Title: The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen Year: 1973
Director: William Friedkin
Rating: R
Length: 132 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Surround EX, English: Dolby Digital Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English, French
Stars:Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil
Max von Sydow as Father Merrin
Lee J. Cobb as Lt. Kinderman
Kitty Winn as Sharon
Jack MacGowran as Burke Dennings
Plot:Brace yourself as one of the all-time spellbinders possesses you all over again. Director William Friedkin and producer/screenwriter William Peter Blatty have revisited The Exorcist to integrate 11 minutes of scenes and images deleted before the film's 1973 release and digitally restore the picture and audio elements. The result is an experience more gripping than ever.
Now seen are moments deepening the impact of the performances by Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow and Lee J. Cobb. They include a "nervous disorder" diagnosis, expansion of Father Merrin's arrival before the ritual, priestly doubts during the ritual, an epilogue with Lt. Kinderman and Father Dyer and most notably, a shattering staircase descent by Regan. Winner of Oscars® for Best Adapted Screenplay (by Blatty) and Sound, The Exorcist astonishes time and again like no other movie.
Extras:Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Theatrical Trailers
Production Notes
Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:Let me start out this review by letting you all know that this film holds a special place in my heart. This was Dawn's (my late wife) all time favorite movie. We watched this together countless times. And it never failed to scare her every time. Scared her to the point that after watching it she made me follow her around the house as she didn't want to be anywhere alone. I always felt it was unfortunate she never saw this version of the movie. While the movie never scared me. I could see how it would scare people.
The above reminds me of something else. Several years later my niece spent the night with us. And she came to me saying... "Uncle Pete, Show me a movie that will scare me!" So I instantly thought of
The Exorcist... and can you believe she sat there and laughed through the entire movie!?!? Kids now a day! Which bring us to the point that it was Brittany chose this movie to watch next. (So you can expect a review from Brittany soon) But I already told her.... if she laughs at this movie... I am calling a psychiatrist!
To me this is a great movie. Sure it is a bit slow in parts. But the story is of such interest to me that it didn't "feel" slow. I of course love the head spin scene... and then there is the whole spider walk down the stairs scene... very cool. I am afraid that my problem reviewing this movie is determining how much of my fondness is for the quality of the movie and how much of it is how it just holds a special place in my heart. So how true is the rating I am giving it? I am questioning myself on this matter. But one thing I would never question myself on is the fact that I would definitely recommend this movie!
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
