Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(287)
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3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

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.

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. There were police vehicles parked outside the theatre which was indicative of the grip the movie had on some of the theatre goers.

If you cannot get the 25th anniversary version, then buy this one which has the best video/audio quality and contains a few new nasty surpises.

This Exorcist The Version You've Never Seen that came out in 2000 was good but I still prefer the original 1973 cut. Buy the 25th Anniversary DVD. Linda Blair's character was possessed by some devil found somewhere in the Middle East(and not Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon which coincidentally came out the same year as the film) which apparently takes over and Max Von Sydow is great as the priest. I personally think Linda Blair is hotter than Britney, especially if you watch the documentary on the 25th Anniversary DVD and she looks good for an older woman who did not require plastic surgery.

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. However, most people don't realize that the Exorcist is also a very good film. The atmosphere that Friedkin ultimately created is very well-crafted. The way in which he chose to show the progression of Regan's illness is very effective in creating the suspense that makes the actual demonic scenes all the more terrifying.

For me, the scariest part of this movie is watching Regan go through those harrowing medical tests. The way in which that sequence is shot is basically pornographic in nature. The girl's body is completely abused while she lies helpless on the slab.

Overall, the Exorcist boasts an excellent screenplay (which won an Oscar in the best-adapted category), very good acting from Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, and (of course) Linda Blair, a haunting score, and masterful directing from Friedkin. The lighting and sound effects applied to the scenes where we are brought down the hallway towards Regan's bedroom door make for the most suspenseful moments in horror history.

If you haven't seen this movie, then watch it. If you have the strength to watch it alone, good on you. I could never do it. If you've already seen this movie, watch it again because it is possibly the best horror movie out there.

5/5.

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. The tin case is a nice touch too.

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. Interview with Linda Blair is cool; it's amazing she looks great at her age.

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 that time of night. wrong!! i was literally on the edge of my seat the whole time, and when linda blair spit that pea soup at the priest i jumped out of my seat!! i had a stranglehold on my husbands arm to the point he had nail marks the next day and even now years later i wont watch that movie alone.whew!! just thinking about it gives me chills.

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 a truly malevolent spirit. Her mother, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), an agnostic, seeks out help from a young Jesuit psychiatrist, Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller, God rest his Irish soul!)who has demons of his own, and is tormented by the recent death of his mother, and his loss in the faith that he sought refuge in. After confronting the demon within the girl (and himself), Karras, although skeptical of demonic possession, is given permission by the church to assist during the exorcism. The priest selected to perform the ritual is a mysterious, elderly Jesuit, Father Lankaster Merrin (Max Von Sydow) who has seen such devilish work before. As the two clergymen face off against the demon, a police detective, Lt. William F. Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb) finds some links connecting the girl with a puzzling death and desecration in the local Catholic church.

William Friedkin brilliantly directed, and Blatty adapted the screenplay (receiving an Oscar for his efforts) and produced. The cast gives extraordinary, sensitive performances (Burstyn, Miller and Blair were all nominated for Academy Awards) and the special effects are breathtaking and still pack a punch, with veteran actress Mercedes McCambridge providing the voice of the evil entity. (The film also won for Best Achievement In Sound). The underlying theme of much of Blatty's work is evident, his philosophy being, if there's all this evil out there, why is there so much good? Metaphorically, everyone fights there own demons, and even in his last self-sacrificing moment, Karras finds his faith again and heroically gives his life to save this innocent child. How more meaningful can it be? A truly terrifying, engrossing and ultimately touching film dealing with faith and human frailty.