The Exorcist

Details

Actress Chris MacNeil relocates to Georgetown with her young daughter Regan while filming on location. Their quiet domestic life begins to unravel when Regan starts exhibiting strange behaviour - unexplained noises in the attic, violent mood swings and increasingly disturbing physical symptoms. What first appears to be a medical or psychological condition gradually defies scientific explanation.

As doctors exhaust every rational diagnosis, Chris turns in desperation to Father Damien Karras, a Jesuit priest struggling with his own crisis of faith. Initially sceptical, Karras investigates the case and becomes convinced that Regan is possessed by a powerful demonic entity. With the Vatican's reluctant approval, the experienced exorcist Father Merrin is called upon to confront the ancient evil directly.

Picture & Sound

For a film over two decades old at the time of this DVD release, the picture quality is impressive. Colours are natural, shadow detail is strong and the transfer preserves the film's deliberately cold, restrained palette. The restoration supervised by Friedkin ensures the image retains its cinematic texture.

The audio presentation is understated but effective. While not aggressively mixed for surround, the restrained use of space suits the film's tone. Silence and subtle ambient effects are used more effectively than bombastic rear-channel activity ever could be.

Menu & Extras

This anniversary release delivers a substantial collection of extras. The BBC documentary is particularly compelling, exploring both the production and the cultural impact of the film. The separate commentaries from Friedkin and Blatty provide fascinating - and occasionally differing - perspectives on the material.

The archival interviews, trailers and storyboards round out what feels like a respectful celebration of a landmark film.

Overall

When The Exorcist was released in 1973 it caused shockwaves. Audiences fainted, cinemas reportedly provided sick bags, and in Britain it became one of the most controversial "video nasties" of its era, and finding itself banned in its original form. Today, in a world saturated with graphic horror, it may not provoke the same physical reaction - but that does not diminish its power.

What makes the film endure is not spinning heads or shocking language, but atmosphere. Director William Friedkin builds dread slowly and methodically. The early scenes are almost clinical in their realism - medical tests, psychological evaluations, quiet domestic tension - grounding the supernatural horror in unsettling plausibility.

Linda Blair's performance as Regan remains extraordinary. Her transformation from innocent child to something deeply unnatural is genuinely disturbing, not because of spectacle alone, but because of the emotional toll it takes on those around her. Ellen Burstyn delivers a raw and desperate portrayal of a mother watching her child slip away.

Yet the emotional core lies with Father Damien Karras. Jason Miller plays him as a man wrestling not just with a demon, but with doubt. His crisis of faith gives the film weight and depth, elevating it beyond simple possession horror. When Max von Sydow's Father Merrin finally arrives, the confrontation feels earned rather than theatrical.

The Exorcist may not shock modern audiences in quite the same visceral way it once did, but its craftsmanship, atmosphere and performances remain deeply unsettling. It is a film about faith, doubt, fear and sacrifice - themes that resonate far beyond its headline moments.

Quite simply, this is a cornerstone of modern horror. Not a cheap scare machine, but a carefully constructed descent into spiritual terror. Essential viewing - even if you think you've seen worse.

Special features

• The Fear of God - Documentary
• Eight Trailers
• Six TV Spots
• Interviews
• The Original Ending
• Separate Commentaries by Friedkin and Blatty
• Sketches and Storyboards