16 Movies Directed by William Friedkin

The Birthday Party

The Birthday Party

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1968-12-09

Languages:

English

Countries:

UK

Runtime:

123 min

Rated:

G

IMDB Ratings:

6.7 (355 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Harold Pinter (play)

Harold Pinter (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Based on Harold Pinter's enigmatic play about a border in a British seaside dwelling who is visited by two strangers. They torment him verbally, ask him idiotic unanswerable questions, force him to sit down and stand up, and give him a "party." Then, eventually, they take him away, a tongue-tied idiot. The trivial becomes the terrible, and with it a certain wonder, a certain pity.

The Boys in the Band

The Boys in the Band

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1970-03-17

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

118 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

7.7 (2640 Reviews)

Genres:

ComedyDrama

Cast:

Writer:

Mart Crowley (play)

Mart Crowley (screenplay)

Fullplot:

It's Harold's birthday, and his closest friends throw him a party at Michael's apartment. Among Harold's presents is "Cowboy", since Harold may have trouble finding a cute young man on his own now that he's getting older. As the party progresses the self-deprecating humor of the group takes a nasty turn as the men become drunker. Climaxed by a cruel telephone "game" where each man must call someone and tell him (or her?) of his love for them.

The French Connection

The French Connection

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1971-10-09

Languages:

English, French

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

104 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

7.8 (74326 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Ernest Tidyman (screenplay)

Robin Moore (based on the book by)

Fullplot:

William Friedkin's gritty police drama portrays two tough New York City cops trying to intercept a huge heroin shipment coming from France. An interesting contrast is established between 'Popeye' Doyle, a short-tempered alcoholic bigot who is nevertheless a hard-working and dedicated police officer, and his nemesis Alain Charnier, a suave and urbane gentleman who is nevertheless a criminal and one of the largest drug suppliers of pure heroin to North America. During the surveillance and eventual bust, Friedkin provides one of the most gripping and memorable car chase sequences ever filmed.

The Exorcist

The Exorcist

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1973-12-26

Languages:

English, Latin, Greek, French, German, Arabic

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

122 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

(264509 Reviews)

Genres:

Horror

Cast:

Writer:

William Peter Blatty (written for the screen by)

William Peter Blatty (novel)

Fullplot:

A visiting actress in Washington, D.C., notices dramatic and dangerous changes in the behavior and physical make-up of her 12-year-old daughter. Meanwhile, a young priest at nearby Georgetown University begins to doubt his faith while dealing with his mother's terminal sickness. And, book-ending the story, a frail, elderly priest recognizes the necessity for a show-down with an old demonic enemy.

Sorcerer

Sorcerer

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1977-06-24

Languages:

English, Spanish, French, German

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

121 min

Rated:

PG

IMDB Ratings:

7.7 (8119 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Walon Green (screenplay)

Georges Arnaud (novel)

Fullplot:

A group of outcasts from different backgrounds and nationalities are forced by misfortune to work in an oil-drilling operation in South America. When fire breaks out of control, four of the outcasts are given the opportunity to earn enough money to get out by transporting six crates of unstable dynamite through miles of jungle in two ancient trucks.

Cruising

Cruising

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1980-02-15

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA, West Germany

Runtime:

102 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

6.4 (12002 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

William Friedkin

Gerald Walker (novel)

Fullplot:

A serial killer brutally slays and dismembers several gay men in New York's S&M and leather districts. The young police officer Steve Burns is sent undercover onto the streets as decoy for the murderer. Working almost completely isolated from his department, he has to learn and practice the complex rules and signals of this little society. While barely seeing his girlfriend Nancy anymore, the work starts changing him.

To Live and Die in L.A.

To Live and Die in L.A.

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1985-11-01

Languages:

English, Arabic, Spanish

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

116 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

7.2 (19363 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Gerald Petievich (novel)

William Friedkin (screenplay)

Gerald Petievich (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Two cops in Los Angeles try to track down the vicious criminal Eric Masters. Then, one of them is killed by Masters and the other one swears revenge no matter what the cost. After that, the hunt becomes an ob- session and the law he once swore to uphold becomes meaningless to him.

Rampage

Rampage

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1992-10-30

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

97 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

6.4 (1343 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

William P. Wood (novel)

William Friedkin (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Liberal district attorney decides to seek the death penalty for a man who slaughtered a family at Christmastime, then drank their blood. He escapes, though, and starts killing again.

