Must-Have 'Exorcist' Blu-Ray Out October 5th

One of the greatest, most controversial films ever made gets the Blu-ray face lift in October, the perfect time of year for The Exorcist, don't you think? Blu-ray.com has the details on the release and the cover art above, released in a two-disc digibook format. It includes a 40-page booklet, the original version and the more complete 2000 cut reissued as The Exorcist: The Version You Haven't Seen, both remastered from the original negatives. And as an added bonus, all of of the additional footage is well worth the sticker price, shedding light on a movie that, looking back on it, seems like an extreme improbability in 1973: A movie with this subject matter, even in the heady 1970s (the best decade for film, when push comes to shove) turning into a classic, high-grossing Best Picture nominee. Warner Home Video's Jeff Bakker commented on how The Exorcist Blu-ray is a better experience for movie fans than a lot of older films not designed for this format:

"Generally speaking, sourcing relevant and provocative film assets for older films (30 years and older), is difficult, and more often than not, proves to be unsuccessful. The never before seen behind the camera treasure trove of material that consumers will see in The Exorcist Blu-ray release is one of the great finds in modern day home entertainment history. Laurent Bouzereau, an acclaimed documentarian, has blended this archival rare footage with updated present day interviews to create a masterpiece that will be treasured and studied for decades to come."

He's selling it, of course, but...hot damn! Here's the rundown: Disc 1:
– Extended Director’s Cut (2000) aka The Exorcist: The Version You Haven't Seen plus Special Features
-Commentary by William Friedkin
-Raising Hell: Filming the Exorcist – set footage produced and photographed by Owen Roizman, camera and makeup tests, and interviews with director William Friedkin, actress Linda Blair, author/screenwriter/producer William Peter Blatty and Owen Roizman
-The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then and Now – Featuring a tour of the iconic locations where the film was shot
-Faces of Evil: The Different Versions of The Exorcist – with director William Friedkin and author/screenwriter/producer William Peter Blatty discussing the different versions of the film and featuring outtakes from the film
-Trailers, TV spots & radio spots from the film’s 2000 release Disc 2:
– Theatrical Cut (1973) plus Special Features
-Introduction by William Friedkin
-Commentaries:
-William Friedkin
-William Peter Blatty with Special Sound Effects Tests
-The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist [1998 BBC documentary]
-Additional interviews with William Friedkin and William Peter Blatty:
-The Original Cut
-Stairway to Heaven
-The Final Reckoning
-Original ending
-Sketches & storyboards
-Trailers & TV spots from the 1973 version Arguably, there hasn't been a better horror movie since The Exorcist was released, and there certainly hasn't been a bigger one. Hell, the re-release in 2000 made $40 million. And it's worth seeing again, so wait until October 5th to do that and pick up the Blu-ray.

Comments

[Tjei]

When Friedkin does a new commentary for the same title it tends to be very boring. Also, he's ill with Spielberg/Lucas syndrome of "bettering" his movies.

[Get The Big Picture]

I don't disagree with any of that. However, the 2000 re-release is the way to go here.