Search - The Exorcist on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Strong Sexual Content, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1973 DVD Release: 03/26/1997 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 2 mins Studio: Warner Home Video Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Horror, Supernatural Horror, Religious Drama See Also: The Exorcist [25th Anniversary Edition], The Exorcist [25th Anniversary Box], The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen, The Exorcist [Signed Limited Edition Box], The Exorcist, The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen

Novelist William Peter Blatty based his best-seller on the last known Catholic-sanctioned exorcism in the United States. Blatty transformed the little boy in the 1949 incident into a little girl named Regan, played by 14-year-old Linda Blair. Suddenly prone to fits and bizarre behavior, Regan proves quite a handful for her actress-mother, Chris MacNeil (played by Ellen Burstyn, although Blatty reportedly based the character on his next-door neighbor Shirley MacLaine). When Regan gets completely out of hand, Chris calls in young priest Father Karras (Jason Miller), who becomes convinced that the girl is possessed by the Devil and that they must call in an exorcist: namely, Father Merrin (Max von Sydow). His foe proves to be no run-of-the-mill demon, and both the priest and the girl suffer numerous horrors during their struggles. The Exorcist received a theatrical rerelease in 2000, in a special edition that added 11 minutes of footage trimmed from the film's original release and digitally enhanced Chris Newman's Oscar-winning sound work. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ellen Burstyn - Chris MacNeil
Linda Blair - Regan MacNeil
Max von Sydow - Father Merrin
Jason Miller - Father Damien Karras
Kitty Winn - Sharon

Demonic possession, vomited pea soup, and spinning beds all collide in the horrific film adaptation of The Exorcist. Warner's work on their initial 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is very nice if a bit flawed. Sporting solid black levels and eerie, vivid color patterns, the transfer appears to be void of any defects save for a few instances of edge enhancement and grain. Also included on side two is a pan-and-scan version of the film. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and works well with the film it supports, though for some reason, the 5.1 mix is only available on the pan-and-scan version, while the widescreen version only includes a Dolby 2.0 mix. While there aren't a horrendous amount of directional effects to be found on this 5.1 mix, overall, the soundtrack is clear of any excessive hiss or distortion. Also included on this disc is a French Mono soundtrack, as well as English, Spanish, and French subtitles. Extras on this DVD are at the bare minimum, including a few scant production notes, some info on the cast and crew, and a theatrical trailer for the film. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide