‘The Exorcist’ Director William Friedkin Has Never Made a Film for Himself | TCMFF 2023
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- čas přidán 16. 04. 2023
- At the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival, director William Friedkin talks about why he chose to make ‘The Exorcist’ after winning Best Picture for ‘The French Connection’, getting screenwriter William Peter Blatty to stay true to his novel, why he always makes a film for the audience, and more.
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Rest in peace, legend. A real loss for cinema.
Not a loss but a gift to Cinema
"When I die, there are not gonna say the guy who directed the Sonny and Cher movie just died", what a man! Rest in peace mr. Friedkin.
He was correct. I love is complete attitude.
@@MilesjDoyle not reading all that
RIP Mr. Friedkin. Legit one of the funniest directors when it came to interviews.
💯. glad you agree, so many directors are coy and clammy. Friedkin always felt like a friend (with opinions lol) who happened to be a legendary direector. R.I.P. Bill Friedkin
I have the honor to call him a friend, since 1994. We met many times here in Italy, I wrote books about his films and about The Exorcist. He's a great director and the most wonderful human being. Love you Billy ❤❤❤❤❤
Would love to know more about your writings, where can I find out more about your work?
@@chrissychaosBuddy, that's Italian journalist Daniela Catelli you're talking to. There's plenty of stuff to read from her. Just google her name.
I would like to know too ^
You clearly didn’t hear him diss Al Pacino from his time on Cruising 😅. He doesn’t mince his words lol
Yes I did it, he was very opinionated and hated unprofessional behavior, but to his friends he was the sweetest of men 😁
The French Connection, Sorcerer, The Exorcist, Bug and Killer Joe are 5 PERFECT FILMS by one director. What a career by one of the best. R.I.P. Mr. Friedkin.
To Live and Die in LA too... this hits hard. Outstanding director
Cruising, The Boys in the Band, The Birthday Party and The Hunted are great too
Glad you mentioned Bug and Killer Joe. Both different but underrated masterpieces from the great William Friedkin. Too bad most people slept on them during their release. I wish he continued on to make more independent films like those because they touch you to the core to the point where you'll never forget them. That's how great of a director he truly was.
You named his best- all perfect.
@@FrancoisDressleri think the hunted is more like First Blood than the Movie First Blood. And there is also this mysterie, that you dont know, if he killed "innocent" on his mission. Also the goverment wants to excecute him without trial, which is shady. Great story. He is basicly the ultimate vegan on a rampage. Tommy Lee Jones's character protects the wolves and DelToro protects the Deer's. I never felt sympathy for the hunters or the goverment agents.
I love how Mr. Friedkin is still so "with it" for his age. I hope he's around for much longer!
He still looks likes he's only 60
He is a genius story teller and he shoots films like a documentary story teller. I got to meet him a few years ago in Beverly Hills. We saw The French Connection together and he has amazing recall for details. He has slowed down a lot since then. I think we met in 2016. He is approaching 88 and I am glad he is still with us,
Ugh...Sadly not as long as we would've hoped. 87 is a hell of a run, though. RIP to one of cinema's GOATs.
Now look what you did. Jerk.
@@lamecasuelas2no he did not. When this video was posted a lot of comments, mine included stated that he suddenly looks very old. If you check his videos from 2019 he was full and cherubic. This sudden loss of weight made him look 90. In the older videos he looked 60 despite being 84-85.
The Exorcist remains an absolute masterpiece and I never tire of watching it.
It still disturbs me,..can't watch it too close to bedtime.
It is a terrific film but it's not a patch on Sorcerer.
@@glasgowgrad6277 I love Sorcerer, predominantly for the reliably superb Roy Scheider, but The Exorcist had far more impact on me and is a film I revisit far more often.
It really is the whole 'shebang' - simply PERFECT
Agreed!!
R.I.P William! 😰🙏❤Thank you so much for treating us with The French Connection, The Exorcist, Sorcerer and especially To Live And Die In L.A, and so many more great films. God Bless.
RIP William Friedkin, a true master of cinema.
R.I.P - What a film maker he was! 29/8/35 - 7/8/23
I had an opportunity a year ago seeing Sorcerer in the theater . Prior to the screening, Friedkin did an introduction being interviewed by a moderator. Brilliant movie.
RIP Legend. Man this hit me so hard. Bill was one of my favorite directors of all time.
I met this man in the early ‘70’s and he was an example of complete humility. I guess he hadn’t changed. What a gentleman and American treasure. An icon and a legend indeed. Thank you for sharing this charming piece…. About a “horror story.”
