Even more Horror from Warner this October:
"William Friedkin’s horror masterpiece
The Exorcist will be released on Blu-ray in a 40th Anniversary Edition on
October 8th, and the special features should have your head spinning.
When
The Exorcist was first released in 1973, viewers were
frightened out of their wits – and literally out of their seats. Now
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will celebrate the 40th
anniversary of Academy Award® winning director William Friedkin’s
suspense masterpiece that haunted and intrigued the world with a new
Blu-ray release featuring the Extended Director’s Cut and Theatrical
Version with new special features and premiums ($49.99 SRP). Available
October 8, just ahead of Halloween, this 40th Anniversary Edition will
include two new featurettes: “
Beyond Comprehension: William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist” and “
Talk of the Devil,” as well as an excerpt from Friedkin’s book The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir.
A true cinema landmark, the theological thriller is one of the top ten box-office performers of all time.
The Exorcist
took 10 Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, and won two
Oscars® for Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as winning for Best Sound.
Subsequently, the film went on to become a multi-million dollar
franchise. Directed by Friedkin (Oscar®-winner for The French Connection
– Directing 1971) and written by William Peter Blatty, the film is
based on his best-selling novel, which sold nearly 13 million copies
domestically and was the #1 book on the New York Times Best Seller List
for 57 weeks, 17 of them at #1.
Regarding the
Extended Director’s Cut, Friedkin says, “
After
my initial cut, I took out 12 more minutes before we released it in
theatres. Years later, Bill Blatty asked if I’d review some of that
rejected footage (which he always felt should have remained) with an eye
towards putting it back in a new version. In so doing I believe we
strengthened the spiritual aspect of the film.”
Celebrated for his directorial role in this seminal film, Friedkin is
still very much in the limelight. His new book, The Friedkin
Connection: A Memoir, recently published by HarperCollins, extensively
discusses the background and casting of
The Exorcist. The Academy
of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films will honor Friedkin this
month with their Lifetime Achievement Award for his continually
influential work in genre entertainment at this year’s Saturn Awards. In
August Friedkin will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
at the 70th Venice International Film Festival, where he will present
the restored version of Warner Bros.’ Sorcerer. And Friedkin and author
Blatty will attend a special 40th Anniversary screening of their film at
the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., on October 30. The film will also
have an exclusive theatrical engagement October 31 through November 7th
at the AMC Georgetown."
Full List of Bonus Features:
– 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
-Premium:Excerpt of The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir
