3 Things 'The French Connection' Teaches Us About Filmmaking
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- Опубліковано 20 лис 2015
- What does William Friedkin's classic detective film The French Connection teach us about filmmaking?
Smack dab in the middle of the Hollywood Renaissance, William Friedkin’s 1971 police thriller titled The French Connection captures the gritty reality of a true crime story like few films can. Over the years, detective films have certainly not been in short supply. Today, we take an in-depth look at what The French Connection teaches us about filmmaking to see if we can figure out why it always seems to tower above the rest.
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This video essay was written, edited, and narrated by Tyler Knudsen.
Sources:
Cinephilia & Beyond: bit.ly/1LrJwoe
The French Connection [Blu-ray]: amzn.to/1LrJTzb
CPH PIX William Friedkin Masterclass: bit.ly/1Ok2WjA
William Friedkin on the Car Chase Scene In THE FRENCH CONNECTION: bit.ly/1NI9eXl
William Friedkin on Documentary Style: bit.ly/1SafCKN
Master Class of William Friedkin: bit.ly/1I2Bis3
Interview with Owen Roizman by the International Cameraman’s Guild: bit.ly/1PRJ60O
Owen Roizman Panavision Interview: bit.ly/1PFtyyG
Music:
“Main Title” by Don Ellis
“RSPN” by Blank & Kytt (blankkytt.bandcamp.com/)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
“Backed Vibes Clean” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b... - Фільми й анімація
The '70s was SUCH an amazing decade for American cinema, you can *feel* the real change from even the later end of the '60s!
Yeah.. The Godfather, The Exorcist, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Rocky, and Star Wars.. Bloody scenes or violent scenes or adult scenes etc started to appear during the decade.. Movies became realistic..
People have talked about parallels between collapse of studios in late 60s and the way studios now are collapsing. With bloated huge budgets and bankruptcies and big epic flops, with laws changing (in 60s with Hays Code disappearing) and nowadays with strikes making major changes. Hopefully this means big monopoly studios get weakened, writers get some room to breathe and studios are forced to actually be creative and take risks, and therefore actually give opportunities to the amazing filmmakers that are out there who are currently relegated to only indie films
@@GuineaPigEverydayI love this comment. It's rare to see someone speaking optimistically about the future of cinema. Something I might add is that it is possible, like what happened in the 70s, for big American directors to start looking at the European or Asian arthouse cinema of today, films such as those that win the Palme d'Or, and start emulating their style. Then there could be a great Renaissance of filmmaking in Hollywood, and cinema will once again be seen as an art. Like Scorsese said "Now there are movies, and there are films. Back then, movies were films.", or something like that.
Indeed Sergio Leonne’s Spaghetti Westerns helped make the 60’s a robust cinematic decade.
Besides the sublime titles you mentioned, I’d add 2001: ASO, Apocalypse Now, Alien, Taxi Driver, Chinatown & Deer Hunter, among others. While I love Sean Connery’s James Bond & attendant films I grew up with Roger Moore’s more facetious Bond & love The Spy Who Loved me.
So many good movies that didn’t need to rely on CGI & special effects but epitomized directors who were actual auteurs. These movies invariably & unquestionably influenced modern directors profoundly with Tarantino being the most salient example as he incorporates so many elements of these movies into his indirectly at times but directly too. We also see a lack of innovation in many genres which has caused more remakes than originals which is a testament to the potency of the 70’s movies & stories.
The 1970's was a great decade for films, and this classic was a big part of it. The acting was amazing and William Friedkin's direction was excellent. Gene Hackman's performance was Oscar worthy and well deserved.
filming in actual cold cold weather was one of the best parts no phony snow or no phony cold breath it was the real deal and you could tell Gene was freezing standing around tailing the perp
Perfect example that big budgets mean nothing, if you have dedicated, committed craftsmen, and actors and actresses. In other words, less is more.
Definitely. They also had the incredible resource of having the NYPD on their side. I imagine having a bigger budget would have only hurt the film.
So true. Some of the greatest films were made with spare change whereas some of the most expensive were cheesy crap or artsy fartsy boratoriums.
