Filmmaker reacts to The French Connection (1971) for the FIRST TIME! 

One cool trick that Friedkin used was that he setup the scenes with his actors, with general instructions on the staging but he did NOT give specific instructions to the camera men. So they had to react naturally on the stakeout scenes, using their natural inclinations on where to focus the camera. Which adds so much authenticity to the shots. It is a simple yet completely sublime and brilliant technique to use.

You need to see another Hackman classic, "The Conversation".

i'm shocked you hadn't heard of this before, especially because it swept the Oscars that year. definitely glad you got to experience this :)

Throwing out a recommendation for "The Conversation", one of Hackman's best. Same era, same feel. Incredible sound design.

Winner of 5 Academy Awards (Screenplay, Editing, Actor - Gene Hackman, Director and Film, this is considered the Best Crime / Thriller of All-Time.

New York City's 'natural' lighting in the 70's and 80's is largely due to the subtle yellow-ish tint provided by the street lights of the era. In the 1990's NYC moved into more sustainable lighting (like florescents) and the 2000's brought LED, each of which changed the hues of the city into a sharper, but still subtle, blue-ish tint. It's the main reason that movies of the 70's, shot in the natural environment of New York, have a very different texture than movies shot just 20 years later in the same place.Lightbulbs. And you'll notice it now.

Love the nearly "documentary-style" of filming in this movie. Definitely helps to make 70s NYC it's own character.

William Friedkin directed back-to-back masterpieces with "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist", and his next film "Sorcerer" may be flawed but it is equally technically amazing. He is one of the very best directors at using documentary style to sustain suspense, and any film buff should become familiar with his work.

1. "pick your feet' I believe that it refers to shooting heroin between your toes to avoid visible track marks on the arms. 2. At some point you have to recognize that there are some cities and locations that become a character all of its own. A movie set in New Orleans has to be set there and The Big Easy is part of the story. If you want to not have that extra character. set the story in a place that has no preconceptions, try Akron as a neutral zone. 3. Ty "Bullitt" to see how the city of San Francisco affects a car chase for example. And because it is just an excellent movie.

Thanks for reacting to the gems other reaction channels miss. You may enjoy ‘The Day of the Jackal’ (1973) too.

The visual dynamism is so captivating. Nowadays the panning shots of somebody walking down sidewalk would be buttery smooth, but this has the perfect amount of jitter and stutter.

Winner of 5 Oscars including Best Picture! The car chase scene was some for real an Gene Hackman did his own driving stunts in that movie

My favorite touch in this movie is in the soundtrack, there is a repeating motif in the music that sounds almost mechanical throughout the first half of the movie, then when the police mechanic finally removed the rocker panels on the car you realize that it is the sound of the tool he's using to do it and you've been hearing it each time you see the car mixed into the soundtrack. Such a nice example of subconscious foreshadowing.

Well done, sir. Just the other day I referenced the French Connection in a 70's action discussion. Friedkin's 1977 "Sorcerer" is worthy follow-up that, to me, is a master class in low-dialogue high-tension filmmaking.

This and "To Live and Die in L.A." are very similar and were directed by the same man. That too should go on your list as it is also quite good, be it an 80s version of this.

Credit to BILL HICKMAN he played the cop that was shot at the end and was famous for being one of the best stunt drivers in Hollywood. He drove the car for the final car chase in this film, and he was the bad guy / stunt driver of the black Dodge Charger in the Steve McQueen movie Bullitt. An unsung hero, thanks for the thrills Bill!

LA Confidential is the film you were thinking of...I think. I heard about The French Connection through my dad, who saw it in the cinema when he was young. I think it was watching the Bourne Identity and he said the car chase reminded him of the one from this film. Considering the films roughly 50 years old, I'm not surprised it's been glossed over a little, and it came out at a time when there were a lot of very well made crime thrillers. The car chase scene is definitely a stand out piece of cinema, and from what i recall, it was filmed in actual traffic, with members of the public unaware of what was going on, which might be why it's been glossed over in film classes.

Went to the drive-in theater with my parents to see this at age 7. First time I was exposed to Gene Hackman's acting. Became an instant fan ever since.

The place at the begining is a small island in the achipelago of Frioul, off the coast of Marseille. The castle is named Château d'If and it's the main location of the Monte-Cristo story by Dumas. Back then, it was a lighthouse but now it's a museum. I'm waiting for my drink now :) The movie you talked about migh be Dog Day Afternoon or Kiss Kiss Bang Bang ?

