Friedkin 9/26/2014 HFA post-screening exchange.

1. Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s and studios and directors did not predict which films the audience would like. It's not like spending hundreds of millions to make some series of films with handsome men and women in capes and masks today. Because the filmmakers know that these films are bound to make a lot of money. At the time, he himself could not have predicted the reaction of the audience after seeing the film. So there were some test screenings. About the preview. Billy Wilder once told him a story. After shooting Ninotchka. Billy Wilder, the screenwriter, drove to a preview with director Lubitsch. After the meeting, Lubitsch looked through the preview card in the car on the way home. One of them made Lubitsch burst into laughter. Billy Wilder later framed the card and hung it on the wall of his office. written on the card. This is the funniest movie I've ever seen. It was so much fun. I even peed on my girlfriend's hands.

2. Cruising This film is based on and inspired by real events. The director himself once made a documentary in the NYU Medical Department in the 1970s. During the period, a medical worker named Paul wearing a hippie dress with earrings left a deep impression on the director. Because that's how few staff in a hospital dress up like that. One day, five years later, he was reading a magazine and noticed that the photo on the cover was very familiar. I patted my head and thought. Isn't this the Paul of NYU back then? Open the magazine and take a look. It was actually a case report on a murder case. Paul has been arrested as the murderer. In addition to being shocked, Friedkin wanted to go to Paul himself to find out the whole story of the murder. So contact a lawyer. Go to prison and meet Paul again after five years. The first thing Paul said when he met Paul was to ask Friedkin, "How's the movie going recently?" When Friedkin asked Paul the details of his five previous murders. Paul replied calmly. "I only remember the first time. The next few times, I either took the medicine or got drunk. I really can't recall it."

3. Making movies has saved lives. Friedkin's hometown is in Chicago. After graduating from high school, instead of going to college, they went straight to work. By the time he was in his early 20s, he was already working on a Chicago television station. Contrary to other peers. Friedkin hates all parties. But at the invitation of a local celebrity several times, he finally went to a local celebrity dance. During the banquet, he only hid in the corner with a glass of wine. Later, I chatted with a pastor who was also on the side. Friedkin asked which church the pastor worked for. The pastor replied that he did not have a church. Instead, he prayed for the prisoners on the verge of death in prison. Friedkin then asked him if he had ever met a death row inmate who seemed innocent to him. The pastor immediately replied that there was a black death row inmate in the prison right now. Innocent to him or the prison officer. In fact, he was tortured by the police to extort a confession before he could not plead guilty. Yet the pastor doesn't think Friedkin can do anything because even the Supreme Court has twice dismissed the appeal. So with a strong curiosity Friedkin took the camera (16mm) to the prison. Dot up and down. Got a face-to-face interview with the black prisoner. After the film was made, Friedkin gave it to the warden and governor. The governor congratulated Friedkin after seeing it. Said it was a great movie. He decided to commute the death penalty for black prisoners to life in prison. Then after 36 years the black prisoner was released for good incarceration. Friedkin keeps in touch with the black uncle to this day. His debut documentary was released last year.

4. In fact, before the filming of "French Drug Network", which won several awards including the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director. Friedkin has never seen a Buster Keaton movie. He watched seven Buster Keatons in a row after that. and exclaimed. Fortunately, the French drug trafficking network was filmed first. Otherwise, I will never have the courage to shoot those chasing scenes in my mind again. Because compared to Keaton's chase scenes, his ideas were so weak. It's like drawing and composing music. If you have seen Rembrandt's portrait. It's hard to pick up a paintbrush yourself. If you have heard of Beethoven. It's hard to think of writing a note. Because your mind is full of traces of these masters.

5. Friedkin admits that Sorcerer was inspired by Costa Gavras' masterpieceThe far-reaching influence of - whether it is the method of making a feature film in a documentary style. Or editing and the use of music.

6. Friedkin's favorite movie is Citizen Kane. Love the MGM series of musicals. and Billy Wilder's comedy.

7. Friedkin is expected to film several episodes in the new season of True Detective.

8. In the choice between film and digital, 79-year-old Friedkin has no hesitation on the side of digital. And insisted that if CGI technology existed at the time, he would definitely replace all those horror elements in his film with CGI. He himself does not miss the days of 35mm film at all.

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