When William Friedkin's Sorcerer came out in 1977, it had some challenges finding an audience. It was released right around the same time as Star Wars, which became a global pop cultural phenomenon. Sorcerer - starring Roy Scheider - was a gritty existential thriller about four outcasts driving truckloads of explosive nitroglycerin over treacherous South American terrain. Loosely inspired by The Wages of Fear, Sorcerer was considered a disappointment. But like another failed picture of a similar vintage - Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate - Sorcerer has found a resurgence of critical acclaim, and is now considered an overlooked gem - if not an outright masterpiece. Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist) considers the film his favorite, as well as the most challenging and personal film he ever made.The haunting electronic score by Tangerine Dream is remarkable. Co-produced by Paramount and Universal, Sorcerer was held up in lengthy legal disputes which have finally been resolved.
Friedkin has supervised a complete digital restoration of the film, premiering the new print last month at the Venice Film Festival. At long last, Sorcerer will arrive on blu-ray from Warner Brothers on April 14th, 2014, following a limited theatrical release. The disc will have audio commentary as well as extras.
Originally intended as a vehicle for Steve McQueen, Sorcerer is one of the last of the seventies classics, a victim of changing eras. The restoration and rediscovery of one of the most tense and suspenseful films of all time is going to be an incredible thrill.
Posts
Very nice post! I'm a huge afficionado of the film and the writer behind its massively revamped wikipedia article! I cannot wait for its theatrical re-release!
ReplyDelete