Sorcerer (1977)

Four unfortunate men from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous Latin American jungle.

Director:

William Friedkin

Writers:

Walon Green (screenplay), Georges Arnaud (novel)

Stars:

Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roy Scheider	...	Scanlon / 'Dominguez'
Bruno Cremer	...	Victor Manzon / 'Serrano'
Francisco Rabal	...	Nilo
Amidou	...	Kassem / 'Martinez'
Ramon Bieri	...	Corlette
Peter Capell	...	Lartigue
Karl John	...	'Marquez'
Friedrich von Ledebur	...	'Carlos' (as Fredrick Ledebur)
Chico Martínez	...	Bobby Del Rios (as Chico Martinez)
Joe Spinell	...	Spider
Rosario Almontes	...	Agrippa
Richard Holley	...	Billy White
Anne-Marie Deschodt	...	Blanche (as Anne Marie Descott)
Jean-Luc Bideau	...	Pascal
Jacques François	...	Lefevre (as Jacques Francois)

Storyline

A gangster, a crooked banker, a hitman and an arab terrorist are stranded and on the run in a small village in South America. Their only chance of escape is to drive two trucks filled with unstable nitroglycerin up a long and rocky mountain road in order to plug an escalating oil refinery blaze. With their deadly cargo likely to explode at the slightest bump, the four men must put aside their differences and work together to survive.

---

Plot Keywords:

dynamite | remake | remake of french film | building explosion | blowing out a tire | 

---

Taglines:

Die "Really" Hard

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Thriller

---

Did You Know?

Trivia

The oil fire was created by pumping up thousands of gallons of #2 diesel fuel as well as raw propane into the air ignited. Once the fire started it was so hot that no one could get within 50 feet of it.

---

Goofs

One of the soldiers killed by Nilo is seen breathing and moving after dead.

---

Quotes

Nilo: Where are you from?
Scanlon: Listen Pancho, I've been clocking you every second you've been in this town. If you wanna pick your nose in this truck, you better clear it with me first, otherwise I'm taking you and this nitro right into a ditch!

---

Crazy Credits

The only opening credits at the beginning of the film are the studios' names followed by the film's graffiti style font title. Although by the late 1990's it was quite common to not have credits at the beginning of a film, in 1977 it was very unusual.

---

Alternate Versions

The European version of the film was re-edited and shortened by CIC, the European distributor, without director William Friedkin's permission. The prologue sequences set in New York, Paris, Vera Cruz and Israel that show what happened to the main characters and why they had to flee to South America, were changed to flashbacks running throughout the film.

---

Connections

Referenced in Sudor frío (2010)

---

Soundtracks

Spheres (Movement 3)
Performed by Keith Jarrett
Used under license from Polydor Incorporated and through the courtesy of ECM Records

User Reviews

astonishing jungle thriller...

Before MAD MAX 1 and 2 and before APOCALYPSE NOW came William Friedkin's utterly terrifying remake of THE WAGES OF FEAR called SORCERER. Many similar images and human themes came up in those latter films first explored in this truly visceral truck and jungle thriller. I saw it in a cinema a few years ago with Freidkin present as host and with a terrific Q&A session afterward. The full 121 minute version not seen in 1977 in its 93 min form (Leave off reels 1 and 2). Seen on a big screen and in proper widescreen SORCERER was a gripping revelation. Thoughts of scenes and images lifted into the MAD MAXs and APOCALYPSE NOW also became noticed. However it is the utter reality of the filming location and the overwhelming nightmare concept and visuals of the truck trek through the hell of the wet jungle, climaxing in the most startling stunt work on a suspension bridge with both trucks creaking they way across rotten logs with a torrent river below that literally had grown men in the audience gasping in sheer horror. This is a monumental film and I can see why it cost $22m. Roy Schieder proves again why he was a great and reliable actor. If you can see SORCERER as a film in cinema you will appreciate it's full scope. Outrageously and insulting is the DVD which is a square screen cropping and should be binned until the blu ray comes out in full terror splendour.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish French German

Release Date:

24 June 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sorcerer

Filming Locations:

66 Avenue Foch, Paris 16, Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,972

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film Properties International N.V., Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min 92 min (international)

Sound Mix:

Mono 4-Track Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1