In a remote area of South America, an oil rig has been blown up by political dissidents, resulting in a fire that burns fiercely. Several workers lose their lives, and the disaster is costing the American owners a great deal of money. The only way to put out the fire is to dynamite the source. The only dynamite available is so old and poorly maintained that it’s leaking nitroglycerine. To make matters worse, it’s located over 200 miles from the fire. The only solution is to find men desperate enough to risk driving the leaking nitroglycerine over largely impassable mountain terrain.

Four outlaws—Jackie Scanlon (Roy Scheider), a New Jersey thug with a price on his head courtesy of the mob; Victor Manzon (Bruno Cremer), a French investment banker who is accused of fraud; Kassem (Amidou), a Mid-East terrorist wanted for a Jerusalem bombing; and Nilo (Francisco Rabal), a professional assassin—have all been forced to leave their countries and find themselves in the squalid South American village of Porvenir, doing odd jobs to survive. When the oil company’s foreman Corlette (Ramon Bieri) offers a sizable cash payment to experienced drivers, he settles on the fugitives. Desperate as they are, these men are willing to risk their lives transporting the very dangerous cargo over mountain roads, jungle swamps, and one of the most unstable bridges ever constructed.

Director William Friedkin’s adaptation of Georges Arnaud’s novel Le Salaire de la peur (The Wages of Fear), Sorcerer is a true nail biter. We are treated to a lengthy prologue showing how each man came to find themselves in Porvenir, which provides answers as to why they would take on what is essentially a suicide mission.

The drive to the oil rig is gripping from beginning to end. As the drivers creep along at agonizingly slow speeds, pieces of terrain giving away under their wheels, the wooden crates of nitroglycerine precariously set in sand in the back. Along the way, the men must deal with the aforementioned bridge, torrential rain, a downed tree and a myriad of other obstacles. Even the trucks themselves probably should have been consigned to the junkyard years before.

The cinematography by John M. Stephens and Dick Bush has a gritty, realistic look, adding to the suspense that surrounds the journey. Tangerine Dream’s haunting electronic score is almost otherworldly, capturing the squalid conditions surrounding the men surprisingly well. Taken together, the feeling of desperation is palpable nearly from the start of the film.

Released theatrically in the United States in June of 1977, Sorcerer was a box office flop. Look at it now, the film should have done much better, but it had the misfortune to land in theaters just a month after Star Wars began breaking box office records. Thankfully, time has been kind to Sorcerer, and it’s considered a cult classic in many circles. The status is well deserved, given the fine performances from Bruno Cremer, the terminally underrated Roy Scheider and the stunning ending. Hopefully, this new Blu-ray release will introduce Sorcerer to a new generation of film fans.

Over the years, Friedkin has commented that the negative of Sorcerer is in excellent shape but that the colors have faded. In a letter included with the Blu-ray, he thanks Ned Price, Warner’s Vice President of Mastering, for making “a new film out of an old one”. The colorist for the transfer was Bryan McMahan, currently at Modern VideoFilm, who has worked on Friedkin’s projects for years.

The result of their labor is reflected in Warner’s 1.78:1, 1080p transfer. The clarity, depth, and detail are amazing for a film shot nearly forty years ago. Blacks are deep, and the transfer shows a nice range of contrast. Colors are deep and accurately rendered, particularly in the jungle scenes, where greens and browns are well saturated. Fine object detail is strong in both close-ups and long shots. The film also exhibits a nice, natural grain structure.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is very good. The rear channels are used sparingly but effectively for things like planes flying overhead, driving rain, and explosions. The rumble of the truck engines comes through nicely in the fronts. The dialogue is clear, whether it’s English and subtitled; Spanish, French or German. The electronic score by Tangerine Dream fits the mood well, and the sound mix keeps it from overwhelming other elements.

English SDH, French, Spanish subtitles are included.

The following extras are included:

  • DigiBook Packaging: There are many stills from the film, and an extensive excerpt from Friedkin’s memoir, The Friedkin Connection. He discusses the making of Sorcerer, and its critical reception. Friedkin has also included a letter to viewers acknowledging the key personnel involved in the restoration and thanking fans for their devotion.