Book vs Movie (original and director's cut)

Rating: Null/10 (10 August 2004)

I saw it in its original theatrical run. The new director's cut shows an extension to the scene where the director's assistant comes and tells Chris that Burke was found dead on the sidewalk below Regan's window. In the theatre she turns to the wall and Sharon moves forward to comfort her. In the extension, Chris turns to the stairs thinking about Regan's recent behavioral problems and how them might been connected to Burke's death. Just as she does this, Regan comes down the stair on her hands and feet, but on her back, not on her stomach. She opens her mouth and blood spills out.
Now, all through the extended version, you see a ghouls face do a split second appearance in various places. In the original, there was a scene close to the beginning in Regan's bedroom where Regan/Legion informs Father Karras that Sharon fantasizes about him nightly. That segment of that scene was removed in the director's cut. When the movie first premiered, the cast was on the Mike Douglas Show and it was mentioned there that the story was based on a true incident that occurred many years ago. I found the book the movie was based on and read that as well. There are some things in the book pertaining to the credibility of the incident that would raise the hair on the back of your head. Other trivia is that Jack MacGowran (director Burke) was taking a nap on one of the unused bedroom sets during the final filming.
That set caught on fire and he was killed in it. I don't know how the fire was started, or whether he was burned or died from smoke inhalation. A whole canister of film had to be reshot because of double exposure. It was suppose to have been sealed to prevent that, but it happened anyway. The movie itself is a superior piece of work. Ellen got an Oscar nom for her work. Jason Miller went from acting to playwright with "That Championship Season". It is a scary and dark story that reminds you that there are things that should not be trifled with in this world and this is one of them.