The Exorcist III [DVD]

I assume that many people who are looking at this product are doing so because they already know the film and wonder if the upgrade to Blu-ray is worth the money. Long story made short: if you have an appreciation for this movie, it is worth every penny to buy on Blu-ray.For those people reading reviews to determine if they should watch this movie for the first time: This is the film adaptation of William Peter Blatty's novel "Legion" which he wrote as a sequel to "The Exorcist". The plot does not cleanly fall into the horror genre like its predecessor; rather it seems to fit better in a supernatural detective thriller, something closer to the noir genre. Kinderman, the detective who investigated Burke Denning's death in the first story, is back investigating a string of homicides. The only connections are Regan's exorcism and a long-dead serial killer. The book was meant to be an exploration of good and evil, of (Catholic) God's plan for us. The movie, rewritten by Blatty himself (who is notorious for revising his own work), is more narrow and simply acts as a basic search for God. This movie is far more philosophical on the surface than "The Exorcist" and therefore is slower in pace and more contemplative. Personally, I have always loved it, but it isn't for everyone.On the Scream Factory Blu-Ray release: I could not have been happier with this release. As a fan of the film, I have always hoped that something of the cut footage would be found and restored in the form of a Director's Cut. The film is well-known for being overwhelmed by unsatisfied studio execs who just wanted another "Exorcist". While the original negatives couldn't be located, video tape of the dailies were found with a large portion of the original cut of the film still intact. Scream Factory did its best to splice those scenes back into the film (they are VHS-quality and in full-frame) and restore the film as close to Blatty's approved script as possible. The result is a 2-disc extravaganza for fans of the film. Disc 1 contains a beautiful 2k version of the theatrical cut of the film (previously the only cut available at all except for the ambitious Spicediver fan edit, which was an early, unauthorized attempt to create a director's cut) with a wonderful mastering of the sound. Included on this disc are a collection of interviews with cast and crew which, while probably available somewhere, were never on any DVD release of this film, so will probably be new to most fans. Also of note on this disc is a collection of cut footage (some of which isn't even in the Director's Cut) and outtakes which are fascinating to watch. Some of the bloopers are quite funny.The big draw for this release of the film is Disc 2: The Director's Cut. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but the most notable changes are the completely restored original performance by Brad Dourif as the Gemini Killer/Damian and a completely different ending with no exorcism scene. Dourif's performance in this version is far more subtle than in the theatrical cut (which was his second version of the part) and, in my opinion, more creepy. The tension stems from his almost flippant discussion of murder and evil, his casual nature as opposed to his insistent and violent theatrical version. I don't know that I prefer one approach over the other (Dourif alone or Dourif/Miller combo), as they both have their merits. The ending to this cut of the film is perhaps more bleak and open-ended. It was abrupt and jarring, and still not like the ending to the novel. Overall, I find this cut to be closer in style and nature to the novel, so it wins me over there. Whether I would say one cut of the film is superior to the other, I cannot be sure. I've spent so much time appreciating the theatrical version that I could never turn my back on it completely.Special features on Disc 2 are plentiful, but the multi-part "Making of" feature is absolutely enlightening for fans. Everyone has their own opinion of how this movie went, with blame being predictably placed on everyone (studio people blame Blatty, Dourif blames studio...). The fact that everyone is probably correct demonstrates what a confused mess the production of this film probably was. It also paints the film's creation in a whole new light, one that breaks down the creative process of adapting a novel to screen, how actors approach their roles, how cast and crew get along, and how the industry has so many factions with various (sometimes competing) goals. Couple this with the interview with Blatty himself, which acts as a proxy for a director's commentary, and you get a fairly complete picture of the making of this film, one that is far more honest than almost any behind-the-scenes features have ever been (save for Bill Condon's self-flagellating commentary for "Candyman 2").Overall, I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Blatty's work overall, and definitely fans of this film specifically. The Director's Cut is the long-lost version of the film we always wondered about and it was definitely worth Scream Factory's time to put it together, and for us to watch it. Once again, Scream Factory has given fans a fantastic release of a fantastic film.

This is my favorite horror film of all-time. Has the scariest scene in a film I have ever seen. Absolutely awesome film. If you've never seen it before, you've missed out so far. Now is your chance to see it for yourself, and the newest release includes tons of extras.From the manufacture's website, here are the specs of the collector's edition release:SynopsisFor more than fifteen years Police Lieutenant Kinderman (George C. Scott) has been haunted by the death of his friend Father Damien Karras. Now, on the 15th anniversary of the exorcism that claimed the priest’s life, Kinderman’s world is once again shattered when a boy is found decapitated and savagely crucified. It’s just the beginning of a nightmare series of bizarre religious murders.The brutal murders bear the hallmarks of the infamous Gemini Killer…who died in the electric chair fifteen years earlier. But when a psychopath claiming to be the Gemini Killer reveals intimate, gruesome details that only the true killer could possibly know, Kinderman is confronted with a horrifying truth that he cannot explain…and that will shake him to the core.The Exorcist III is author/filmmaker William Peter Blatty’s personal vision of what followed after The Exorcist. Like the original, The Exorcist III combines elements of a detective story, a theological puzzle, and an unforgettable study in terror.Bonus FeaturesDISC ONE: The Exorcist III (Theatrical Cut)NEW 2K Scan Of The InterpositiveVintage FeaturetteDeleted Scene/Alternate Takes/BloopersDeleted PrologueVintage Interviews (Featuring Behind-The-Scenes Footage) With Writer/Director William Peter Blatty, George C. Scott, Jason Miller, Ed Flanders, Grand L. Bush, Executive Producer James G. Robinson, Production Designer Leslie Dilley, Larry King And C. Everett KoopTheatrical TrailersTV SpotsPhoto GalleriesDISC TWO: Legion (Original Director's Cut) 105 minutesNEW Audio Interview With Writer/Director William Peter BlattyNEW A "Wonderfull" Time – Interviews With Producer Carter DeHaven, Actors Clifford David And Tracy Thorne And Production Assistant Kara ReidyNEW Signs Of The Gemini – An Interview With Brad DourifNEW The Devil In The Details – Interview With Production Designer Leslie Dilley, Assistant Designer Daren Dochterman And Illustrator Simon MurtonNEW Music For A Padded Cell – An Interview With Composer Barry DeVorzonNEW All This Bleeding – A Look At The Re-shoot And Makeup Effects With Production Manager Ronald Colby, Editor Todd Ramsay, Effects Artists William Forsche, Mike Smithson, Brian Wade And Actor/Body Double Charles PowellProduct InformationDiscs: 2Run-time: 110 minAspect Ratio: 1.85:1ColorLanguage: EnglishRegion: ARating: RProduction Date: 1990Closed-Caption: NoSubtitles: English

Spoiler free- The roles in this film are done perfectly let alone the suspense of it all. And having the man behind the voice of Chucky (Brad Dourif) as the antagonist of the movie was a perfect choice. If you know of the Exorcist films and felt the 2nd entry left a bad taste in your mouth. This film will wash it out with the sheer brilliance that is the plot of the film.

The description made it sound as though this whole set was region free. Disc 1, the theatrical version is, and played fine in my blue ray player. However, disc 2, the directors cut, would not, when inserted in the player, it gave an error message that the region code was incompatible with the player. When I inserted disc 2 into my player that I have coded for my discs from the UK, the disc played fine.