Sorcerer: Preparing the Trucks

[@samueljbowden]

They're preparing their coffins.

[@davecrafton]

My brother Dan and I in the late '70s had a chance to salvage an abandoned railroad track. We had both seen this movie. With the big flatbed truck, I had rented, we drove the gravel path, littered with railroad ties both rotten and some well preserved. I had a job that required 20 or so good railroad ties for landscaping a driveway. There were 100's to pick through. We drove the path recreating the scene from this movie. Danny walked in front of the truck guiding me around opticals and picking out the good ties. At times I would then get out of the truck to help load those ties. My brother was a superman of a guy, he could lift a tie from the bed of loose gravel onto his shoulder and throw it in the truck. He was 22 and as strong as an ox. We collected 60 or so ties. Sold them to a landscaper. We sweated like pigs, laughed as we joked about hauling nitro to put out the oil fire. "watch that bump, we could have blown ourselves to smithereens" Dan and I made good money that day, he was proud of me for putting that opportunity together for us. I was proud too that he was my brother and such a superman. NYE 2021 his heart gave out. We will always have these stories and the Tangerine Dreams.

[@merky6004]

This! Stories like this are what keep me on the Internet. I love these bits of experience shared.

[@campchairhistorian]

This has got to be the manliest montage in movie history. I've got a sudden urge to change the oil and spark plugs in my car.

[@felipesalgado6347]

Dude I want to rebuild a old school pick up just by watching this

[@personofpinterest4281]

Hell yeah dude

[@confusedredditor1660]

Hahaha

[@nromancr]

I’m baking cookies while watching this

[@yousleepywolf]

I used to think that about the building the cage scene in Jaws. Then I saw Sorcerer.

[@ethanbox2010]

I watched this for the first time last night. Criminally under-appreciated.

[@evanstein3011]

Reminds me a bit of the montage Friedkin would later do at the beginning of To Live and Die in LA for the counterfeit printing. That kind of attention to detail is amazing.

[@anradevadoris]

Sorcerer seems to be the template for most of the Top Gear specials. Do up your vehicles, drive jungle roads, cross rickety bridges, and fight among yourselves.

[@CopiousDoinksLLC]

I've always loved Roy Scheider but this movie really makes me grateful that I saw it just for his performance. This dude is a real man's man; he wasn't shaped like Jason Momoa but he didn't need to be, you know this guy was tough as nails regardless. Incredible movie and I wish more people knew about it

[@mattfirebird]

One of the greatest films of all time.

[@martianshoes]

A sleeper classic...it repays study to check IMDB, Wiki and every other source where info is listed. The location, the original story and the making of the movie are a odyssey unto themselves...

[@Possumliving]

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I just read an article about the best movie bug-out vehicles. There were lots of comments from readers, but not one mention of this movie. Someone even mentioned the Batmobile, for crying out loud. But nobody remembered Sorcerer. This movie permanently changed the way I see trucks.

[@smithjones3548]

An old Dodge or GMC military truck (deuce and a 1/2) with a modern drivetrain would be an excellent bug-out vehicle--you could go where most vehicles would give up and smash your way through the hordes of zombies (people trying to escape whatever disaster had befallen the land) trying to take your vehicle away from you.

[@confusedredditor1660]

Yes

[@maxwellbarnhart1375]

I love the decision to show the oil fire burning as they work. Keeps the urgency present

[@stevevolpe6701]

The chance to get out of Hell. Friedkin made an incredible supernatural flick without overt supernatural elements. The oil well fire is the same as Regan's possession -- the full manifestation of the dark forces existing below the surface of direct human experienc that fuck with all of us. Resurrect the trucks, deliver the nitro, and blow out that goddamn fire. But Nilo, the man with the white shoes and shades, is the joker in the deck...

[@jimmerhardy]

What a beautifully edited sequence of a rediscovered masterwork: Sorcerer.

[@Myrth1]

How can you "rediscover" something that was never lost? Alternatively - where do you come from that Sorcerer was "lost" there?

[@jimmerhardy]

@@Myrth1 Lost: Unseen or forgotten by many.

[@wyattwesterfield4553]

The trucks of my childhood. The first time I saw them was in the trailers my dad showed in 2005. Breaks my heart to know that an amazing movie like this is long forgotten by most, as it seems. The images of Lazaro and Sorcerer never leave my head. Their looks are unforgettable.

[@ronaldh8446]

The movie has had a well-deserved rediscovery in recent years. Time has been very kind to Sorcerer and it's becoming more highly regarded as the years pass.

[@speeta]

Sorcerer and Lazaro would have felt at home in a Mad Max film

[@ig-8892]

Speaking of Mad Max, I saw a trailer for the 1979 Mad Max film that had background music, and it sounded very similar to the song "Betrayal" in this film's soundtrack by Tangerine Dream.

[@johnhamre990]

The good old days of open a truck hood and you can see the actual engine

[@frankkolton1780]

After watching this scene I feel so freaking macho now that I'm going to take my 7 year old Prius into the dealership and have them put on new wiper blades, unless they tell me I have to schedule a service appointment and comeback then of course.

[@jerres9585]

🤣🤣🤣

[@moh2108]

LMFAO!

[@thomasfletcher8997]

This is actually a great movie :)

[@sdg1970]

I love Jaws (more for Robert Shaw than anything else it has to be said) - but this imo, is Scheider's best performance.

[@Myrth1]

Ironically, Friedkin considered Scheider ill-fitted and badly casted when the movie was finally ready

[@sdg1970]

Myrth1 I wonder if he still thinks that 40 years on??

[@Myrth1]

I think (again, THINK) he made a new commentary for the movie upon the HD re-release, but I still didn't saw the extra material from it, only the movie itself, as it wasn't released in my region with extra material. So I guess it's about checking. Scheider also hated working with Friedkin on this one and kept that stance to his last days, as he considered the director gifted, but so self-obsessed perfectionist it simply was rising needless tension on the set, trying to govern every single (and often unimportant) detail, putting great strain on the crew (and most of them were ill from malaria, so imagine a director that is pushing you hard when you have a fever and are dizzy)

[@patriciogonzaga3101]

Stuart Gray Probably, he still regrets not giving in to Steve McQueen's demands.

[@jfkesq]

He does. There is a youtube interview of him and he admits that in retrospect he should have given in to Steve's demand and did "everything possible" to get him in the movie.

[@BaddaBing2001]

This montage makes me want to to scrap my knuckles on the engine of my truck and get my hands dirty. Sorcerer, the greatest movie ever made.

[@johnmparoutakis2132]

Friedkin and Tangerine Dream was made history.Respect

[@Basilzaharoff1]

love this scene. Back in the day when even wall street bankers knew how set the tappets on a truck engine

[@AttemptedNova]

Parisian bankers. :D Don't forget his father was a fisherman. Dude came from a working class background.

[@Myrth1]

I don't even know what they are doing half of the time. Like that part that Jackie replaces and it just falls off when removed at 2:10. Or whatever the hell he checks early on with some sort of fan, around 1:10. That part is later apparently replaced. Or that thing attatched to... something at 1:35. I have no clue what they are doing aside "turning complete wrecks into workable wrecks using all the parts laying around". Doesn't make this scene any less special for me, since I really, really love this sequence.

[@Myrth1]

Thanks a LOT, good sir

[@buickguy1]

I'm sure he was moving the fan to see if the engine was sieged or not. Also at 1:10 the tierods aren't connected. Great movie!

[@modularmuse]

Love Tangerine Dream's music.

[@Makothehybrid]

That’s one scary looking truck

[@mccjoh1]

the best movie of its genre ever prodiuced, highly atmospheric, You must see this movie in a wide screen theatre like I did in 1977. You will never forget it!!....The best!!!! Great international cast & Schideirs best IMO.

[@ghostdog2041]

I love this movie. Thank you.

[@peterfrank3365]

It's the A-Team montage before the A-Team.

[@fahrmboy]

Checking valve clearances while engine is running: I'd be sweating, too!

[@joecole1551]

one of my favorite Movie scene and music this is what dreams are made of .

[@joecole1551]

The Music for this scene fist like a Glove just to thank that Tangerine Dream never sew a single bet of film when Creating the Soundtrack for this film its was done by the time the Film Wrapped up all music was made from the movie Script and it was there first time recording a Film Soundtrack. They would go on to make other Soundtrack for other movies like Thief Legend Risky business And many others .

[@Nepbor]

Great film and this scene of reconstruction of this trucks is the best in many details 👍🏻

[@llg3pe]

How manly were men back in the day? Even wealthy French investors knew how to use feeler gauges on valve rockers

[@MrTropics64]

Can,t you read a map? One of the best movies ever!

[@Myrth1]

... and then it came out the same time as New Hope. I'm still bitter about it.

[@penknight8532]

@@Myrth1 lol I don't remember anyone calling it a New Hope. We all called it Star Wars.

