Four unfortunate men from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous Latin American jungle.Four unfortunate men from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous Latin American jungle.Four unfortunate men from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous Latin American jungle.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 3 nominations total
Friedrich von Ledebur
- 'Carlos'
- (as Fredrick Ledebur)
Chico Martínez
- Bobby Del Rios
- (as Chico Martinez)
Anne-Marie Deschodt
- Blanche
- (as Anne Marie Descott)
Jacques François
- Lefevre
- (as Jacques Francois)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBesides internal on-set conflicts, William Friedkin said that approximately fifty people "had to leave the film for either injury or gangrene," as well as food poisoning and malaria. In The Friedkin Connection he added that "almost half the crew went into the hospital or had to be sent home." Friedkin himself lost fifty pounds (23 kg) and was stricken with malaria, which was diagnosed after the film's premiere.
- GoofsDuring the tree sequence, after the dynamite is lifted out of the wooden crate, it is kicked to the side and (apparently) falls off the tree.
Weeping dynamite is leaking out the nitroglycerin as a liquid which will readily soak through untreated materials such as the wooden case, shelves upon which they sit and so on. Old stocks of dynamite usually require destroying the entire building in which they are found for safety.
However, as illustrated in this scene, and earlier in the film when the boxes are being inspected, each wooden box has a lining of what appears to be some sort of treated paper, which the film shows to be watertight. When it is inspected early in the film, the worker places his hand within this paper barrier to get nitroglycerin on his fingers, and at the felled tree, this wrapping is not soaked through and is in fact strong enough to support the weight of the dynamite and liquid inside. Kassem uses a sharp stick to poke a hole in it, whereupon liquid nitroglycerin begins to flow out.
- Crazy creditsThe only opening credits at the beginning of the film are the studios' names followed by the film's graffiti style font title. Although by the late 1990's it was quite common to not have credits at the beginning of a film, in 1977 it was very unusual.
- Alternate versionsThe European version of the film was re-edited and shortened by CIC, the European distributor, without director William Friedkin's permission. The prologue sequences set in New York, Paris, Vera Cruz and Israel that show what happened to the main characters and why they had to flee to South America, were changed to flashbacks running throughout the film.
- SoundtracksSpheres (Movement 3)
Performed by Keith Jarrett
Used under license from Polydor Incorporated and through the courtesy of ECM Records
Featured review
For my money, the original one-sheet for "Sorcerer" is one of the most effective pieces of movie advertising. A cargo truck trying to negotiate its way across a sorely decrepit bridge. Simple, but highly effective. The whole movie is distilled into that one image. Which isn't to say that that's all the movie is, far from it. "Sorcerer" deals in high suspense like a seasoned pro, cavalierly dismissing the laws of physics in favor of truly nail-biting cinema. The whole thing feels doomed, and that sense of dread just builds, baby. It's a movie that spends its first half in set-up, but surprisingly is never boring. And Friedkin milks the gritty atmosphere out of that third-world jungle.
It's been a few days and I still can't get this movie out of my head. It doesn't shake off easily.
8/10
It's been a few days and I still can't get this movie out of my head. It doesn't shake off easily.
8/10
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Wages of Fear
- Filming locations
- Papaloapan River, Veracruz, Mexico(bridge crossing scene)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $22,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $9,914
- Runtime2 hours 1 minute
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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