More than 25 years ago, William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" made movie history by sending viewers running from the theatre straight into the bathroom to vomit, just like the charming, sweet demon-possessed girl in the film. WB has rereleased "The Exorcist" as a special edition DVD with such goodies as a director's commentary and full-length documentary on the bone-chilling, gross-out of a horror flick.
"The Exorcist" deals with the blasphemy-spewing, scenery-chewing possession of young Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), and her mother's (Ellen Burstyn) quest to restore her daughter's health. She seeks counsel and ultimately exorcism from various quarters, most importantly from priests Karras (Jason Miller) and Merrin (Max Von Sydow). Death, pea soup-esque vomit, masturbation with a crucifix and house-shaking convulsions pepper the film, making it a scary excursion into the supernatural with effects worthy of today's computers - even though the movie was released in 1973.
The special edition content of the disc includes two audio commentary tracks, one by Friedkin and the other by screenwriter/producer William Peter Blatty. Both are interesting, with megalomanical Friedkin telling tales of casting the film and various anecdotes, while Blatty spends much of his time telling tales of Friedkin. The documentary is more of the same, with interviews of cast members and tons of information about how many of the effects were done.
The video transfer of the film itself is spotless, although the soundtrack is perhaps a bit more understated than it should be in the effects department. "The Exorcist" is one of the greatest horror movies of all time, and this special edition is a worthwhile addition to any collection.
01-22-99
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