I saw The Exorcist in a theater, Xmas 1973. I was 23. Unfortunately we had to sit in a row close to the screen. I found the movie to be extremely intense. One scene, in particular, I was so scared that I cried. Thank you for this wonderful overview of the film’s history.

Love this man, amazing history lesson on one of the greatest films of all time. Great video.

You missed the original Beta/VHS release that preceded the green clamshell. It was one of those black cardboard Warner boxes that opened up like a book.

Despite what it says on these recent home video releases, both Blatty and Friedkin maintained that the original 1973 theatrical version is the definitive cut. They gave their blessing to integrate those other scenes as something new for longtime fans to enjoy when seeing it again, but it is not a Director’s Cut.

@RootinrPootine

7 ай бұрын

Yes, and they are correct

I just recieved the 1997 DVD and the color timing is much more natural in many key scenes.

@Polymorphia1965

9 ай бұрын

Yeah, he didn't mention this release in the video for some reason. No real extras to speak of, but, yes, probably the most faithful representation of what was originally seen in theaters...

@stevenshields1976

9 ай бұрын

I was just coming to correct him this release is the most faithful to the original theatrical version

@flightmodeon

9 ай бұрын

Best version out there glad I got it. Original WB logo, correct colour and no morphed jump cut or other silly digital effects like devil faces.

I revisited the film last night. What a masterpiece!

Really loving this series, man. Have you ever thought about doing one for Alien/Aliens?

"If you dealing with a possessed child" is a unique add read. Gave me a good laugh.

I know i'm 2 months early, but HAPPY 50th Anniversary to ''THE EXORCIST PART 1''. That film will ALWAYS be the GRAND-DADDY and ULTIMATE film. Trash the rest INCLUDING the new one.

@fredherman6955

9 ай бұрын

I agree! Except Exorcist 3 (originally titled Legion) is actually really good in my opinion. Give it a shot if you havent.

@Judgeholden95

9 ай бұрын

NO I AM NOT IM ALIVE! I GO ON I BREATHE!

The exorcist here in the UK was never officially banned, it never received a R( regection) banned films that received a red R meant it was banned The exorcist was available on vhs until 1986, WB didn't submit the film due to the video nastie scandal so it remained off shelves until 1999 when it got a cinema re- release

I really enjoyed this video. I hope you make more ”home video story” episodes on other classics. Cheers from Sweden!

I find it interesting that in the US you consider the cardboard slip as "more standard packaging" for VHS tapes. I live in Sweden and sure I grew up at the rear end of VHS, born in 1997, but we still had at one point close to 100 VHS tapes and all of them came in plastic snap close cases with paper inserts for cover like your standard disc release. Cardboard sleeves were something exclusively for those blank tapes your could record yourself.

@varsas10

9 ай бұрын

Same here in the UK.

@christiancardenas2975

9 ай бұрын

Same in México

Love this series of videos. 👍🏻 Thank you Jeff. 🙏🏻

Thanks for taking the time to do these videos, this movie is one of the most extraordinary films ever made !

I absolutely love your deeper dive of your reviews. Keep it up!

Great video! Just got my 4k copy of the film today in the mail, such a gem.

Absolutely love this series. I’ve watched all episodes and I can’t wait for more. Big fan from Australia 🇦🇺

RIP William friedkin! 🙏

Exorcist first came out on video Not in the green clamshell box...but the WCI Home Video label. So you got that wrong. The clambox came out in the early 80s

@kascnef

9 ай бұрын

And with the old wb worm logo intact

Absolutely love these videos please keep making them 😊

Another great video! I love this series

I really really love when you do this kind of videos. Greate voice, content and video!!! Best regards

One of my favorite series. Thank you!

Great video and one off my favorite movies off all time, love these types off movie history🍿😍 I am getting the ultimate 50 years 4k uhd edition❤

This a fun and informative video. I’d love to see stuff like for other films too.

Love this so much, I hope this becomes a series - there are some titles that have gone out of print for so many years to be rediscovered, etc. I will note, I wouldn't call the cast 'unknowns, Ellen Burstyn had been working in theater and film for a while before Exorcist, having just gotten Oscar nominated for best supporting actress 2 years before for The Last Picture Show. Max Von Sydow, who is now considered a bit of a Hollywood legend, started working in film in the 50's, with some big roles, and had a Golden Globe nomination under his belt. You could though say these two's careers kept rising after Exorcist, with more Academy nominations for both and many more acclaimed performances.

GOD I love this series, keep them coming Jeff!!!!!!!!!

love these history on films history..thanks j

Loving this series man. You should do a home video history on The Wizard of Oz

I love this series from you and especially if it's a film I love

The algorithm brought me here! This was an interesting informative video! ❤ Also a great integration of The Exorcist into the sponsor message. 😅

Thanks for the video man. Consider doing a home video history of Saturday Night Fever. Its pretty interesting because they released two different versions on VHS

Great video Jeff

LOL, I have that 1979 VHS and the original laserdisc, I also had that 1991 VHS at one time. You forgot one VHS release and that was the black and white book box release put out under Warner WCI home video. I have the Exorcist II clamshell as well with the alternate home video cut.

Great series! I love learning about the release history however you forgot a few releases for example it was also released on UMD for the psp portable. You should also include Beta max or HDDVD because defunct media is cool too.

@THEremiXFACTOR

9 ай бұрын

I think the first time I saw it was a VHS copy from an old betamax.

