Siskel & Ebert Review Sorcerer (1977) William Friedkin

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the footage I used. Copyrights belong to their respective owners. This video is covered by "fair use".

[goosebumpsemiliano]

This movie has the music of a sci-fi, a feel of a horror movie, the risks of a adventure movie and the fate of a masterpiece

[ommm]

Amazing film; the bridge sequence is one of the greatest set-pieces in cinema history, absolutely breathtaking.

[sksksksl]

I saw this movie in the theater when it first came out and thought it was absolutely stunning. Paid to watch it many more times before it left the theaters and got it on VHS and DVD ASAP. Amazing, underrated film. Holds up all these years later.

[objetocine]

Now that Friedkin is gone, this is the one that you must watch to find the kind of amazing filmmaker he was.

[westerndoughty]

This is my fav Friedkin movie. Incredible I wish Criterion would release it

[karinacontreras]

I was sooo lucky to watch this film with William Friedkin in attendance at the TCM film festival!!!! Incredible

[matthewschwartz]

I always loved Roy Scheider. He was on fire in the 1970’s (All That Jazz, Klute, Jaws, The French Connection. And this sounds good, too.).

[grizzlywhisker]

This movie is truly one of the most underrated and overlooked films of all time. Even after almost 50 years and people rediscovering what a hidden gem it is, it still remains in obscurity and is very rarely talked about. I would say this was Friedkin's best film, even better than The Exorcist, The French Connection, and To Live and Die in LA.

[Barot]

It's such an underrated masterpiece. The studio had no idea how to market it. I was lucky to see this in the theater when it came out and was amazed. This sequence alone is riveting and suspenseful.

[PhilAndersonOutside]

One of two Friedken masterpieces few people saw, and many have forgotten (To Live and Die in LA is the other).

[richwickliffeauthor]

That scene would be all CGI now. And I'm on the edge of my seat watching on a computer screen

[normanmacfarlane]

Hard to believe this movie disappeared without a trace.
This is a classic that will be spoken about in years to come .

[JollyDeacs]

A couple of things here... notice the "howling, grunting and subtle frequency tone, along with the wood creaking sound effects. Pure brilliance. I'm not even mentioning Tangerine Dream's Synth compostions that just add such a rich layer of intensity to this classic cinema masterpiece. This is true filming within the highest degree of art form. Bravo... these types of scenes now have CG Graphics and computers taking over...

[koroba]

I loved this movie, had one of the best soundtracks, got me turned onto Tangerine Dream.

[CraigStellmacher]

And a nod to Tangerine Dream for the amazing soundtrack which isn't mentioned here or exhibited in this clip. It's hypnotic on its own.

[nolagospeltracts]

I saw this on HBO as a teenager. I was totally mesmerized..

[joelstein]

I remember being totally blown away when I saw this film in the theatre. A terribly dark and depressing movie but a tour de force of directing and acting beyond anything I've seen before or since. Thanks for reminding me of a great movie.

[frankbaine]

One of the best films of the 70's. Most theater-goers were intellectually out of their depth to appreciate the many subtleties within the film. Quite possibly the most depressing & hopeless film I've ever seen. Absolutely loved it.

[Lurvy]

With the title Sorceror in front of a demonic statue at the movie's opening, it had the viewers thinking it would be another exorcist/devil movie. It should have been called something else to avoid the confusion. Turned out it was the name of one of the trucks these criminals from all parts of the world were driving through the South American jungles. The music soundtrack and atmosphere did have the images of a horror movie as one viewer said. I watched it a few times on video/YouTube. Director William Friedkin loves having characters that are troubled/screwed up with their lives in his films (The Exorcist, To Live And Die In LA). One of the most underrated action films from the 1970s. It felt like Friedkin's Apocalypse Now I witnessed.

[rmooreg]

This probably would have done better if it had retained the title of it's source material. "The Wages of Fear" was a taut, adventure thriller, a little known novel that was adapted into a little known, but well made movie in the 1950's. While not a huge hit, the film was so suspenseful and compelling that over time it began to build a following, making it onto many critic's top ten lists. I think that in 1970's there were still many film enthusiasts who would have recognized the title and there would have been a lot more interest generated via word of mouth.