Sorcerer (1977)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Sorcerer (1977) – W. Friedkin

Friedkin’s remake of The Wages of Fear by H. G. Clouzot died at the box office in competition with surprise blockbuster Star Wars.  This makes sense, as Friedkin’s film feels bloated and over-done in comparison to the comic-book serial storytelling of the latter. It must have been tempting for Billy to take on Clouzot’s challenge of showing four desperate men driving trucks full of nitroglycerin over tough South American terrain – suspense is inherent in the situation but must be built through careful editing and tempo.  Friedkin used his gigantic budget (courtesy of The French Connection and The Exorcist) to create insane set-pieces (such as heavy old trucks driving over a rickety rope bridge during a rainstorm) that were beyond Clouzot in the ‘50s.  But he also bobbles the characters’ backstories in the lengthy preamble to the real action -- I, for one, got confused.  Still, we do see how desperate Roy Scheider and the multinational crew must have gotten down in Vera Cruz (or wherever) – truly grim.  However, the whole film could have been trimmed by 30 minutes, I think.