The 1971 film the french connection ep is widely considered one of the greatest crime films ever made. Based on real events, the movie starred Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider as NYC detectives Popeye Doyle and Cloudy Russo in their pursuit of drug smuggler and French Connection mastermind Fernando Rey. The film became an instant classic, earning rave reviews and multiple Oscars including Best Picture, Director, Actor, and Adapted Screenplay. It even inspired a sequel, The French Connection II, released in 1975.
As the film turns 50 this year, it's time to take a closer look at what makes the French Connection so special. From its gripping chase sequences to its underlying themes of police corruption and social injustice, the film continues to resonate today.
Its dazzlingly effective blend of action and music also helped set the tone for American crime movies of the 1970s and beyond, with its gritty New York City setting and street-level action scenes. In fact, the director of the film, William Friedkin, was one of the pioneers of this style, which would become popularized in the likes of Taxi Driver and The Godfather.
But what's perhaps most interesting is how the movie was constructed. This acclaimed documentary takes viewers behind the scenes to explore the torturous process that went from the real-life drug bust that formed the basis for the film to its final production. It features frank responses from the real-life cops whose story it tells as well as candid commentary on the filmmaking process.
For example, in the documentary, it's revealed that Friedkin didn't think much of the book the The french connection ep connection ep on which his movie was based. But he was intrigued by the detectives themselves, their salty personalities, and their willingness to use questionable methods to pursue justice. The filmmaker eventually optioned the book, and two years later, he made The French Connection. The result was an oscar-winning triumph that saw Friedkin beat out such heavyweights as Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange), Peter Bogdanovich (American Graffiti), and Ingmar Bergman (Cries and Whispers).
Of course, the movie's greatest achievement was its incredibly thrilling chase scenes. The Academy Award-winning sequences, filmed on location in the streets of New York City, are still thrilling to this day. In this video, you'll see how the director conceived of each shot of the harrowing pursuit. You'll also learn how Friedkin, along with cinematographer Owen Roizman and a talented second unit crew, was able to shoot the action at breakneck speeds without slowing down the action or sacrificing clarity of vision.
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