The brilliant 1953 French film The Wages of Fear would become a template for at least two direct reinterpretations over the years while also inspiring countless filmmakers in terms of its themes and aesthetics — it’s not hard to see why. This inherently desperate tale of physical and mental survival can’t help but resonate with storytellers and audiences no matter the year or social climate, and it’s a further reminder that even with certain technical limitations, the film i…s one of the finest examples of adrenaline-fueled filmmaking and storytelling ever captured. Directed in a vice-grip fashion by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring the fantastic Yves Montand, the film was based on the novel The Salary of Fear by Georges Arnaud (who controlled the rights to the property after it was released, and was the man who Friedkin reportedly spoke with when he was mounting Sorcerer), and depicts a group of rag-tag Europeans who are all brought together by fate to take on an exceedingly dangerous job: The transportation of nitroglycerine through the perilous mountains so that they can help with extinguishing the flames that were caused by a massive Mexican oil well fire. The film moves breathlessly from one sequence to another, with the final act of the movie packing a serious emotional and visceral punch. And the sad and cynical ending feels appropriate as it reinforces the grim, fatalistic qualities that have come before it; man’s sense of invincibility is always being challenged during The Wages of Fear, all the way up until the absolute final shot. The Criterion Collection wisely reinstated over 20 minutes of footage that were excised for the American release, and the picture and audio quality on their Blu-ray release leaves nothing to desire — it’s sharp as a tack. The Wages of Fear took the Palme d’Or at Cannes and the Golden Bear in Berlin and rests as one of the best and most influential films of any era.
Podcasting Them Softly 