We've lost one of the greats in the film industry. Rest in Peace, Mister Friedkin. Thank you for bringing The Exorcist to life and and sharing your incredible talent with the world. One of my biggest idols of the film industry.
RIP William Friedkin. God bless & thank you for all the treasures you left behind that will outlive all of us.
I’m a complete sucker for any video of Mr. William Friedkin! The knowledge and anecdotes/stories he has about filmmaking are just beyond entertaining.
I've actually learned a lot more from Friedkin's interviews etc than from any other moviemaker interviews. He's extremely good source of knowledge for younger filmmakers.
50 years since The Exorcist. Amazing how it still holds up.
I think it holds up because Friedkin really went after realism. He wanted the acting to be straight, not tongue in cheek like most horror movie acting, and he wanted to push the limits of practical effects at that time. This all helped the films durability imo
This is both a very disturbing revelation and an insanely hopeful one
It's sort of dismal to listen carefully to the old gods of film from the seventies. In many of their interviews they will admit that so many of their films which we now idolize, they saw themselves as merely "hired hands."
You can see a major difference occur over time from the films of Scorsese, Coppola, this guy, etc., which were written by somebody else
Now today you've got giants of cinema like Nolan and Tarantino where it says "Written AND Directed By" above their name
As godawful as the majority of the box office was in the past ten years, I think my generation got to experience a really special time in cinema, a sort of blockbuster auteur age of filmmaking from those handful of visionaries, which may never come again.
@@_scabs6669 I think you're right. Maybe cinema is in its death throes?
@@benfisher1376 yes and no
@@benfisher1376 look up the New Hollywood movement
Rest in Power William Friedkin ...you will forever inspire.
Nobody rests in "power" thats a communist slogan.
Compared to what William Friedkin looked like only a couple years ago, he's lost a alot of weight (could be age finally kicking in). I'm scared he might pass soon. Either way, he lives as an icon, and dies as one too.
I hate the fact I predicted this so much 😔.
R.I.P the legend.
He looks incredibly sick in the vid, no surprise he passed away not long after. I could listen to him for hours because he had an opinion and didn’t care what others think. Although not a fan of much of his filmography/, he did however have some epic moments and Exorcist is definitely one of them. Thanks for your contribution to cinema, R.I.P.
William Friedkin, what a legend. I can't count the number of times I've seen The French Connection, and also To Live And Die In L.A. His movie, Sorcerer(1977), while considered by some to be a remake of The Wages Of Fear (1952), felt far more like a a reimagining/homage to The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (1948), which is the assessment that William would agree with as it's one of his favorite movies and what inspired him the most while making Sorcerer.
William Friedkin is always fantastically pushing the envelope in his films, the movie he did with Al Pacino, called Cruising (1980) is an underrated classic that should be a must watch for Friedkin and Pacino fans. Also, Friedkin's most recent film, Killer Joe (2011) was a great crime thriller with an intense performance by Matthew McConaughey playing an unhinged psycho. I'm sure Friedkin and McConaughey were aiming for a performance that was reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart's legendary role in The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre or James Cagney's explosive performance in White Heat.
That's another thing that makes William Friedkin so amazing. He's one of the biggest movie buffs to ever become a director, right there in knowledge with the likes of Martin Scorsese and Peter Bogdanovich. Using all of this knowledge from the great classic movies that came before him, he ended up becoming a fantastic director himself, and elevated the Action Movie to Oscar-worthy serious film with The French Connection, Sorcerer, etc. much like the great John Ford did with the Western when he made Stagecoach (1939). Then William elevated the Horror movie to Oscar-worthy serious film as well. Only a special director could pull both of that off in such a short period of time.
I know William Friedkin is making a remake of The Caine Mutiny with Keifer Sutherland in the Captain Queeg role, which was originally played to perfection(and an Oscar nom) by Humphrey Bogart in 1954, so I can't exactly say this is an easy task, but I'm very confident that Friedkin will make an amazing movie as he always has. I wish him good luck on his future movies and I will always be watching them.
So grateful I grew up in the 70s! Amazing film, music, clothing& most importantly, Soul🫀
Well put sir
Very well written.
Wow, Friedkin's wit is as sharp as ever. The Exorcist is a masterpiece of the highest order and I'm glad we still have its creator around to this marvelous film and his great work celebrated. Thank you again TCM.
