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William Friedkin was one of the leading names renowned for his involvement as one of the New Hollywood school of filmmakers. The director who is known for his works in horror and thriller genres has unfortunately breathed his last at the age of 87. Friedkin is still considered one of the best of his times and is the mastermind behind one of the landmark horrorThe Exorcist.
The Exorcistis known for paving a new direction for the horror genre. The 1973 film was a standout hit and is still considered one of the best horror flicks. It is also known for garnering a massive 10 Oscar-nominations with two wins which is a rare feat for any horror flick.
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How did William Friedkin enter the world of Hollywood?
It was first reported by Variety that William Friedkin passed away on August 7 at the age of 87 in Los Angeles. The Chicago-born director was one of those rare filmmakers who never hesitated to take risks. He has been a significant part of television and his experience in making documentaries had a large contribution to his filmmaking career.
William Friedkin’s entry into Hollywood hasn’t been great as his first movieGood Timeswas a forgettable venture and was a huge financial loss. Although the reviews deemed the movie to be very poor, William Friedkin claimed that he had a lot of fun while making the project-“I’ve made better films than Good Times but I’ve never had so much fun”.
The woes didn’t end soon as his nextThe Birthday Partyalso went on to become a financial disappointment. The film was based on Harold Pinter’s play by the same name and similar to Friedkin’s last venture, the late director also praised this movie and admitted that he was proud of it. Following that William Friedkin’sThe Boys in the Bandturned out to be a critically praised movie.
But ultimate success in the form ofThe French Connection.It not only turned out to be a Box Office hit but also earned Friedkin his first Oscar for Best Director. Soon after being named as one of the best of that era, he found success withThe Exorcistwhich bagged a massive $441 Million. According to a report by The Guardian, it was found that William Friedkin’s movie earned around $1.7 Billion when adjusted for inflation.
Also Read:7 Horror Movies That Are Believed to be Cursed in Real Life: “The Exorcist”, “The Conjuring” and More
The Exorcistwas a massive success
The stories about the filming ofThe Exorcistare still discussed among ardent horror of fans. It is very unfortunate how many people lost their lives or their loved ones and were even left injured during the production of the movie. Although it is debatable if the running stories about The Curse are true or if the incidents are nothing but hoaxes, the filming took over 200 days.
The movie was nominated for 10 Oscars out of which it won two for Best Screenplay and Best Sound. On the other hand, William Friedkin won the Golden Globe for his outstanding direction of the horror flick.
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AfterThe Exorcist,the director madeSorcererwhich was inspired by the 1953 French thrillerThe Wages of Fear.Interestingly, Friedkin’s film failed to earn large box office records but was later acknowledged as a cult classic. Then the director made projects likeThe Brink’s Job, Cruising, To Live and Die in L.A.,a television adaptation of12 Angry Men,and many other projects.
William Friedkin who is survived by his fourth wife Sherry Lansing and two sons is also yet to release his last movie titledThe Caine Mutiny Court-Martialwhich is set to be featured in this year’s Venice International Film Festival. The director who was influenced byCitizen Kaneto know more about the art has left a permanent mark among Cinema Lovers and his contribution to movies will always be remembered.
Rest in Peace, William Friedkin.
Source:Variety
Subham Mandal
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1461
Subham Mandal is currently working as a content writer for FandomWire with an ardent interest in the world of pop culture. He has written more than 1000 articles on different spheres of modern pop culture and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He’s also an experienced student journalist having demonstrated work experience with the Times of India. He aspires to be a column writer in the future.
