William friedkin on the car chase scene in the french connection duration. A variety of camera mounts were rigged up inside and on a car driven by gene hackman for the french connection 1971, shot by owen roizman, asc. So he threw in a bunch of pedestrians and an elevated subway train. When the french connection was released in 1971, the movie cleaned up at awards season, snagging eight oscar nods and five wins, including honors for best picture, best actor, and best director yet sadly, the film somehow failed to take home the biggestand most importantaccolade that year. The french connection is a violent, fastpaced film.
The chase scene was filmed in brooklyn using the dtrain line. Jan 05, 2015 ask anyone the best car chase scene in cinematic history and theyll likely tell you, without pause, that its the french connection. He stepped out of the car, looked around, and said, this isnt right. Jun 27, 2017 every great car chase is a combination of several filmmaking elements. The filming locations of the french connection, then and now. Stillwell avenue, brooklyn he requisitions a passing car and begins the movies famous chase sequence at bay 50th street station.
Film locations for the french connection in new york, washington. What differs from the usual car chase is that gene hackmans character is chasing an elevated train from the street below the scene was filmed in bensonhurst, brooklyn, with most of the action taking place on. William friedkin on how he filmed the french connections. The car chase was filmed without obtaining the proper permits from the city. The anatomy of a great car chase film school rejects. Director william friedkin wanted to stage a chase scene that set itself apart. The french connection chase scene filming locations. The scene doesnt feel like an afterthought, though, its the perfect synthesis of. One of the most famous variations is from the french connection and involves a car chasing an elevated train. French connection ii is a 1975 american action thriller film starring gene hackman and directed by john frankenheimer. During the surveillance and eventual bust, friedkin provides one of the most gripping and memorable car chase sequences ever filmed.
Oct 17, 20 ok, i think there were more exciting car chases, the terminator chase was unreal, the car ride in french connectionalthough not a car chase but i agree with jim s, the cars in the background provide some excellent car spotting, for example, if you stop the movie. The car chase was filmed without obtaining the proper permits from the. When filming the legendary car chase scene, friedkin needed approval from the new york transit authority. I am partial to the bullitt chase with the combination of steve mcqueen, the bullitt mustang, the length of the chase, and the sound of those two cars, but i. He requisitions a passing car and begins the movies famous chase sequence at bay 50th street station. William friedkins the french connection depicts just the kind of. Its funny, james, but the corridor between broadway in bedstuy and 58th road in maspeth is where much of the french connection was filmed. I wouldnt do anything like this today, says the oscar. Its car chase was the talk of audiences, and film critics. The scene doesnt feel like an afterthought, though, its the perfect synthesis of car chase, character, and story. Recently indiewire posted an article that listed the car chases that inspired. An interesting contrast is established between popeye doyle, a shorttempered alcoholic bigot who is nevertheless a hardworking and dedicated police officer, and his nemesis.
Ok, i think there were more exciting car chases, the terminator chase was unreal, the car ride in french connectionalthough not a car chase but i agree with jim s, the cars in the background provide some excellent car spotting, for example, if you stop the movie. Hollywood 1971 pontiac lemans from the french connection. When new york times crime reporter ernest tidyman first adapted the french connection, no one would touch the script. However, the films script sets the action at the time of actual filming, i. Thirtyfive years after it was made, the climatic car chase scene in the french connection is still jawdropping in its suspense and execution. French connection starring gene hackman and roy scheider premiered in 1971 and follows two narcotics officers trying to prevent a smuggling job. The film is often cited as containing one of the greatest car chase sequences in movie history. The screenplay, written by ernest tidyman, is based on robin moores 1969 nonfiction book the french connection. According to one thorough comment on scouting ny, at least part of the car chase scene was filmed in ridgewood, queens. Sep 11, 2018 its car chase was the talk of audiences, and film critics. William friedkins decision to make the french connection was inspired by a conversation with iconic director howard hawks, where hawks recommended that he make a good chase.
Every great car chase is a combination of several filmmaking elements. Bullitt, and one of the most famous car chas hemmings. Inside the french connection car chase the new york times. Fraker said the bullitt car chase was conceived during an italian meal with yates at a small hollywood restaurant called martonis. The ensuing chase, in which hackmans detective, popeye doyle, pursues a criminal attempting to escape on a subway, has been justly celebrated as one of the most thrilling in film history. Gene hackman, the star of the french connection, discusses the famous car chase scene from the film. It stars roy scheider as a crusading policeman who is the leader of the sevenups, a squad of plainclothes officers who use dirty, unorthodox tactics to snare their quarry on charges leading to prison sentences of seven years or more upon prosecution, hence the name of the team.