Well, I mean the creator of the Exorcist did die. That would be William Peter Blatty. The Exorcist is not only one of the greatest films ever made, but it's also one of the most faithfully adapted films from a novel. The story, characters, dialogue, the atmosphere are all nearly word for word adapted from the source material. If you aren't into reading very much, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook, narrated by Blatty himself. That being said, Friedkin is being uncharacteristically humble here, when he says he wasn't made a film that compares to Citizen Kane. I've seen it twice, I still don't know what all the fuss is about. The Exorcist is easily a better film.
@@kylemcintyre4182That audiobook is incredible and his voice was terrifying in it!
One thing I can admire is how he brings the interviewer and the viewers back down to Earth; because after all, it is just a movie.
Long live Mr. Friedkin. One of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Cruising and To Live and Die in L.A are my favorites, although Im a huge fan of The Exorcist, Sorcerer, The Guardian, Jade, Rules of Engagement, Killer Joe, Bug, Blue Chips and Rampage which is scary as hell too. Mr. William Friedkin is my film teacher and mentor no matter if he does not know me, his work and his words about filmmaking live in my heart.
That's a very nice thing to say rodolfoduran. Good for you
@@spactick thanks 🙏❤️
Man. I love him so much. I met him in 2018 and he’s so different from how he was then. He’s really not looking or sounding good, I hope he’s around for much longer and I hope I get to meet him again someday.
That's Awesome ❤ thanks for sharing that 🎉
I just made the same assessment. I met him in 2016. His condition now makes that feel like it was 30 years ago. But he still has his sharp recall and wit.
He's 88 now. Extremely sharp for his age & same personality as he was. Of course,his voice will change & gestures will be a bit slower.
Friedkin was his own Genre. I saw him interviewed at a festival in 1977. Blue grassed, white knuckled, and in your face. I never forgot what The Exorcist did to people in Dec. of 73. It played in the same theater two years straight full house. I NEVER experienced ambulances parked around the corner of the theater on a regular basis until those people fainted, clipped their heads on the armrest on the way to that filthy isle carpet , and land face down in their popcorn. Thats no joke. It was serious. What a time to be alive then.
What a down to earth, intelligent, kind and modest man he was. Most importantly a genius film maker. Rest in peace Mr. Friedkin.
RIP one of the greatest who ever said ACTION.The Exorcist will never be touched or equaled
Such a blessing to have an interview with this legend very close to the end. RIP , Bill
Unfortunately just read he's passed away. RIP to an unbelievable filmmaker who made this inimitable classic.
Not only did Friedkin leave a legacy of awesome films but a legacy of awesome interviews. Easily one of my favorite directors in interviews, never held back and was always interesting. R.I.P.
I was fortunate enough to bear witness to his 2 previous tcmff interviews. The first one was moderated by Alec Baldwin and followed a screening of 'French Connection' at The Chinese and he was quite the raconteur. He told stories about the casting and gave insight to his process. He said he wanted Jackie Gleason to play Popeye Doyle but he wouldnt come out of retirement for it. His next choice was Peter Boyle, who also passed. According to him, Gene Hackman wasnt even on his radar but time was of the essence and he was there...He wore it all on his sleeve. The late great Director John Singleton was in the audience and joined the conversation, questions of technique inevitably arose making for a well rounded discussion to say the least. That time they were wise to schedule the interview after the movie. It was the last screening of the night so there were no time constraints and lasted well over an hour. I believe that was 2015
We were so lucky to watch most of his masterpieces on the big screen at Istanbul Film Festival this year.
I envy you.
The only reason I know this nice man is because of his films! It is amazing how much work goes into films; I thank God he is willing to share his thoughts and actions about his work! We all can learn so much about not just directing, and, acting, we can also learn a little about life as well. 💯
First time I’ve seen him showing his age….. it comes to us all who live that long but it’s still sad to see. It’s either the muscle loss of great age or he is ill. Wonderful man, one of the last no bullshiters
I must mention, my dad Marcel Vercoutere. Special effects. He made it happen. I know I was there. NYC, George Town.
That's awesome.
Brilliant man! To have been there witnessing this work of art in progress…
Immensely talented man
He looks more frail, but when he talks he still has that force and energy.
The story behind the car chase scene from FC.. is art in purest form. Rest in peace master of the craft.
It's good to see him! I'm glad he took care of himself during the pandemic for a man his age. I hope he can give audiences another picture in whatever genre. If Eastwood can direct, so can Friedkin.
@7:17. He was correct. RIP to a Legend. Thank you, sir. Thank you.