Other GREAT films from this era: 3 DAYS OF THE CONDOR (starring Robert Redford, Max von Sydow, Faye Dunaway) THE CONVERSATION (another great Gene Hackman performance directed by Francis Ford Coppola), DAY OF THE JACKAL and ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (Redford and Dustin Hoffman). Can't go wrong with any of these classics.

I'm amazed that your professors never mentioned 'The French Connection.' It was huge in the 1970s, both commercially and artistically, and held up as an example of how the New American Cinema, then about four years old, was both artistically and commercially great, simultaneously, something new in that era. Everyone praised it like you are, but it's weird to see how it has slipped out of public memory. Live long enough and strange things happen, is what I'm learning, as an older guy!

"Anybody who's around that area let me know please. I will treat you to a drink, if you're old enough." It's France, James. Toddlers put Bordeaux on their corn flakes.

There is a part 2 for this and it is also quite good. Gene Hackan returns for it and its a worthy sequel.

Great movie. Digging the reaction. Heads up, the car chase was done as real as possible. There was no official legal permit for this, and with only minor police assistance, only a few blocks were closed off, but the chase far exceeded that area. Several of the crashes with other cars too place for real (As was the case with colliding with the white car) and was unscripted. Director William Freidkin was the camera operator within the car along with stunt man Bill Hickman cause he did not want any of his crew who were married with children to be in the car in case of a serious accident. This is about as real as it gets for car chases.

Great reaction! The director made a 1977 film called Sorcerer which is easily the most anxiety inducing movie ever. It was panned when it came out but has grown popular over time. One of the coolest premises and best looking movies ever!

The 70s were a golden decade for movies; for the first time directors did not have to look over their shoulders at the big studio bosses. Check out Duel by Spielberg, made in the early 70s. An absolute classic!

I felt the same way watching this movie for the first time. There are some films that just stand out as special and this is one of them.

I love how the director really shows the difference between the good guys and bad guys.....the cops are standing outside, freezing, and the bad guys are enjoying the "good" life in fine hotels and restaurants.

This was absolute banger of a film in my eyes! Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema Have a great day!

It was based on the largest US police heroin bust to date at that time. The French Connection is my 3rd favorite movie ever after Lawrence of Arabia and Casablanca. With the greatest car chase in cinematic history, a look at back street NYC without the glamour for the first time, and Hackman’s finest performance, the film pops off the screen. It’s no wonder it won Best Picture at the Oscars and Best Actor for Gene, among others.

PLEASE, fans of James: Turn this smart fellow on to “Being There,” one of the smartest, quirkiest comedies ever made. He deserve the most worthy films we can find! PLEASE!

Surprised you hadn't even heard of this in film school. I guess it might be a generational thing. But I grew up in a time when they would play this movie on TV frequently. I think you should check out some other 70s NY crime dramas like Serpico, Across 110th Street, Cotton Comes to Harlem and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

I think you would also like The Conversation, also starring Gene Hackman. Lots of similar vibes and showcases.

Fun fact - all those guys in the bar are actually NYPD officers hired as extras!

Dude, you need to see Friedkin's 1977 film SORCERER. its an incredible example of his audacity as a director and what can be achieved through purely practical effects. It bombed hard when it came out because it was the summer that the original Star Wars debuted so that kind of eclipsed everything else, but it has definitely endured and now recognized as something of a forgotten classic. It's a remake of a French film from the 50's called Wages of Fear.

I love The French Connection I & II. I can't believe they aren't talked about much these days.

If you're doing 1970s psychological thrillers, the you HAVE to check out "The Three Days of The Condor". A classic spy thriller, (comparable to the classic Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or Kevin Costner in "No Way Out") but INCREDIBLY relevant for today.. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - "The Three Days of The Condor"

Don't know if you aware of this or not... Gene Hackman plays the sheriff in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven (1992), in which he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Roy Schedeir , his partner, played the main character, Chief Brody in Jaws (1975)

You'd love Friedkin's "Sorcerer". I don't know how they filmed some of the jungle scenes. Amazing cinematography. Friedkin is interesting as he's done films in many genres (he did "Exorcist"). Thanks for reacting. Great movie. Supposedly Hackman and the real Popeye Doyle hated each other. Doyle plays the police chief in the movie.

William Friedkin said that cinematography in the French Connection was heavily influenced by another great movie: "Z "1969 by Costa-Gavras.

This movie is fantastic, and while you mentioned that your classmates/teachers never put you on to it in school, it is one of those movies that always makes the list of any car chase enthusiast. But even outside of that, the ending is really interesting as it isn't a "Hollywood" ending by any stretch, and the way the movie was shot guerilla style really sells a lot about it, making it feel a lot more real than a lot of other films.

