Rating: 
Summary: Startling But Not Scary!
Review: I thought this movie was very good. However if you have seen very many horror movies and feel as though none of them are scary, you most likely wouldn't think this was that scary. It's More Startling than it is scary. I bought this movie because I really wanted to be scared and everyone I've talked to that has seen it thinks it's scary but I didn't think it was scary.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent horror
Review: While this film is infamous for certain scenes: projectile vomiting and rotating heads amongst them, it is actually an intelligent and disturbing film. The cut between the initial dusty scenes in Iraq to Washington DC is an instructive culture shock. Regan's diagnostic imaging and therapy at the hospital appears to be as much torture to her as the exorcism itself. Ellen Burstyn is a brilliant actress and shows a full range of emotions here. Jason Miller as Father Karras is also convincing as the troubled priest. Max Von Sydow somehow has managed to look 70 years old for the past 3 decades - again a good performance.
Rating: 
Summary: A scary movie even without the new scenes
Review: I have seen this movie and all its sequel and none of them are as frightning are as good as this.The exorcist is about a little girl who gets possessed by a demon and as the movie goes on the mother contacts a exorcist that tries to get rid of the demon inside her.The movie is known as the scarest movie of all time for sure and the new 11 minutes are great and a very intense scene with regan walking down the stairs backwards.The picture is clear and the sound is excellent but the special freatures are slim with only 2 trailers, 4 T.V. previews and a director commentary but I found the main menu had errie music.All in all the movies great but the special features are slim.
Rating:
Summary: an enchanting and ageless film for the ages
Review: I'm sure everyone knows the plot for The Exorcist so I won't bother writing on that, but I would like to write about the film itself. Bottom line: The Exorcist is not a horror film. Yes, it does have vomit and levitation and rotating heads but that doesn't necessarily make it a horror film. I completely agree with the reviewer who said that calling The Exorcist a horror film is a drastic understatement; that it is 100% true. This film is an accomplished work of profound art, and is a study of theology and skepticism. It is YEARS ahead of its time and nothing dates the film in any way. I find it ridiculous that anyone would put The Exorcist in the same class as films like "Friday the 13th" "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" or "The Blair Witch Project" because, to be frank, The Exorcist is light-years superior to those films and their subject matters. This is a film about families, and God, and faith - this is not a film about vomiting and profanity like some people would lead you to believe. It is rooted in mythology and Catholism. This is an extremely though-provoking work of art more than it is a movie. Unfortunately, I know that there are people out there who will lambast this review and call me a "devil worshipper", well you know what? I don't care. I know what's right and what's wrong. And loving this film for what it is, is NOT wrong.
Rating:
Summary: The Exorcist (the version you've never seen)
Review: The Exorcist has to be one of the scariest movies ever made. Contradictory to what the title suggests, the scariest part is not the exorcism but the lead-up to Regan being acknowledged by the church as possessed.
The lack of incidental music throughout the movie ensures that there is absolutely no guidance leading up to the scares as usually happens with other scary movies. This elevates the surprise factor and makes the whole experience nerve-wracking and terrifying.
The scariest part by far (and I still get goose pimples thinking about it now) is the dream sequence where father Karras dreams about his mother coming up the subway stairs (New York subway equals hell, gettit?)with sounds of children playing and the face of the devil flashing before you. It is nothing short of genius and it is absolutely bone-chilling (what black and red make-up can do!). It illustrates that the demon's reach knows no bounds. The medallion falling (the one Merrin found in Irak near the head of pazuzu) and the arabic clock stopping (part of the first scenes in Irak with Merrin)tells us that the demon is trying to draw him into his schemes. Something that we know at that moment but to Karras it is confirmation of guilt (abandoning his dying mother). A perfect illustration of evil. It is a must see for everyone who enjoys supernatural horror movies but it is definately not for the fainthearted or the very young. I for one was absolutely convinced that I was going to be possessed by the devil when I first read the book at 13 years old :-). The added scenes in this version however really add very little to the orignal version. The spider walk is scary and is a good addition. I still have to see the documentary and I think it is a shame that it is not on this version.
Rating:
Summary: I Love This Movie.
