Where was the french connection car chase filmed

The french connection is a seminal work in cop movies. During the surveillance and eventual bust, friedkin provides one of the most gripping and memorable car chase sequences ever filmed. William friedkins decision to make the french connection was inspired by a conversation with iconic director howard hawks, where hawks recommended that he make a good chase. The 70s was a moment of recession, the vietnam war was unpopular and stretching out without a clear end, crime rates were high and new york itself was in a crisis of government corruption and budget shortages. The french connection 1 hours and 44 minutes movie 1971 william friedkins gritty police drama portrays two tough new york city cops trying to intercept a huge heroin shipment coming from france. More than halfway into the film the french connection, police officer popeye doyle gene hackman is desperately trying to catch a criminal. It featured a great early gene hackman performance that won an academy award, and it also won oscars for best picture, direction. So friedkin, producer phil dantoni, and tidyman decided to put a car chase in it.

Arguably the most typical car chase is one in which a car is being pursued by police cars. It was one decision among many that caused argument and controversy while making the french connection, a film considered a 1970s classic. The crash was kept in the movie for realism, and the producers paid the car repair bills. The french connection is routinely included, along with bullitt, diva and raiders of the lost ark, on the short list of movies with the greatest chase scenes of all time. The film is often cited as containing one of the greatest car chase sequences in movie history.

Perhaps most shockingly, that highspeed chase in a crowded borough, in the middle of the day under a brooklyn subway track was filmed with few safety precautions taken to protect cast, crew, or the many people who happened to be in the cars path that day. This truestory based action film contains one of the most novel car chases in all cinema. The process of filming a car chase seems to vary with those involved and their use of technology, but one thing remains constant they are all filmed out of. The chase scene was filmed in brooklyn using the dtrain line. Several years before he started to film his movie, said director william friedkin in an npr interview, he had seen the chase scene in bullitt, and knew that he couldnt just have two cars chasing each other on empty streets. Filmed on the streets of the coney island neighborhood in brooklyn, friedkin claims that most of the chase scene was done by a car. Between highspeed chases and a drug search that ripped a lincoln apart, vehicles really took a beating in this story. The car chase was filmed over 5 weeks beneath the bensonhurst elevated railway of brooklyns stillwell line from. The classic french connection car chase many of the. Dga quarterly magazine fall 2006 feature the french. The 1971 thriller the french connection contains whats often cited as the best car chase scene in cinematic history. Members of the nypds tactical force helped control traffic. The french connection chase scene filming locations. So lets revisit the intense, fiveminutes from the 1971.

Friedkin on the car chase scene in the french connection. In part because car chases are so common many movie makers try to introduce a new twists to them. The man whose car was hit had just left his house a few blocks from the intersection to go to work and was unaware that a car chase was being filmed. He stepped out of the car, looked around, and said, this isnt right. Jul 29, 2017 in 1971, the french connection treated moviegoers to a chaotic car chase. In 1975, fox released the french connection ii, a sequel again starring hackman and rey, directed by john frankenheimer. Gene hackman, the star of the french connection, discusses the famous car chase scene from the film. Westbury, 15 east 69th street, new york frog ones hotel. I am partial to the bullitt chase with the combination of steve mcqueen, the bullitt mustang, the length of the chase, and the sound of those two cars, but i. The french connection car chase was dangerous and life. Oct 08, 2016 william friedkin on how he filmed the french connection s iconic car chase.

The french connections infamous car chase was dangerous, life threatening, and filmed entirely without permits. An interesting contrast is established between popeye doyle, a shorttempered alcoholic bigot who is nevertheless a hardworking and dedicated police officer, and his nemesis. That films theme and spectacular car chase bore similarities to the french connection. Dantonio directed scheiderin the 1973 film the sevenups. It tells the story of new york police department detectives jimmy popeye doyle and buddy cloudy russo, whose reallife counterparts. Unlike bullitt, however, the rest of the film is as essential. William friedkin on the car chase scene in the french connection duration. Made in 1971 and starring a young gene hackman and roy scheider, it is based on an actual drug trafficking scheme known by the same name. Bay 50th street station, brooklyn start of car chase. William friedkins the french connection depicts just the kind of. The french connection was filmed in the following locations. Til the famous car chase scene in the french connection.

When the french connection was released in 1971, the movie cleaned up at awards season, snagging eight oscar nods and five wins, including honors for best picture, best actor, and best director yet sadly, the film somehow failed to take home the biggestand most importantaccolade that year. With gene hackman, roy scheider, fernando rey, tony lo bianco. A true story the french connection gets the gong as the movie with the 3rd best car chase of all time. Film locations for the french connection in new york, washington. Feb 22, 2015 1971s the french connection features one of the most harrowing car chases in cinema history. The car chase was filmed without obtaining the proper permits from the. The scene doesnt feel like an afterthought, though, its the perfect synthesis of. Like bullitt, the french connection is remembered for containing one of the most thrilling car chases ever filmed. On the sequences filmed in the street, friedkin claimed, stunt driver bill hickman who also had a role in the film drove 26 blocks at 90 mph. A variety of camera mounts were rigged up inside and on a car driven by gene hackman for the french connection 1971, shot by owen roizman, asc.

