“Betrayal (Sorcerer Theme)” by Tangerine Dream

In 1977 an independent film about a farmboy and his princess sister hijacked the box office while completely revolutionizing the way films were produced, consumed, and marketed.

One month later, Sorcerer was released. No, it’s not a movie about kingdoms or magic, but a thriller set in Central America. It also fell woefully short of its projected profits and critical expectations, while costing twice as much to produce.

William Friedkin was the director of that film. He was also a part of the “American New Wave” of filmmaking, which did away with the studio system; focusing more on realism, on location filmmaking, and improvising actors. He won an Oscar for The French Connection, and has garnered critical acclaim for his work on The Exorcist, Cruising, and To Live and Die in L.A.
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We lost William Friedkin last week at the age of 87. He was a brilliant director that refused to compromise, shortchange or sabotage the stories he told. His work also spanned various genres and although Sorcerer was originally both a commercial and critical failure, it has since been lauded as an overlooked masterpiece. Friedkin even considered it one of his favorite works. I tend to agree.