A precursor of the wild bunch, it is an expertly directed, personally felt film. The wages of fear, directed by the late henriclouzot in 1952 and released in the united states in 1955. A recent french documentary uses new interviews to recount the hard times when clouzot was accused of collaboration and banned from working for two. In truth, clouzots ability to sustain suspense may have. Wages of fear has influenced movies as diverse as the wild bunch and speed. Its money maker is its tension, something present here in spades.
The french director also plays with the distance between the two trucks, building suspense from their proximity in a way that friedkin never does. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The wages of fear is that rarity a work of art and a gripping entertainment. The main drawback of the film is its existential underpinningsa bleak vision of life where in the end, even those who win, lose, for death triumphs over all. The wages of fear is a 1953 french film noirstyle road moviecumthriller, directed by henrigeorges clouzot, starring rising film star and singer yves montand, and based on a rather macho 1950 novel by georges arnaud. The wages of fear is a singularly terrific movie from start to finish, exquisitely shot and expertly written. The wages of fear wikimili, the best wikipedia reader.
The film was shot in black and white, not in south america but in the south of france. The wages and the fear remain high in william friedkins. In this perfect illustration in moviemaking, the first half of the movie is simply about a group of bored, harddrinking men sitting around in a small town in south america but all the time, were getting to know the characters and the tension is slowly building. Sorcerer also happens to be a failed remake of a classic french thriller. Jan 18, 2012 this classic is opening in a restored version starting jan.
Friedkins sorcerer is just as gripping and spinetingling an adventure film as the wages of fear and, at times, surpasses the original film with breathtaking photography and a. Apr 21, 2009 throughout this process, the wages of fear was available on video only in truncated form, shorn of all political undertones that the u. Sorcerer film sorcerer is a 1977 american thriller film directed and produced by william friedkin and starring roy scheider, bruno cremer, francisco rabal, and amidou. The international cast, especially montand and vanel, are superb. A fire is raging in a south american oil well that is. The wages of fear is a technically excellent film with evocative blackandwhite cinematography. One of the most nervewracking and exciting films ever made, henrigeorges clouzots film continues to serve as a.
The wages of fear lives up to its reputation as a thriller. It also doesnt seem to fit easily into any category relating to its origin. Its based on a novel by georges arnaud and placed clouzot on the international stage after it won the palme dor at the 6th cannes film festival. He is best remembered for his work in the thriller film genre, having directed the wages of fear and les diaboliques, which are critically recognized as among the greatest films from the 1950s. Yves montand is outstanding in this gritty and unrelentingly suspenseful.
In a decrepit south american village, four men are hired to transport an urgent nitroglycerine shipment without the equipment that would make it safe. Documentary about a film that never was by the director. A sinful copy of the wages of fear the washington post. Yves montands the wages of fear 1953 video dailymotion. The wages of fear 1953 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. When an oil well owned by an american company catches fire, the company hires four european men, down on their luck, to drive two trucks over mountain dirt roads, loaded with nitroglycerine needed to extinguish the flames. This film was found in the motion picture library aboard enterprise nx01 in 2152. Furthermore, its still quite unlike many films that have ever been made. Film at lincoln center has been dedicated to supporting the art and elevating the craft of cinema and enriching film culture. The 1953 french original, the wages of fear, will be one of the first to be released by criterion on bluray. Find where to watch the wages of fear in south africa. When an oil well owned by an american company catches fire, the company hires four european men, down on their luck, to drive two trucks over mountain dirt. Remake of french film 2 restaurant 2 river 2 road accident 2 sand 2 shovel 2 singing 2 suicide 2.
A tense rivalry develops between the two sets of drivers on the rough remote roads where the slightest jolt can. When the great french thriller the wages of fear 1953 was first released in america, it was missing parts of several early scenes because it was too long, the u. The wages of fear is also a 1950s time capsule, the contents of which reflect french attitudes toward everything from sartres existentialism to americas postworld war ii. The film centers on the fates of a handful of men who are stuck in a south american town. The film brought clouzot international famewinning both the golden bear and the. Featuring an international quartet of acting legends including yves montand, the wages of fear is one of the greatest thrillers ever madea raw. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. He is best remembered for his work in the thriller film genre, having directed the wages of fear and les diaboliques, which are critically recognized as among the greatest films from the 1950s clouzot also directed documentary.
The wages of fear is a certified classic with one of the most famous plots in film history. When the great french thriller the wages of fear 1953 was first released in america, it was missing parts of several early scenes because. The wages of fear culture wikia fandom powered by wikia. No 8 best action and war film of all time henrigeorges clouzot, 1953.
