How
can movie studios complain with a straight face about the problems of piracy
when they re-release certain titles over and over again in the same formats? How many times is a film enthusiast expected
to re-purchase a beloved title on the latest home video format in a souped-up
version? I love William Friedkin's THE EXORCIST, but do we really need another
Blu-ray of it? Warner Brothers seems to
think so, even though they only just released it in high definition three years
ago (and on DVD, laserdisc, VHS and CED prior to that). The new edition, which is due out on October
8, 2013, will be a tie-in for the film's 40th anniversary. I
remember when the film was out in its 25th edition in 1998 and
cannot believe how fast the past 15 years went.
The
new edition contains the following:
-BEYOND COMPREHENSION: WILLIAM PETER BLATTY'S THE EXORCIST (new to this edition)
Forty years after his novel was published, the author, screenwriter and
producer returns to where it all began. His first stop is a cabin/guest house
in the hills of Encino, California, where he wrote the novel. He visits the
place for the first time in forty years and shares not only memories of writing
the book, but also discusses how it inspired him. We then meet him in two key
and iconic locations: Georgetown University where the film was shot, and at the
now-famous EXORCIST steps. Throughout, he reads from his novel, including an
excerpt from a chilling newly published passage.
-TALK OF THE DEVIL documentary (new to this edition) - While at Georgetown
University, Mr. Blatty heard about a true case of possession from Father Eugene
Gallagher. At the time the film came out, the priest talked at length about
exorcism, the true story and about Mr. Blatty; this footage is now available
for the first time in many years. It is as revealing as it is shocking.
-Excerpt
of THE FRIEDKIN CONNECTION:A MEMOIR (new to this edition)
-Two
Commentaries by William Friedkin
-Commentary
by William Peter Blatty
-Introduction
by William Friedkin
-The
1998 BBC Documentary THE FEAR OF GOD: 25 YEARS OF THE EXORCIST
-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 - 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.
-Original Ending
-Interviews:
The Original Cut, Stairway to Heaven, The Final Reckoning
-Sketches
& Storyboards
-Radio
Spots
-TV
Spots
-Trailers
I
have no doubt that the 4K version is around the cornerβ¦
