Sorcerer 4K Ultra HD Review

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

The Agony and the Ecstasy: Revisiting William Friedkin’s Overlooked Masterpiece, Sorcerer

William Friedkin’s Sorcerer (1977) stands as one of cinema’s most notorious examples of a film initially rejected by audiences and critics, only to be resurrected decades later as a revered classic. A visceral, nerve-shredding thriller, it remains a powerful testament to ambition, desperation, and the brutal indifference of fate.

A Descent into Hell: Plot and Premise

Often (and contentiously) labeled a remake of Henri-Georges Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear, Sorcerer is actually the second adaptation of Georges Arnaud’s novel Le Salaire de la peur. Friedkin crafted a distinct vision, opening with four harrowing prologues that introduce its desperate protagonists: Nilo (Francisco Rabal), a cold-blooded assassin fleeing Mexico; Kassem (Amidou), a Palestinian resistance fighter escaping Jerusalem; Victor Manzon (Bruno Cremer), a disgraced Parisian financier; and Jackie Scanlon (Roy Scheider), an Irish-American getaway driver marked for death by the Mafia after a botched church robbery. All converge in the squalid, rain-sodden purgatory of Porvenir, a remote Central American village dominated by an American oil company. Trapped by poverty and circumstance, they grasp at a suicidal job: driving two ancient, cobbled-together trucks – “Lazaro” and “Sorcerer” – loaded with unstable, “sweating” nitroglycerin over 218 miles of treacherous jungle terrain to cap a blazing oil well. Their journey is less a mission and more a slow-motion dance with annihilation.

Fate’s Cruel Playground: Themes and Title

The enigmatic title refers solely to one of the trucks, adorned with the name like the decorated cargo vehicles Friedkin observed in Ecuador. For the director, the “Sorcerer” represented fate itself – “an evil wizard” lurking to capriciously destroy lives. The film relentlessly explores themes of existential dread, betrayal, and the illusion of control. These men, scarred by their pasts, are united only by desperation and mutual distrust. As Friedkin stated, “life is filled with betrayal… false promises… fate is waiting around the corner to kick you in the ass.” The line “no one is just anything,” spoken in the Paris prologue, resonates as a core tenet – each man carries the weight of his actions, yet their ultimate fates feel arbitrary and cruel. Friedkin deliberately avoided sentimentality or clear heroes, presenting morally ambiguous characters whose struggle for survival is raw and unvarnished.

Production Inferno: Ambition Meets Reality

Conceived initially as a modest $2.5 million project, Sorcerer ballooned into Friedkin’s $22 million “magnum opus,” a saga of filmmaking hubris mirroring its narrative. Shooting across the globe (France, Israel, New Jersey, Mexico, Dominican Republic, New Mexico) was plagued by epic disasters. The now-legendary sequence where the trucks cross a dilapidated rope bridge during a torrential downpour took months, consumed $3 million, and required rebuilding the bridge twice as rivers dried up unexpectedly. Friedkin clashed with crew, fired multiple personnel (including his original cinematographer, Dick Bush), and battled natural elements, disease (malaria struck many, including Friedkin), injuries, and logistical nightmares. Casting was equally fraught: Steve McQueen (Friedkin’s first choice for Scanlon) dropped out over demands for his wife; Robert Mitchum, Jack Nicholson, and Warren Oates were considered or passed; Lino Ventura (intended for Manzon) refused second billing to Scheider. The arduous conditions took a physical and mental toll on all involved, with Scheider famously declaring it made Jaws “look like a picnic.”

Box Office Bomb and Critical Chill

Released in the shadow of the Star Wars phenomenon, Sorcerer was a catastrophic financial failure, grossing only $5.9 million domestically against its massive cost. Initial reviews were largely negative. Critics found it overlong, grim, emotionally cold, and overshadowed by Clouzot’s original. The downbeat ending and unsympathetic characters alienated audiences seeking escapism. Friedkin and many analysts firmly believe Star Wars‘ cultural tsunami directly contributed to its commercial demise.

The Long Road to Redemption: Legacy and Reappraisal

Time has been extraordinarily kind to Sorcerer. Decades after its release, a significant critical reappraisal occurred. Recognized for its breathtaking cinematography (by replacement DP John M. Stephens), relentless tension, and audacious filmmaking, it is now frequently hailed as an overlooked masterpiece, “perhaps the last undeclared masterpiece of the American ’70s.” Friedkin himself considered it his most personal and difficult film, and among his favorites. Key elements of its legacy include:

• Tangerine Dream’s Landmark Score: The German electronic band’s pulsating, atmospheric soundtrack was revolutionary, becoming hugely influential and launching their career as major film composers.
• Technical Prowess: The practical effects, stunt work (performed largely by the actors themselves), and immersive sound design (nominated for an Oscar, using distorted animal roars for the trucks) are still lauded for their visceral impact.
• Influence: Its gritty realism, thematic bleakness, and focus on procedural tension influenced a generation of filmmakers.
• Restoration: After a legal battle, Friedkin supervised a meticulous digital restoration in 2013, premiering at the Venice Film Festival and leading to a Blu-ray release in 2014, finally allowing audiences to experience the film as intended.

