The Exorcist (1973)

The Exorcist (1973)

[9] Director William Friedkin (The French Connection, Sorcerer) approaches author William Peter Blatty's tale of demonic possession with disturbing seriousness and realism, an approach that struck fear in the hearts of moviegoers like no film has before or since. Ellen Burstyn stars…
The Guardian (1990)

The Guardian (1990)

[6] New parents (Dwier Brown and Carey Lowell) unwittingly welcome evil into their lives when they hire a British nanny (Jenny Seagrove) who plans to feed their baby to a tree monster in the woods. The Guardian may suffer from a muddled,…
Rampage (1987)

Rampage (1987)

[5] Michael Biehn (The Terminator) stars as a district attorney who is forced to reconsider his stance against the death penalty when a young, blood-drinking serial killer (Alex McArthur) is brought to justice. Rampage is directed and co-written by William Friedkin (Sorcerer,…
Sorcerer (1977)

Sorcerer (1977)

[7] I have a theory about why many of William Friedkin's films, including this one, are gaining newfound appreciation decades after their initial releases. I think it might be because Friedkin likes deeply flawed characters -- unlikable characters that we neither pity…
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

[7] William Petersen (C.S.I., Manhunter) made his film debut in this William Friedkin crime flick about a secret service agent who obsessively pursues the counterfeiter (Willem Dafoe) who killed his partner. Paired with a conscientious new partner (John Pankow), Petersen bends the…
The French Connection (1971)

The French Connection (1971)

[7] A pair of New York city narcotics cops try to bust a big heroin deal being brokered between suspected mobsters and a French connection. But one of the cops, 'Popeye' Doyle (Gene Hackman), has a history of recklessness and threatens to…
Cruising (1980)

Cruising (1980)

[8] Al Pacino plays a New York police detective who goes deep under cover within the city's S&M community to catch a serial killer preying on gay men. Director William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection) stirred controversy for his depiction of…
Killer Joe (2012)

Killer Joe (2012)

[9] William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection) directs this darkly comic trailer trash ensemble piece about a family that conspires to hire a killer to whack their matriarch and collect her life insurance. Matthew McConaughey delivers a tense, frightening, carefully measured…