Film locations for the french connection in new york. Don ellis jarring score accompanies a credits sequence that takes less than a minute to take care of business before dropping viewers in the middle of the action in the french port of marseilles, where an undercover french cop eats a slice of pizza as he watches some. As friedkin was preparing to film the french connection, he was walking the streets of new york for ideas, and the subway rumbled below him. The french connection subtitles srt file is movie with the following synopsis william friedkins gritty police drama portrays two tough new york city cops trying to intercept a huge heroin shipment coming from france. May 21, 2014 its funny, james, but the corridor between broadway in bedstuy and 58th road in maspeth is where much of the french connection was filmed. According to one thorough comment on scouting ny, at least part of the car chase scene was filmed in ridgewood, queens. Lets move on to the french connection, which i liked. Ask anyone the best car chase scene in cinematic history and theyll likely tell you, without pause, that its the french connection. William friedkin on how he filmed the french connections iconic car chase. A pair of nyc cops in the narcotics bureau stumble onto.

Oct 09, 2019 the french connection is a seminal work in cop movies. Thirtyfive years after it was made, the climatic car chase scene in the french connection is still jawdropping in its suspense and execution. Stillwell avenue, brooklyn he requisitions a passing car and begins the movies famous chase sequence at bay 50th street station. So he threw in a bunch of pedestrians and an elevated subway train. William friedkins gritty 1970s classic is the paradigmatic riproaring chase film, complete with new york city street and subway pursuits, drug smugglers, corrupt cops, and one good guy, jimmy popeye doyle based on truelife detective eddie egan who makes his own rules. French connection starring gene hackman and roy scheider premiered in 1971 and follows two narcotics officers trying to prevent a smuggling job. Filmed on streets that hadnt been cleared, the stunt driver actually hit both a car and a truck driven by private citizens. Director william friedkin recounts how he created one of the greatest action sequences ev. The car chase was filmed over 5 weeks beneath the bensonhurst elevated railway of brooklyns stillwell line from bay 50th street station along stillwell avenue and into 86th street and finally right into new utrecht avenue, ending at 62nd street station. In 1971, the french connection treated moviegoers to a chaotic car chase.

Film locations for the french connection in new york, washington dc and france. Til the famous car chase scene in the french connection was. William friedkin on how he filmed the french connections. Its true that the scene was filmed without a permit, but they had something almost as good. He requisitions a passing car and begins the movies famous chase sequence at bay 50th street station. Friedkin kept the crash in the film to enhance the chases realism. Aug 19, 20 william friedkin on the car chase scene in the french connection duration. Sep 11, 2018 its car chase was the talk of audiences, and film critics. Popeye and cloudy chase the perp into an unusual entranceway two buildings down. According to one thorough comment on scouting ny, at least part of the car chase scene was filmed in. Inside the french connection car chase the new york times. The anatomy of a great car chase film school rejects. Jan 05, 2015 ask anyone the best car chase scene in cinematic history and theyll likely tell you, without pause, that its the french connection.

Having a car, for the characters in this movie, seems to give them agency and freedom though not freedom from surveillance. Interview courtesy of 20th century fox home entertainment. But as the french connection shows, maybe time causes some kind of romantic amnesia. The ensuing chase, in which hackmans detective, popeye doyle, pursues a criminal attempting to escape on a subway, has been justly celebrated as one of the most thrilling in film history. Marlboro housing project, avenues v, w and x, brooklyn popeye doyles home. The car chase was filmed over 5 weeks beneath the bensonhurst elevated railway of brooklyns stillwell line from bay 50th street station. Til the famous car chase scene in the french connection was shot illegally. The filming locations of the french connection, then and.

Jun 27, 2017 the process of filming a car chase seems to vary with those involved and their use of technology, but one thing remains constant they are all filmed out of order. Famous traincar chase scene from the french connection movie. One of the most famous variations is from the french connection and involves a car chasing an elevated train. Director william friedkin recounts how he created one of the greatest action sequences ever. What is not always remembered is what a good movie it is apart from the chase scene. Bay 50th street station along stillwell avenue to 86th street. The scene doesnt feel like an afterthought, though, its the perfect synthesis of car chase, character, and story. The screenplay, written by ernest tidyman, is based on robin moore s 1969 nonfiction book the french connection.

The cops served as advisers for the film, and they still had a lot of connections in the nypd, getting the departments support without having to go through official. Car chases have been part of movies from the moment cars and movies sprang into existence at the turn of the 20th century. When new york times crime reporter ernest tidyman first adapted the french connection, no one would touch the script. Hollywood 1971 pontiac lemans from the french connection. A pair of nyc cops in the narcotics bureau stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a french connection. When filming the legendary car chase scene, friedkin needed approval from the new york transit authority. The car chase was filmed without obtaining the proper permits from the city. In the drivers seat, sometimes with all the attention friedkin pays these cars, they feel hefty with psychic weight. The classic french connection car chase many of the close. It was that first sniff that hooked the moviegoing public on hollywoods war on drugs. Its car chase was the talk of audiences, and film critics.

See how the filming locations used in the french connection look in. The french connection is a 1971 american action thriller film directed by william friedkin. The filming locations of the french connection, then and now. Its funny, james, but the corridor between broadway in bedstuy and 58th road in maspeth is where much of the french connection was filmed.