Cruising
To Live and Die in L.A.
Rules of Engagement
The Hunted
One of my top favorite directors and much more than that, he had crossed the final bridge today.
William "Hurricane Billy" Friedkin was 1987...He won the Oscar for directing in 1972 for The French Connection, at that time being the youngest recipient of the award at 33.
Met him thrice in Cannes, in 2006 with Bug at the American Pavillion, in 2007 at the Quinzaine with Cruising and nine years later in 2016 in Bunuel at La Lecon du Cinema.
Friedkin had recently completed “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” starring Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Clarke. His now-final film will premiere in September at the 80th Venice International Film Festival.
Francis Ford Coppola took to Instagram to pay tribute to Friedkin, who he called “a giant of a man.”
“William Friedkin was my first friend among the filmmakers of my generation and I grieve for the loss of a much-loved companion,” Coppola said. “His accomplishments in Cinema are extraordinary and unique. He is the only colleague I knew whose work actually saved a man’s life (‘The People v. Paul Cruimp’). Billy’s work represents true milestones in Cinema, a list which will never be forgotten; certainly ‘The French Connection,’ ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘Sorcerer,’ but all of his films are alive with his genius. Pick any of them out of a hat and you’ll be dazzled. His lovable, irascible personality was cover for a beautiful, brilliant, deep-feeling giant of a man. It’s very hard to grasp that I will never enjoy his company again, but his work will at least stand in for him.”
