A work in constant progress (and occasional regress).
Alias:
윌리암 프리드킨
윌리엄 프리드킨
Birthplace:
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Born:
August 29, 1935
Died:
August 7, 2023
William Friedkin (August 29, 1935 - August 7, 2023) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter best known for directing "The French Connection" (1971) and "The Exorcist" (1973); for the former, he won the Academy Award for Best Director. Some of his other notable films include "The Boys in the Band" (1970), "Sorcerer" (1977), "Cruising" (1980), "To Live and Die in L.A." (1985), "Blue Chips" (1994), "Jade" (1995), "Rules of Engagement" (2000), "The Hunted" (2003), "Bug" (2006), and "Killer Joe" (2011). In 1965, Friedkin moved to Hollywood and two years later released his first feature film, "Good Times," starring Sonny and Cher. Several other "art" films followed, including the adaptation of Mart Crowley's "The Boys in the Band" and most notably "The Birthday Party," based on an unpublished screenplay by Harold Pinter, which he adapted from his own play. Friedkin, however, did not want to be known as an art house director, but rather for action and serious drama through stories about an America upended by crime, hypocrisy, the occult, and amorality. All of which he mounted up into his films to reflect what was going on in an America that was changing in the wake of Vietnam, the Sexual Revolution, and Watergate. In 1971, his "The French Connection" was released to wide critical acclaim. Shot in a gritty style more suited for documentaries than Hollywood features, the film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Friedkin followed up with 1973's "The Exorcist," based on William Peter Blatty's best-selling novel, which revolutionized the horror genre and is considered by some critics to be one of the greatest horror movies of all time. "The Exorcist" was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It won the Best Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing. Following these two pictures, Friedkin, along with Francis Ford Coppola and Peter Bogdanovich, was deemed one of the premier directors of New Hollywood. In 1973, the trio announced the formation of an independent production company at Paramount, The Directors Company. Whereas Coppola directed "The Conversation" and Bogdanovich the Henry James adaptation, "Daisy Miller," Friedkin abruptly left the company, which was soon closed by Paramount. Friedkin's later movies did not achieve the same success. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Friedkin's films received mostly lackluster reviews and moderate ticket sales. However, his action/crime movie "To Live and Die in L.A." (1985), starring William Petersen and Willem Dafoe, was a critical favorite and drew comparisons to Friedkin's own "The French Connection" (particularly for its car-chase sequence). In 2011, Friedkin directed "Killer Joe," a black comedy written by Tracy Letts, and starring Matthew McConaughey. Killer Joe premiered at the 68th Venice International Film Festival, prior to its North American debut at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. In April 2013, Friedkin published a memoir, "The Friedkin Connection." He was presented with a lifetime achievement award at the 70th Venice International Film Festival in September.
Director:
1962 The People vs. Paul Crump
1965 Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
1965 The Bold Men
1966 The Thin Blue Line
1967 Good Times
1967 The Pickle Brothers
1968 The Birthday Party
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
1970 The Boys in the Band
1971 The French Connection
1973 The Exorcist
1975 Conversation with Fritz Lang
1977 Sorcerer
1978 The Brink's Job
1980 Cruising
1983 Deal of the Century
1985 Putting it Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1985 To Live and Die in L.A.
1986 C.A.T. Squad
1987 Rampage
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
1990 The Guardian
1994 Blue Chips
1994 Jailbreakers
1995 Jade
1997 12 Angry Men
2000 Rules of Engagement
2003 The Hunted
2006 Bug
2007 The Painter's Voice
2011 Killer Joe
2014 Henri Langlois vu par...
2018 The Devil and Father Amorth
2023 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Executive Producer:
