THE FRIEDKIN CONNECTION A Memoir

Friedkin's narration of his memoir is intensely and deliriously frenetic. The reading is very much like the writing--brutally individualistic and personal. With roots in early live television, the noted director of "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist" reveals little of his personal life while still being otherwise quite candid. The listener will sense an unsettling quality to his performance, which he would likely argue is consistent with an unsettled life well lived. Friedkin is very self-critical, and his highly dramatic vocal tone seems self-recriminatory throughout. Many behind-the-camera anecdotes offer a welcome education in classic films, such as the well-deserved acclaim that surrounds Welles's "Citizen Kane." This memoir is informative and entertaining, while not being sensational or especially revelatory. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2013]