Biographie

According to writer/director Larry Cohen, composer Bernard Herrmann was approached by Friedkin to score L'Exorciste (1973). After screening the movie to Herrmann, Friedkin said, "I want you to write me a better score than you wrote for Citizen Kane (1941)", to which Herrmann replied, "Then why don't you make a better movie than 'Citizen Kane'?".

Often goes to extreme lengths to get the desired realism in his scenes. Infamous examples include the illegal car chase from French Connection (1971) (which employed a stunt driver racing amidst unsuspecting drivers and pedestrians), and his effective tactics to get certain reactions from his actors in L'Exorciste (1973) (discharging firearms close to the actors' ears, slapping them in the face, violently yanking them with ropes, etc.).

Had once been considered by fellow filmmaker Michael Mann for the original role of Hannibal Lecter in Le Sixième Sens (1986).

Was offered the chance to direct L'Exorciste (1973) by producer William Peter Blatty after Blatty screened French Connection (1971). Warner Bros. had been pressuring him to use another director but after seeing Friedkin's film, Blatty decided he wanted the film of his novel to be infused with as much energy as Friedkin had brought to The French Connection (1971).

Does not like to work with storyboards.

By the time a film of mine makes it into the theaters, I have a love-hate relationship with it. There is always something I could have done to make it better.

French Connection (1971) was really made in the editing room. One of the easiest sequences to do was the chase scene. It was relatively easy to do because everything was worked out minutely, carefully planned and checked in advance. Of course, there were some human errors and we did wreck a couple of cars before we were through.

[after directing French Connection (1971)] Each picture I've done so far has been for different reasons. The Birthday Party (1968), for instance, was purely a labor of love. I wanted to do [Harold Pinter]. Others were to advance my career, to get better assignments. I have no regard for and no knowledge of the value of money, I'm not saying that's a virtue, just a fact. For me, the greatest thrill in the world, the only thrill, is getting 20 seconds on the screen that really gases you.

I consider myself just another member of the crew, the highest paid member of the crew.

Directing is the provenance of younger guys. When I broke into film, I had no specific genius. I was just young. That's how I did it. The studios feel that movies are all about a youth movement, and they always have. That's why Orson Welles got to make Citizen Kane (1941) at 25. It's also why Billy Wilder at the end of his career, when he was smarter, wittier and more energetic than most directors half his age, couldn't even get a meeting.