A Triumph Against the Odds

Sorcerer is a film forged in adversity, both on and off-screen. Its initial failure was a product of astronomical ambition colliding with brutal circumstance and shifting audience tastes. Yet, its power endures. It’s a harrowing, visually stunning, and philosophically bleak journey into the heart of desperation, showcasing Friedkin’s uncompromising vision at its most potent.

The Video

This new 4K restoration of Sorcerer was taken from the original 35mm camera negative with select shots taken from 35mm color reversal intermediate. A 1998 35mm print provided Paramount and a 2013 digital master, both approved by director William Friedkin, were used for color reference.

The film is presented on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in a 1.85:1 HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) Dolby Vision encodement and on the Blu-ray in a 1.85:1 AVC 1080p SDR encodement. The 4K disc and the Blu-ray look very similar, with the 4K etching out just a bit more finer details and more organic looking grain with subtler nuance in the often-cool looking color palette. The shadow detail is superb which disc you choose, but specular highlights are subtle at best on the 4K, showing the most strength in the flames of the explosions.

The Audio

The 5.1 surround remix was created in 2013 and approved by Friedkin. It is presented on disc in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The original 2.0 surround mix was remastered from the 35mm magnetic track and will require Dolby Pro Logic for decoding, although I engage DTS Neural:X on this DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track.  I do prefer the 5.1 mix over the 2.0 surround, especially in the scene where Roy Scheider seems to be going mad and the voices begin to pan around the room, one of the most aggressive scenes in the entire mix. Otherwise, the mix is a masterclass in subtly, balance, and dynamism that works with the material. Rainstorms surrounding you, atmospheric effects filling the surround channels. The scene with the trucks crossing the rope bridge is a another standout, and the explosion scenes offer excellent low end oomph.

The Supplements

This release from the Criterion Collection includes the newly restored film on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and HD Blu-ray, plus a second Blu-ray with the bonus features and a booklet with essay from film critic Justin Chang and information on the transfer.

Bonus Features (On Blu-ray Two):

• Friedkin Uncut (1080p; 01:47:26) – This 2018 documentary by Francesco Zippel traces the life and work of director William Friedkin. It features in-depth interviews with Friedkin; Sorcerer screenwriter Walon Green; and filmmakers Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, and Wes Anderson; among many others.
• James Gray and Sean Fennessey (1080p; 00:28:18) – In this conversation, conducted by the Criterion Collection in 2025, filmmaker James Gray and film critic Sean Fennessey discuss Sorcerer’s politics and its shifting reputation, from infamous flop to reappraised masterpiece.
• William Friedkin and Nicolas Winding Refn (1080p; 01:17:23) – In this 2015 conversation, director William Friedkin talks to filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn about the difficulties of making Sorcerer and his feelings regarding its reception.
• Walon Green and Bud Smith (1080p; 00:36:27) – This piece, created by the Criterion Collection in 2025, presents selections from audio interviews with screenwriter Walon Green and editor Bud Smith, conducted by film scholar Giulia D’Agnola Vallan as research for her book William Friedkin (2003).
• Behind the Scenes (1080p; 00:06:09) – This brief behind-the-scenes montage shows the Sorcerer cast and crew shooting a sequence set in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
• Trailer (1080i; 00:02:53)

The Final Assessment

No mere remake, Sorcerer stands tall as a unique and formidable work of cinematic art – a testament to the perilous wages of fear and the cruel sorcery of fate, finally claiming its rightful place as a cornerstone of 1970s American cinema. It demands to be seen, felt, and respected, especially in this gorgeous new 4K restoration from the Criterion Collection.

Sorcerer is out on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray June 24, 2025 from the Criterion Collection

Details

• Rating Certificate: PG
• Studios & Distributors: Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A. | Film Properties International N.V. | Paramount Pictures | Universal Pictures
• Director: William Friedkin
• Written By: Walon Green | Georges Arnaud | William Friedkin
• Run Time: 121 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Video Format: HEVC 2160p (4K UHD)
• HDR Format: Dolby Vision (HDR10 Compatible)
• Primary Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• Secondary Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Surround
• Subtitles: English SDH
• Street Date: 24 June 2025