[@Myrth1]

@@penknight8532 I guarantee if you say "Star Wars" today, people will think about Disney movies. Precision is handy.

[@jfkesq]

Just purchased this DVD! I cannot wait to watch it.

[@soviethammer]

John Kennedy Blu-ray?

[@johnzavala333]

Saw this movie when it came out. Bought the soundtrack. Now I need to buy the movie 🍿

[@MarioVAmaya]

I love how the second truck's grille looks like a sinister grin. The vehicles seem alive in every shot.

[@adamkentisaac]

Class B (straight truck) trucker here, this movie is FIRE!! (Literally!) The best truck movie of all time probably, and not a fuckin' trailer to be found. The OTR guys get "Convoy" and "Over The Top", and WE get SORCERER!!!!!

[@RichKosack]

Great movie. Despair rampant!

[@mcqueenfanman]

The cast from Predator watch this every night.

[@brandeneby2604]

I sat down and watched this whole film a couple weeks ago. What a downward spiral into misery. Very underrated. Too bad that it came out in the year that Star wars opened.

[@TheMaciejgo]

You really think that Star wars had even the slightest influence on the movie's box office? Sorcerer was addressed to entirely different viewers than those of Star wars. The movie had bad luck - the odds during shots were immense (no rain, death of an actor, delays, skyrocketing production costs and yet more delays). And when finally the movie went into theaters, it had misleading title. I love this movie, but frankly the screenplay is seriously flawed. Friedkin and the cast did its best, but it was not enough to weigh up the original.

[@MrCarpen7er]

@@TheMaciejgo Shut up. Go to sleep, you don´t know shit !

[@danielgrimes8312]

this is A Great Montage...

[@DeepFrance]

-What is your best-loved version, H.G. Clouzot or W. Friedkin ? -Les deux, mon colonel !

[@LexEllis]

Love the music at 3:21 that comes in as the lights turn on!

[@mikelraposo6082]

Keith Jarrett - Spheres 3rd movement

[@emcash8874]

This starts most garage days for me.

[@zenjon7892]

Whenever I go through a junkyard, this scene goes through my mind

[@hectormiranda6010]

Bad ass movie! I finally found it.

[@ELHIPPO]

3:20 fuck william you are a fucking master one best shot in history

[@sbcool1027]

If the trucks were Tatras, I guess they'd have to "Czech" everything.

[@snowwhite7677]

Translated PELIGRO=DANGER

[@AttemptedNova]

Good editing.

[@darrenheideman2546]

This is how you do a montage sequence.

[@Simpleburger1968]

That shot around the 3:24 area is fantastic ! (Surely Jeremy Clarkson and his crew of Top Gear would have some appreciation for this film ? )

[@jotoole6170]

If you like this movie watch wages of fear its the original that sorcerer was remade from it was made in 1953 and is definitely worth a watch

[@deecook8393]

Top 20 favorite movies.

[@MrCarpen7er]

William Friedkin is a genius !

[@nickmarshall]

Did anyone noticed the Pazuzu referente on the truck?

[@nathanjedrej792]

They had to drop in to the film that the french chap was originally a fisherman's son so he would have knowledge of diesel engines.

[@spirithawk2418]

Thank you.

[@sillyone52062]

Manly men!

[@killbot_factory]

I love how this film follows Nilo, the Spanish assassin, as though he is a member of the team. But he isn't, he doesn't get the job, so he spends his time watching. He nods when the others are selected, he sits up at night watching them work while he smokes his cigarettes and plots. Why is he there? To assassinate the German? Or is that just a means to getting in with the team for escape? Fascinating film.

[@artlover1477]

I have read some theories that Nilo was really after Dominguez (Scheider).

[@theartoftimelapsemore424]

0:07 (need help with translation) "Serrano! Dominguez! Marquez! Martinez!"

[@daniellocker4102]

Buena película la versión francesa original es un clásico lo que veo extraño en la película en especial esta escena que todos son mecánicos el banquero el asesino el terrorista aprendieron mecánica rápidamente que paradoja un banquero mecánico es bien rato en todo la tengo en casa en las 2 versiones dos buenas películas de colección la música de tangerine dream es extraordinaria pues me gusta mucho la música electrónica

[@xy5844]

can anyone tell me the name of this soundtrack? sounds like something from tangerine dream or john carpenter

[@ardillarojo]

Tangerine Dream- and they did an official soundtrack album for the film.

[@sbcool1027]

The song's called Creation, from the Sorcerer OST by Tangerine Dream.