1962 The People vs. Paul Crump
1965 Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
1965 The Bold Men
1966 The Thin Blue Line
1967 Good Times
1967 The Pickle Brothers
1968 The Birthday Party
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
1970 The Boys in the Band
1971 The French Connection
1973 The Exorcist
1975 Conversation with Fritz Lang
1977 Sorcerer
1978 The Brink's Job
1980 Cruising
1983 Deal of the Century
1985 Putting it Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1985 To Live and Die in L.A.
1986 C.A.T. Squad
1987 Rampage
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
1990 The Guardian
1994 Blue Chips
1994 Jailbreakers
1995 Jade
1997 12 Angry Men
2000 Rules of Engagement
2003 The Hunted
2006 Bug
2007 The Painter's Voice
2011 Killer Joe
2014 Henri Langlois vu par...
2018 The Devil and Father Amorth
2023 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Producer:
1962 The People vs. Paul Crump
1965 Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
1965 The Bold Men
1966 The Thin Blue Line
1967 Good Times
1967 The Pickle Brothers
1968 The Birthday Party
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
1970 The Boys in the Band
1971 The French Connection
1973 The Exorcist
1975 Conversation with Fritz Lang
1977 Sorcerer
1978 The Brink's Job
1980 Cruising
1983 Deal of the Century
1985 Putting it Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1985 To Live and Die in L.A.
1986 C.A.T. Squad
1987 Rampage
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
1990 The Guardian
1994 Blue Chips
1994 Jailbreakers
1995 Jade
1997 12 Angry Men
2000 Rules of Engagement
2003 The Hunted
2006 Bug
2007 The Painter's Voice
2011 Killer Joe
2014 Henri Langlois vu par...
2018 The Devil and Father Amorth
2023 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Screenplay:
1962 The People vs. Paul Crump
1965 Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
1965 The Bold Men
1966 The Thin Blue Line
1967 Good Times
1967 The Pickle Brothers
1968 The Birthday Party
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
1970 The Boys in the Band
1971 The French Connection
1973 The Exorcist
1975 Conversation with Fritz Lang
1977 Sorcerer
1978 The Brink's Job
1980 Cruising
1983 Deal of the Century
1985 Putting it Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1985 To Live and Die in L.A.
1986 C.A.T. Squad
1987 Rampage
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
1990 The Guardian
1994 Blue Chips
1994 Jailbreakers
1995 Jade
1997 12 Angry Men
2000 Rules of Engagement
2003 The Hunted
2006 Bug
2007 The Painter's Voice
2011 Killer Joe
2014 Henri Langlois vu par...
2018 The Devil and Father Amorth
2023 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Stage Director:
1962 The People vs. Paul Crump
1965 Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
1965 The Bold Men
1966 The Thin Blue Line
1967 Good Times
1967 The Pickle Brothers
1968 The Birthday Party
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
1970 The Boys in the Band
1971 The French Connection
1973 The Exorcist
1975 Conversation with Fritz Lang
1977 Sorcerer
1978 The Brink's Job
1980 Cruising
1983 Deal of the Century
1985 Putting it Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1985 To Live and Die in L.A.
1986 C.A.T. Squad
1987 Rampage
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
1990 The Guardian
1994 Blue Chips
1994 Jailbreakers
1995 Jade
1997 12 Angry Men
2000 Rules of Engagement
2003 The Hunted
2006 Bug
2007 The Painter's Voice
2011 Killer Joe
2014 Henri Langlois vu par...
2015 Verdi Aida
2018 The Devil and Father Amorth
2023 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Story:
1962 The People vs. Paul Crump
1965 Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
1965 The Bold Men
1966 The Thin Blue Line
1967 Good Times
1967 The Pickle Brothers
1968 The Birthday Party
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
1970 The Boys in the Band
1971 The French Connection
1973 The Exorcist
1975 Conversation with Fritz Lang
1977 Sorcerer
1978 The Brink's Job
1980 Cruising
1983 Deal of the Century
1985 Putting it Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1985 To Live and Die in L.A.
1986 C.A.T. Squad
1987 Rampage
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
1990 The Guardian
1994 Blue Chips
1994 Jailbreakers
1995 Jade
1997 12 Angry Men
2000 Rules of Engagement
2003 The Hunted
2006 Bug
2007 The Painter's Voice
2011 Killer Joe
2014 Henri Langlois vu par...
2015 Verdi Aida
2018 The Devil and Father Amorth
2023 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Teleplay:
1962 The People vs. Paul Crump
1965 Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
1965 The Bold Men
1966 The Thin Blue Line
1967 Good Times
1967 The Pickle Brothers
1968 The Birthday Party
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
1970 The Boys in the Band
1971 The French Connection
1973 The Exorcist
1975 Conversation with Fritz Lang
1977 Sorcerer
1978 The Brink's Job
1980 Cruising
1983 Deal of the Century
1985 Putting it Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1985 To Live and Die in L.A.
1986 C.A.T. Squad
1987 Rampage
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
1990 The Guardian
1994 Blue Chips
1994 Jailbreakers
1995 Jade
1997 12 Angry Men
2000 Rules of Engagement
2003 The Hunted
2006 Bug
2007 The Painter's Voice
2011 Killer Joe
2014 Henri Langlois vu par...
2015 Verdi Aida
2018 The Devil and Father Amorth
2023 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Thanks:
1962 The People vs. Paul Crump
1965 Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
1965 The Bold Men
1966 The Thin Blue Line
1967 Good Times
1967 The Pickle Brothers
1968 The Birthday Party
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
1970 The Boys in the Band
1971 The French Connection
1973 The Exorcist
1975 Conversation with Fritz Lang
1977 Sorcerer
1978 The Brink's Job
1980 Cruising
1983 Deal of the Century
1985 Putting it Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1985 To Live and Die in L.A.
1986 C.A.T. Squad
1987 Rampage
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
1990 The Guardian
1994 Blue Chips
1994 Jailbreakers
1995 Jade
1997 12 Angry Men
1998 The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist
2000 Rules of Engagement
2003 The Hunted
2006 Bug
2007 The Painter's Voice
2011 Killer Joe
2014 Henri Langlois vu par...
2015 Verdi Aida
2018 The Devil and Father Amorth
2023 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Writer:
1962 The People vs. Paul Crump
1965 Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
1965 The Bold Men
1966 The Thin Blue Line
1967 Good Times
1967 The Pickle Brothers
1968 The Birthday Party
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
1970 The Boys in the Band
1971 The French Connection
1973 The Exorcist
1975 Conversation with Fritz Lang
1977 Sorcerer
1978 The Brink's Job
1980 Cruising
1983 Deal of the Century
1985 Putting it Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1985 To Live and Die in L.A.
1986 C.A.T. Squad
1987 Rampage
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
1990 The Guardian
1994 Blue Chips
1994 Jailbreakers
1995 Jade
1997 12 Angry Men
1998 The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist
2000 Rules of Engagement
2003 The Hunted
2006 Bug
2007 The Painter's Voice
2011 Killer Joe
2014 Henri Langlois vu par...
2015 Verdi Aida
2018 The Devil and Father Amorth
2023 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Director:
1962 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1985 The Twilight Zone
1989 Tales from the Crypt
1994 Rebel Highway
2000 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Most data and links to images for the Movies section come from TheMovieDB (TMDB).
Additional data for Film Titles come from The Open Movie Database (OMDb).
At least one plug-in comes from IMDb.
Data are -- hey, it's a plural -- subject to the limitations of their sources. (For example, TMDB search results currently max out at 20.) I am limiting myself to free data sources for now. (No, a "free trial" is not free.)
While much of the above data are retrieved directly from outside APIs and other such sources, data from American Film Institute (AFI) and British Film Institute (BFI) were manually entered the old fashioned way into a MySQL database. Re BFI I took the following liberties:
Regarding profile removals and data corrections:
Filtering is applied here to film projects flagged as "adult" by TheMovieDB. Pending "popular demand" I am contemplating a login and profile system with preferences (such as whether to allow adult images to appear) and permissions (such as data entry).
Whereas the overall purpose of this website is to serve as a personal demo/portfolio/workshop of web and data skills, this Movies section is not meant to compete with or substitute for far more definitive movie websites.
Whether or not he still clings to an award which he won in 1986 as a film critic for his college's newspaper, Jeffrey Hartmann is not responsible for the texts of overviews and biographies supplied by external data sources.