Ah, I really liked this. An old-school film involving William Friedkin (director) and Roy Scheider (lead actor), both of whom had been involved in *The French Connection* a few years previous. *Sorcerer* involves four men who, for various reasons, have had to flee their home countries. All four end up in a run-down town in Colombia, working for a pittance and running low on money. Then, the local oil company calls out for truck drivers to do a dangerous - possibly fatal - job, of transporting nitroglycerine a couple of hundred miles. The first part of the film introduces us to the four men and the circumstances that led to their departure from their countries. The best bits, for me, were the jungle scenes, where the men encounter all sorts of problems as they make their way to their destination. Well worth a look.
My brother just had this show at one of our local theaters in Cincinnati. My wife and I had personally never seen it, so we checked it out and we were absolutely enthralled.
This is one of my top 5 movies of all time. The sole reason it faded into obscurity was Star Wars. The soundtrack by Tangerine Dream was perfect. The cinematography was out-of-this-world good, rivaled only by some of the shots in Apocalypse Now. The acting was glorious, and the ending just...perfect.
The other problem it had is that the studio didn't believe in the movie and had no idea how to market it, so they just dumped the movie with the expectation it would disappear quickly, which it did.
I love it, but I wish it had ended before the final scene. I feel like it was better to wonder about what future he is going to face than to know.
That bridge scene remains the most impressive thing I have ever seen on film.
The big vehicle, Landmaster, used to be parked next to the 101 on Cahuenga (across from Universal Studios). It was used as Paperboy 2000 in the Chris Elliot sitcom “Get a Life”
Yes, I did. AFAIK, you can't submit a post without that info. (Don't ask me why, because I don't know.) It's one of the sub rules.
Edit: Nope, I'm totally wrong about that. It's a different sub - one about interesting quotes - that has this rule. My mistake.
##Sorcerer (1977) PG
The only wages worth running for, dying for, killing for, are the wages of fear
>>!Four men from different parts of the globe, all hiding from their pasts in the same remote South American town, agree to risk their lives transporting several cases of dynamite (which is so old that it is dripping unstable nitroglycerin) across dangerous jungle terrain.!<
Thriller | Adventure | Drama
Director: William Friedkin
Actors: Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 74% with 445 votes
Runtime: 2:1
[TMDB](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/38985)
I loved this movie, and I don't understand why it wasn't a bigger hit.
I highly recommend watching 'Wages of Fear,' directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. The Sorcerer is a remake of Wages of Fear. Clouzot was a great director; see also his [Les Diaboliques](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Diaboliques_\(film\))
It’s a masterpiece. I only discovered it about 13 years ago. I had never even heard of it, and I was a kid in 1977. In addition to the Star Wars competition, I think it’s title hurt it. People probably thought it was a fantasy movie. They should have went with The Wages of Fear
I haven't seen it yet. Several people here have recommended it and pointed out that it's the original film (of the book). Reckon I'll watch it next weekend and report back.
It was filmed in the Dominican Republic. But I don't think the country is supposed to be Colombia. It appears to be a fictional nation with a resemblance to either Colombia or Venezuela, judging from the abundance of petroleum.
IF you wonder if you would want to see this I have two scenes linked below.
Yes, minor spoilers, but it gives a taste of the feel and the style.
The Truck building scene [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGY5dzIuJLk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGY5dzIuJLk)
The nitro testing scene [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nejZVhJ6D3Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nejZVhJ6D3Y)
Just saw it - it’s a slow burn, Roy does a great job as a beleaguered merc and it’s still geopolitically on point. Driving nitro thru the jungle, gets hairy and tense - worth a watch the version I saw was on YT,
Got to hear William Friedkin give a talk between a double feature of Sorcerer and The Exorcist back in like 2010 or so.
He said that the success of The Exorcist helped him get the permits and meetings with the right people where they filmed this (Guatemala? Honduras? I forget) - everything was set to start shooting, and they had planned to hire local villagers to play “local villagers” but word had spread that he was the guy responsible for making such a terrifying movie, that nobody from the villages they visited wanted to come anywhere near him and the crew. Apparently they were pretty superstitious. That’s why the villages in the movie are shown as deserted.
Just watched because I saw it mentioned here so many times, loved it, the bridge scene is one of the best ever. Did some research before because as a Colombian I get irritated when things are placed there, but nowhere in the movie it's mentioned it's Colombia, so I was OK with the Dominican setting.
Yeah! all good, it's like Narcos, I was there and they tell the story really well and they did film in my town, the thing that I couldn't stand was they chose a Brazilian to play Pablo and a bunch of Mexicans to play COlombians, it's just so disappointing.
Same with Encanto, what a pile of garbage, we can't get the right representation at all, grrrr.
I did go to Wikipedia to read about the movie, the first choices for actors, they all declined, hahah.
And yeah, the bridge in DR the river dried up and they had to film the scene in Mexico, where the river also dried up, insane feat, like Fitzcarraldo!
I saw this movie in the theater as a kid. Four years I remembered bits and pieces of it, mostly about the truck going over the bridge, but nobody could figure out what movie I was talking about from what I could remember.
