UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - The Exorcist -- in 4k UHD (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Friedkin and Roizman were both credited as approving the Blu-ray master, which was released after they'd mended fences following their feud over The French Connection Blu-ray. My assumption is that the 4K would be based on that work. If Friedkin alone came in to supervise another, separate transfer for 4K, then we should all expect it to be revisionist as hell. Left unchecked, Friedkin liked to fiddle with all the video settings he could get his hands on.

I'll be honest, some of the comments in RAH's review leave me concerned. Specifically:

My comments meant that the colors/densities look fine. Far better than fine, actually. I just have no idea how they might relate to the original answer print.

 

[JoshZ]

I don't like to make assumptions anymore, but I've read several reviews alluding to novel colors during the exorcism sequence, and the described revisionism would be consistent with Friedkin's MO.

The Blu-ray had pretty strong colors (including a lot of pink and purple) during the exorcism scene. I'm hoping someone can compare the two discs to determine if the 4K has new colors, or the same ones from that master.

Yes, they are both mentioned in the end credits for the 4k restoration.

It's still unclear to me whether that refers to the work they did for the remaster in 2010 (which I'm pretty sure was performed at 4K), or whether they had to approve a whole new master for this release.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Here's the credit from the previous HD release.

The new 4K updates this and says:

4K Remastering Supervisors
William Friedkin
Owen Roizman

Colorist
Bryan McMahan

Audio Remastering and Atmos Audio Design
Aaron Levy

 

[Robert Crawford]

Here's the credit from the previous HD release.

View attachment 198145

The new 4K updates this and says:

4K Remastering Supervisors
William Friedkin
Owen Roizman

Colorist
Bryan McMahan

Audio Remastering and Atmos Audio Design
Aaron Levy

I received my 4K/UHD today and watched the theatrical cut which was on disc two. I plan on watching the extended director’s cut on disc one in the very near future. Anyhow, below is a quick photo from the end credits for the theatrical cut on disc two. The movie looks beautiful and it still creeps me out 50 years later.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

I'm glad that we finally will have the original mono mix, but will also miss the stereo track derived from the 1979 70mm mix. I believe that was available only in the DVD from the late 90's that was released sometime before the extended cut.

It was on most laserdiscs and VHS releases, too (aside from the very earliest ones). To be honest, it wasn't hugely different from the original mono (especially compared to what they did to the 2000 version). Aside from the music and sound effects being spread out to stereo, there were a few extra effects here and there and some spatial tomfoolery on at least one demon line ("And I'M THE DEVIL!").

Interestingly, the 5.1 that was used on the 25th Anniversary DVD (and the 2010 Blu-ray of the theatrical cut) seems to have been built from the original mono. Those few extra effects from the '79 mix are absent, and the whole thing is relatively restrained. I actually would have been fine with that being included on the new UHD, but I'll definitely take the authentic mono in its place.

Clearly I have studied the various releases of this film a bit too much.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

At the very least, we can all welcome Captain Howdy into our homes again with open arms. Huzzahs to Ellen Dietz!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

A few days ago I realized I never preordered THE EXORCIST

I absolutely refuse to buy the general release with that god-awful cover art.

What happened to the Best Buy SteelBook release? It has been showing COMING SOON for a few days now.

 

[DarkVader]

I've been following threads like these to learn more about film and film restoration. There are many on this forum who have shared their extensive knowledge and frankly, it's been quite an education, and for that, I am grateful and thankful.

The last time I saw I saw this film was at an anniversary screening at Radio City Musical Hall with Friedkin and Burstyn in attendance. I just can't bring myself to see it now. There are things in it that are said and done that I will not subject myself to due to my faith.

On the technical side of things as with any film that is newly "restored", true cinephiles will be troubled by any inconsistencies not faithful to the film's original release version, but the casual or first-time viewers don't have any knowledge of this (or even care) and will enjoy the film "as is". I myself would like to own films in a version that is as faithful as possible to how it was presented in its original release, but I wasn't born (or way too young) to know how these films originally looked/sounded. So i just wanted to thank you guys for providing great knowledge and insight on that end.

