William Friedkin had some very kind words for a young director, one he said would be a success no matter what period of time he was working in.

William Friedkin, director of the classic horror ... his biggest box office success. Sorcerer, released in 1977, had an estimated budget of $22m but drew barely $6m in box office sales.

Filmmaker William Friedkin leaned into these possibilities and then some with his 1971 feature The French Connection, while subsequent 1970s directorial efforts like The Exorcist and Sorcerer ...