The Exorcist 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The Exorcist 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

What, no little bag of vomit?

Released alongside the standard 4K edition and a Best Buy-exclusive 4K Steelbook, Warner Bros. also has a five-disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition of William Friedkin’s influential horror film The Exorcist with a different Steelbook variant packed inside a rigid slipcase with a nice collection of printed goodies. The five discs inside are basically a combination of that standard 4K edition and the 40th Anniversary Blu-ray set (not reviewed by us), which was itself a reprint of the 2010 Digibook with a new 2013 bonus disc. So essentially, this Ultimate Edition is aimed at completists and packaging junkies, both of which should consider it a tempting all-in release. The power of consumerism compels you.

The Exorcist 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For my thoughts on the main feature's fairly controversial 4K restoration – which is mostly quite good, with a few frustrating exceptions – please see my review of the standard 4K edition.

The Exorcist 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, more information about the audio options can be found in my standard 4K review.

The Exorcist 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Packed in a rigid slipcase similar in design to the Best Buy-exclusive 4K Steelbook, this handsome Ultimate Collector's Edition has a number of exclusive goodies packed inside. The standout is a great-looking Steelbook whose front cover reproduces The Exorcist's iconic poster image; shockingly, it's the only home video edition to do so in quite some time. The back cover features Regan hovering ominously in profile, while the similarly green-tinted inside spread features yet another (much closer) head-on image of Regan floating menacingly over what has to be the grossest-smelling mattress around. The only drawback to this Steelbook packaging? All five discs are stacked on a pair of hubs: two 4Ks on the left, and three Blu-rays on the right. It's annoying to be sure, and honestly a thicker Digibook or traditional keepcase might have been more appropriate here. My advice? Just put your two favorite discs on top.

Also inside the slipcase is a square-bound softcover 40-page book (above) with a handful of photos and essays about the main feature, a folded double-sided reproduction of the original theatrical poster, a small double-sided lobby card reproduction, several double-sided behind-the-scenes art cards cards, and a few more double-sided cards depicting memorable scenes from the film (above and below), all of which are packed snugly inside a glossy black cardstock envelope folder that duplicates the slipcase art. It's a decent assortment of memorabilia for fans and, perhaps most importantly, this whole package doesn't hog too much shelf space: the overall width is just a little more than two traditional 4K or Blu-ray keepcases, and with very similar height and width measurements to match.

All on-disc bonus features are the same as those found on their respective previous editions: as mentioned earlier, this is basically a combo pack of the standard 4K edition and the 40th Anniversary Blu-ray set (not reviewed by us), which in turn was a reprint of the 2010 Digibook with a new 2013 bonus disc, detailed below. Got all that?

DISC ONE - 4K THEATRICAL CUT

• Introduction by Director William Friedkin (2:11)

• Audio Commentary #1 - Director William Friedkin

• Audio Commentary #2 - Writer William Peter Blatty (with special sound effects)

DISC TWO - 4K EXTENDED DIRECTOR'S CUT

• Audio Commentary #3 - Director William Friedkin (different from theatrical commentary)

DISC THREE - BLU-RAY EXTENDED DIRECTOR'S CUT (Identical to the 2010 Digibook)

• Director's Audio Commentary

• Raising Hell: Filming the Exorcist

• The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then and Now

• Faces of Evil: The Different Versions of the Exorcist

• Trailers, TV Spots and Radio Spots

DISC FOUR - BLU-RAY THEATRICAL CUT (Identical to the 2010 Digibook)

• Director's Introduction

• Audio Commentaries

• The Fear of God

• Filmmaker Interviews

• Sketches and Storyboards

• Original Ending

• Trailers and TV Spots

DISC FIVE - 40th ANNIVERSARY BLU-RAY BONUS DISC

• Beyond Comprehension: William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist (27:49) - This 2013 piece is essentially a collection of comments and memories from the acclaimed author of the original novel. Topics include selected passages read by Blatty, a tour of the guest house he lived in while writing most of the , memories during the exhaustive writing and researching process, additions and revisions made for a special 40th anniversary edition of the book, and revisiting a handful of filming locations at Georgetown University (including the infamous steps, of course). It's a casual, informative and entertaining session that film and book fans will really enjoy.

• Talk of the Devil (19:50) - Another legacy extra from 2013, this piece begins with an overview of the 1949 possession case that inspired the original book; it leads into a 1974 interview with priest Eugene Gallagher, who introduced the case to Blatty while he was an undergraduate at Georgetown. Other highlights include a glimpse at several letters exchanged between priest William Bowdern (chief exorcist during the actual case), Blatty, and Gallagher...and though it's a bit drier than the previous supplement, this one's also well worth a look. Just don't take a drink every time Gallagher says "You see?", or you'll never make it through the whole thing.

The Exorcist 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

William Friedkin's The Exorcist turned 50 recently and WB celebrated with multiple 4K editions of the film, each one boasting a new 2160p/HDR10 restoration and multiple audio options including the original theatrical mono. The fanciest of the lot (besides for this amazingly cool Amazon UK-exclusive "Bible Edition", which sold out immediately last year) is this five-disc Ultimate Collector's Edition Steelbook, which includes the film in both 4K and Blu-ray formats as well as a broad assortment of legacy bonus features. It's still not a definitive release but comes awfully close, which makes it a tempting purchase for die-hard fans and packaging collectors alike. Get this one while it's still available!