Several years before he started to film his movie, said director william friedkin in an npr interview, he had seen the chase scene in bullitt, and knew that he couldnt just have two cars chasing each other on empty streets. I said in my opening the movie plays like one giant chase, but i liked the frenetic pacing of the movie. The french connections infamous car chase was dangerous, life threatening, and filmed entirely without permits. May 21, 2014 its funny, james, but the corridor between broadway in bedstuy and 58th road in maspeth is where much of the french connection was filmed. Director william friedkin recounts how he created one of the greatest action sequences ev. The french connection 1971 permits and the car chase.
The 1970s was the golden era of movie car chases carbuzz. Aug 19, 20 william friedkin on the car chase scene in the french connection duration. Oct 08, 2016 william friedkin on how he filmed the french connection s iconic car chase. What differs from the usual car chase is that gene hackman s character is chasing an elevated train from the street below the scene was filmed in bensonhurst, brooklyn, with most of the action taking place on.
It is a fictional sequel to the initially true story of the 1971 academy award winning picture the french connection. The french connection subtitles srt file is movie with the following synopsis william friedkins gritty police drama portrays two tough new york city cops trying to intercept a huge heroin shipment coming from france. Director william friedkin at the academy event the french connection 1971 on october 7, 2016 at the samuel goldwyn theater. Feb 22, 2015 1971s the french connection features one of the most harrowing car chases in cinema history. Friedkin on the car chase scene in the french connection. Interview courtesy of 20th century fox home entertainment.
Til the famous car chase scene in the french connection was shot illegally. The sevenups is a 1973 american mystery action film produced and directed by philip dantoni. My favorite scene is no doubt that car chase, but i loved the smaller scenes especially the ones where popeye is up to no good. A true story the french connection gets the gong as the movie with the 3rd best car chase of all time. Cut to the chase classic scene in mcqueens bullitt. To properly rev up your engine for the release, weve compiled a list of our top 10 movie car chases.
Film locations for the french connection in new york. See how the filming locations used in the french connection look in. The cops served as advisers for the film, and they still had a lot of connections in the nypd, getting the departments support without having to go through official. Popeye and cloudy chase the perp into an unusual entranceway two buildings down. The 1971 thriller the french connection contains whats often cited as the best car chase scene in cinematic history.
Til the famous car chase scene in the french connection. Renegade filmmakers, no city permits, and at least one crash with an. Its true that the scene was filmed without a permit, but they had something almost as good. Ask anyone the best car chase scene in cinematic history and theyll likely tell you, without pause, that its the french connection. William friedkin on how he filmed the french connections iconic car chase. The alltime top 10 movie car chases speeding into theaters on aug. Of course, no list chronicling the best movie car chases from the 70s would be complete without the french connection.
Arguably the most typical car chase is one in which a car is being pursued by police cars. Made in 1971 and starring a young gene hackman and roy scheider, it is based on an actual drug trafficking scheme known by the same name. As is obvious from the above notes, it was filmed one shot at a time, with a great deal of rehearsal, an enormous amount of advance planning, and a good deal of luck. Jimmy popeye doyle who travels to marseille, france where. The french connection car chase was dangerous and life. The french connection drug bust that inspired the film took place in 1961. In part because car chases are so common many movie makers try to introduce a new twists to them.
The classic french connection car chase many of the. So friedkin, producer phil dantoni, and tidyman decided to put a car chase in it. Til the famous car chase scene in the french connection was. The car chase was filmed over 5 weeks beneath the bensonhurst elevated railway of brooklyns stillwell line from. Bullitt, and one of the most famous car chas hemmings daily. The filming locations of the french connection, then and. As friedkin was preparing to film the french connection, he was walking the streets of new york for ideas, and the subway rumbled below him. Filmed on the streets of the coney island neighborhood in brooklyn, friedkin claims that most of the chase scene was done by a car.
William friedkin claimed the only thing we had permits for was to shoot on the elevated train, when filming the iconic car chase from his 1971 best picture winner, the french connection. This truestory based action film contains one of the most novel car chases in all cinema. Undercover new york policeman popeye doyle gene hackman commandeers a civilians 1971 pontiac lemans and engages in one of cinemas most thrilling sequences in a breakneck chase with an. The french connection car chase was as dangerous as it looked. The question im most asked in interviews about the french connection, is how the chase was filmed. The french connection is a 1971 american action thriller film directed by william friedkin. Director william friedkin recounts how he created one of the greatest action sequences ever. Jimmy popeye doyle who travels to marseille, france where he is attempting to track down french drugdealer. Oct 08, 2016 william friedkin claimed the only thing we had permits for was to shoot on the elevated train, when filming the iconic car chase from his 1971 best picture winner, the french connection. The car chase was filmed over 5 weeks beneath the bensonhurst elevated railway of brooklyns stillwell line from bay 50th street station.
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