With such seminal movies as The Exorcist and The French Connection, Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin secured his place as a great filmmaker. But his own success story has the makings of classic American film. He was born in Chicago, the son of Russian immigrants. Immediately after high school, he found work in the mailroom of a local television station, and patiently worked his way into the directing booth during the heyday of live TV.

An award-winning documentary brought him attention as a talented new filmmaker and an advocate for justice, and it caught the eye of producer David L. Wolper, who brought Friedkin to Los Angeles. There he moved from television (one of the last episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour) to film (The Birthday Party, The Boys in the Band), displaying a versatile stylistic range. Released in 1971, The French Connection won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and two years later The Exorcist received ten Oscar nominations and catapulted Friedkin's career to stardom.

Penned by the director himself, The Friedkin Connection takes readers on a journey through the numerous chance encounters and unplanned occurrences that led a young man from a poor urban neighborhood to success in one of the most competitive industries and art forms in the world. From the streets of Chicago to the executive suites of Hollywood, from a passionate new artistic life as a renowned director of operas to his most recent tour de force, Killer Joe, William Friedkin has much to say about the world of moviemaking and his place within it.

Willem Dafoe and William L. Petersen star in this crime drama co-written and directed by William Friedkin. The film follows reckless FBI agent Richard Chance (Petersen) as he hunts elusive counterfeiter Eric Masters (Dafoe). After learning Masters has murdered his partner in cold blood, Chance vows to do whatever it takes to get his man. Dragging new recruit John Vulkovich (John Pankow) with him, the pair set out on a dangerous pursuit through the murky backstreets of Los Angeles.

Re-cut edition of the horror classic featuring 11 minutes of footage removed before its initial 1973 release, including the famous Spider Walk sequence. Actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is disturbed by the changes taking place in her 12-year-old daughter, Regan (Linda Blair). At first sullen and withdrawn, Regan becomes aggressive and blasphemous, and ugly welts appear on her face and body. When no medical cure is forthcoming, Chris turns to local Jesuit priest Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) for help. Karras is shocked by what he sees in the MacNeil home and calls in exorcist Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow), who confirms that Regan is indeed possessed by the devil.

Collection of five classic horrors. In 'The Exorcist' (1973) actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) has every reason to be content, having just completed a film with director Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran). However, she becomes disturbed by the changes taking place in her 12-year-old daughter, Regan (Linda Blair).

At first sullen and withdrawn, Regan becomes aggressive and blasphemous, and ugly welts appear on her face and body. No medical cure is forthcoming, and after Burke is killed by being thrown from Regan's window, Chris turns to local Jesuit priest Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) for help. Karras then calls in exorcist Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow), who confirms that Regan is possessed by the devil.

In 'Friday the 13th' (1980) a group of fun-loving teenagers take jobs at a recently reopened summer camp, unaware of the gruesome circumstances that led to its closure 20 years prior: the drowning of a young boy named Jason and subsequent murder of two counsellors. No sooner has Camp Crystal Lake reopened for business than the killing spree begins again, as the teens are picked off one by one... In 'It' (1990) a group of seven childhood friends, known as The Losers Club, reunite to combat a mysterious threat which they had thought was long since buried.

Lurking in the shadows, and preying on their innermost fears, a shape-shifting, supernatural predator, manifesting as a killer clown called Pennywise (Tim Curry), prepares to strike again. In 'A Nightmare On Elm Street' (1984) American teenager Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suffer from nightmares and discovers that many of her friends are having similarly disturbed nights' sleep. Their dreams are haunted by the hideously scarred former child murderer Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) who, it soon transpires, has the power to kill them in their sleep.

Freddy is out to exact his revenge on the children of those who burned him alive in retribution for his crimes. The only way to avoid Freddy's reprisals is to avoid sleep, but Nancy knows that she can't stay awake for ever. Finally, in 'Carrie' (1976) Carrie (Sissy Spacek) is a gawky, unloved teenager whose awakening sexuality is at odds with her puritanical mother's fanatical teachings.

Physically abused at home and shunned at school, an unexpected prom invitation seems to be Carrie's first chance at happiness. But when the prom night ends in a vicious practical joke, Carrie's despair manifests itself in a fiery telekinetic revenge.

Actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) has every reason to be content, having just completed a film with director Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran). However, she becomes disturbed by the changes taking place in her 12-year-old daughter, Regan (Linda Blair). At first sullen and withdrawn, Regan becomes aggressive and blasphemous, and ugly welts appear on her face and body. No medical cure is forthcoming, and after Burke is killed by being thrown from Regan's window, Chris turns to local Jesuit priest Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) for help. Karras then calls in exorcist Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow), who confirms that Regan is possessed by the devil. William Peter Blatty's screenplay, based on his own novel inspired by actual events, won an Oscar, and the film was deemed so powerful that it was refused a BBFC certificate for fifteen years.

A double bill of the classic 70's thrillers featuring an Oscar-winning Gene Hackman as 'Popeye' Doyle. In the first film Doyle and Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) are tough New York cops attempting to crack a drug smuggling ring. They have a small candy store under surveillance, but Doyle is not happy when he receives the order to work with a pair of French federal agents on the case, one of whom he has a long-standing feud with. Hackman and director William Friedkin both earned Oscars for the film, which also took the award for Best Picture. Whilst in the sequel Doyle (Hackman) travels to Marseilles to track down Charnier (Fernando Rey), the leader of a drug smuggling ring whom he failed to capture in the first film. Kidnapped by dealers and pumped with heroin, Doyle has to kick his new-found habit before he can set about his revenge.

The French Connection:
New York City detectives "Popeye" Doyle and Buddy Russo hope to break a narcotics smuggling ring and ultimately uncover The French Connection. But when one of the criminals tries to kill Doyle, he begins a deadly pursuit that takes him far outside the city limits. Based on a true story, this action-filled thriller, with its renowned chase scene, won five Academy Awards, in 1971, including Best Picture, Best Director (William Friedkin) and Best Actor for Hackman.

The French Connection 2:
Gene Hackman reprises his Oscar-winning role as Popeye Doyle, the hard-nosed New York detective determined to break a French narcotics ring. Kidnapped by heroin kingpin Alain Charnier in Marseilles, Doyle is mercilessly forced to become a junkie himself. Upon his release, Doyle must kick his habit and join forces with his French police counterpart to hunt down Charnier. Gritty action, riveting performances and a vividly realistic setting make this a powerful sequel to the brilliant original.

Gianandrea Noseda conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Regio Torino in this performance of Verdi's tragic opera.

Gianandrea Noseda conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Regio Torino in this performance of Verdi's tragic opera.