Yahoo Movies William Friedkin's films ranked from worst to best according to fans
The prolific filmmaker has died aged 87
William Friedkin has died at his home in Los Angeles from heart failure and pneumonia, he was aged 87.
It is a tragic loss for the film industry, but Friedkin leaves behind a lasting legacy that will be felt on the silver screen for years to come with films like To Live and Die in LA to The Exorcist.
Read more: How making The Exorcist was scarier than the movie itself
With so many iconic films in his filmography, Yahoo UK decided to look back at the filmmakers career to see how fans have come to view his work over the decades.
William Friedkin's films ranked from worst to best according to fans
Friedkin has had quite the prolific career in Hollywood, making 20 films and working on countless TV shows, documentaries and TV movies since he began in the business in the 1960s.
To compile a ranking we looked at how his films have ranked on IMDb for cinephiles, and have compiled a top ten list based on these results. Here is everything you need to know.
10= | The Birthday Party (1968)
One of Friedkin's earliest films, The Birthday Party, comes in joint tenth place with a reasonably positive rating of 6.4 from fans on IMDb. It was a passion project for the filmmaker who continued to think highly of the film even if it did not light up the box office.
Made in 1968, the drama is based on the Harold Pinter play of the same name and follows a lodger who becomes increasingly harassed by two mysterious strangers at a party.
IMDb rating: 6.4
10= | Rules of Engagement (2000)
Starring big hitters like Samuel L. Jackson, Tommy Lee Jones and Guy Pearce, Rules of Engagement is a war drama that ranked similarly to The Birthday Party.
It charts the story of Colonel Terry L. Childers (Jackson) who is put on trial after soldiers accidentally killed civilians on his orders, and Childers asks fellow officer Hodges (Jones) to defend him.
IMDb rating: 6.4
8= | The Brink's Job (1978)
Friedkin's fictional retelling of the 1950s Boston Brink's Company robbery comes in joint eighth place with a slightly higher rating of 6.5.
Read more: Actors who were injured on Oscar-winning movies
The crime comedy follows the events of the robbery, which saw them take $2.7m and the investigation of which cost American taxpayers up to $29m.
IMDb rating: 6.5
8= | Cruising (1980)
Al Pacino stars in Cruising, a drama about a police detective who goes undercover to try and track down a serial killer targeting gay men in the underground gay club scene of New York City.
The mystery film ranked similarly amongst movie fans, who gave it a solid 6.5 rating on IMDb.
IMDb rating: 6.5
6 | Killer Joe (2011)
One of Friedkin's most recent films, Killer Joe stars Matthew McConaughey in the titular role of an assassin hired by a young man (Emile Hirsch) to take out his mother for an insurance payout.
The dark thriller was released during the start of McConaughey's so-called "McConaissance", a time when public opinion of the actor began to shift as he began to show his skills with projects like True Detective and Dallas Buyers Club, and Friedkin's film received a relatively strong ranking of 6.7.
IMDb rating: 6.7
5 | To Live and Die in LA (1985)
Friedkin took on the noir genre in To Live and Die in LA, a film that followed a secret service agent (William Petersen) as he chased down the counterfeiter (Willem Dafoe) who was responsible for killing his partner.
The film's elaborate action and car chase scenes were a big influence on Hollywood, with the director previously stating that he believed there were several action films made since that had copied his work.
IMDb rating: 7.3
4 | The Boys in the Band (1970)
Following his work on The Birthday Party, Friedkin was approached about adapting another play: The Boys in the Band by Mart Crowley.
The story revolves around Michael (Kenneth Nelson) who hosts a birthday party for his friend Harold (Leonard Frey) where the guests true selves begin to emerge.
Friedkin's film marked a milestone for queer representation in Hollywood thanks to how its story centred on several gay men, and it received a resounding 7.6 rating from fans on IMDb.
IMDb rating: 7.6
2= | Sorcerer (1977)
Friedkin's next film after The Exorcist, Sorcerer followed four outcasts who are tasked with moving transport cargoes full of old dynamite that is leaking nitroglycerin.
Despite originally being conceived as a side-project for the director, the film proved successful and came in joint second place amongst fans on IMDb with a rating of 7.7.
IMDb rating: 7.7
2= | The French Connection
One of Friedkin's most well-known works, The French Connection stars Gene Hackman as one half of an NYPD duo who comes across a drug smuggling ring in Marseilles and decide to stop at nothing to apprehend them.
A thrilling crime caper with memorable action sequences and a surprising storyline, the film received eight nominations at the Academy Awards and won five of them including Best Picture and Best Director.
Understandably, then, the film received a very strong rating amongst IMDb viewers who gave it a 7.7 rating.
IMDb rating: 7.7
1 | The Exorcist
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Friedkin's most iconic work The Exorcist comes out on top amongst IMDb users who gave the film a rating of 8.1.
The horror film has been hugely influential on the genre thanks to how terrifying the narrative of a teen being possessed by a demon was, as well as Friedkin's unique vision for depicting the chilling events that occur in the film.
Starring Linda Blair as Regan, the aforementioned teen, it became the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
IMDb rating: 8.1
Watch: Hollywood mourns William Friedkin
