When William Friedkin died at the age of 87 on August 7, the film world lost a singular director who continued taking risks until his final days — and a vital link between the New Hollywood innovators of the 1970s and the blockbuster era that followed.
After cutting his teeth on conventional Hollywood fare like the 1967 musical “Good Times,” Friedkin wasted no time seeking out riskier projects. He embraced provocative subject matter when he directed “The Boys in the Band” in 1970, which went down in history as one of the first films to treat gay men as nuanced characters. But despite proving a knack for intimate theatrical adaptations, Friedkin quickly pivoted to large-scale blockbusters.
Films like “The French Connection” and “Sorcerer” demonstrated Friedkin’s eye for spectacle, treating audiences to dazzling action set pieces that Hollywood has never been able to top. But Friedkin infused both films with serious character development and elements of cinema verite, proving that popcorn blockbusters could be marketed to adults and still be hits.
Friedkin’s greatest impact on the film industry may well be the enduring legacy of “The Exorcist.” In addition to horrifying moviegoers for 50 years, the demonic possession thriller legitimized the horror genre in the eyes of audiences and studio executives alike. The film proved that horror projects, which at the time were generally considered lowbrow afterthoughts for studios, could compete for major box office dollars and prestige when given the same resources as other genres.
Friedkin was never one to rest on his laurels, and he continued to make provocative films in a variety of genres up until his death. (His final film, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Marshall,” is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival this year.) His filmography is both a living document of the past 50 years of Hollywood history and a distinct body of work with an aesthetic that can stand on its own. While some of his best films are tragically unavailable online (looking at you, “To Live and Die in L.A.”), many of his masterpieces are available to stream.
Keep reading for a roundup of Friedkin’s best works — and where you can watch them.
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“The Boys in the Band” (1970)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection While Friedkin made his feature film directorial debut with “Good Times” in 1967, his first work of true cultural significance came when he directed “The Boys in the Band” in 1970. The adaptation of Mart Crowley’s play of the same name was one of the first major American films to revolve around gay characters and came to be seen as a landmark moment in queer cinema history. While the kitchen sink drama has little in common with the popcorn spectacle Friedkin would come to be known for, the film still demonstrates his talent for coaxing great performances out of actors.
“The Boys in the Band” is available to rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.
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“The French Connection” (1971)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection “The French Connection” saw Friedkin combining a healthy dose of New York sleaze with some of the most memorable car chase sequences of all time. The end result was a police story for the ages. Gene Hackman stars as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle, an NYPD cop whose determination to break up a massive heroin shipment knows no bounds. The film was the first real example of the fusion of New Hollywood character development and Hollywood set pieces that came to define Friedkin’s aesthetic.
“The French Connection” is available to rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.
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“The Exorcist” (1973)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection After proving that the cops-and-robbers genre could be high art with “The French Connection,” Friedkin gave the horror genre a similar shot of adrenaline with the career-defining “The Exorcist.” The landmark classic shocked audiences with its use of gore and constant willingness to steer into dark themes previously reserved for straight dramas. And the film’s ability to generate a massive box office haul despite casting largely unknown actors in leading roles established an oft-imitated formula that shaped the next half century of horror movies. While Friedkin only made one true horror film, it remains the genre over which his influence looms the largest.
“The Exorcist” is available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, and Google Play.
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“Sorcerer” (1977)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Friedkin took one of the simplest premises of his career — four men transporting a load of highly explosive nitroglycerin through a harrowing stretch of jungle — and turned it into one of the most gripping action films of the century. While the film is deservedly remembered for its white-knuckle setpieces, Friedkin manages to turn the relationships between the four men into sources of non-stop tension.
“Sorcerer” is available to rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.
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“Bug” (2006)
Image Credit: ©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection Even in his later years, when he had nothing left to prove, Friedkin never opted to play things safe. The beginning of the 21st century saw the auteur launch a collaborative relationship with playwright Tracy Letts when he adapted his paranoid psychological thriller “Bug” into a film. The movie once again saw Friedkin combining Aristotelian unities with Hollywood spectacle, turning a single set into a gripping cinematic portrayal of paranoia, featuring Michael Shannon in one of his best (and earliest) roles.
“Bug” is available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, and Google Play.
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“Killer Joe” (2011)
Image Credit: LD Distribution/Courtesy Everett Collection Friedkin reteamed with Letts in 2011 for another perverse adaptation of the latter’s theatrical works, “Killer Joe.” The film stars Matthew McConaughey as a police detective who moonlights as a hitman. When he takes a job helping a young man execute a life insurance scheme, he becomes engulfed in a twisted mess of Southern confusion that makes for one of Friedkin’s most darkly comedic films. For years the film was assumed to be the aging Friedkin’s final scripted work, but he recently re-emerged to direct “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” which will debut at this fall’s Venice Film Festival.
“Killer Joe” is available to rent on Prime Video.
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