Atemlos vor Angst (1977)

Atemlos vor Angst: Directed by William Friedkin. With Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, Amidou. Four unfortunate men from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous Latin American jungle.

“After _The French Connection_ and _The Exorcist_, William Friedkin made it three masterpieces in a row with this remake of the French classic _Wages of Fear_. As an exercise in pure cinematic storytelling, _Sorcerer_ may be the best film of the three Friedkin greats.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eStructurally similar to the other two of his films, and working from a tough, bare-bones Walon Green script, Friedkin gives us all the back story we need in the first reel. Once the characters are brought together in the South American jungle, the film grabs you and doesnu0026#39;t let go until the final frame. The viewing experience is supremely visceral. You literally feel the tension as the four major characters and their two trucks loaded with nitro encounter and attempt to overcome the elements and some very rough terrain. Each scene is its own brilliant set piece. The film would work well as a silent movie, but the sound design and Tangerine Dreamu0026#39;s musical score in themselves are among the filmu0026#39;s towering achievements right along with the direction, cinematography and production design.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIu0026#39;m perhaps the only one not put off by the filmu0026#39;s allegedly inappropriate title. On the contrary, I think the title adds an element of mystery to the story — as if trouble is being concocted by an unseen force acting upon the filmu0026#39;s morally dubious main characters. It gives a demonic personality to the confluence of fate and dumb luck. The title also serves to give the film some added distance from the very fine Clouzot original.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe performances are all first-rate, if economic, and Roy Scheider stands out with some real tough-guy charisma. He also gets to wear the coolest hat this side of Gene Hackmanu0026#39;s porkpie derby in _The French Connection_.”