tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post3875221737052720258..comments2024-03-16T18:31:16.417+00:00Comments on BLACK HOLE REVIEWS: SORCERER (1977) - William Friedkin's WAGES OF FEARMark Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08744056312268440003noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-78315191916932630052012-10-13T22:29:12.570+01:002012-10-13T22:29:12.570+01:00Help save this film:
https://twitter.com/SaveSorc...Help save this film:<br /><br />https://twitter.com/SaveSorcerer<br /><br />https://www.facebook.com/SaveFriedkinsSorcererNeal Arbichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10491384190115149588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-54315260426558705022012-10-13T22:27:39.850+01:002012-10-13T22:27:39.850+01:00Help save this film:
https://twitter.com/SaveSorc...Help save this film:<br /><br />https://twitter.com/SaveSorcerer<br /><br />https://www.facebook.com/SaveFriedkinsSorcererNeal Arbichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10491384190115149588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-90992870321450349972012-03-19T07:28:02.758+00:002012-03-19T07:28:02.758+00:00Thank you. Strange that the shorter European versi...Thank you. Strange that the shorter European version has so many additional scenes. It's been decades since I saw it.Mark Hodgsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08744056312268440003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-46935504458660061632012-03-19T04:10:35.588+00:002012-03-19T04:10:35.588+00:00"The only scene that caught my imagination wa..."The only scene that caught my imagination was one missing from Friedkin’s film, when the lorries have to drive fast to 'aquaplane' over a bumpy road."<br /><br />This isn't entirely true - the European version of the Friedkin film includes a scene when Dominguez (Scheider) and Pancho (Franciso Rabel) drive over the "washboard" - Pancho is driving and refuses to hit the required speed, so Dominguez has to stick his foot on the accelorator. It is actually the moment when Pancho exposes his cowardice, and explains why he (Pancho) isn't allowed to drive the truck again throughout the rest of the film. (In the original, Charles Vanel does this when he runs away from the truck as Yves Montand is trying to maneouver his way over a slippery wooden platform above a rocky canyon - of course Pancho, in the remake, redeems himself when he shoots the rebels and saves their lives, while poor old Vanel is forgiven only after he stoicly waits for the rock blocking the road to explode before being run over in the oil slick by Montand.)<br /><br />What is interesting about the US version of Sorcerer is that it includes a glimpse from the washboard scene just before Pancho's death, when Dominguez suffers from a bunch of flashbacks before the truck finally breaks down.<br /><br />Yes, Billy does need to put together a full cut of this film on DVD with an audio commentary.marknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-18729809457764587452011-06-05T14:30:41.263+01:002011-06-05T14:30:41.263+01:00I was the US version just a few days ago. its take...I was the US version just a few days ago. its taken me far far too long to see this film. I believe if I had seen it when it first came out I too would have beend bitterly dissapointed. I'm glad I've "mellowed" in my old age because I truely appreciate this film absolutely love it to bits. This has burst into my all time top 20 very easily.<br /><br />A cracker of a film just so underrated by the mindless critics of the time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-31107376107211328532011-04-23T11:49:15.680+01:002011-04-23T11:49:15.680+01:00SORCERER should be in more Top 100 lists. If there...SORCERER should be in more Top 100 lists. If there were more around that ignored box office takings, this would stand a better chance.<br /><br />I saw it first time around on the strength of Friedkin's name and wasn't disappointed.Mark Hodgsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08744056312268440003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-33154382734535797342011-04-23T00:58:47.640+01:002011-04-23T00:58:47.640+01:00I consider this film to be easily one of the best ...I consider this film to be easily one of the best films ever made. It's on no-one's top 100 list but mine, that I know of. I saw the complete version the first time around and even said to my wife, I doubted there'd be another film that year that could beat it. That year Annie Hall won Best Picture, Julia, The Goodbye Girl, Star Wars and The Turning Point were nominated. They were all pretty good films but in my opinion, Socerer was better than at least four. Steve McQueen's star power might have made it more successful but it wouldn't have been as good. I have never cahnged my mind over all the years. Friedkin's unapreciated Masterpiece.Jackhttp://Jacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-60660357055613952052011-03-16T19:32:11.202+00:002011-03-16T19:32:11.202+00:00The European version of Sorcerer continues to be s...The European version of Sorcerer continues to be shown occasionally on TV in Europe.<br /><br />For those interested, here is an excellent comparison of the European version ("Wages of Fear") with the US version ("Sorcerer"):<br />http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=4978Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-85457942982708330952009-10-03T07:22:25.990+01:002009-10-03T07:22:25.990+01:00I dug out my LD to watch this again last night. Th...I dug out my LD to watch this again last night. The opening is quite an interesting decision as it probably leaves the first time viewer wondering just what's going, and it helps the film stand on its own rather than as just a remake...here the "trip" is just part of the film rather than its entire raison d'etre. That said, does knowing how these men came to be where they are add anything to suspense set pieces? Arguably not.