@@CinemaTyler As a matter of fact, I heard Freidkin say in an interview that today they would not be able to pull off the chase scene they did back in 1970. No filming permit. etc. Just not done anymore. Having the real Sonny Grosso available to talk his way out of a problem by telling an inquiring police officer what they were doing allowed them to pull this off.
I disagree. Ideally, every film should have an unlimited budget, so that money does not restrict potential and it simply costs what it costs.
GoProJoe Hope you’ve got a REALLY DEEP wallet
I was an extra in that film in late 1970 I live in Clearwater Florida⛰. It has been an interesting life I teach school now because I had a very interesting childhood. I was seven years old in the chasing in the subway I was a little girl who is getting on the subway
Gene Hackman's best decade. What an actor.
"The Conversation" is also one of Mr. Hackman's top movies imo
I dunno he’s brilliant in every decade. He was amazing in enemy of the state
@@GuinessOriginal Unforgiven
@@GuinessOriginal I would also add Night Moves, by Arthur Penn
For my money Hackman is the best film actor America has ever produced. No one like him. An astonishing talent and, as mentioned above, he was great right across the span of his career, although I accept the 70s were his peak...by a whisker.
That scene at the end of this video, falling down the subway stairs. What a stunt on those hard steps .
Friedkin seems to have a thing for making stunt guys fall down stairs
No stunt guy, the actor did the fall.
@@carrrexx7190 That's pretty badass.
@@BucketOfMarbles hardcore ✌😷
Great video, i think the seventies had the greatest films!
without a doubt and the best music.
I completely agree, so many timeless classics.
Yes. Before the advent of the blockbusters and the endless franchises.
@@davidrenton Thats for sure
In the 70’s all we had was disaster movies - it wasn’t until Picture at Hanging Rock snd Star Wars broke the mould
"Chaos" is the key to this movie. You feel like you are falling and aren't sure if you have a working parachute.
I miss Gene's acting! Wished he did one more before it's too late....
@Mdmchannel There's no film that can't be liked with Gene Hackman! Even when he plays the villain it's a pleasure to watch him act!
Gene Hackman was a realism American Hero archetype!
And in Unforgiven!
Crimson Tide
Mississippi Burning
Gene Hackman's a true legend. And how blessed was Roy Schneider to be apart of two iconic, influential and immortal films: The French Connection and Jaws. Rarely does an actor get one, two is just incredible.
Scheider was fantastic in "52 Pickup," a very underrated film.
@Mr Heck I thought Scheider really nailed the cold, pragmatic nature of the protagonist. He brought the character from the book to life.
Not one, not two, but three. Add up All That Jazz, mate...
@@mbryson2899 Also in Marathon Man with Dustin Hoffman
Well done! I can only add that this is one of those films that works so much better on the big screen. I saw it in revival at NYC's Film Forum about a year and a half ago in a packed theater, and it seemed to jump off the screen. The shaky camerawork which is interesting on a TV monitor becomes unsettling and disorienting when it is twenty feet tall. Gene Hackman's work is so kinetic and majestic, you wonder why he isn't the star of every motion picture that's been made. In the lobby, after the movie was over, dozens of audience members, young and old, hung around to discuss what we had seen. It was exhilarating. When it is seen larger than life, THE FRENCH CONNECTION is all that it is cracked up to be, a visceral and powerful emotional experience. If you like this film, and get the chance to see it in a movie theater, by all means, go.
+bikefixer Thanks! I must have moved to NYC right after that screening! I'll definitely keep an eye out for any future screenings. Thanks for sharing!
Watching French Connection on the big screen makes the chase scene so visceral. It blows your mind.
"after the movie was over, dozens of audience members, young and old, hung around to discuss what we had seen"
Pity I wasn't there, I would have said it was complete bollocks, which it is!
@@nossasenhoradoo871 No, it isn't. :)
@@porflepopnecker4376
"No, it isn't. :)"
Yeah, it is! The real "French Connection" was Monaco. There are no "drug gangs" as all so-called illegal drugs are brought in by states themselves. Here in the UK, the "Royal Navy" brings in heroin under the directions of the Queen.
Let's face it, who messes with a warship!
In Aliens, Cameron shot the early eating (knife trick) scene at the end because all the marines had bonded by then.
