The Exorcist - why is the original version OOP? (1 Viewer)

[Gordon McMurphy]

The original bare bones DVD was anamorphic / mono. The Iraq opening was time-compressed, ie. sped up, apparently. PAL speed up, aside, on my R2 edition, the Iraq sequence seems very, very fast - especially the boy running through the plots.

 

[Lord Dalek]

We should bring this up next time the WB guys stroll in for a chat.

 

[Jordan_E]

I'm sure glad I didn't get rid of my anniversary edition of this movie. And if/when they bring out an HD DVD edition, I'd get that one too.

 

[Shawn.F]

Oh man, an HD DVD of the original cut would be awesome. Loved the Spider Walk from the 2000 cut, but that was the only addition I really liked. That tacked on footage to the ending outright ruined it.

 

[Vincent_P]

That scene isn't sped up- that's just how the scene was shot. It looks that way in every version of THE EXORCIST. The shutter on the camera was probably very fast due to the bright sunlight, which would result in every frame being like a very sharp still-photograph without the usual "motion blur". When viewed projected at normal speed, the result of all of those sharp non motion-blurred frames is that the motion looks a little "off" since it's not what we're used to seeing.

Also, as I recall, the anamorphic widescreen side of the flipper had 2.0 stereo sound, not true mono.

Vincent

 

[Travis Brashear]

Exactly; that shot has always had that sort of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN photographic effect.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Ah, fast shutter, gotcha. Billy Williams (The Wind and the Lion; Oscar for Gandhi) was the cinematographer in Iraq. Indeed, the sequence isn't "fast", but shuttered.

Original DVD was 2.0 stereo and not mono? That's a shame. I would like to hear the original mono. The 5.1 on the 25th is greatm though - there may or may not be new foley in it, but it certainly isn't like the 5.1 remixes of Vertigo and Jaws. You sure wouldn't want to lose those legendary Gonzalo Gavira sound effects!

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I actually wouldn't mind an ULTIMATE EXORCIST COLLECTION which would feature ALL the films, different versions, and a lot of extras. I would especially welcome Blatty's original EXORCIST 3, or at least a commentary with the film.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Indeed a release of Blatty's cut of Legion (retitled "The Exorcist III") with his commentary would be great. In fact, I am sure that I read somewhere a few years ago that this was going to happen, but nothing has emerged - like I said, perhaps this is to do with the conflict between Blatty and Warner; who knows. I have always been too nervous to go near The Exorcist II, but I saw the trailer for the first time last week that's on the DVD of the original film and good grief, it looks fucked up! Albert Whitlock's matte paintings look amazing - deinitely among his best work, by the looks of things, so I may just have to take the plunge! But what the hell is up with the James Earl Jones character? Bizarre!

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I think EXORCIST 2 is terrible, but recently some fans have gravitated towards it as a cult favorite. It's enjoying a better reputation now than back then!

 

[Vincent_P]

EXORCIST II is indeed a terrible film, but it's a "fun" terrible film, with some beautiful cinematography and a lush Ennio Morricone score, to boot. I don't really count it as part of the series, more as an acid-trip diversion, and on that level it's a lot of fun (but in no way could it really be considered "good"). In my mind, the perfect EXORCIST trilogy consists of THE EXORCIST, Blatty's EXORCIST III, and Paul Schrader's DOMINION. Both EXORCIST III and DOMINION are flawed in their own ways (EXORCIST III due to studio meddling and a reshot ending, DOMINION due to a lack of proper finishing funds), but flaws and all they're both fascinating, well-made, and worthy follow-ups to Friedkin's brilliant original film IMO.

Maybe one day we can get a true director's cut of EXORCIST III titled LEGION, and throw a bit of money towards fixing DOMINION's handfull of sloppy CGI effects, and have a great box-set of THE EXORCIST, LEGION, and DOMINION

Vincent

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I just want a proper damn release of the original in a keepcase with the anniversary cut on a second disc and all the available current supplementals... not too much ask!

 

[Seth.H]

G'day Joe

Not sure if this is a help to you mate, but Australia has an Exorcist 3 disc collection including Exorcist I, II and III. Not sure about the extras, but I have had my eye on this for a while now. JB HI FI are one of the cheapest DVD stores in Australia.

http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvds/id/81819

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Not that this is something I'd want (or care about), but a double feature version with both the anniversary cut and part II were issued in R3:

http://dvdheaven.com/dvd/dvd_detail.php?idx=17114


Apparently the original cut of the film seems to be OOP in every region around the world. I'm assuming it's a rights issue, though hopefully it's due to something new and better being in the works...

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

There also appears to be a 3-disc box set in R1 available via Amazon since 2004... never realized.


Still no original cut though.

 

[Bo_Darville]

can anyone describe what the new sound effects are?

i have never seen the original. i picked up TVYNS b/c of the EX mix. after reading this and another thread, i have come to understand what the differences in the scenes are, but am curious whether sound effects were added or merely enhanced in the remix over the original.