Sorcerer

Some years ago while looking at the work of Exorcist director William Friedkin I noticed a movie called Sorcerer, I tried without success to locate at the time a copy of the movie to watch, for many years I completely forgot about the film. I remember the title for some reason caught my attention, despite the fact that the movies story seemed less as promising. As luck had it I recently gained the opportunity to catch this rare gem, in the UK the movie has not been seen in any form for over 20 years.

The story of Sorcerer, based on the novel The Wages Of Fear by George Arnaud, follows the stories of four outcasts from different corners of the globe; forced into hiding they end up in a remote South American town where they end up working at an oil refinery. One day a terrible fire gets hold of the refinery and the manager’s turn on the four outcasts to participate in a deadly journey, if unsuccessful they will die, if successful they will earn tremendous wealth. The task to transport volatile explosives over 200 miles, one false move, and one wrong gear change is all that stands between the quartet and death.
Sorcerer is one of those movies that to be perfectly honest does little in respect of actual detail to woo you over, but the message, and the delivery of William Friedkin’s message is so strong and profound that the film literally rocks you to your very core.

The movie itself can be equally divided into three clear chapters, chapter one shows the build up, two the transportation, and finally the third section delivers the blows that make the movie such a strong influence. Friedkin’s film is such an impressive feature, that you literally are perched on the very end of your seat for the final forty minutes of the movie. You do often get to that situation, but how often do you get to do it for such a sustained period of time? The whole of that final portion of the movie is a feeling of complete menace from the start to the finish, and even when you think its over, its not and the finale image will undoubtedly haunt you for a considerable time to come.
Sorcerer is a movie dogged with incredible bad luck, Friedkin was fresh from two highly successful movies The Exorcist and The French Connection, it seemed that when it came to Sorcerer partners Universal and Paramount were more or less prepared to write him a blank cheque. Casting was an initial problem, with Friedkin wanting Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, and Gene Hackman for the leading role of Jackie Scanlon, this role later went to Roy Scheider who Friedkin went on the record as saying it was the worst casting decision he had ever made. For the record I think Scheider fairly successfully pulled off the role, despite Friedkin’s concerns. The next issue was creative differences, then the million dollar rope bridge built over a river that dried up no sooner had completion occurred, and when another million was spent moving the bridge to another location, the waters there too started to drive, as a result Friedkin had to make water just a few inches deep look like something considerably deeper. There were issues with filming locations too. But finally the ultimate kick was in the box office, Sorcerer came out shortly after the release of Star Wars that deeply impacted on the returns, and finally in an attempt to develop authenticity many viewers complained over the 20 minute opening sequences which was presented in foreign languages, even though the remainder of the movie was in English. Not necessarily bad luck, more a sign of the times I guess but considering the movie was made in the late 70’s more or less every person involved in the movie has since died, some even before the movie was completed.

The movie is incredibly well put together, yes it is a slow burner, it takes a while to get into it, and to be perfectly honest you do not get to really know the characters any better than you did at the start of the movie, yet as fates are met you feel the loss of the characters all the same. This is no comfortable Sunday afternoon viewing, its hard hitting, moving, and tearfully harsh, while all the time being incredibly real.
The movies score by Tangerine Dream has some high points and low points, as the movie draws to a close however it’s all high points.
Sorcerer started a trend, despite the movies title at the beginning of the film, all the credits are saved for the end of the movie, yes commonplace now, but back in 1977 this was a very unusual move, typically controversial of the director.
I’ve seen a lot of movies by William Friedkin, and he has turned out some very good work, but believe me nothing he has ever done before or since will have anywhere as much impact as Sorcerer, and as I write this article and the year is young, this is by far one of the best movies I have seen for a considerable time, and an experience I will never be able to forget.