Interesting! That makes a lot of sense.
Although they had been in training together for many, many weeks. They were already bonding by then, even Weaver mentions the fact. She came to the shoot late , missed out on all of that stuff and felt a little left out. It worked for the film though, because she was an outsider to them at the start of the story.
The cinematography of this film is simply outstanding. It's the water mark.
Brilliant stuff. I love this film but I'd never really appreciated how significant it was in film making history. Thanks!
To Live and die in L.A. and The French Connection are cinematic masterpieces!
👍 Yep both are the best police thriller movies ever.
I haven’t seen To Live in Die in L.A, but from what I gather, it’s a something of a spiritual successor to this film.
After The French Connection and The Exorcist, Friedkin was deemed the next big film auteur on par with Kubrick. It didn’t quite turn out that way. Sorceror was an interesting misfire, nothing more. But the controversial Cruising kinda put an end to aspirations of him helming projects of any real ambition.
Throw in Bullitt and you get the top 3 car chase movies.
@@bczzar1 Bullit is misunderstood too. Forget the car chases, it's actually the story of a man torn between two worlds. There's his artististic girlfriend and all she represents and then there's crime, corruption and so on. Notice how Bullit is always polite to people? He is managing to keep his humanity, despite the world he lives in. That's what that shot at the end is all about. He's not entirely sure he is holding on, but I think we the audience know that he is.
@@kramalerav I must be one of the few that don't really see the huge fuss over To Live and Die. I think the films Billy has made the last decade or so, like Bug and the brilliant Killer Joe, are so much better. Killer Joe, for me at least, is the best thing Friedkin has done since Sorcerer.
The film has very few background scores which makes the action sequences even more realistic and believable especially the car chase scene. The film stood out in action crime genre ! 💯
This has been my #1 favorite film for the past 30 years. It's a masterpiece. Thank you for the excellent analysis.
Damn, now I have to watch the French Connection" again.
Agreed, I haven't seen it in years!
I'm Gonna Watch It This Afternoon On StarzEncore
Thinking the same thing.
Yeah ... tonight or tomorrow, hopefully.
And that's a problem why???
William Friedkin and other past filmmakers made moves meant to be enjoyed by adults.
Bruce Armacost Friedkin made an adult move on you? It’s ok to speak up if he touched you inappropriately Bruce
@@pyenapple O.K. I deserved that. Very funny.
This was fantastic brother. It's great to see people focus on classics. And you don't go the usual pretentious essay route. Keep it up.
This little documentary is just great! You've packed a ton of insights and fine details. Better than a college film course. And you bring to bear your knowledge of other films. Really well done. I learned a lot and enjoyed learning at the same time!
This is why CORPORATE Hollywood can't produce the genius of the 70's...!
Thomas Simmons sad that the Hollywood film style I admired was from this decade itself. It’s very surreal and relatable.
Can you imagine, in all chaos during the dive scene how Gene is screaming...(like in new production) move away,! you who give you driving license? and all this bullshits...
Dude, corps suck!
It's hard to make a good film when you have to run everything through China's censors.
I think we'll see a return to those types of movies sooner than you think. The financial fallout from the pandemic means there won't enough money to make endless, big budget superhero movies for quiet a while. A small budget, well written and well made 'independent' film however, that's a different story. All it takes is one or two of those doing well and we'll see some changes in Hollywood.
William Friedkin is such and underrated director. I love The French Connection, but not as much as I love To Live and Die in L.A. Very underrated film.
+Walter Olivero Christiansen I still need to see that one. I've been waiting for it to show up at a revival theater, but I'm getting impatient, heh.
If To Live And Die In L.A. came out 10 years earlier, it would have been hailed as a great film rather than the cult classic it wound up becoming. Great movie, wrong decade.Although, when I saw TLADILA for the first time 15 years ago, I could see in the editing that it came out just before cinema started using the MTV-style editing that would become a standard that lives to this day. You may notice this especially in the cold open of the film where the cuts do not match up precisely to the music. Well-edited, just not what I grew up accustomed to as a kid in the 80s.