Friedkin, in addition to being a great movie maker, is also a great story teller. He's told so many good ones, but my favorite is probably the time he talks about the interactions with the FBI after some of the counterfeit money they used making To Live And Die In L.A had been found in circulation in some of the stores nearby. It's a great comedic tale delivered with Freidkin's sardonic charm that only he could tell. I'm sure it's still here on CZcams for those that want to look for it.
Thanks for the recommendation, somehow I think I may have missed that one.
My favorite recurring bit of his was the criticism of actors wanting excessive character background info, by which he uses the comparison of Benicio Del Toro vs Tommy Lee Jones approaches in Hunted.
I won’t ruin it in case you or anyone else reading hasn’t heard it, but it’s a fantastically crafted long form joke complete with a killer callback. He told it so many times that like a great comic, it became very refined and with super engaging pacing.
Hilarious, informative, and based in truth and observation.
Let’s not forget his go to in between stories of the “if you don’t know so and so, GET THE HELL OUT!”, and speaking to his proficiency for comedy he typically applies the rule of 3s to it, whereby the first time it gets a laugh due to audience surprise at the line and his emphatic delivery, second time laugh at the callback, then by the third when he knows they’re expecting it, he either flips it in some way, or says “you know what you can do”, or just does a blank stare with a pregnant pause.
Such a thoughtful speaker.
Sorry to go on but I don’t have people in real life to relate this to that know his interviews, and it’s cathartic to remember these things “out loud” here so to speak.
I genuinely miss William and not to blow it out of proportion, still grieving in a sense. I was angered that I found out only relatively recently about his passing, in my mind the loss of such a wonderful and unique individual should have been bigger news… but i’m biased and also the “news cycle” is so full of constant noise that it slipped by me (I tend to tune out at times regarding daily bombardment of hyperbolized world events. (Norm Macdonald’s passing gave me a similar feeling)
There are only a small handful of people who I don’t know in “real life” that feel more like friends than strangers and William was one of those.
I digress. I’m off to search for that story you mentioned about the counterfeit bills.
(Friedkin was a genuine Bill… ugh cheesy pun)
It's sad to see William Friedkin looking so frail.
Yip, but thats life... its ashame x
He's 87
😢😢 Its heartbreaking because he looks like a raisin, as my family say. And I remember him as a strong man.
It’s crazy watching his other recent interviews from like 5-10 years ago and he looks nothing like this. You wouldn’t imagine to be the age he is but all of a sudden he looks really frail as you said. It’s sad. Could listen to Friedkin all day.
@@ivangomez123you will become the same on3 day
I love this guy. Still haven’t seen many of his movies and yet I think I watched about any interview of him on this platform I could find. Can’t deny that I’m a little bit concerned that Mr. Friedkin looks and sounds like he aged 10 years in a very short amount of time (glad he still remembers CITIZEN KANE as his favorite film) and yet there he is rocking the same wit and confidence as always, hopefully for much much longer!
What a treat to hear this wonderful talk❤
Legendary filmmaker. Loved his interviews where he would talk so passionately about film.
He is a living legend and one of the all time great american directors. I hope Mr. Friedkin knows how much he is appreciated
I just heard the news.. RIP sir. I would’ve loved the opportunity to have met you
He made a remarkable film.50 years later it still has the ability to be disturbing and engrossing at the same time.
An amazing movie and an amazing director
His movies will always be highly regarded. Equally important, his interviews and lectures are extremely informative and will be valuable assets to film aficionados and future film makers. It would be great if someone would assemble his talks into a collection of DVDs. Thank you, William Friedkin. You will be immortalized through your works.
I know Friedkin is 87 but, not having seen him make a public appearance for a few years, I was shocked by his appearance here.
Me too. My very first thought was "oh damn, is that Friedkin?!" he's aged like 20 years in just 3 years time...
Special movie that. So raw and had so much depth. Beautifully shot . Haunting. One off.
A sad loss to the world of movies and TV but especially for his family and friends 😥
Look at sharp he is, right before his death.......What a guy, what a director, what an artist.
A brilliant, prickly pear to the very end. Love him.
I was fortunate to have seen an met William Friedkin in , my state I was from NJ. He was filming the sororeos movie in Elizabeth nj.. they were doin the car chase scene! Billy friedkin you r a truly amazing dude ❤rip my man
RIP to an absolute legend. Would have loved to have met the guy.
God Bless you Bill, thanks for the films!