As distinctive as it may have been for its time, the wages of fear still feels very much like a popular french film from the 1950s the disdain for the united states which resulted in substantial cuts to the version that appeared on this side of the atlantic, the flair for the existential most evident from the final sequence, complete. It was based on a 1950 novel by georges arnaud and is. Criterions dvd of the wages of fear replaces a good early disc from 1998 with a far better looking restoration, adding new extras that concentrate on the career of director henrigeorges clouzot. It is also the film that made popular music hall singer yves montan. The wages of fear, french thriller film, released in 1953, that was directed by henrigeorges clouzot. You may enjoy the wages of fear, but youll pay for it. While both films are worth seeing, the earlier version is the one regarded as a classic, and rightly so. With the raven le corbeau, 1943 he created a stir when the film was considered anti french, leading to a suspension from the film industry that lasted from 1944 through 1947. Sorcerer is a 1977 american adventure drama neo noir thriller film directed and produced by william friedkin and starring roy scheider, bruno cremer, francisco rabal, and amidou. The town, las piedras, is isolated due to the surrounding desert but it maintains contact with the outside world. The wages of fear is a 1953 frenchitalian thriller film directed by henrigeorges clouzot, starring yves montand, and based on the 1950 french novel le.
Sorcerer is a 1977 american adventure thriller film directed and produced by william friedkin and starring roy scheider, bruno cremer, francisco rabal, and amidou. The first 3045 minutes remind me a little of the deer hunter. The town, las piedras, is isolated due to the surrounding desert but it maintains contact with the. The pretrip portion of the movie, which is something of a slog in wages, here becomes a gritty prologue, crosscutting among the backstories of the. The 25 best action and war films of all time the wages of fear.
The wages of fear 1953 the wages of fear 1953 user. From french master filmmaker henrigeorges clouzot often referred to as the french hitchcock and director of the mesmerising les diaboliques, 1955, this existential thriller and 1953 cannes winner follows four truck drivers transporting dangerous payloads across south american terrain. The wages of fear letterboxd social film discovery. Oct 18, 1991 the wages of fear is also a 1950s time capsule, the contents of which reflect french attitudes toward everything from sartres existentialism to americas postworld war ii hegemony. The oil company pays four men to deliver the supplies in two trucks. Their relationship becomes the highlight of the film as the two become mutually dependent on each other for survival and comfort. French, english, german, italian and russian with english subtitles. The wages of fear 1953 fullhd movie, the wages of fear 1953 fullhd movie, the wages of fear 1953 fullhd movie, the wages of fear 1953 fullhd movie dvd quality. A recent french documentary uses new interviews to recount the hard times when clouzot was accused of collaboration and banned from working for two years.
A fire is raging in a south american oil well that is owned by an american company, and. Jul 6, 2016 looking for great french films to practice your french. Featuring an international quartet of acting legends including yves montand, the wages of fear is one of the greatest thrillers ever madea raw, keyedup cinematic excursion that puts clouzots effortless command of mood and suspense on full display. Throughout this process, the wages of fear was available on video only in truncated form, shorn of all political undertones that the u. Henrigeorges clouzots the wages of fear is an exceptionally gripping thriller about the corrupting consequences of capitalism, faintly camouflaged as an adventure movie. Update, october 20 after a brief legal battle to discover which film studio currently held the rights to sorcerer, william friedkin oversaw a brand new transfer of his original cut fo the film, restored for cinema screenings in 35mm and for an upcoming special edition bluray. The wages of fear is a film that doesnt really seem to fit in with its time. Wages of fear is an uncompromising parable about money, greed, and mans jealous desire for that which he can never have. Wages of fear has premiere at paris the new york times. This classic is opening in a restored version starting jan.
The novel itself has sort of been overlooked over time, due mainly to the fanatical interest bestowed upon two of its most famous film adaptations the 1953 frenchitalian production called the wages of fear directed by henrigeorges clouzot, and the 1977 hollywood production called sorcerer directed by william friedkin a largely forgettable us remake of. With yves montand, charles vanel, peter van eyck, folco lulli. The winnipeg film group was founded in 1974 and is a charitable, artistrun organization dedicated to promoting the art of cinema. There is a lot here that reminds me of other films. In truth, clouzots ability to sustain suspense may have even exceeded hitchcocks. It was based on a 1950 novel by georges arnaud and is considered one of the seminal films of french cinema. When an oil well owned by an american company catc. Ensign travis mayweather convinced lieutenant malcolm reed to attend by telling malcolm that things blow up, to which the armory officer responded with interest.
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