Then I got released on blu-ray and finally the mystery was solved.
Here is why I tell this story, in the late 80’s and early 90’s, from high school to my early 20’s, I was a magician. I had a number of Tangerine Dream albums and pulled various pieces of theirs as backup music to my act. After reading the article about how it was finally getting a blu-ray release I followed the link to Amazon and saw the cover art and realized I had the soundtrack this whole time. It’s even one I had in cassette and rebought when it was released on CD. ITS A PICTURE OF THE TRUCK GOING OVER THE BRIDGE!!!! How did I not notice that?!
I just watched this last week. I'd been wanting to see if for years but it was never streaming anywhere. I ponied up and rented it and was a little disappointed. Nothing wrong with it. Great performances and story. Just didn't enthralled me. I'm glad I watched it and I'm glad other people are too.
Kind of preferred the French original, The Wages of Fear. Sorcerer came out just after Star Wars, and flopped, bringing an end to the pessimistic, anti-heroic, low budget film for jaded adults.
Ah, I really liked this. An old-school film involving William Friedkin (director) and Roy Scheider (lead actor), both of whom had been involved in *The French Connection* a few years previous. *Sorcerer* involves four men who, for various reasons, have had to flee their home countries. All four end up in a run-down town in Colombia, working for a pittance and running low on money. Then, the local oil company calls out for truck drivers to do a dangerous - possibly fatal - job, of transporting nitroglycerine a couple of hundred miles. The first part of the film introduces us to the four men and the circumstances that led to their departure from their countries. The best bits, for me, were the jungle scenes, where the men encounter all sorts of problems as they make their way to their destination. Well worth a look.
My brother just had this show at one of our local theaters in Cincinnati. My wife and I had personally never seen it, so we checked it out and we were absolutely enthralled.
Great film! Fun fact: This is Stephen King’s favourite movie.
Second Fun Fact: This was the first film Friedkin made after "The Exorcist".
I wasn't aware of that! It's a rollercoaster of a film, and their trek through the jungle is really well done.
This is one of my top 5 movies of all time. The sole reason it faded into obscurity was Star Wars. The soundtrack by Tangerine Dream was perfect. The cinematography was out-of-this-world good, rivaled only by some of the shots in Apocalypse Now. The acting was glorious, and the ending just...perfect.
Tangerine Dream really ups the mood
Tangerine Dream also did the soundtrack for Risky Business.
One of my favorites!
And "Thief"
Yes, I'd overlooked the great soundtrack in my OP. And yes, you're totally right about the ending and the acting.
The other problem it had is that the studio didn't believe in the movie and had no idea how to market it, so they just dumped the movie with the expectation it would disappear quickly, which it did.
Never seen the remake, but the [original "Le Salaire de la Peur" (The Wages of Fear) is awesome](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046268)...
I wasn't aware of that either! It'll be next on my list to watch. Thanks for the recommendation!
I just watched Wages of Fear this week due to reco on another reddit. Was awesome , subtitled though. French movie 1953.
Looking forward to your review here, then!
Such a great movie.
Such an underrated 70s gem. And that bridge crossing scene is maybe the most suspenseful I've ever seen.
Yes, that scene really made me aware of the sounds throughout the film: the rainfall, squeaking timber, explosions, and more.
One of the best films of the 70s, and that's saying a lot when considering other films released during that decade.
One of my favorites from the 70's. Referenced on the Simpsons and several other shows in pop culture.
Mr Plow!
Yep!
Remember seeing it with my Dad as a little kid in the theater. Made quite an impression on me.
A great film. Remake of Wages of Fear
Yes, a couple of people here have mentioned that one. One to watch next weekend, I think!
This is my final Netflix disc. Can’t wait to watch.
Excellent film! I enjoyed "Wages of Fear" a tiny bit more though.
Great film
I love it, but I wish it had ended before the final scene. I feel like it was better to wonder about what future he is going to face than to know. That bridge scene remains the most impressive thing I have ever seen on film.
The bridge scene is terrific! But the ending: I thought it left things quite open and uncertain.
Incredible soundtrack as well
I have the soundtrack album by Tangerine Dream, scares the kids
Never seen this! Deef gonna check it out. Watched Damnation Alley last night, starring Jan-Michael Vinncent.
The big vehicle, Landmaster, used to be parked next to the 101 on Cahuenga (across from Universal Studios). It was used as Paperboy 2000 in the Chris Elliot sitcom “Get a Life”
what did you write down the pixel size of the photo?
Yes, I did. AFAIK, you can't submit a post without that info. (Don't ask me why, because I don't know.) It's one of the sub rules. Edit: Nope, I'm totally wrong about that. It's a different sub - one about interesting quotes - that has this rule. My mistake.
I remember seeing this in a theater when it came out.
Amazing! 👍
##Sorcerer (1977) PG The only wages worth running for, dying for, killing for, are the wages of fear >>!Four men from different parts of the globe, all hiding from their pasts in the same remote South American town, agree to risk their lives transporting several cases of dynamite (which is so old that it is dripping unstable nitroglycerin) across dangerous jungle terrain.!< Thriller | Adventure | Drama Director: William Friedkin Actors: Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 74% with 445 votes Runtime: 2:1 [TMDB](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/38985)
Thanks, bot.
