MovieChat Forums > Sorcerer (1977) Discussion > William Friedkin meets Werner Herzog

William Friedkin meets Werner Herzog

posted 11 years ago by Edward_de_Vere
7 replies | jump to latest

Friedkin's Sorcerer reminds me of Herzog's 1972 Aguirre and even more of his 1982 Fitzcarraldo. Did Friedkin ever mention Herzog's Aguirre as an inspiration, and conversely, did Herzog ever compare Fitzcarraldo to Sorcerer?

[–] Noir-It-All 11 years ago

Good thought. Not that I am aware of.

"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne

[–] Edward_de_Vere 11 years ago

It's amazing how different all of Friedkin's films are in subject matter, style, and genre (unlike other film directors who focus on a certain genre of films or have a real trademark style that you can spot from miles away). I'd never guess that Sorcerer was made by the same film director as The French Connection or The Exorcist without reading the credits.

[–] balthazar_bee 10 years ago

You're right. The only common ground they seem to have is the quality of being..."unsparing"?

Apparently in Friedkin's autobiography he discusses feeling like a character in a Herzog movie during the shooting of Sorcerer (presumably Fitzcarraldo, though it hadn't been released yet). I haven't read it myself, but that's what the wiki page says.

[–] Edward_de_Vere 10 years ago

You're right. The only common ground they seem to have is the quality of being..."unsparing"?

In his early work at least (I think that the quality of Friedkin's films nosedived from the 1980's on), Friedkin also reminds me of Stanley Kubrick, each of whose films was in a different genre, with the only common thread being the sort of detached, clinical coldness that was Kubrick's trademark. If there was a trademark for Friedkin linking everything from The Birthday Party to The Exorcist to Sorcerer, it was his intensity, and the intensity that he brought out of his lead actors.

[–] balthazar_bee 10 years ago

Speaking of lead actors, as great as Jason Miller is, I'd have loved to see our man Roy as Father Karras (I wonder what Blatty's beef was). On the other hand, just about every 70s leading man probably could've hit that role out of the park.

Especially with Friedkin firing off guns, yanking actors on their backs and covering them in pea soup.

[–] Edward_de_Vere 10 years ago

Speaking of lead actors, as great as Jason Miller is, I'd have loved to see our man Roy as Father Karras (I wonder what Blatty's beef was). On the other hand, just about every 70s leading man probably could've hit that role out of the park

Roy Scheider would have been interesting - I didn't realize that he was even considered for the role. I thought that the other options for Karras were Stacy Keach, Gene Hackman, and Jack Nicholson.

[–] Edward_de_Vere 9 years ago

Especially with Friedkin firing off guns, yanking actors on their backs and covering them in pea soup.

That's yet another aspect of the ruthless directing style that Friedkin shares with Herzog, who allegedly pointed a loaded shotgun at Klaus Kinski when the actor threw a tantrum and threatened to leave the film set for good.