One of my all time favourite movies with two interesting characters: Eddie Egan and Bill Hickman Mr. Egan was the tough-talking New York City police officer whose exploits inspired the The French Connection. Mr. Egan was nicknamed 'Popeye' and was played in movie by Gene Hackman. Mr. Egan played the role of his own boss. Bill Hickman who places Agent Bill Mulderig was better known for his prowess as a stunt driver. He drove the black Dodge Charger that was pursued by Steve McQueen in his Ford Mustang in the 1968 movie Bullitt In The French Connection he staged a similar chase on the streets of Manhattan but with a greater presence of civilians, an element that had been missing in Bullitt. Doubling for Gene Hackman in the more hazardous stunts, Hickman drove the brown 1970 Pontiac at speeds up to 90mph with Friedkin manning the camera right behind him. Before becoming a famous movie stuntman, he was James Dean's driver in 1955 when the latter was killed after a roadside accident. Hickman, driving the Ford station-wagon and trailer that hauled Dean's Porsche 550 Spyder, was the first on the scene when he came upon the accident. In 1963, he and Alex Sharp were awarded a commendation for outstanding service to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for their involvement in the apprehension of a bank robber who had shot a police officer. On June 19, 1963, they pursued and rammed the car of the bandit, Carl Follette, and delayed him until the LAPD arrived.

The French Connection is a famous film in cinematic history , won Best Picture and other awards, and none of your film professors brought it up? Wow.

You are just so way out in front in Movie Reactor World. Also it's fascinating that you haven't been exposed to this film. When I was back in film school in the 90's this film was constantly referred to and studied. And the realism that Friedkin brings to the direction is one of the elements that makes The Exorcist so terrifying - that gritty reality.

No way, I just watched this for the first time last Friday. Great movie, loved it!

Film always reminds me of Ronin (1998) with the decent car chase and French setting

Not only did we watch this film in film school, it aired semi-regularly on television when I was a kid. There is something very real, visceral about 1970s US film-making. Influenced by the French New Wave, trying to portray the world in an interesting yet ‘real’ way. While I also love the counter to it in 1980s film making from Hollywood, I will always have a soft spot for this decade.

Finally someone reacts to the French Connection :D This and it's sequel are amazing. The 70's style of movie making where the scenes have time to breathe, and the actors are more in-character. The chase scenes are awesome too. Another one along these lines is Bullitt with Steve McQueen. It's THE chase sequence in San Fransisco that's part of movie history.

I would recommend “The Conversation” for another good performance from Hackman.

You always provide a unique perspective in your reactions & love this film, so gritty. 7:19 The film was made contemporaneous to its setting. The musical number in the lounge is about the recent moon landings. 10:40 The patrons in that bar were all NYPD officers. Today, those who are still with us are pointing themselves out to their grandkids and great-grands in this scene!

That subway scene brings out a whole new meaning to “French Taunting”!

I scanned and I think I may have info not mentioned. First, the 3 women singing in that club in the initial scenes is The Three Degrees, who had hits like "Maybe" and "When Will I see You Again" in the 70s. Second, in the chase sequence, all that I read is true, but not mentioned is that Friedkin was unable to get a permit to film that scene, but as you saw, that did not stop him. All of it was a one time only shoot. One more thing, I believe the area in France is Versailles.

This movie is truly one of Gene Hackman's best performances in his film career. It's a classic film for a reason. Thanks for the video James Vs Cinema .

One of the cool production notes I know about this movie, is the opening interrogation scene was shot at the end of production, so the actors were really comfortable with their characters and could deliver a really strong introduction of these cops working in their element.

Saw this fantastic movie first time when i was a kid back in the 70's. You hit the nail on the head about cars coming out brand new or dare i say, another car altogether after a wreckless car chase scene. This was all real. Great reaction.

So happy to see you review this! This movie is STILL one of the most AUTHENTIC police thrillers ever made.. Also put Gene Hackman on the map as a Hollywood leading man... If you now have a taste for William Friedkin? Got to make SORCERER next on your list.. Friedkin considers it his masterpiece...

Friedkin did this and The Exorcist back to back, 70s again as the GOAT decade

Classic movie, classic car chase and a great example of the "documentary style" of filmmaking that was popular around the early 1970s.