100 % agree! To Live and Die in L.A. was also a brilliant, police thriller which impressed/confused me as a media-conditioned teenager coz the line between good n evil wasn´t obvious anymore. the ending (last 15-20 minutes or so) stunned me multiple.
Killer Joe is such a great great film.
I don’t know if you can call a guy who won Best Director “underrated.”
One of my favorite films. Thank you for this great insight of the movie :)
Glad you liked it!
Thank you, this was such a great video. I'm currently 70% done producing a feature film and have been doing all the exact same techniques mentioned. French Connection made a bigger impact on me than I ever realized.
Probably the most underrated channel on UA-cam. Your stuff is definitely around the level of quality of Every Frame a Painting. Great job.
+JustAwesomeT Thank you very much! You are too kind!
you are such a devoted person for the movies .. lately I watched a German movie called "victoria " .. the log line for it was one girl .. one city ..one take ... actually the director shot the movie on the actual time with is nearly 130 minute in one take .. not faking it like birdman .. .. i hope u can take a look on that very unique movie and maybe you would make a review about it ... thanks for your efforts again .
+00mezo00 Thanks! That sounds really interesting-- I'll check it out!
What did I learn from the FC? That Gene Hackman has been a badass actor for decades. Decades...
This is absolutely great content. Film history and preservation for people that love pictures.
Always been a big Hackman fan. A Military vet w/ a sharp mind and great sense of timing, which made his screen personas more believable.
But the real secret was that talent and screen charisma came in the shape of someone who looked like a suburban Dad. Hackman was relatable, more so than any other movie star I can think of.
this is the best youtube channel on breaking down the filmmaking craft. Thanks! I plan on supporting this
Friedkin was as good as ANY Hollywood director ever when he was churning out this film and The Exorcist.......
You are doing an extremely good job with these videos. They are always loaded with incredibly observant details, and I am having an absolute blast watching them.
I watch a lot of movies and I watch a lot of commentary and documentaries about them and have done so for decades - your style and delivery, your writing and train of thought and analysis are really good and some of the best I've ever seen. You should be proud of your accomplishments and contributions to the study and commentary of modern film. I enjoy your work immensely and it helps me to enjoy these films even more - thank you!
Popeye dresses Columbo style...which is friggin awesome...nuff said.
Very impressive, educational and entertaining film analysis. Your talent is extraordinary, particularly in your ability to compile the appropriate clips to emphasize the cinematic points you make.
Thanks so much! I appreciate it!
Excellent insights and review of one of my all time favourites.
Thanks!
Once again, awesome insights and information. A joy to watch!
Enjoyed the review. I have watched this movie a few dozen times and now I know why it just stands out ....this from a law enforcement alum who worked mid town Manhattan and walked the Westbury Hotel and the platform at Grand Central while stopping at Orange Julius myself...well done
Great production (yours) I've subbed after watching this and 2001.
Keep up the good work, have a good 2016.
+Netlife interesting fact about the scene re-shooting where Hackman roughs up the dealer. I never liked his performance in that scene!
+Netlife Thanks! You too!
Great observation of one of my favorite movies. This crazy driving scene...when I watch a new productions make me laughing. There is no single word during the chase...
An excellent documentary, well researched, edited and produced. First class work Tyler.
amazing in-depth view of a cineastic genre milestone! very interesting! i watched this gorgeous police thriller on tv attended by my dad when i was approx 12 years or so. it blew me away. the realism, the suspense and the brilliant acting of gene "popeye" hackman and roy scheider (today i would appreciate all actors+ the director friedkin, the score composer, etc.,too- no doubt) was so intense. Never heard of the drug heroin before- of coz- but it scared the hell out of me as it was so dangerous n addictive...
cant believe these classics have been degraded by bloody fools ,,, not you sir ,,you rock,
Great work! Thanks for putting this together. Just watched this one for the first time in decades and man what a film! I am obsessed with it now.
