I used to wonder about the odd name as well. As the other poster points out, "Sorcerer" is actually the name of one of the two trucks, which is painted on the hood in French. But this only reflects the surface meaning. I used to interpret the deeper meaning as a reference to the miracle (or magic) that the men figuratively concoct in delivering the dynamite on their suicide mission. While this interpretation is a legitimate interpretation, Director William Friedkin said he actually named it "Sorcerer" in reference to the evil wizard of fate, which people supposedly have no control over. The grotesque idol-like face we see at the opening of the film and later along the jungle road presumably represent this sorcerer of fate.
shareFriedkin also was quoted saying Miles Davis' eponymous album inspired his choice of the title 'Sorcerer'.
"The grotesque idol-like face we see at the opening of the film and later along the jungle road presumably represent this sorcerer of fate."
This face appears to be that of ancient Mesopotamian demon 'Pazuzu': the very same that took possession of Reagan in Friedkin's 'The Exorcist' 4 years earlier.
I heard Friedkin originally wanted it to be called: "The Wages of Fear", of which this is a remake, but the studio heads wanted to capitalize on his notoriety as the director of The Exorcist with a Supernatural name.
Part of the reason for this not being a huge success, although it was an excellent movie, is that audiences on hearing the name expected a horror movie in the style of The Exorcist.
The name does come from the name painted on the surviving truck. The stone face is similar to Pazuzu but looks more South or Central American in design. I think Friedkin's remarks about the wizard of fate were ideas he retconned in to explain the enforced title change.
"I heard Friedkin originally wanted it to be called: "The Wages of Fear", of which this is a remake..."
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Interestingly (and lamely) enough, the French translated title is "The Convoy of Fear"! Talk about capitalizing on previous success...
"I think Friedkin's remarks about the wizard of fate were ideas he retconned in to explain the enforced title change."
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I don't know... the themes of fate and unavoidable death seem pretty strong throughout and are present almost from the start. All the protagonists are "already dead" by the time they've all escaped their individual misfortunes in their respective countries and are stuck in Porvenir: they're just going through the motion until Death catches up with them.
The old woman at the bar who gives Serano the pendant and with whom Dominguez dances at the end (he finally accepts death's embrace and is ready to go...), the young aboriginal dancing around the truck, the old man at the fork-path in the jungle, the recurrent eerie wind/chimera sounds on the soundtrack and the mechanic tempo of the electronic soundtrack (which Friedkin called the mechanical sound of death at work, a sound that he can now hear himself in his later years, in his biography) are all omens.
But yes, I hear you: it didn't have to be a "Wizard" of fate... it seems like a somewhat silly notion. "Fate" alone would have been enough.
"Part of the reason for this not being a huge success, although it was an excellent movie, is that audiences on hearing the name expected a horror movie in the style of The Exorcist."
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Also, it came out the same year as 'Star Wars, A New Hope': the world was not big enough for both of these films to find their audience (just like it wasn't for both 'E.T.' and 'The Thing' 5 years later).
he finally accepts death's embrace and is ready to go
I suppose he realizes he'll never be left alone and they'll never stop looking for him. So he chooses to accept death, confront it on his own terms. As Richard Brake's character 'Doomhead' says in the opening sequence of '31' : "might as well be here, might as well be now, might as well be with me.".
share‘Left alone’ by whom? He has no idea the gangsters have found him. As far as he’s aware he’s in the same position he was before the truck adventure except now there’s light at the end of the tunnel - he has his money in cheque form and just needs to cash it in order to escape the town and go wherever. Surely he should be celebrating, not giving up..?
shareLe Salaire de la Peur... Where do you get "convoy"?
share'Le Salaire de la Peur' ('The Wages of Fear') is the name of Georges Arnaud's book on which Clouzot's 1953 film of the same name is based. Friedkin's 'Sorcerer' is called 'Le Convoi de la Peur' ('the Convoy of Fear') in France, most likely to capitalize on the original film's name and fame.
shareI expected something like a live-action Disney's Fantasia.
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