The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen (Widescreen)

 

 

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The Exorcist BD
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb
Director: William Friedkin
Warner Brothers | 1973 | 132m and 122m | Rated R |

Video
VC-1 | 1080p | 1.78:1

Audio
English DTS-HD Master Audio 6.1
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono

Subtitles
English SDH, Arabic, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German SDH, Greek, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian SDH, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish

Discs
Two 50GB Blu-ray Discs
Digibook

The Exorcist's iconic cover claims that it's the scariest film of all time, but the makers of the movie prefer to label it as a theological thriller. I tend to agree and have always considered The Silence of the Lambs, The Shining and Psycho as psychological thrillers rather than horror. I mention those three because they represent the best that 'horror' has to offer, whether you label them as such or not.

If you have read my other reviews, you'll know by now that I'm a movie snob. When I think of horror films, the first thing that comes to mind is excessive gore and cheesy lines. I'm simply not a fan of seeing bodies hacked to pieces and I don't find any value in cheesy horror stories. So bear that in mind if you are a fan of such movies as the Evil Dead (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Instead, I look at how films are made, what they make me feel, the quality of the acting and the methods used by the director. In those terms, The Exorcist deserves to be rated among the best 'horror' films ever made.

The film plays like a book with the three main sets of characters being shown individually before the threads are drawn together for the body of the story. The story begins with Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) heading an archeological expedition in Iraq. Father Karras (Jason Miller) is shown caring for his dying mother and we are shown how he lives. Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is shown being a mother to Regan (Linda Blair).

Regan is a pretty, playful 12-year-old girl without a care in the world. We see her demeanor gradually change as she's possessed by a demon. She seeks out her mother's bed because her own is shaking, but her mother thinks she's lying. There are noises in the attic which are thought to be rats as Chris tries to label them as something familiar. Regan's sweet nature gradually erodes and we see her lose her temper more and more frequently. She's eventually referred to doctors and shouts obscenities at them. Some of the tests she has to undergo would be frightening to a child, but everything comes back negative. A psychiatrist gets a turn and also fails to solve the problem. Denial is a powerful thing in this story as doctors continually try to rationalize the things they are seeing and hearing.

Chris is an atheist, but can see that the doctors are wrong. She eventually seeks out help from Father Karras, showing just how desperate she is to help her daughter. If you allow yourself to be drawn in to the story and consider how you would react if your own child underwent such changes, you'll feel the power of this film.

The climax of the film sees Father Karras and Father Merrin performing an exorcism after convincing the church that it was needed. Regan's transformation is impressive. When possessed, she talks in many different voices, some of which are known to the priests and the people around her. The demon is a master liar and seeks to confuse the priests and prevent the exorcism. Regan becomes a monster, reeling off obscenities and spewing foul green bile. Her face and body become covered in scars and it's hard to see anything of the original person.

In 1973, it was a real challenge to produce some of the effects seen in the film. Instead of CGI, everything had to be done by other means. Wires were used in two or three of the scenes were Regan levitates or runs down the stairs upside down. A model was made to enable the illusion that her head turns 360 degrees. The bile had to be made and then delivered using tubes. Although it's obvious that the spinning head is a model, it's still unsettling to see it happen.

Will you be scared by this movie? Visually, it's nothing compared to effects achieved by modern techniques. You might be scared if the story captures you sufficiently to make you feel that you're a part of it. Imagine yourself as Regan's parent for example. We can overlook the dated effects and take them seriously because everything else about this film is deadly serious. The acting is strong throughout, with the whole cast performing well. Friedkin tells the story simply, but effectively. The final solution is extreme, but convincing.

Like Psycho, this film was original and startling in its day. It has an important place in film history. It might not have a strong impact on people who are used to modern horror movies, but it's worth seeing for anyone who has avoided it thus far.

Video Quality 4/5:

This package includes two discs. One shows the original theatrical version (122m) and the other shows the extended version (132m). My comments refer to the extended version, although I would expect the quality to be identical in both versions.

The scenes in Iraq are bright and full of detail and the film would earn a 4.5 for picture quality if it were that good throughout. Unfortunately, much of the film is shot in dimly lit rooms and grain is dense in such scenes. All things considered, it's hard to imagine the image looking any better than it does though.

Audio Quality 4.5/5:

Friedkin mentions that the lossless audio enables him to hear effects that he had forgotten were in the film. It's certainly a strong presentation and the film benefits most of all from the audio upgrade. We can clearly hear Regan wheezing and the voices in outdoor scenes come across well in the rear speakers. Dialogue is always easy to understand and some of the louder scenes, such as furniture moving or glass breaking, carry added weight. The 6.1 version is included in the extended cut, while the original version has 5.1 audio.

Special Features 4.5/5:

There's plenty of background information included in the special features for anyone who is interested.

