Exorcist 25th Anniversary/Special Edition? (1 Viewer)

[AndrewR]

What's the difference between the 25th Anniversary Edition and the Special Edition of the Exorcist? Is it just the packaging?
Andrew
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"There's nothing you can do to stop the catharsis of spurious morality!"

 

[Ken Seeber]

No, there is a huge difference between these two releases.
To be absolutely clear, there have been three versions of "The Exorcist" released to DVD.
The first, the Special Edition, is the only completely unaltered version of the film. Beyond that, I'm not sure what the extras were, but I don't think there were very many.
The 25th Anniversary Edition has an excellent audio commentary by director William Friedkin, as well as a not-to-be-missed 77 minute long documentary produced by the BBC. This doc alone is worth the price of the disc.
The 25th Anniversary Edition, which I understand is now out of print, slightly alters one brief shot with a computer morph to smooth over a jump cut. Spoiler:It's the shot where the demon jumps from Regan to Father Karras.
The third disc released is the newer "Version You've Never Seen." This version has a new commentary track, but it's nowhere near as good as the one on the 25th Anniversary Edition. It also lacks the BBC documentary. The picture quality is slightly improved and the sound remix is excellent. However, the new edit and added special effects substantially change the film.
[Edited last by Ken Seeber on September 18, 2001 at 11:16 PM]

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I think your mistaken Ken. Your right in that their were three versions available on dvd thus far, but mistaken in that the 25th anniversary edition has a morph in it, it doesn't, I have this disc and, like the very first dvd release, is the unaltered original theatrical cut of the film, albeit a better transfer. It's "the version you've never seen" witch I also have, that has the morphing of the demon going from Reagan to Father Karras.
But to answer AndrewR's question, the 'version you've never seen' sports a new 5.1 audio mix that is quite impressive compared to the original disc(s). Sounds pan very eerily around the soundfield and is quite unnerving at times! It also has a bunch of little touches added throughout the film, like more shots of the demon, musical cues that were absent from the original and add even more sense of evil in the house if that's possible! But the crown jewel of all these extras is the addition of the notorious "spider walk" scene that is sure to disturb!
IMHO, I like this new version better than the original. I'll probably catchmuch hell from what I just said, but hey, i'm not going to lie.
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"How can I heal, when I can't feel time?"
Leonard from Memento

 

[Mick Wright]

I think your mistaken Ken. Your right in that their were three versions available on dvd thus far, but mistaken in that the 25th anniversary edition has a morph in it, it doesn't, I have this disc and, like the very first dvd release, is the unaltered original theatrical cut of the film, albeit a better transfer.

I have all three releases and I believe Ken is right. The first movie-only release is the original theatrical version. The 25th anniversary smoothes over the aforementioned jump-cut making it look like a morph.
However, I do also prefer TVYNS.
Flame suit on....

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Well i'll be damned, the morph IS thier! It's subtle but it's their alright, my apologies, but everything else I said is true, honest, scouts honor!

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"How can I heal, when I can't feel time?"
Leonard from Memento

 

[Ken Seeber]

Well i'll be damned, the morph IS thier! It's subtle but it's their alright, my apologies, but everything else I said is true, honest, scouts honor!

Hey, no harm done! I don't know how many times I watched this disc without noticing the morph. It just goes to show you how well it was done.
If I remember correctly, the effect was done sometime in the 1990s for a theatrical re-release.