Review: If you were to go ask a person who dosen't take the cinema very seriously, "What is The Exorcist about?", they would propably say "Oh, it's about this girl that gets possesed by the devil and swears alot". Well, the film has much more than THAT in it. This movie is undoutebly a masterpiece of film, with great performances, startling images, unbelievable special effects, and a very good, well developed story (unlike the sensleless William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist 3). This film was a startling piece of work back in 1973, when it was first released on a day in the month of December. It introduced something the world did not want to hear of, much less watch on the screen. It was disturbing, actually quite sick (the "Crucifix" scene for example) and very disturbing. I do hear that when the audience of today watches this film they LAUGH!!! What is funny about an innocent child who has lost control of her body and is possesed by an uncontrollable force????!!!! The story begins at a dig in the morning in Northern Iraq, where a priest, and former exorcist, Father Lankester Merrin (Max Von Sydow), who discovers a small piece of a statue of the demon Pazuzu, whom he once fought in India, where the demon possesed the body of a boy named Cacooma. Merrin is quite disturbed by this discovery, and goes to talk to a good friend of his. He informs him that an evil is returning, he doesn't know where or when, but he knows it's coming. The film then jumps to Georgetown, where we meet acctress Chris MacNiel (Ellen Burstyn) who's working on a film called "Crash Course" in the town. She and her daughter Reagan (Linda Blair) live happily in a large house they have rented with two servants, Willie and Carl, and a tutor for young Reagan, Sharon Spencer (Kitty Winn). Reagan's father is divorced from the mother, and living in California. There are strange sounds coming from the attic, and Chris asks Carl to put traps up. Near the middle of the film, Reagan begins to do some rather unusual things, so Chris asks for the help of Doctors. The Doctors do several tests on Reagan, and finally reccomend and Exorcist, but Chris thinks that's crazy. But, after many shocking things happen, Chris gives in and calls upon the help of a priest....
The Exorcist is a very good movie. It touces on much more than just horror, because it touches your faith as well. Is there a God? is what this film is asking. Who has more power? God? Or The Devil? This plot point is intriging. The film is delivered slickley and has a good pace that never gets boring, but it does concentrate on more than just the possesion, it concentrates on Father Damien (ya, I know that's the name of the devil in The Omen, but that came afterwards) Karras (Jason Miller), who's mother passes away and he begins losing his faith in God, thus is hesitant about exorcising little Reagan. The movie didn't ever scare me very much, but it made me think. It will scare some people, and not scare others.
This 25th Anniversary DVD is a real keeper. Along with an introduction by director William Friedkan at the beggining of the movie, it also features a 77 minute documentary entitled "The Fear Of God-25 Years Of The Exorcist" which is one of the most informative and interesting documentarys I have ever seen. The documentary also features some missing scenes (including "The Spiderwalk") and a talk about why they were cut out. If you would like to see these scenes put into the movie, The Exorcist-The Version You've Never Seen is out on DVD now. The special features also include an alternate ending that author and screenwriter William Peter Blatty likes better. There are also trailers, including one for Exorcist 2 The Heretic, which is a treat. There are also two audio commentary's. The one featuring William Peter Blatty is uninteresting, but the one with Director William Friedkan is quite good, if a bit slow. The picture on the film is digitally remastered, but unfortunately the colors change in certain scenes, but it is much better than the old video.
If you enjoyed The Exorcist, I would also reccomend Exorcist 2 The Heretic, The Omen, Jaws, and Halloween.
The Exorcist is Rated R For Strong Language, Gore, Violence, And Some Disturbing Sexual Situations.
Brett Michael Roberts.
Rating:
Summary: Finally The Version With The Spiderwalk
Review: Finally!!!
A version with the lost scenes.
I've always wanted to see The Famous Spiderwalk!!!
Great new version of The Exorcist!!!
Rating:
Summary: Mind-blowing
Review: As I'm sure most people know, The Exorcist is a classic, timeless tale of good vs. evil and the importance of faith. I think this is the best film ever, but I have to ask: how in the heck did "The Sting" beat The Exorcist out of the Best Picture award??? I've seen "The Sting" and it's TERRIBLE! Anyway, if you haven't seen The Exorcist yet, drop everything you're doing and buy it NOW!
Rating:
Summary: Great, classic film -- But not the director's cut!!!
Review: The Exorcist is one of the classic horror films of all time, obviously, so I needn't comment on the film itself. This review is directed to the DVD. If you're looking for The Exorcist on DVD, the one to get is the 25th Anniversary Special Edition, NOT the newer "Version You've Never Seen". The Director's Cut is nothing special at all. The new scenes are completely unnecessary (the only one of interest is the brief spider-walk scene) and only detract from the power and quality of the original film. The 25th Anniversary Edition is also a better DVD than The Version You've Never Seen. It has the same extra footage (but in a supplements section, not in the actual movie), two audio commentaries, one by director William Friedkin and one by writer-producer William Peter Blatty, and the 74-minute BBC documentary, "Fear of God: The Making of The Exorcist". I really hope that Warner does not discontinue the 25th Anniversary Edition DVD and keep only The Version You've Never Seen in print. Try to track down the 25th Anniversary release if you can. The original 1973 film is the one to own.
Rating:
Summary: Better than the book!
Review: Don't listen to people who say that the book: The Exorcist is better than the film. The book is not bad by any means, but the film is more involving and touching. The book drags at parts and the little sub-plots are annoying. Well, in the film, the pesky sub-plots are eliminated and it never drags. In fact, there is not one single solitary second of the film that bored me. Okay, the book might have better descriptions of things and may be easier to understand, but it is obvious that the film is superior becuase you see it happening in front of you and the characters are more interesting and have better personalities. I am not trying to slam the book or anything; it is a wonderful work of literature, but I feel that the film will always reign higher. It's scarier, more involving, more realistic and more entertaining than the book, see it today!
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