Director's commentary
Raising Hell: Filming the Exorcist (30m, HD)
The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then and Now (9m, HD)
Faces of Evil: The Different Versions of the Exorcist (10m, HD)
Trailers, TV Spots and Radio Spots
Director's Introduction (2m, SD)
The Fear of God (77m, SD)
Filmmaker Interviews (9m, SD)
Sketches and Storyboards (3m, SD)
Original Ending (2m, SD)
40-page booklet with pictures, cast details and background information

The Exorcist is an important part of cinematic history. Nominated for 10 Oscars, it won two, and that's unusual for this genre. It's a beautifully presented package complete with a high quality booklet and separate discs for each version of the film. The audio upgrade is huge, making the experience a lot more intense. The visual upgrade is probably the best that could have been managed considering the dark setting and the director's original intentions. I would strongly recommend this definitive version for any fan of the film or of cinema in general.

I saw this movie when it first came out. I stood in line outside in the freezing cold for one hour and couldn't understand what all the hype was about. My brother and three other friends finally get into the theatre and the movie starts. The first scene takes place in Iraq, again I thinking so what. Then we are transported to Georgetown. Ellen Burstyn hears a noise coming from the attic and I begin to think OK now the movie is getting a little interesting. The first time I saw a one second flash scene of the demon I knew this was no ordinary movie. William Friedkin is a genious. This movie should have won more academy awards then just for sound but the institution at that time didn't give big awards for horror. They do now ie. The Silence of the Lambs (another great movie). When I left the theatre on that cold winter day I wasn't the same for a very long time. I would check under my bed before I went to sleep and put my head under the sheets. No movie to this day ever affected me like this. I couldn't believe that I would buy this movie after almost 30 yrs. but I did. I have watched this movie a dozen times and each time I pick up something new from. I always get a kick from it. One of my favourite scences I can't believe is the scene in Iraq, please listen to the director's comments on the people he encounters in this country. Another beautiful scene that I overlooked was when Ellen Burstyns walks home and we get to hear that unfogettable music and see the nun's garments flow in the wind. That is film making at it' best. The movie doesn't scare me as before but I still get a kick from it. I now get to enjoy for what it is, a great piece of film making and yes I still jump when I hear that phone ring (if you haven't seen the movie you will not understand).

Close to 40 years later this movie continues to impress and entertain. Initially it was the premise and shock of the movie that gets to you. Over time and having watched it several times one comes to appreciate the excellence of acting by a very fine cast.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Still a Frightening Classic
Still after all these years, this movie still gives people the creeps. If you're a fan of this classic horror movie? The I would suggest owning this on Blue Ray. Lisez davantage

Published 6 months ago by MetalMayhem

5.0 out of 5 stars Wish to have more contents in Special Features
It's certainly one of the must-have blu-ray classics, but it deserves to have more contents in Special Features. Visit to scene locations is good, but it is too short. Lisez davantage

Published 6 months ago by S. K. L. Ip

5.0 out of 5 stars Get Plenty of Exorcise
The new Exorcist special edition Blu-Ray is awesome. A perfect horror film made even better. The booklet included features stories about the stars of the film, the writer William... Lisez davantage

Published 13 months ago by Tyler Bertamini

5.0 out of 5 stars great movie
I love this movie. I used to watch the movie on youtube but cannot anymore. So i decided to buy the movie. I added to my movie collection.

Published 15 months ago

5.0 out of 5 stars Also a Good Movie
Many people go into the Exorcist thinking that it is going to be the scariest movie they have ever seen, and it very well may be. Lisez davantage

Published on May 30 2009 by Shemp411

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrifying
Directed by William Friedkin, The Exorcist was released in 1973 and is based on a novel by William Peter Blatty. Lisez davantage

Published on Nov 15 2008 by S

5.0 out of 5 stars The scariest movie ever!
Having seen the original release in 1973 (I was 15 years old at that time) in a huge movie theatre, nothing has scared me more. Lisez davantage

Published on Nov 7 2006 by PJ

5.0 out of 5 stars the scariest movie ive ever seen
i didnt see this when it originally came out but one night a few years later it was on tv in "prime time" so i tuned in thinking it would have to be heavily edited to be on at... Lisez davantage

Published on Oct 9 2006 by bookworm

5.0 out of 5 stars A Horror Classic - Sleep With The Lights On!
The all-time classic tale of demonic possession, based on William Peter Blatty's bestselling novel. Linda Blair is Regan MacNeil, a twelve-year-old girl who becomes manifested by... Lisez davantage

Published on Mar 31 2006 by Noirdame

5.0 out of 5 stars one of thebest 5 films of all time
I have seen this movie the first time it came out at the theatres. I stood in line outside in the freezing cold for one hour wondering what all the hype was about. Lisez davantage

Published on Oct 8 2004 by Frank,Frank

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