Sorcerer will be my favorite 70s film for all time. William Friedkin❤
So happy to hear him acknowledge "Good Times" the Sonny and Cher movie :)
He did a Fabulous job with bringing “The Boys In The Band” to the screen. A watershed film of Gay History
¿His last interview? Rest in peace master
I would love to know how he chose the casting for this film. Every single person was absolutely perfect. Including Lee J. Cobb!
RIP to the greatest director of the greatest movie of all time! #legend this movie is the reason why I’m obsessed with horror films!
Another genius artist gone. Everyone on that film was a master in their field - an American masterpiece
I love Friedkin. I love his total allegiance to the material, William Peter Blatty's novel, in the effectiveness of The Exorcist. I also love, even this late in Friedkin's life, his wry sense of humor.
Friedkin was a true cinephile and raconteur. He enjoyed being interviewed and had interesting opinions on the cinematic world.
I’ll be satisfied if his upcoming take on The Caine Mutiny Court Martial is on a tonal par with his previous courtroom drama efforts - the two that immediately come to mind being Rules of Engagement and Rampage. For me, those are solid, underrated and enjoyable genre pictures. His TV movie adaptation of 12 Angry Men from 1997 is also pretty good.
After "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist", Friedkin had the clout to make any picture he wanted to make. If he didn't do it, then that was on him. John Huston, Sam Fuller, Scorsese, Eastwood, and others made the movies they wanted to as well.
William Friedkin I can clearly see don't suffer fools...all his film crew must have known that beforev they signed on...lol
Sorcerer is another masterpiece
Not just a brilliant filmmaker, a brilliant person
.. Fantastic director. Great Man.
I consider William Friedkin as a film teacher, because I watched on CZcams that he has got a film library inside his head. And its heartbreaking because he looks like a raisin after ten years I saw that video😢
3 months later, all the headlines read "William Friedkin, The Exorcist director dies". Guy knew his legacy.
Thank you very much
Mr.Friedkin 🎥
THE EXORCIST 1973
FOREVER
🫂
RIP TO A LEGEND
Ah I love the spirit that he kept right to the end, and I think most people would put The Exorcist and The French Connection in the same sentence as Citizen Kane as two of the all time greats, and Sorcerer is amazing too; so captivating
His collaborations with William Peter Blatty are epic mega meta theological treatises...or
as Rodney on the Roq used to say,GodHead:)...
Great filmmaker. And with a great sense of humor. He will be missed.
Great man.
Rest in peace. The best director of all time!!!!
RIP Legend , TRUE legend
*William Friedkin's contributions to horror cinema will always remain unparalleled.*
The Exorcist still remains the greatest horror film of all time. When he made that revolutionary masterpiece, he single-handedly changed the entire game.
People used to look down upon horror movies in general back then, it all changed forever in 1973. The amount of prestige he brought to the horror genre was unheard of, it still is.
Moreover, it was just after his Best Picture & Best Director Oscar win for The French Connection (another masterpiece of his).
His other underrated gems:
Sorcerer, Bug (another horror film), To Live & Die In LA, The Boys In The Band, The Birthday Party, The Night They Raided Minsky's, Cruising, Killer Joe and 12 Angry Men (remake).
Definitely one of the GOATs of cinema.
Gone too soon....
The Exorcist is one of my personal top 10 films and it's still as fresh today as ever. No one has done those types of films better than the original.
RIP. For all the artists reading this, lets keep working hard.
One of the greats.
David Gordon Green is no William Friedkin. He couldn't pack his lunch. The Exorcist: Believer gonna suck.
Rest in peace, KING 🙌🏻
Friedkin is just plain cool. The Exorcist obviously has it’s popularity and always will, I just hope he realized that it’s truly a masterpiece
good to see he was active in the film community and making films right up to his death.
He made a classic
Rest in peace, Bill ❤
I feel like Bill aged quickly in the last 10 years or so. Made some absolute masterpiece's
During the pandemic, I'd say.
The Exorcist still creeps me out today
Rest in Peace to the GOAT of all Horror directors. He will live on through his art.
Bravo ! Mr. Friedkin you scared the cr$p out of me !
Amazing dircetor 🙏🙏😍🇧🇷🇧🇷
The book was freaking amazing!!! And the movie is as well. Almost exactly the same!!!
I don't think William Friedkin ever made a bad movie . I've never been disappointed watching any of his movies .
You've never seen The Guardian, then?
@@ppuh6tfrz646I love it
@@FrancoisDressler It's an appalling film.
Even Friedkin avoided mentioning it in his book.
One of the best.