<br /><br />Now this is the one of Friedkin's films that I think WOULD benefit from a bit of late in the day tinkering. I find the editing a little off, often cutting away from/to a scene a little too abruptly. Also TD's music seems rather haphazardly used, and doesn't have the same imapct as in the likes of VIOLENT STREETS/THIEF and THE KEEP. In its current form SORCERER feels almost like a rough cut that needs a little tidying up.Milesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-13469578137741293672009-01-02T18:11:00.000+00:002009-01-02T18:11:00.000+00:00I also prefer the european release of Sorcerer, "W...I also prefer the european release of Sorcerer, "Wages of Fear". I felt the film language was more creative. It went straight to the meat of the story which was the jungle journey. It was more dramatic in using the prologue as flashbacks. A great example is when the former rebel/terrorist runs away from the giant tree (blocking their way) as it was about to be blown up - it parallel cuts to scenes of him running as a terrorist and all we hear is his panting and breathing as he runs across the jungle. And yes the ending is more psychological and mysterious with that slow dolly-in shot to Roy Scheider's close-up at the bar, than the US version which tended to be a cheesy gangster film ending in my opinion. I do hope they decide to release a dvd of the euro version in the future.rainmanredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17205467166223813087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-33094607305629986142008-12-31T11:54:00.000+00:002008-12-31T11:54:00.000+00:00Sorry to hear that, Dan. I certainly don't recomme...Sorry to hear that, Dan. I certainly don't recommend SORCEROR as a comedy.Mark Hodgsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08744056312268440003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-50035669941690247682008-12-30T21:20:00.000+00:002008-12-30T21:20:00.000+00:00As a graduate student in 1977, I was sucked into s...As a graduate student in 1977, I was sucked into seeing this film by all the hype. Thirty one years later, I still consider it one of the "worst". Very depressing for the most part...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-70394527721318668322008-12-26T15:05:00.000+00:002008-12-26T15:05:00.000+00:00There is an American B-movie rip-off/remake calle...There is an American B-movie rip-off/remake called VIOLENT ROAD made in 1958.It stars Brian Keith and it is set in the American southwest and involves the usual assortment of shifty characters hired to haul explosive rocket fuel across the desert. It is definitely the lesser of the three versions of Wages of Fear. What is surprising is the fact that no one involved in VIOLENT ROAD credits the original Georges Arnaud novel or the earlier French film. VIOLENT ROAD is pretty obscure these days. It has never to my knowledge been released to home video or DVD.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-33407717698512516802008-11-25T18:07:00.000+00:002008-11-25T18:07:00.000+00:00I saw Sorceror at a special screening in Los Angel...I saw Sorceror at a special screening in Los Angeles attended by Friedkin. <BR/>What I heard was that 1.33 was his preference for the American DVD. <BR/>Don't ask me why. I think the film was shot open matte (like Eyes Wide Shut), and maybe he just preferred those compositions (perhaps because it was similar to Clouzot).<BR/>When the film was projected that day, it was 1.66 - not 1.85. <BR/>Just an interesting note to drop here, since I know many people bemoan the lack of an R1 DVD in Anamorphic widescreen.Andre Rivashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07364573628727937114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-664206134523799412008-11-21T10:22:00.000+00:002008-11-21T10:22:00.000+00:00Drat, missing scenes. I thought I'd remembered see...Drat, missing scenes. I thought I'd remembered seeing the oil rig explosion!<BR/><BR/>I want to see that version again now.Mark Hodgsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08744056312268440003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16605980.post-1720312259288630332008-11-20T21:09:00.000+00:002008-11-20T21:09:00.000+00:00I too saw the "European version" of Sorceror, in B...I too saw the "European version" of Sorceror, in Bangalore, India as a teenager in 1979. I remember seeing it at least two times. It was also released as "Wages of Fear".<BR/><BR/>Having seen both versions, the full "Soreceror" on DVD, I actually prefer the European one. It had altoghether a tauter feel and in my opinion, the musical scores were better integrated with that version. Short clips of the missing scenes are inserted as flashbacks, so that you knew something about the past of these individuals.<BR/><BR/>Although the European version is missing 30 minutes of Sorceror, There are at least a couple of scenes in the European version that are not present in Sorceror. The first is the title sequence with the helicopter flying low over the jungle with eerie Tangerine Dream music. This goes on for at least 3 minutes as I recall. When the chopper approaches the oil rig is also some dialogue in the chopper between a Nicaraguan official and an American oilman, in which I remember hearing "Si, I will tell el Presidente".<BR/><BR/>Another missing key scene in Sorceror is the return ride by "Dominguez" (Roy Sheider) with cheering crowds, with flashbacks showing the explosions that extinguish the oil fire.<BR/><BR/>Finally, in the European version has an ending which I preferred. "Dominguez" has the money, but now is in a dilemma on what he is going to do next. He, obviously, cannot return to the States.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com