The Guardian

The Guardian

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1990-04-27

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

92 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

5.3 (3265 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Dan Greenburg (novel)

Stephen Volk (screenplay)

Dan Greenburg (screenplay)

William Friedkin (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Phil and Kate have a baby boy named Jake. They hire a baby-sitter, Camilla, to look after Jake and she becomes part of the family. The Sheridan's friend and neighbor, Ned, takes a liking to Camilla and asks her out. She refuses, but Ned follows her and discovers that she is not quite human. Camilla discovers that she has been followed and Phil is pursued. He leaves a desperate message for Phil and Kate which reveals that Camilla has special plans for baby Jake.

Blue Chips

Blue Chips

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1994-02-18

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

108 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

(9003 Reviews)

Genres:

DramaSport

Fullplot:

Pete Bell, a college basketball coach is under a lot of pressure. His team isn't winning and he cannot attract new players. The stars of the future are secretly being paid by boosters. This practice is forbidden in the college game, but Pete is desperate and has pressures from all around.

Jade

Jade

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1995-10-13

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

95 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

5.1 (8741 Reviews)

Fullplot:

Someone does a nasty hatchet job on a San Fransisco big noise and the Assistant D.A. takes charge of the investigation. Through a web of blackmail and prostitution involving the Governor, an old lover of the lawman emerges as a prime suspect and he has to deal with his personal feelings as well as the case.

12 Angry Men

12 Angry Men

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1997-08-17

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

117 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

7.9 (9953 Reviews)

Genres:

CrimeDrama

Fullplot:

Made for cable television remake of the 1957 classic about twelve jurors quick to condemn a Latino youth on trial for murdering his father before reviewing the evidence. Juror #8 holds out with a verdict of not guilty, thus setting the stage for arguments and reasons why or why not the boy may be guilty.

Rules of Engagement

Rules of Engagement

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2000-04-07

Languages:

English, Arabic

Countries:

UK, Germany, Canada, USA

Runtime:

128 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

6.4 (35946 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Jim Webb (story)

Stephen Gaghan (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Hayes Hodges finds his career aspirations dashed when he's wounded in Vietnam combat. He then returns to America and becomes a disillusioned lawyer who goes up against the service to defend Colonel Terry Childers, who is accused of inciting an incident that leaves many demonstrators dead. Hodges in no position to decline: Childers heroically saved his life back in Vietnam.

The Hunted

The Hunted

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2003-03-14

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

94 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

(33376 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

David Griffiths

Peter Griffiths

Art Monterastelli

Fullplot:

In the green woods of Silver Falls, Oregon, Aaron Hallam, a trained assassin AWOL from the Special Forces, keeps his own brand of wildlife vigil. After Hallam brutally slew four deer hunters in the area, FBI Special Agent Abby Durrell turns to L.T. Bonham-- the one man who may be able to stop him. At first L.T. resists the mission. Snug in retirement, he's closed off to his past, the years he spent in the Special Forces training soldiers to become skilled killers. But when he realizes that these recent slaying is the work of a man he trained, he feels obligated to stop him. Accepting the assignment under the condition that he works alone, L.T. enters the woods, unarmed--plagued by memories of his best student and riddled with guilt for not responding to Aaron's tortured letters to him as he began to slip over the edge of sanity. Furious as he is with his former mentor for ignoring his pleas for help, Aaron knows that he and L.T. share a tragic bond that is unbreakable. And, even as they go into their final combat against each other, neither can say with certainty who is the hunted and who is the hunter.

Bug

Bug

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2007-05-25

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA, Germany

Runtime:

102 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

(26313 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Tracy Letts (screenplay)

Tracy Letts (play)

Fullplot:

Having escaped her abusive ex-husband Goss, recently released from state prison, Agnes, a lonely waitress with a tragic past moves into a sleazy, rundown motel. Her lesbian co-worker R.C. introduces her to Peter, a peculiar, paranoiac drifter and they begin a tentative romance. However, things aren't always as they appear and Agnes is about to experience a claustrophobic nightmare reality as the bugs begin to arrive...

Killer Joe

Killer Joe

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2012-06-29

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

102 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

6.7 (54661 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Tracy Letts (screenplay)

Tracy Letts (play)

Fullplot:

Finding himself in considerable debt, Chris a Texan drug dealer, decides the only solution is to murder his mother to collect the insurance money. Getting together with his father, the ex-husband of Chris' mother, they decide to hire Joe Cooper a contract killer, who also happens to be a police detective. The plan is that the money will go to Chris' sister Dottie. However due to the size of the contract fee, Chris agrees that Joe can take Dottie as a retainer until the insurance comes through.

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