[@templarseries]

Does anyone know of any differences in edits between 'wages of fear' and 'sorcerer': I recall the bbc showing one where the opening scene was a helicopter coming down a rocky valley to tangerine dream's chugging sequencers.I have never seen this since I first saw it and I am wondering if it was ever in any scene in the movie,or whether I have false memory syndrome!?

[@templarseries]

The shots looked vaguely like the canopy shots in this video at the start only they showed a helicopter coming toward the camera ( I think) or possibly shot from a helicopter as maybe they were here: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqKximaBjcean5Y

[@williamkuhns2387]

At 5:54 are those posi-traction pedals?

[@HHaizer]

Hi there, Alistair! Would you have the video of ''Sorcerer'' in VHS quality? Please! I love so much this movie... Have a great day!

[@brandeneby295]

You wanna talk about a downward spiral into misery look no farther. Lol

[@williamkelly6319]

Very different film and very , very good!

[@Fan_Made_Videos]

Why was Nilo a fugitive? His backstory scene only showed him assassinating someone, but there's no indication that he was blackmailed or ID'ed by authorities. It just confuses me because since he's a Spanish speaker, he could find countless places in Latin America to lay low.

[@RedHazeCh]

He came there to kill "Marquez" who is a nazi fugitive in hiding and got dragged into the gig as a result , at that point he knew that he can neither hide or running away from authorities and joining as a replacement driver would be a "better" option.

[@DetroitLove4U]

What make/models are those trucks? The $64K question!

[@wyattwesterfield4553]

DetroitLove4U Both trucks are GMC M211 cargo trucks. One was especially modified to create the appearance of Sorcerer.

[@newjeffersonian6456]

@@wyattwesterfield4553 When Dominguez (Roy Scheider) is walking down the line of scrapped trucks at 1:02 in the video, one of them looks to be an early 1950's model with that distinctive Ford "7 Tooth" grille. In later scenes it's definitely the truck that Serrano (Bruno Cremer) and Martinez (Amidou) are driving. So whatever chassis and engine it may have had, that definitely was not a GMC M211 body.

[@wyattwesterfield4553]

New Jeffersonian It is. It’s an GMC M211 that had the entire front end redone to resemble the truck featured. New hood, new fenders, new grille, new lights. All that replacing the entire front end of the original M211.

[@newjeffersonian6456]

@@wyattwesterfield4553 With all that redone, then like I said, it was not a GMC M211 body.

[@wyattwesterfield4553]

New Jeffersonian How is it not?

[@wolfliou3678]

entreprise lamentable tire du chef d'oeuvre de clouzaud, si je me trompe pas

[@Myrth1]

Yeah, you are wrong. Watch both movies side-by-side. Wages of Fears aged like milk. It's tensionless, despite being a movie about driving two trucks full of nitro, with absolutely unlikable characters in it. I've remember there was a time I've learned about Sorcerer and it was "meh, some stupid American remake". Fuck that, it's 10 times as good as the original, mostly because you can root for the characters and their journey is full of tension, while the only thing Wages has to offer is the basic concept for the story. And just for the record - I'm neither French nor American. Sorcerer is simply better on the sheer virtue of not being badly aged, having genuine tension all the time and not being full of disposable, boring characters with one-dimensional personality of "impoverished maverick".

[@Blank_Frank]

C'est quand même cracher dans la soupe que de renier le chef d’œuvre de Friedkin. Les deux films sont absolument géniaux, avec chacun leur personnalité propre. De plus, Friedkin ne cherchait pas à faire un remake, mais véritablement une nouvelle adaptation du bouquin de Georges Arnaud.

[@janickgoudeau6126]

This was originally based on the movie The wages of fear with Humphrey Bogart

[@lythomas284]

Humphrey Bogart? Nah.. it was Yves Montand

[@templarseries]

Yep it was Yves

[@kelvinfoote9897]

Janick Goudeau Were you thinking of The African Queen? Bogart plays a tough son of a bitch who, instead of trucks, has to keep fixing his boat

[@obsessivecorvid]

Well, it was actually based off the book Wages of Fear, which the 1953 movie was also based off of.

[@wolfliou3678]

faut pas se foutre de la gueule du monde,c'est le salaire de la peur révisite à la con

[@Myrth1]

And it's better than Wages

[@RaoulLeDegueu]

oui, par W. Friedkin, un autre maître américain et pas n'importe que yesman parachuté sur la production et cette version vaut la française d'ailleurs le titre anglais est "Sorcerer" et la musique est de Tangerin Dream est-ce que tu l'as vu ?