Not THE Best, but ONE of the Best!

Rating: Null/10 (28 September 2000)

The Exorcist has never been my favorite psychological thriller (that would be Psycho), or my favorite 'satanic' film (that would be Rosemary's Baby). But it is ONE of the best films of it's kind ever made.

The newly released "author's cut" has some cool added tid-bits (like the 'spider-walk' scene). But the two major additions (a trip to the Dr. before the party scene, and the author's preferred ending) were wisely cut from the first release. The first of these interrupts the building tension and reduces the impact of Regan peeing the carpet in front of her mother's guests. The altered ending doesn't work nearly as well as the original, and adds nothing of substance. I understand that Blatty and Friedkin argued bitterly over this. Friedkin was right!