Even today I get goose bumps when those minimalist bass string chords sound in the surveillance scenes. Or those Miles Davis-like trumpet echoes at the end. A perfect total work of art this film 🤩
Great piece! I sawThe French Connection in a NYC theatre when it came out in 1971 and knew many of the locations. I explored filming locations in Marseilles when I was there in 1975. Friedkin couldn't have picked a better actor than Gene Hackman to play Popeye Doyle, whose explosive energy was extraordinary. I'm sure I've watched it at least 20 times, since. I've asked more than a few people if they've ever picked their feet in Poughkeepsie. Best cop movie ever!
one of the best film analysis i saw. i mean generally.
it's constantly intriguing and uncovers only great stuff.
made with good taste and simplicity.
keep it on! you deserve much more hits.
+rozroz Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it! This one took a lot of work!
the extra work really make this excellent.
i hope you'll make it up to 500,000 hits eventually ;)
+rozroz Thanks! I hope so too!
The very best. Tyler really is what we need in the film world today. Very good fast, great voice, never filled with that nasal action that invades our society today. He should at the top as a film consultant as the film is being made. He's worth the subscription!!
Incredable ideas and improvisation in the films progress. What a treat to experience a films creation.
A great mix of information and interviews. Learned a lot from this.
wow, that was amazing. The French Connection has always been one of my favorite films!
This was REALLY well done Cinema Tyler. You have a good voice. Not too fast not slow. You paced your scenes and your explanations very well and kept my attention with fascination that I wanted to work on my novel , to write the way a really great movie is made. Watching your uploads may bring me back to what I started because there is very little motivation in today's films. You brought up some excellent points regarding the manner of lighting and film stock and the way they were used and I consider the points you made about this and this is what makes a film so very true to the viewer. Very little of this technique is done any more and what you get in today's films is the outline of the green screen and too much lighting . Lighting is extremely important to tell the film's story and these lighting techniques were predominately used between the 70s and 80s which is what made a good film great. I could never explain this technique as well as you have. I feel that, in today's films, a lot of care is absent from the lighting sequences and positions to the casting to the writing. You make a very good teacher and I wish you could teach today's film makers what they are missing because 98% of the films today (I mean this) are just not worth my money as a result. And too many of today's films are based on comic books, without the air to allow us to watch a compelling picture. This is why I find myself revisiting the films of that era because it is all lost in today's field. Maybe, just maybe, the generation after THIS one , may just take the time to learn how to do it right and bring back film worthy projects to give back the audience the grittiness and whole of what story telling on screen is about. Every single position of the crew is extremely important because they all contribute into telling a story which was why" The French Connection" well deserved in its collection of Oscars. Get rid of today's films, retrain the younger filmmakers (as they lack creativity and challenge) and bring back these types of films and everything that makes a film a true experience.
Thank you so much for the kind words in all of your posts! I really appreciate it! It makes me so happy to be able to share my love of cinema with people like you. It's the comments like yours that make this all worthwhile.
Perhaps it's also the influx of new technology coupled with a generation influenced solely by film rather than literature and other mediums that has stifled the creative spark that we see in the films of the Hollywood New Wave. I know I have stifled myself in some of the short films I made in school-- new cameras mean you don't have to use lights to get an exposure, so I would often only use available light.
Hopefully we are only in a transitionary period and the franchise model hasn't won out completely.
Historically, I have avoided Movie Analogy type videos on UA-cam until now. Well Done!
Excellent video!!! One of my top 5 movies and this video made it even more intriguing! Thanks!
Such a strong analysis video even on rewatch. Interesting stuff!
this is an AMAZING analysis. Completely agree with your points.
Thank you!
Yes, the cinematography comments are so true! I watch this movie on blu-ray now, and the grain of the film from the underexposure totally captures the mood and the realism of the story. Such a brilliant film from everyone involved!
What I learned is It's hard to smuggle heroin into NY while you're being watched
Seeing policemen in their soup.
Absolutely fantastic site. Keep up the great work.
I watched it again two nights ago. The first time I saw it (I was 14) and did not understand it at all. Even watching it now, I find it hard to believe that one could understand what was going on after only one viewing. By the fourth viewing it is a great film! And it has one of my favourite pieces of music - the one used in the chase.
Saw it last night, this makes it even more interesting..Thank you...
I really love your videos, Tyler! It's so interesting learning about all the work that goes into films, as well as gaining insight into what makes great ones. Is there any chance you might be able to include outlines for what we can take away for our own work? Even if it was just a Patreon perk, I think people would really appreciate and benefit from it! :)
Your open with Mifune and the rising lettering is great. Sometimes I watch a video again just to see the open.