Anytime. Love this one.
I loved this movie, and I don't understand why it wasn't a bigger hit. I highly recommend watching 'Wages of Fear,' directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. The Sorcerer is a remake of Wages of Fear. Clouzot was a great director; see also his [Les Diaboliques](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Diaboliques_\(film\))
Star Wars came out at the same time.
That's true
It’s a masterpiece. I only discovered it about 13 years ago. I had never even heard of it, and I was a kid in 1977. In addition to the Star Wars competition, I think it’s title hurt it. People probably thought it was a fantasy movie. They should have went with The Wages of Fear
Curious what you think of Wages of Fear. Considered a classic but I found with an overlong act I and then with almost zero tension or suspense.
I haven't seen it yet. Several people here have recommended it and pointed out that it's the original film (of the book). Reckon I'll watch it next weekend and report back.
Just read the synopsis to this on IMDb and it sounds awesome.
It was filmed in the Dominican Republic. But I don't think the country is supposed to be Colombia. It appears to be a fictional nation with a resemblance to either Colombia or Venezuela, judging from the abundance of petroleum.
Yes, you're right. The country is never really specified, IIRC, and it's instead a generic, and fictional, Latin American country.
I,ve got the soundtrack album by Tangerine Dream. Good stuff.
Great movie. Based on the French movie, "the wages of fear."
IF you wonder if you would want to see this I have two scenes linked below. Yes, minor spoilers, but it gives a taste of the feel and the style. The Truck building scene [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGY5dzIuJLk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGY5dzIuJLk) The nitro testing scene [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nejZVhJ6D3Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nejZVhJ6D3Y)
Very good film.
Just saw it - it’s a slow burn, Roy does a great job as a beleaguered merc and it’s still geopolitically on point. Driving nitro thru the jungle, gets hairy and tense - worth a watch the version I saw was on YT,
Better, much better, than the original it was based on, " Wages of Fear" One of the least seen and underrated films of cinema IMHO.
Got to hear William Friedkin give a talk between a double feature of Sorcerer and The Exorcist back in like 2010 or so. He said that the success of The Exorcist helped him get the permits and meetings with the right people where they filmed this (Guatemala? Honduras? I forget) - everything was set to start shooting, and they had planned to hire local villagers to play “local villagers” but word had spread that he was the guy responsible for making such a terrifying movie, that nobody from the villages they visited wanted to come anywhere near him and the crew. Apparently they were pretty superstitious. That’s why the villages in the movie are shown as deserted.
my heart rate went up just seeing this poster
I love this insane film. It has almost been lost to time so I find myself recommending it to any film fan I meet if they haven’t seen it.
I'll have a look for this, thanks✌️
Just watched because I saw it mentioned here so many times, loved it, the bridge scene is one of the best ever. Did some research before because as a Colombian I get irritated when things are placed there, but nowhere in the movie it's mentioned it's Colombia, so I was OK with the Dominican setting.
Yes, my mistake about the Colombian setting. Someone else pointed that out yesterday, too. My bad! The bridge scene is superb. EDIT: Spelling.
Yeah! all good, it's like Narcos, I was there and they tell the story really well and they did film in my town, the thing that I couldn't stand was they chose a Brazilian to play Pablo and a bunch of Mexicans to play COlombians, it's just so disappointing. Same with Encanto, what a pile of garbage, we can't get the right representation at all, grrrr. I did go to Wikipedia to read about the movie, the first choices for actors, they all declined, hahah. And yeah, the bridge in DR the river dried up and they had to film the scene in Mexico, where the river also dried up, insane feat, like Fitzcarraldo!
I saw this movie in the theater as a kid. Four years I remembered bits and pieces of it, mostly about the truck going over the bridge, but nobody could figure out what movie I was talking about from what I could remember. Then I got released on blu-ray and finally the mystery was solved. Here is why I tell this story, in the late 80’s and early 90’s, from high school to my early 20’s, I was a magician. I had a number of Tangerine Dream albums and pulled various pieces of theirs as backup music to my act. After reading the article about how it was finally getting a blu-ray release I followed the link to Amazon and saw the cover art and realized I had the soundtrack this whole time. It’s even one I had in cassette and rebought when it was released on CD. ITS A PICTURE OF THE TRUCK GOING OVER THE BRIDGE!!!! How did I not notice that?!
Ha! It's brilliant reading these stories and memories.
Great fucking movie. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cvsp6bIsgZw/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I just watched this last week. I'd been wanting to see if for years but it was never streaming anywhere. I ponied up and rented it and was a little disappointed. Nothing wrong with it. Great performances and story. Just didn't enthralled me. I'm glad I watched it and I'm glad other people are too.
Fun
Kind of preferred the French original, The Wages of Fear. Sorcerer came out just after Star Wars, and flopped, bringing an end to the pessimistic, anti-heroic, low budget film for jaded adults.