Following news that William Friedkin’s classic horror ‘The Exorcist’ would be getting a special 40th Anniversary Extended Edition which would be landing on Blu-ray from 8 October we can now finally take a look at the boxart and get a complete break down of what great new things we can expect. The Blu-ray release features new featurettes ‘Beyond Comprehension: William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist’ and ‘Talk of the Devil,’ and also an excerpt from director Friedkin’s book ‘The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir’. You can check out the new artwork plus a full listing of all the great features that’ll be included in the release.
“The Exorcist tells the now-famous story of a girl’s demonic possession, and a gripping fight between good and evil. Linda Blair, in a breakout role, plays Regan, a young girl who starts to exhibit strange, arcane behavior. Her mother (Ellen Burstyn, Oscar-winner for Best Actress Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore) calls upon a priest, Father Karras (Jason Miller) to investigate. But Karras, who has a spiritual crisis of his own, is suddenly confronted with the unimaginable evil of Regan’s possession. Father Lankester Merrin (Max Von Sydow), an archeologist-priest, is called to help, and a horrific battle for her soul begins.”
– Beyond Comprehension: William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist (NEW) 40 years after his novel was published, The Exorcist author, screenwriter and producer returns to where it all began. First stop is a cabin/guest house in the hills of Encino, California, where Blatty wrote the novel. The author visits the place for the first time in 40 years and shares not only memories of writing the book, but also discusses how it inspired him. We then meet Blatty in two key and iconic locations; Georgetown University where the film was shot, and at the now-famous Exorcist steps. Throughout, Blatty reads from his novel, including an excerpt from a chilling newly published passage.
– Talk of the Devil (NEW) – While at Georgetown University, William Peter Blatty heard about a true case of possession from Father Eugene Gallagher. At the time the film came out, the priest talked at length about exorcism, the true story and about Blatty; this footage is now available for the first time in many years. It is as revealing as it is shocking.
– Two Commentaries by William Friedkin
– Commentary by William Peter Blatty
– Introduction by William Friedkin
– 1998 BBC Documentary “The Fear of God: 25 Years of the Exorcist”
Raising Hell: Filming the Exorcist Set footage produced and photographed by Owen Roizman, camera and makeup tests, and interviews with director William Friedkin, actress Linda Blair, author/screenwriter/producer William Peter Blatty and Owen Roizman.
– The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then and Now — Featuring a tour of the iconic locations where the film was shot.
– Faces of Evil: The Different Versions of The Exorcist — with director William Friedkin and author/screenwriter/producer William Peter Blatty discussing the different versions of the film and featuring outtakes from the film.
– Original Ending
– Interviews
– The Original Cut
– Stairway to Heaven
– The Final Reckoning
– Sketches & Storyboards
– Radio Spots
– TV Spots
– Trailers
– Excerpt of The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir
‘The Exorcist’ Blu-ray Artwork
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