December 26, 1973, was the premier date of a movie that forever changed the face of horror films! That movie, The Exorcist, was re-released on September 22, 2000. And despite the span of 27 years, the movie still packs a punch that no other horror film has been able to match! The film was based on the best selling novel of demonic possession by author William Peter Blatty and the screenplay was adapted by the author. The Film was directed by William Freidkin fresh from his success of his film French Connection. But as with any re-release this movie was subjected to the "upgrading" that Bladerunner and Star Wars were given. And while some purists to the movie may cry foul over the revamping, I decided to read the book, see the original version the film, then the "Version You Have Never Seen Before."

I found the book quite gripping and if you want a good scary story to read, this is the book to go for. It gives some of Stephen King's best a run for his money! After reading the book, I sat down to watch the movie. Now, If you don't want anything given away, stop where you are and I'll tell you when to read again.

The story (for those of you who don't know it yet) concerns an actress named Chris MacNeil (Played by Ellen Burstyn) who is filming on location in Washington, D.C. along with her is her daughter, Reagan (Played By Linda Blair). Close to the end of shooting the film, strange things begin to occur. Noises in the attic where nothing is there, and Reagan complaining to her mother that her bed has been shaking at night. Add that to the fact that Reagan's behavior has declined from a loving 12 year old to a progressively hostile monster. Culminating to the murder of her friend, the movie's director outside of her home. A police detective named Kinderman (Played by Lee J. Cobb) suspects that Denning's murder took place in Reagan's bedroom, then pushed out her window. Although she doesn't tell Kinderman, the mother feels that in Reagan's state of mind, Reagan could be the killer.

As all of this is going on, a statue of the Virgin Mary has been vandalized inside a church across the street form the MacNeil house. At this church, a priest named Damien Karras (who is also a psychiatrist) is having problems of his own. The guilt of losing his mother while alone in a New York City apartment has pushed his all ready diminishing faith further to the edge. He is soon approached by Chris to see her daughter Reagan after a battery of tests by many doctors to find the cause of her hellish behavior turn up nothing. The doctors suggest to Chris, as a last resort, the ritual of an exorcism, believing that Reagan is under the belief that she's possessed so the ritual will make her believe the evil spirits are driven from her.

Father Karras finds the whole situation ludicrous. But despite his feelings in the matter, he meets Reagan. After two meetings with her along with an unexpected cry of help from Reagan, the Father feels that an exorcism is needed. He volunteers to perform the right, but not without help. An elderly priest named Father Merrin is called to perform the Exorcism and a battle between good and evil will take place that is unforgettable!

The biggest problem with film adaptations is how the story to the book is sometimes mutated beyond recognition when converted to film. Although very little alteration was done to the film, the new version of the Exorcist tries to make up for what little change was done along with some artistic license on the part of the director. Some scenes that were filmed but taken out are put back in to the film. One of those scenes is the infamous "Spider Walk" scene, where a possessed Reagan shows a rather acrobatic move that would make an Olympic gymnast green with envy! Another scene that will surely spark debate is the so called "happy ending." The debate was still raging on between Author Blatty and Director Freidkin on the documentary of the Exorcist, "The Fear of God", first aired on the BBC in 1998. Some feel it diminished the film's impact, others feel that it improved on the film. As for me, I felt that either ending works. You have to go in with a clean slate in your mind to decide which ending works best on a storytelling standpoint. And that's a hard thing to do when a film such as this has such an emotional impact!

But the most major upgrading of this film is some of the visual effects, and the sound which garnered and Academy Award. Before the concept of Dolby Surround was even thought of in the mid Seventies, the Exorcist still has one of the best sound effects of its caliber, even in mono-sound! But the soundtrack has been updated for the Dolby sound system and its respective competition. I had the fortune of seeing the film in a theater with the THX sound system. All the nuances you never heard before make this film even more stirring! The sounds of the Muslim priests shouting prayers in the distance as the faithful kneel and bow. The chilling music as Father Merrin faces the statue of the demon he will soon do battle with. The disturbing cries of patients in an insane asylum drifting in the background as the demon plays mind games with Father Karras. And the sounds of the demon proclaiming on the tape Father Karras has recorded "I Am No One! " make the hair on the back of my neck stand on end! (Quiet Genie!)

The film was also visually tweaked here and there with mixed results: in one scene where Chris walks through a dark kitchen, there is a brief flash of a demonic face behind her that makes you say "what was that?". In another scene where Reagan is hypnotized, the demon's face briefly appears on Reagan's just before she attacks the doctor who puts her under. What made the scene falter was as the face changed, a low grunt came from Reagan that made people giggle more than gasp. I myself thought that Bobcat Goldwaith's voice was going to come out of her when that happened.

My biggest worry is what will the people who were not born when this film was made, will think? In this day and age where a "horror" film such as Friday the 13th or Scream where so much blood and violence is prominent, will such a film such as the Exorcist still carry a punch? Personally I do feel that it still scares you because it relies on the atmosphere of the story along with the shock-value. Most people forget that there was a story behind this movie. Most of these feeble murder mysteries laced with excessive gore (Let's face it! THAT is what these so called horror films really are!) rely totally on shock value alone!

So as far as I'm concerned, with or without the extra footage, the Exorcist was and is still the scariest movie of all time! OK, well any movie that stars Pauly Shore or Chris Farley is frightening also, but those scares were unintentional! Until next time then, take care!