William Friedkin, the renowned director of The French Connection and The Exorcist, passed away on Monday at the age of 87. Friedkin died in Los Angeles due to heart failure and pneumonia, as confirmed by EW. He was an influential figure in the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s, along with Francis Ford Coppola, Hal Ashby, Martin Scorsese, and Peter Bogdanovich. Friedkin’s impressive filmography includes notable works such as Sorcerer (1977), To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), and Bug (2006). Ellen Burstyn, who starred in The Exorcist, described Friedkin as an original, showcasing his intelligence, culture, fearlessness, and immense talent. She praised his ability to efficiently direct on set, knowing what he wanted and going to great lengths to achieve it. Moreover, she emphasized his willingness to let go if he saw something better happening, highlighting his undeniable genius.
One of Friedkin’s most celebrated works is the neo-noir thriller The French Connection (1971), featuring Gene Hackman as a determined New York detective on the hunt for a French heroin smuggler. The film includes a legendary car chase sequence frequently regarded as one of the greatest in cinematic history. Reflecting upon the challenging execution of the sequence, Friedkin revealed in a 2021 interview with EW that they had obtained permission for the specific areas used but lacked control over the chase itself. When asked if he had anticipated the film’s endurance after 50 years, he admitted that, back in those days, the concept of longevity wasn’t a consideration. Friedkin also discussed the film’s moral ambiguity when juxtaposed against present-day conversations surrounding police brutality. He acknowledged that the characters’ actions were driven by the necessity to survive on the dangerous streets of that time, emphasizing that they were not bigots and acted out of self-preservation.
In 1973, Friedkin achieved another milestone with his horror masterpiece, The Exorcist. Based on William Peter Blatty’s novel, the film revolves around a young girl possessed by a demonic entity. The Exorcist earned Friedkin his second Oscar nomination and enjoyed significant box office success, grossing $440 million worldwide. The film’s popularity spawned a franchise, although Friedkin opted not to direct any of the sequels. He even went on record to criticize Exorcist II, describing it as the worst piece he had ever seen.
Born and raised in Chicago, Friedkin embarked on his career in the mailroom of Chicago TV station WGN. He later ventured into television and documentaries, directing works like the 1962 documentary The People vs. Paul Crump and the 1965 series The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. In the late 1960s, Friedkin transitioned to feature film directing, with movies including Good Times (1967), The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968), and The Boys in the Band (1970). His diverse repertoire also encompasses an episode of The Twilight Zone in 1985 and films such as Rampage (1987), The Guardian (1990), Blue Chips (1994), Rules of Engagement (2000), The Hunted (2003), Killer Joe (2011), and The Devil and Father Amorth (2017). Additionally, Friedkin directed music videos for renowned artists such as Wang Chung (“To Live and Die in L.A.”), Barbra Streisand (“Somewhere”), and Laura Branigan (“Self Control”). He leaves behind his wife and two sons.
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