Exorcist, The: Theatrical & Extended Director's Cut (4K Ultra HD) [4K UHD]

William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” broke rules and boundaries when it was released. It was one of the true early blockbuster event films of the 70’s with lines around the block in some cities. It also was condemned by the Catholic League of Decency which probably made it even more of a must see in 1973.Regan McNeill is a vivacious, smart little girl. The daughter of actress Chris McNeill, Regan begins acting oddly. There are also incidents in her room such as the bed spinning that, needless to say, alarms her mother. She turns to science and when, science fails her, she turns to the Church. Featuring a stellar cast including playwright/actor Jason Miller, the great Max Von Sydow, Linda Blair and Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn. Friedkin was at the top of his game coming off of “The French Connection” and author William Peter Blatty’s script (from his bestselling novel) feels real and lived in.William Friedkin’s classic horror film returns this time to 4K with. Strong looking transfer. Fans of the film that have seen previous reissues on DVD and Blu-ray may be a bit surprised as the color timing is a bit different for the film. That may divide some fans. As to what the original color timing and intend was? Without being able to see a color graded IP for comparison, there’s no telling what the intended color timing was or how this compares. Keep in mind most folks memories of this are far removed from the original theatrical prints. We also know that the late director loved to mess with the color timing of his films (“The French Connection” in its first incarnation in remastered form on blu-ray is an example of this).That said, even the blu-ray remastered version had a revised color timing for the blu-ray as well.Regardless, this classic film looks quite good with improved detail, density, depth and audio that sounds terrific. The Atmos remix is built from previous surround mixes. It sounds quite good.This version features both the original theatrical cut and the director’s cut (which is inferior IMHO). The theatrical cut has the two commentary tracks from the late writer William Peter Beatty and director Friedkin. The DC has a separate commentary by Friedkin.For some odd reason, Warner has elected not to put all the other extras on the original blu-ray on this disc. Instead, they are available only as a digital download. it’s an odd choice to be sure and hopefully not a trend.Friedkin’s film was groundbreaking at the time and it remains a powerful horror film because of how an ordinary girl is possessed. It’s a slow burn horror film but once it gets going, it’s disturbing as heck.

HUGE horror fan & will watch this one over & over again. It's a classic! I'm drawn to 70's & 80's horror because it was before computers took over. Love to see the brilliance & their love for the craft these people had! Its amazing how talented they all are! I've watched documentaries about the reaction viewers had back when it first was released. I have to admit I didn't faint, leave the room, vomit..... But these devil, ouija board, possession movies definitely make me scared more than other horror types. Wish I had seen it in a theater!

Watched this when I was a kid at a drive-in and was scared 😱 for life I loved it 😊

Must have for any Exorcist fans. 4k picture quality looks amazing for a film that’s 50 years old. One of my favorite 4k releases.

Great film - no question about that. Certainly, one of the best horror films with intense scenes of the possessed Regan (Linda Blair). Her transition from innocent child to hideous devil is remarkable. It is great to see such films preserved and transferred to home viewing with remarkably improved resolution. So I had to ask myself why I almost prefer my old DVD? The 4K resolution is spectacular in many ways and I am not an expert to praise or criticize it in detail. However, as a simple horror fan, I felt that a film like this plays better in a dark, more muted color version than the bright colorful 4K. Aside from some of the color bleeding in some scenes, I found that the color adjustments make for an almost unreal color. So I ask why, why, why, does the color or the image need to be changed. Is it soley for increased sale. By the way, I am also not a fan of director's cuts. A decision was made to release the film in a specific edit for the viewing population of the time. That is what I recall seeing in the theaters and that is what I prefer when watching the film. In the case of this film, adding the spider walk did not do anything for me, except give me a little giggle. Imagine if someone re-colored and painted some flowers onto the Mona Lisa? Some might say it looks prettier, but should we be doing that? Adding lost scenes can sometimes help a film and are great to see. In other cases, I fell it spoils the editing and timing of the film. For me part of the home experience is duplicating the experience I recall from theaters when film was film and not digital and not constantly changing.

The 4k Dolby Atmos version will exorcise your speakers, the ambient environmental background sounds are now pronounced (the sizzling of the cigarette ) making the movie even more entertaining. For those who know how calibrated your speakers will reap from the sow! If you have height speakers, there is a scene where the sound in the attic comes from (Clear as day)This movie still takes it to another level and in the dark, will have you looking somewhere else. The immersive surround sound helps with startling viewers. Enjoy!

I saw The Exorcist when it premiered at my local theater. I was there on day 1, standing in line, and to my surprise, also in line were several nuns. I often wonder what they thought about the movie.Story wise, nothing to add....I am sure you are familiar with it. It certainly caused a stir!This 4k disc is great....and when I watched it on my 110" screen, I was quickly reminded how scary it truly is.