Haven't heard of it once? 20 years ago, and 30 years ago, it was considered a classic. If you want more that are just as good: The ODESSA File No Way Out with Kevin Costner The Forgotten (2004) with Julianne Moore and Dominic West

Awesome. Will watch this tomorrow. There are plenty of good, hard film like this one for you to explore. The original 1960s Get Carter, alongside The French Connection and I think Bullett and Point Blank, started the craze for other awesome mobster films like The Long Good Friday and Prime Cut that continued even into the 80s with awesome stuff like To Live And Die In LA (which was the same director as The French Connection - and great if you want to see even more energy from the lead!). All worth exploring.

I’ve learned some things about movie making hanging out with you James. One thing I noticed in this one; when someone is climbing the stairs or running, the camera actually bounced up and down to make you feel the intensity. Couple more movies in this vein I think you’d like are The 7 Ups , with Roy Scheider, and Serpico, with Al Pacino.

This is one of my favourite movies, no contest! William Friedkin is a very unique director. He has made so many great films. I think, all around, this is his best though. To Live And Die In LA is a good runner up. But just everything in this one comes together so well. Hackman is iconic as Popeye Doyle. Interesting to see the contrast of him here vs. The Conversation. Two very different films from the same era. I also like Friedkin’s later works very much. His last three movies Bug, The Hunted, and Rules Of Engagement are all excellent. And bug is unbelievably insane as well!

French Connection is an absolute classic and is easily in my top ten films of all time. So gritty and realistic being shot on location with a lot of real cops cast in supporting roles. The film is actually based on a real life narcotics investigation, that was written as a true crime book by Robin Moore. The filmmakers added some extra chase sequences and cut some of the duller moments, but essentially it is a very good adaptation of the events. The gunshot at the very end of the film is so enigmatic and more or less sums up the whole film and Doyle's character. There was a sequel, a fictionalised continuation of Doyle's pursuit of Chenier that takes him to France. It's not often a sequel is as good as the original, but French Connection II is a brilliant movie well worth watching...

French Connection is art of the very highest order. Almost pure kinetic cinema, all forward motion, not a single wasted frame. Friedken's documentary eye made this a landmark, IMO, changed movies forever. The fact that it is not properly placed in the pantheon of masterpieces is a shame. It's a genre "crime" picture that completely transcends the genre. He did the same thing with the horror genre in The Exorcist.

A must watch influence on the car chase here is Claude Lelouch's 10 minute long "Rendevous" which is literally just a camera strapped to the hood of a car, driven by a still unknown professional race car driver, as it speeds through Paris at full speed. Lelouch was arrested at the premiere.

I forced my best friend to watch this over and over. He was like “Not The French Connection again!” Last time we watched it he said “You know I like this movie more every time I see it.” I remember watching it as a kid and not getting it but always was put into a hypnotic trance by it. When I got older I accidentally figured out ‘oh wow I didn’t know the same dude directed my favorite movies duh’. I have a difficult time believing you never heard of this film. It’s always there on classic film channels and on the shelves in places to buy media. It has legs for sure.

You asked at the start of the film "Where are they exactly?" They're in Cassis, France. It's about 20 kilometers East of Marseille.

How have you not heard of this?! It’s legendary! That’s wild.

The original Papillion, and midnight cowboy, in the heat of the night original. Are some must see. Greats of all time

This film is a film that your favorite Director has on his/her top 10 list because it was so groundbreaking at the time.

Dude, this has never been my fave of that era - I like it, just not in my top tier - but watching this reaction, through your eyes, helped me reconnect with what I DO like about the movie. And you allowed me to kind of "relax" with it more than I usually do, and just appreciate it for what it does well, rather than nitpick over this and that. Definitely the cinematography and the time capsule of NYC that so many great films of the 70s and 80s ended up being. You can totally tell it's the same director of "The Exorcist" one year later! Love the ending; typical 70s ending! Ha! My favorite Friedkin is "Sorceror" (1977-also starring Roy Scheider). WOW. That's all I can say about that movie. Fave 70s Gene Hackman: "The Conversation" (1974-Coppolla, one of the best of the decade) and "Bonnie And Clyde" (1967). Fave Roy Scheider: "All That Jazz" (1979-DAZZLING movie, directed by Bob Fosse, another one of the best of the decade). And "Sorcerer".

I think "The French Connection II" is worth a watch as well.

I watch quite a few channels for a wide range of reasons, but I really gotta give you props for exploring the widest range of movies of any channel I'm subscribed to, and I love your passion for the actual craft of the filmmaking in this one. It's a great movie. I gotta echo many of the other comments that if you loved this, you gotta see To Live and Die in L.A., which is by the same director, William Friedkin. It's got another legendary car chase scene in it. There is also the sequel, French Connection II, which is by a different but equally legendary director named John Frankenheimer. It's also great but for different reasons. Frankenheimer also directed some other classics you should check out: the original Manchurian Candidate from 1963, and another action-thriller with a legendary car chase, called Ronin.

