The Greatest Movie Nobody Saw — And Why Directors Love It Now

Sorcerer 1977 — We look at the legendarily hard-to-make classic, and why it continues to influence filmmakers today. Subscribe to StudioBinder Academy ►► https://bit.ly/sb-ad StudioBinder Blog ►► http://bit.ly/sb-bl ───────────────────── Chapters: 00:00 - Sorcerer Introduction 00:59 - The History of William Friedkin's Sorcerer 02:10 - Production on Location 03:02 - Remake of The Wages of Fear 04:34 - Roy Scheider's Performance 05:50 - The Bridge Scene 07:54 - Takeaways ───────────────────── GREAT MOVIES TO WATCH: SORCERER Filmmakers fear a shoot like the one William Friedkin experienced for "Sorcerer." It's a production's worst nightmare: impossible locations, constant injuries, huge egos. And yet, filmmakers would also do anything to make a movie like "Sorcerer." In this video, we take a look at the oft-forgotten classic, and examine what makes it so good (even if critics didn't think as much at the time). SORCERER MOVIE EXPLAINED "Sorcerer" is based on Georges Arnaud’s 1950 novel The Wages of Fear, which had already been adapted into Henri-Georges Clouzot’s widely-celebrated 1953 film of the same name. Friedkin’s version is often mistakenly considered a straightforward remake of Clouzot’s work, but it functions more as a reimagining filtered through the sensibilities of 1970s American cinema. The story remains the same at its core: four desperate men in a South American backwater are hired to drive two trucks laden with volatile nitroglycerin across treacherous terrain. But Friedkin significantly expands the backstory of each character. The opening sequences ground each man in his own failure or crime, lending the central journey greater moral weight. SORCERER MAKING OF Visually, "Sorcerer" is one of Friedkin’s most striking achievements. Shot on location, the jungle is not just a backdrop but an active antagonist, swallowing everything in the frame. Friedkin’s documentary-style realism translates here into a suffocating sensation. Every frame feels damp and muddy. The centerpiece of the film, and arguably one of the greatest action sequences ever committed to film, is the crossing of the rope suspension bridge during a violent storm. The sequence is both spectacular and terrifying because Friedkin shot it practically. The sequence, like much of the film, derives its suspense not from quick edits or effects but from the raw, physical danger communicated through the camera. THE SCORE AND TANGERINE DREAM The film’s atmosphere owes a lot to its score, composed by Tangerine Dream. Minimal and eerie, it primarily comprises ghostly synth textures. The music underscores the film’s bleakness, often evoking dread rather than adrenaline. In its spareness and electronic timbre, Tangerine Dream’s work proved influential, foreshadowing the rise of synthesizer-driven scores. "Sorcerer" is one of a kind not just because it's a great movie, but because no one has been insane enough to try to accomplish something like it again. Considering what Friedkin went through to accomplish it, and the lack of any reward he recieved, that's no surprise. #FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking ───────────────────── ♬ SONGS USED: "Search" - Tangerine Dream "Impressions of Sorcerer" - Tangerine Dream "Sorcerer Theme"- Tangerine Dream "Rain And Thunder" - Tangerine Dream "Crash At Dawn" - Tangerine Dream "The Call" - Tangerine Dream "Abyss" - Tangerine Dream "Creation" - Tangerine Dream "Mountain Road" - Tangerine Dream "Distance" - Daniel Brown Dream Music by Artlist ► https://utm.io/umJx Music by Artgrid ► https://utm.io/umJy Music by Soundstripe ► http://bit.ly/2IXwomF Music by MusicBed ► http://bit.ly/2Fnz9Zq ───────────────────── SUBSCRIBE to StudioBinder’s YouTube channel! ►► http://bit.ly/2hksYO0 Looking for production management solution for your film? Try StudioBinder for FREE today: https://studiobinder.com/pricing — Join us on Social Media! — Instagram ►► https://www.instagram.com/studiobinder Facebook ►► https://www.facebook.com/studiobinderapp Twitter ►► https://www.twitter.com/studiobinder #FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking