The Exorcist, 27 years later

In 1973, one film opened the door to our deepest fears and forever etched itself into the fabric of the world’s consciousness. This year, the film that garnered Academy Awards, broke box office records, and has been called the scariest film ever made is back with never-before-seen footage and in six-track digital surround sound. Warner Bros. proudly presents the director’s Cut of The Exorcist.

In a quiet neighborhood, in a house with all the modern conveniences, an innocent young girl becomes afflicted. Her mother can’t help her. Doctors uselessly test and attempt to treat her. In desperation – fearing her illness reaches beyond the physical and into the spiritual – her mother calls a priest. But even he doubts that evil has come into their home, into her body. And the more he doubts, the more powerful it becomes. There is only one cause, and only one hope for a cure.

"It’s an excellent day for an exorcism."

The clash between good and evil was never as emotional nor as graphic as depicted in The Exorcist. Written first as a novel by William Peter Blatty and inspired by an actual exorcism in the Washington, DC area, the tale has become firmly entrenched into the world’s psyche.

The book was a No. 1 best seller, with 13 million copies in the US alone, while the film, directed by Academy Award-winner William Friedkin, broke box office records in its initial theatrical run. As a "phenomenon" around the world, people waited in lines for hours, sometimes in pouring rain, to experience The Exorcist. At the time, it became the second highest grossing film of all time behind The Godfather.

Controversy surrounded its release. Evangelist Billy Graham aligned the film with evil itself while the Catholic Church embraced the strength of the film’s religious overtones. Audiences were terrified, sickened and intellectually challenged by the film. Polls conducted by sources including Entertainment Weekly have voted The Exorcist as the scariest film of all time.

The Exorcist saw remarkable breakout performances by young Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jason Miller, who made his feature film debut as Father Karras, the priest who questions his owh faith in the midst of the greatest test of his life. Both were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances, along with film legend Ellen Burstyn as Regan’s mother Chris MacNeil. Max Von Sydow (Snow Falling On Cedars) starred as Father Merrin, the title character. Mercedes McCambridge gives the film its unforgettable vocal track which delivers some of the most memorable lines in film history.

The new cut of The Exorcist includes 11 minutes of additional footage not used in the original release and completely redesigned sound. Steve Boeddeker served as sound designer and Jennifer Law-Stump as digital effects artist.

The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including (in addition to the acting nominations for Miller, Blair and Burstyn), Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Set Decoration, Best Sound, Best Art Direction. It won the awards for Best Sound and Best Screenplay.

The Exorcist also won four of its seven Golden Globe nominations. Friedkin, Blatty and Blair were acknowledged for their efforts and the film was voted Best Motion Picture Drama.

The Exorcist is a rare example of a powerful novel becoming a powerful motion picture. The collaboration between Blatty and Friedkin, which started well before the first frame of film rolled, continues to this day and in this new adaptation.

"This is the version Bill Blatty always believed in," Friedkin said, "and it’s taken me 26 years to see why and finally agree with him. The restored footage not only deepens the spiritual foundation of the film, but adds some truly terrifying moments as well."

Significantly, the film continues to evoke intellectual and emotional stimulation nearly 30 years after its original release. "I do think that you are being taught something about good and evil while you’re watching The Exorcist," says Blatty. "On one level, it’s this wonderful roller coaster ride, but on a deeper, unconscious level, while you’re watching it, you’re being told that there are spiritual forces active in the universe – some nice, some not so nice – in effect, that there is a God. It’s in there, within the film, and it’s getting to you as you watch. And how often can you go to a film and really feel something?"

The Director’s Cut of The Exorcist is a Warner Bros. film now showing in Metro Manila theaters.