What An Excellent Day for An Exorcism! Warner Bros. Brings William Friedkin's THE EXORCIST to 4K UHD for its 50th Anniversary!

WARNER BROS. BRINGS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL HORROR FILMS OF ALL TIME TO THE 4K UHD FORMAT ON SEPTEMBER 19TH!

While it may be a bit on the tamer side today, when THE EXORCIST came out just after Christmas in 1973 it shocked the world, terrified generations of moviegoers, and helped bring the Horror genre into the mainstream! Now here we are 50 years later, and after numerous knock-offs (e.g. ABBY and BEYOND THE DOOR), two prequels, and two sequels (with another on the way!) Friedkin's original has proven to have quite the legacy!

To celebrate fifty years of a pea-soup vomiting, head-spinning, trash-talking Linda Blair, Warner Bros. has brought THE EXORCIST to 4K disc! (With another Deluxe Collector's Edition on the way in October that has MORE bonus features and different packaging... and a heftier pricetag! More on that later!) If you don't already own this movie, well I guess now's the time to add it to your collection. But if you already do, is it worth it to make the upgrade? Let's find out!

Synopsis: Controversial, haunting and popular from the moment it opened, William Friedkin's masterpiece THE EXORCIST turns 50 years old, featuring stunning 4K UHD restorations of the original 1973 Theatrical Version and the 2000 Extended Director's Cut! The terrifying and realistic tale of an innocent girl inhabited by a terrifying entity, her mother's frantic resolve to save her and two priests - one doubt-ridden, the other a rock of faith - joined to battle the ultimate evil, always leaves viewers breathless. Winner of two Academy Awards® and nominated for an additional eight including Best Picture, this greatest supernatural thriller of all time still astonishes and unsettles like no other movie.

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 132 minutes (theatrical) & 143 minutes (extended) | Region Free
Video - 2160p (HDR10) Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio - English Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD 7.1, DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono

           French & Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1

Extras:

• NEW! 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM!
• Theatrical Version
• Introduction by William Friedkin.
• Commentary by William Friedkin.
• Commentary by William Peter Blatty with Special Sound Effects.
  
  
• Extended Director's Cut
• Commentary by William Friedkin!

So here's my take on this release Vault Dwellers - if you do not own the film OR aren't too worried about bonus features, this standard 50th anniversary release (which goes for approximately $25) is perfect for you. You can pre-order this version from AMAZON or BULL MOOSE! (Or if you're a steelbook enthusiast, you can get the Best Buy Exclusive Steelbook which definitely has a way better cover!)

Now if you want LOTS of bonus features and don't mind paying almost five times more, there's always the 4-disc(?) DELUXE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION which drops on October 20th! This is a UK import, with the 4K disc being REGION FREE and the accompanying Blu-rays being Region-B locked.

Here's what you get with this $90 release:

DIRECTOR'S CUT BLU-RAY EXTRAS:

• Raising Hell: Filming The Exorcist
• The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown
• Then and Now and Faces of Evil: The Different Versions of The Exorcist
• Commentary by Director William Friedkin.
  
  

 THEATRICAL CUT BLU-RAY EXTRAS:

• Commentaries by Director William Friedkin and Producer/Screenwriter William Peter Blatty.
• Introduction by William Friedkin.
• Feature-Length 1998 Documentary The Fear of God: The Making of The Exorcist.
• Interview Gallery Covering the Topics: The Original Cut, The Final Reckoning, and Stairway to Heaven.
• Original Ending.
  
  

SPECIAL FEATURES BLU-RAY CONTENTS:

• Beyond Comprehension: William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist Documentary.
• Talk of the Devil Documentary.

 
ADDITIONAL EXTRAS:

• Rigid Slipcase with new Key Art!
• Steelbook with Matte Finish!
• Double-Sided Theatrical Poster Reproduction!
• Double-Sided Lobby Card!
•  40-Page Booklet! 
• 3 Behind the Scenes Art Cards!
• 3 Iconic Scene Art Cards!

If you want this edition, you better act fast because a lot of online retailers (including DIABOLIK DVD!) seem to have already sold out, so definitely check AMAZON and DEEP DISCOUNT for availability! And just to reiterate: Before you purchase this edition, remember that the Blu-rays in the Ultimate Collector's Edition are Region-B locked! If you don't  already own a region free player, I highly recommend you visit 220 Electronics and pick one up!