Simply outstanding, thank you. My three favorite "cop" films are Bullitt, Serpico and The French Connection. Of the three, The French Connection stands out as the most realistic (in my opinion). Now I know why.
Funny the film's process was influenced by French film making. The French Connection, indeed!
French film making was influence by American film making.
@@porflepopnecker4376 no
Another informative video, Cinema Tyler. Thank you1
Man, I love this movie, great job covering the details.
Yeah, great work man, can't wait til the next one. Keep up the GREAT WORK!
Subbed.
+T Gill Thanks! More is on the way!
I really hope you keep making these. Your videos are quite educational and have a lot of substance.
+superp25 Thanks! More is on the way!
I agree. Too few types like CinemaTyler which is all we are asking for. Tyler is refreshing and talented. He shouldn't change a thing.
These videos are great. Great research. Not just ambiguous but detailed.
Thank you!
The French Connection is one of my ten favorite color films ever made, fifth place actually and i've seen thousands of good movies and hundreds of really great ones.
Great atmospheric movie. It captures the look, sounds and smells of that time and place.
Awesome job! Loved this!
Thank you!
Really enjoyable and interesting. Thx for posting !
Well done, a masterclass in crime drama/70's style. EXCELLENT.
Another Great Video! Keep up the good work.
+TheAmirization Thank you!
First, this was one of the greatest films of it's period no question. Second, this was a film that was frightening in it's realism, perfectly capturing the grittiness of the city at that period. NYC itself should have been credited as one of the actors in the credits.
I lived in NYC in the '70s and agree that the city played a huge role in the movie's verisimilitude. The French Connection and Dog Day Afternoon are two movies that capture the atmosphere of NY in its best era.
It all makes sense as to why the security guard at the mall in MALLRATS is named LaFours, wears a straw hat, and is one not to be messed with. Great video!
Very well done review. I grew up on Manhattan's upper West Side during this time. The film really captured NYC as it was at that time.
Awesome video. Thanks for uploading :)
When you mentioned Lefors from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid I immediately thought of Kevin Smith's "Mallrats" where the security guard is named LaFours. He also wears the same type of hat. I didn't realize that Smith was paying tribute to Butch and Sundance with that character. Very cool.
Correction on the hat, my friend.
"According to William Friedkin, the significance of the straw hat being tossed onto the shelf of the rear window in Doyle and Russo's car was that at that time it was a universal signal in New York City that the undercover cops in the car were on duty."
That's the first thing mentioned about the hat.
Awesome vid man!
Good job! I enjoyed watching your video very much. Thank you.
Marvelous!Thank you for this.
This is a fantastic movie, still has power and intensity after all these years. Everything about it is just great.
My favorite movie from the 70's and the decade had many good ones.
Superbly done!
@20:56 ehem, Kodak 5254, a combination lost to time; RIP you beautiful prince of visual art technology -- too pure for this world!
I love this movie. My introduction to it came via Captain America: Winter Solider, another movie I like quite a bit. During the directors commentary the directors mentioned using The French Connection as inspiration, which I had never heard of, so I had to go find it.. and I am glad I did and can very much see the inspiration. Great video discussing it!
This is a great video that does a great job of analyzing a great movie.
A very interesting analysis of a classic movie. Subscribed, from England.
Good video and info. Always one of my favorite films.
Wow I never saw this one before, but I will now. Thanks for sharing CinemaTyler.
friedkin's ability to build a character externally was one of the things that made me fall in love with his directing.
Extremely Interesting. Great job.
+Otravez 39 Thanks!
Fantastic and educational to the highest grade level. You're a film scholar!
Thank you so much!
Fantastic vid, and an outstanding channel.
This is amazing. Friedkin is criminally underrated.
+Tomás Corsi Thanks! I totally agree. Friedkin is certainly one of America's greatest filmmakers.
Color film cameras never needed alot of light anyway. Still a beautifully shot and modern looking movie. William Friedkin still doesn't get alot of due either, he basically created the "look" and feel of the 70's on film.