"Actor's Watch" focuses on watches worn by actors in movies, television, etc.
In this 133rd installment, we will be looking at " William Friedkin's watch ."
On August 7, 2023, news broke that director William Friedkin had passed away.
Many film fans were probably surprised by the news of the passing of this master director, known for many historical masterpieces such as " The French Connection " (1971), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director, and " The Exorcist " (1973), which sparked a worldwide horror film boom.
*Source: https://edition.cnn.com/
I myself am a big fan of " The Wages of Fear " (1977), in which a high-flying gangster played by Roy Scheider drives a truck loaded with nitroglycerin down a mountain road to get a lot of money. When it was revived at Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho in 2018, I remember jumping for joy, thinking, "I can watch it on the big screen!"
Director William Friedkin is a master recognised by all movie fans.
As a tribute to him, we would like to take a closer look at the watches that appeared in his films.
The French Connection
THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)
*Source: https://www.imdb.com/
Doyle ( Gene Hackman ) is a veteran detective in charge of illegal drug enforcement for the New York Police Department. He is strong and does not hesitate to use dangerous and forceful tactics for the sake of his investigations, so he is nicknamed "Popeye" by those around him. One day, while drinking at a nightclub with his partner Cloudy ( Roy Scheider ), Doyle sets his sights on a man with a lot of money who hangs around with the mafia. The man is Sal Boca ( Tony LoBianco ), a subordinate of a major drug dealer in New York.
Doyle discovers that Sal Boca is planning to make a large drug deal with a French gangster. He also learns that Marseille drug lord Charnier ( Fernando Rey ) is visiting New York. Doyle relentlessly pursues Charnier to stop the flow of illegal drugs from France. But Charnier is not going to stay silent either... he sends a skilled assassin after Doyle.
*Source: https://bamfstyle.com/
The French Connection (1971) is a thrilling and realistic drama about a man who depicts the battle between detectives and the mafia in a documentary-style manner that had never been seen before. Known as a landmark of detective dramas, this historic masterpiece won five Oscars at the Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. The legendary car chase scene, filmed guerrilla-style on public roads filled with ordinary people and vehicles, has had a major influence on modern car action movies.
The watch that appears in the film is a Timex Marlin (Ref. unknown/reference image) worn by the star Gene Hackman as Detective Popeye. It seems a little delicate for a man known as a "tough guy" representative of 20th century Hollywood, but since the film also featured many hard-hitting action scenes, it may have been difficult to choose a luxury watch such as a Rolex as a prop.
exorcist
THE EXORCIST (1973)
*Source: https://www.zee5.com/
Actress Chris ( Ellen Burstyn ), who rented a house in Washington for a movie shoot and lived there with her only daughter Regan ( Linda Blair ), was troubled by strange noises coming from the attic and Regan's strange behavior. Chris took Regan to the hospital, but the examination found nothing abnormal. Soon the strangeness spread to the surrounding area of the house, and an incident began to occur in which a film director who tried to visit Chris's house had his neck twisted 180 degrees by someone and died.
Convinced that Regan is possessed by a demon, Chris asks Father Karras ( Jason Miller ), a psychiatrist, to perform an exorcism. At first, Father Karras is skeptical of demon possession, but when he sees Regan turn her head 180 degrees and curse at him in a voice that sounds too much like a child's, he decides to perform the exorcism ritual. With the permission of the church, Father Karras and Father Merrin ( Max von Sydow ), who has performed such rituals in the past, attempt to exorcise the demon that has possessed Regan...
*Source: https://www.watchuseek.com/
In the 1970s, against the backdrop of unstable economic conditions such as the oil crisis and pollution, there was a huge boom in the occult, including " Nostradamus's prophecies ," " psychic powers ," and " spiritual photography ." One horror film that reflected this social climate became a huge hit worldwide. It was " The Exorcist " (1973), directed by Friedkin, who had created a realist whirlwind in the film world with " The French Connection ," and introduced that same technique to horror films.
The watch that appears in this film, which is said to have changed the history of horror, is a Heuer Autavia (Ref. Ref.2446C ) worn by actor Peter Masterson , who plays Dr. Ballinger, who treats the young girl Regan. It seems like a very sporty choice for a doctor, but since a similar watch appears in his personal promotional photo (artist photo), it is thought that the actor's personal watch was used as is.
Friedkin's watch
*Source: https://patch.com/
Finally, let us introduce the watch worn by director William Friedkin himself.
The watch on his wrist was a Panerai Luminor Marina . As the brand has many limited edition models, the exact model number cannot be determined without checking the case back, but it is likely to be the most basic Panerai model, Ref. PAM00001 or Ref. PAM00111 .
Friedkin was a star basketball player in his school days, and has directed many hard-hitting, manly films ever since. This watch is a perfect fit for such a manly director.
summary
What did you think.
Director William Friedkin continues to fascinate audiences with his realistic expressive techniques and his ability to imprint a physical texture on film without relying on special effects or CG. He was also called a " genius " because he was willing to push actors and staff to their limits for the sake of his work, and I believe it was precisely because of this that he was able to create so many works that changed the history of cinema.
*Source: https://www.youtube.com
Director Friedkin was a big fan of Japanese violent films such as " Battles Without Honor and Humanity " (1973) and " Vengeance is Mine " (1979), and was always concerned about the reaction of Japanese audiences to his films. It is sad that we will never be able to see his new works again, but his innovative style has become a model for many filmmakers, and continues to have a major influence on modern films like a gene.
Personally, I think there is no film more suited to being seen on the big screen than Friedkin's films, which are full of physical texture. I hope that one day his works will be revived in cinemas, and I would like to put my pen down for now.
RIP William Friedkin
see you!