This package contains both versions of the film, the
original 1973 cut, as well as “The Version You’ve Never Seen,” that was
released wide in 2000 and features an extra 11-minutes of footage added in. No
matter your preference, no matter how you experience young Reagan MacNeil’s
(Linda Blair) battle with demonic possession, you can’t go wrong. Both edits
look and sound fantastic in this format. All of the visuals and colors are
sharp and crisp, and the sound is clean and clear. You see every chunk the
pea-soup vomit.
If you haven’t seen “The Exorcist,” there is little to be
added to the conversation that hasn’t already been said ad nauseum. There’s a
little girl, a priest, and an evil spirit that may or may not be the devil
himself. While that may sound like the beginning of a particularly unfunny
joke, the result will scare the ever-loving shit out of you in every
conceivable way possible.
Disc One: Original Theatrical Version:
This cut of the film arrives with an introduction from
Friedkin, as well as two feature length commentary tracks. The first is
Friedkin flying solo, while the second teams him up with William Peter Blatty,
author of the novel “The Exorcist.” The two are good friends, and have been
since working on the film, and this fact comes through in the track that they
tag team. Friedkin has even said that the reason he put together the newer cut
is because that was the version Blatty always wanted. Their connection and
affinity for one another is also readily apparent in a tandem interview where
they compare the various versions of “The Exorcist,” and the width and breadth
of interpretations the film holds for fans.
This disc features a collection of sketches and storyboards,
as well as a tons of radio spots, TV ads, trailers, and more marketing that
accompanied the original theatrical run. You also get footage of the original
ending. The scene is a nod to the close of “Casablanca,” and shows Lee J.
Cobb’s Lieutenant Kinderman walking with new buddy Father Dyer (William
O’Malley). This is the one bit of footage that Friedkin and Blatty wanted to
include in the newer version, but couldn’t because the sound has degraded too
much over time.
Rounding out the festivities is “Fear of God,” a full-length
documentary that digs into the history of “The Exorcist.” You dig into
everything from the mythology of the film to fan reaction, and the various
forms of terror it introduces. Friedkin and Blatty make use of psychological
elements, as well as religious themes, and more, to instill a sense of dread in
the audience. The one thing it doesn’t really do, a side that nothing in this
package actually explores, is look at the trouble surrounding the film.
Production on “The Exorcist” was fraught with accidents, even deaths, and
people involved with the movie have experienced so much undue hardship and
tragedy that it has become the stuff of legend. If you’re waiting for any of
that, you’ll be disappointed.
Disc Two: Director’s Cut, “The Version You’ve Never Seen”:
When the director’s cut was released wide in theaters in
2000, I took a friend who had never seen it. Afterwards, she wouldn’t let me
leave her at home alone that night. And even though I’d seen the movie a dozen
times, maybe more, when Reagan crab walks down the stairs I nearly lost my
shit. Both versions of “The Exorcist” are worth checking out, but the eleven
extra minutes does add a few extra wrinkles. Fans of the original shouldn’t
worry, however, this is the same movie you love, just with a couple of new
flourishes. It isn’t all necessary, but the new footage doesn’t detract from
the film.
This disc comes with yet another, more recent commentary
from Friedkin, and a comprehensive collection of trailers, commercials, and
advertisements from the 2000 theatrical release. One feature gives a tour of
the Georgetown filming locations, then and now. “Raising Hell” is a 30-minute
making-of video. You get the story of how the film came to life, the simple,
almost documentary shooting style Friedkin employed, and the exclusively
practical effects the film uses. The coolest bit is Friedkin explaining various
ways they improvised to overcome issues they encountered during production.
“Faces of Evil” discusses the differences and origins of the different versions
of “The Exorcist.”
Bonus Disc:
Because two versions of the same film, each with gargantuan
assortments of bonus materials, isn’t nearly enough, the 40th anniversary Blu-ray
of “The Exorcist” comes with a third disc, one that is just
extras. You get two medium length featurettes. The first is dedicated to
Blatty. You follow him through the process of writing the novel—which, fun
fact, he wrote while staying in Angela Lansbury’s guest cottage—which he
originally envisioned as a supernatural detective story, but became something
else entirely. He reads you some favorite passages, and gives you a glimpse
behind the curtain at his process. At the time he was a comedy writer, and had
never even attempted anything that wasn’t supposed to be funny.
Feature number two is a reel of 20 minutes worth of
interviews with a priest from around the time of the 1973 release of the film.
He was one of Blatty’s college professors, and recounts any number of the
writer’s youthful shenanigans. But he also played an integral part in the
writer’s research. As he talks, he offers insights into actual exorcisms, and
confirms how thorough and committed Blatty was to capturing the reality of the
horrifying process. Listening to a priest adds a layer of authenticity to the
film.
Oh, and did I forget to mention the 40-page booklet that
comes with this Blu-ray of the “The Exorcist?” Well there’s that, too, as if
you needed something else to sweeten the pot. What you get is a revised excerpt
from Friedkin’s memoir.
If you’re a fan of “The Exorcist,” you really should
consider picking up this 40th anniversary Blu-ray.
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