Friedkin had done lots of documentary work before this and you can see that mindset at work. The cinematographer is one of my favorites Owen Roizman. You saw his work in Dog Day Afternoon.

2nd best car chase scene ever, just behind the scene in "Bullitt".

My dad was an international undercover agent for the DEA, helping in the training of other agents in countries like Turkey and China. He knew some of the people directly involved with the case this movie was based on. My dads life was wild. Wish he was still around so I could ask him all the questions I still have. I watched this movie a few times with him, taking cars apart and putting them back together was common practice, new gadgets, technology was always changing and you could trick bad guys by just putting the word out that aluminum foil on your antenna would stop a knew gadget that would know if you had drugs in your car. Then they’d pull over people with aluminum foil on antennas 😂 (Ps: his supervisor in the movie is the guy Hackman is portraying in the movie. - and the car wreck in the car/train chase scene was an actual accident where someone drove onto a closed set and they kept it in the movie)

For this kind of raw 70s vibe, I would recommend Serpico by Sidney Lumet (1973) and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie by John Cassavetes (1976).

Best Picture, Best Director, Best actor, Best screenplay, and Best editing for the Academy Awards 1971. Book was based off of actual events and Hackman and Scheider's characters were based off of 2 real NYPD detectives. The scenes in France were shot in Marseilles.

Personally the car/train chase is one of the best chase sequences ever put on film. Really enjoy your reactions man

So fun! If you want to go further back, The Naked City (1948) is the first film ever shot all on location in NYC, beautiful photography and action

The French Connection is one of those films that's always on TV but since I no longer watch TV and kids these days don't either there is a lot to be missed! The Conversation (1974) is another Gene Hackman must watch film.

Insane you'd never heard of it! The chase is iconic, and the making of it. A recent homage is actually "The Batman."

Willam Friedkin is a great director. I sat through this film twice, in a theater, when it first came out. The small screen does not do it justice. Everything you mentioned, just plays to the large screens. A wonderful cinema film. A couple more of his - To Live and Die in L.A., and Sorcerer.

Just about all of these scenes are shot on location, it is considered a cinema verity, no gci or special effects. The sequel, French Connection 2 -- takes place in France, where Doyle goes after the French criminal who escaped. It is a great sequel, shot on location in France where the ending is un-believable!

I really hope you get to see Friedkin's Sorcerer someday. It's a total masterpiece. There's a scene on a bridge that it is one of the most intense things you'll ever see. It's crazy to me that The French Connection wasn't even mentioned in your film classes. Friedkin is as much an interesting person as he is a director. I highly recommend searching his name on here.

Your Movie reactions Keep getting more awesome with each one. Respect James! 💯👊🏼

You rock James. My dad would drag me to movies like this when I was a kid. Mom didn't care for "guy" movies and he didn't want to go alone. Foreign location is France and I always thought this was a true story.

There were so many great movies in the 70's. The most free and risk taking Hollywood ever was.

Fun fact: they did not get permits for the car chase and some of the other cars were just people unaware of what was going on.

Love this movie and totally thrilled someone with your skill is reviewing it. Based on a true story.

Based on a true story and one of the greatest crime stories told with brilliance. It makes me so sad you had never heard of this iconic film till recently. It just shows how important it is to pas these stories down before they censor them all.

Friedkin had a BG in documentary which served him well here. Gene Hackman's first starring role - and he got the Oscar for it. Many of the scenes were done guerilla style (no city approval), including the car chase. French Connection II is also amazing, directed by John Frankenheimer. By the way, the city is Marseilles.

My favorite NYC movie of the Seventies. You may also like “Taking of Pelham 1,2,3.”

Chinatown maybe? I've been watching this film since the '70's and it always holds up. It checks all the boxes; cinematography, acting, action, dialogue, music, editing, location shots. 10 out of 10!

When it came out we all loved the car chase scene. We were all glued to the TV set.

You should definitely see "Sorcerer" 1977!

This, Serpico, The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3 (the original, not the remake) The Anderson Tapes, and The Conversation were the police/crime films of that era

Fun fact: The Police work was so well done in this, that the film was used to teach in Police Academies how to tail suspects on foot.

That's odd that you never heard of it. It's amazing how fast culture moves. Things get forgotten.. Glad you discovered it though!!

Interesting that you never heard of the French Connection. In the 1970s/early 1980s, this film was often referenced for setting a new standard with its car chase scene.