| Friedkin Uncut | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Francesco Zippel |
| Written by | Francesco Zippel |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | William Friedkin |
| Cinematography | Marco Tomaselli |
| Edited by | Mariaromana Casiraghi |
| Music by | Costanza Francavilla |
Production company | Quoiat Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | English |
Friedkin Uncut is a 2018 Italian documentary film written and directed by Francesco Zippel. It tells the life and career of the film directorWilliam Friedkin.[1] The film had its world premiere at the75th Venice International Film Festival on 31 August 2018.[2][3] It was released in Italy on 5 November 2018.[4]
William Friedkin opens the film explaining he believesJesus andAdolf Hitler are the most interesting people in world history as they represent two extremes of good and evil. The film then presents a series of interviews, includingEllen Burstyn,Francis Ford Coppola,Wes Anderson, andQuentin Tarantino, discussing the production and cultural impact ofThe Exorcist (1973).
Friedkin discusses his childhood inChicago,Illinois and his foray into working in television. As a young man, he watchedCitizen Kane (1941) and decides to become a filmmaker. For his first film project, Friedkin directs the documentaryThe People vs. Paul Crump (1962), which contributed toCrump's death sentence being commuted. The film transitions toThe French Connection (1971). Friedkin used acinéma vérité approach and followed actualNew York police officers for research into the narcotics trade.
The film jumps to Friedkin's work onKiller Joe (2011), in whichMatthew McConaughey andGina Gershon discuss their performances and Friedkin's approach with actors. Friedkin discusses his preference for one-takes and his selection of actors, including one story inStacy Keach was initially cast as Father Karras inThe Exorcist before Friedkin hiredJason Miller. It next transitions toSorcerer (1977) and its financial failure at the box office.
Friedkin discusses his cinematic influences, most notablyBuster Keaton. He reflects on interviewingFritz Lang for the 1975 documentaryConversation with Fritz Lang. By 1980, theNew Hollywood era was waning; that same year, the controversial filmCruising was released and met with criticism for its portrayal of thegay community. In 1985, Friedkin returns to the crime thriller genre withTo Live and Die in L.A.
After multiple decades of directing films, Friedkin turns to directing stage productions, helming several operas includingWozzeck andAida. At the74th Venice International Film Festival, Friedkin screens his then-latest filmThe Devil and Father Amorth (2017), his return to supernatural horror. He concludes the film heavily criticizing film award competitions, calling them a "dirty joke".
The film had its world premiere at the75th Venice International Film Festival on 31 August 2018.[2][3] It was released in Italy on 5 November 2018.[4] In the United States, it was released in limited theaters on 23 August 2019.[5][6]
On review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 86% based on 14 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10.[7] OnMetacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8]
Michael Nordine ofIndieWire gave the film a grade of B, commenting that "There's nothing particularly new or inspired about Zippel's decision to simply train a camera on Friedkin and let him riff, but the man is such a captivating speaker that it ultimately doesn't matter much."[9] Matt Zoller Seitz ofRogerEbert.com gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, writing, "Even viewers of a certain age who grew up on Friedkin's movies and watched the major ones over and over will come away from this movie feeling as if they understand him in a new, deeper way."[10] Deborah Young ofThe Hollywood Reporter wrote, "this enjoyable doc records a Hollywood master looking back at his career with lucid hindsight and irony."[11]
The film won the 2019Nastro d'Argento award for Best Documentary About Cinema.[12] It was nominated for the 2019David di Donatello award for Best Documentary.[13]