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Born in Chicago in 1935, Friedkin started in local T.V. and documentary work before leaping to feature films. He made his first movie in 1967, the Sonny and Cher musical comedy Good Times, but it wasn't until 1970 that he hit his stride with The French Connection, a fast-paced drama about drug smuggling and police corruption starring Gene Hackman. The film was a box office and critical hit, earning an Oscar for Best Picture and winning for its screenplay, direction, and editing.

Critics praised its sharp writing and realistic portrayal of urban crime, while its spectacular car chase sequence set a new standard for on-screen mayhem. The movie influenced a generation of directors and remained highly regarded even after more than 50 years since its release.

Though he had other hits, Friedkin's films were often controversial and offbeat for their time. For instance, 1980's Cruising with Al Pacino provoked immediate protest and controversy for depicting New York's gay nightclub scene, and 1985's To Live and Die in L.A. continued his penchant for taking a dark approach to genre subjects.

Throughout his career, Friedkin worked in both independent and big studio films and often adapted scripts from plays. In recent years, he directed several well-received movies based on Tracy Letts' sports, including Bug and Killer Joe. He also published a candid memoir in 2013 and received an honorary Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

Friedkin is survived by his wife, Sherry Lansing, and two sons. He had three previous marriages to actresses Jeanne Moreau and Lesley-Anne Down and broadcast journalist Kelly Lange.

In a 2011 interview with the AP, Friedkin described his directing style as "a combination of documentary and narrative — a sense of what's real and what isn't." He said he was particularly interested in how sound added an underground layer of dread, mystery, and dissonance to his visceral works.

 

"I think I'm more interested in exploring that than anything else and trying to get the story out of my head and onto the screen," he said. "You want to make it look real, and you're not always sure how that will come out."