary or featurette if the film had been considered a bigger production.
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