Carry on...

 

[jayembee]

What happened to the Best Buy SteelBook release? It has been showing COMING SOON for a few days now.

Unfortunately, Beast Buy does that too many times. It's frustrating when it says "Coming Soon" right up until the morning of Day Of Release, when all of a sudden, it has a buy button.

 

[Malcolm R]

I wonder if they limit pre-orders to a certain quantity on steelbooks so they'll have enough stock to put into their stores?

 

[Gerani53]

Would it have killed them to restore the proper 1973 WB logo? THE EXORCIST is film history, after all, and it's important to put a challenging groundbreaker like this one in its proper social/cultural context. Not only would Saul Bass's "button" logo for WB be accurate for the era, but the camera pushes in on it, coincidentally reflecting Friedkin's upcoming push-ins, and this gets the movie off to a running start. The WB shield is simply wrong, and stops you dead in your tracks before the ride has even begun.

 

[Robert Harris]

Would it have killed them to restore the proper 1973 WB logo? THE EXORCIST is film history, after all, and it's important to put a challenging groundbreaker like this one in its proper social/cultural context. Not only would Saul Bass's "button" logo for WB be accurate for the era, but the camera pushes in on it, coincidentally reflecting Friedkin's upcoming push-ins, and this gets the movie off to a running start. The WB shield is simply wrong, and stops you dead in your tracks before the ride has even begun.

The word “restoration” may play against us here. Depends upon what was physically cut (or re-cut) on to the head of 1A.

 

[JoshZ]

Unfortunately, Beast Buy does that too many times. It's frustrating when it says "Coming Soon" right up until the morning of Day Of Release, when all of a sudden, it has a buy button.

Best Buy also frequently reverts back to "Coming Soon" after a preorder has sold out - in which case it will go directly to "Unavailable" on street date with no option to buy in between.

 

[Mark-P]

Would it have killed them to restore the proper 1973 WB logo? THE EXORCIST is film history, after all, and it's important to put a challenging groundbreaker like this one in its proper social/cultural context. Not only would Saul Bass's "button" logo for WB be accurate for the era, but the camera pushes in on it, coincidentally reflecting Friedkin's upcoming push-ins, and this gets the movie off to a running start. The WB shield is simply wrong, and stops you dead in your tracks before the ride has even begun.

I know Warner Archive has become pretty accurate with restoring original logos, not so sure about Warner itself. Seems to me the theatrical cut should have its original 1973 logo and the extended version should have a more modern one.

 

[Martin_Teller]

I cannot imagine caring what logo comes before a movie.

 

[TravisR]

I cannot imagine caring what logo comes before a movie.

I wouldn't let it stop me from buying a movie but I do wish The Exorcist had its original logo. Especially since the shitty new one sticks out like a sore thumb against a 1970's movie.

 

[Robert Harris]

I wouldn't let it stop me from buying a movie but I do wish The Exorcist had its original logo. Especially since the shitty new one sticks out like a sore thumb against a 1970's movie.

While this was originally released in ‘73, the DC is an updated version. This is not a restoration of the original.

 

[TravisR]

While this was originally released in ‘73, the DC is an updated version. This is not a restoration of the original.

Fair point. I've seen the original so many times that the Saul Bass logo is still burned in my brain and I forget the 2000 version did have the modern logo.

 

[Douglas R]

I cannot imagine caring what logo comes before a movie.

For me the original logo is part of the film. I would hate Disney to cut out the 20th Century Fox logo and fanfare from Captain from Castile, for example, and insert one of their own.

 

[Robert Crawford]

For me the original logo is part of the film. I would hate Disney to cut out the 20th Century Fox logo and fanfare from Captain from Castile, for example, and insert one of their own.

That's a completely different story because you're replacing a totally different studio with another studio logo. Frankly, I think the updated Warner logo used for The Exorcist looks better to my eyes than the old 1972-1984 logo which I never was fond of in the first place.