Love your content thanks fir sharing. Just noticed while watching sone shorts all your great framed movie posters. Where do you get them. Thanks again❤

Missed the Bluray Steelbook Edition from a few years back.

The majority of Warners clamshell VHS tapes in the late 70s-early 80s had that same graphic design and title font, usually over a cropped still from the movie or an image from the poster.

As a Catholic boy, this movie was absolutely terrifying.

The Clamshall is 1982 Re-Issue , 1979 First Release was Big Box WCI HOME VIDEO.

There is also a uk collectors edition 4k that has a steelbook that comes with a slip box. I got mine from orbit dvd

Thanks, lov'n it👍

I absolutely love this series. I would also love to see a video on The Evil Dead franchise

There was a Japanese laserdisc produced in 1979 its noteworthy for containing the original mono track.

Great vid again mate, just thought I'd let you know Amazon UK has the purple 4k boxset for£70 on preorder..😊

Great research. *I was surprised to see the 25th anniversary VHS big box I have, the one with the film reel insert. I still have that in mint condition.* I also have the 25th anniversary DVD. I never watched the VHS, as DVD was a new thing then, I believe. Then I have the 40th Anniversary boxed slip cover blu-ray with the lil' hard cover book inside, with both versions. Then, lastly, I just got the 50th Anniversary 4k UHD one. I'll be watching that (my 1st 4k) on my PS5 this Halloween season.

I got some first prints off of eBay. One of them is Willy Wonka (Warner Home Video edition, same as the Superman II VHS I remember from the late 90s) and another is The Terminator original HBO print

Quick thing on the theatrical release; the Christmas release was in part because editing went over schedule and Christmas was the latest time a movie could be released and still qualify for that year’s Academy Awards. Friedkin was fresh off winning Best Director when he got hired to make The Exorcist, which was a huge best selling book, so expectations were high. And putting it out on 30 screens may have also had something to do with the editing delays affecting the amount of time needed to make prints of the movie. Either way, releasing a movie nationwide on the same day didn’t really become a thing until “Jaws” came out. Before then, opening in a few places and expanding the release of it was a hit was the norm.

The very first vhs/betamax version was the black box with Blue Warner old logo relesed in 1979. The vhs with green cover of this video isn't the first vhs version. Probably the very first release on home video of this movie is the super 8 version.

I find the phenomenon of The Exorcist more fascinating than the film itself. I was 9 when it was released in '73. Although it would not be until a decade later that I got the opportunity to actually see the film. I was very aware of its existence from a 1974 cover story of Famous Monsters of Fipmland which features a particularly nightmarish illustration of Linda Blair in the throes of full demonic posession, complete with a vivid green tongue sticking out of her mouth. As a kid who devoured everything horror related this was like a moth to a flame. I had read the novel so I wasn't going into it totally unprepared. However I was underwhelmed by that first viewing. I enjoyed it but certainly didn't think it was the "scariest movie ever made." This felt more like PR hyperbole designed to draw an audience. I never found it the least bit scary. I did get the opportunity to see it on the big screen when "version you've never seen" was released, but it just reminded me how very "leisurely" paced the story is and it takes a long time for anything to actually happen. Perhaps years of cheap horror flicks have had an adverse effect on me, but I do appreciate the atmosphere that Friedkin builds and never allowing it to get too silly, as John Boorman did with The Heretic. It's status as a horror classic is justified, albeit a bit overblown.

I'm one of the seemingly rare physical media collectors that has no interest in horror movies, but these deep dives are fantastic. I'd love to see more across more genres.

I remember vividly seeing thus for the first time in University, during religion in film class. We had such interesting discussions on thus movie

The re-release on VHS was important...got a surround mix... Friedkin has tinkered with the movie for every new release, not to the extent as Lucas but yeah...

Let's not forget that many movies pre-VHS or Beta era had also been released in the 8mm and 16mm film reel version for home projectors.

Do a home video history of Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

The episode that waited for

Did it ever have a release on BETA. ?

@THeilman

9 ай бұрын

Yes. Watched it many times.

@thedys70

9 ай бұрын

confirmed, dad bought us a Beta [don't ask...] here in Australia, so it was easier to secure the Exorcist [& II] on Beta at local video store, as most favoured VHS

I love it

You forgot the blu ray steelbook

It would be cool to see a home video history of taxi driver next

The new cut from 2000 isn't the same cut that was released on Bluray as the extended director's cut?

There’s also the Ultimate Collectors Edition coming out next week!!!

The darkest and greatest horror film of ALL TIME

I love this transfer and thought they did a great job with 1 exception - that box cover is hideous. You can never _not_ use the iconic image of Max von Sydow beneath the streetlamp.

If i pass the phone directly to the demon, does the betterhelp people can tell him to quit vomting my brand new carpet?

Best Buy steelbook is sold out as of now, but yea hopefully it will be restocked soon. On a different note...whatever happened to The Thing? You announced you'd probably be doing that after your first of these, Back to the Future.

In the uk, the exorcist was released on vhs in 1981

@guypearson0

9 ай бұрын

I was waiting for someone to say that :)

I recently sold my 4K player. Is it OK to watch this on a PS5?

Which came out first, THE EXORCIST VHS or BETAMAX?... I own the CED and the Laser Disc. I thought the CED would have been way smaller.

So there were two different transfers on Blu-ray??

I like the Exorcist. But really, it's claim to fame is all in the bedroom scene. I don't think this movie would have been as well regarded without the bedroom scenes. Also, that's where Pantera got their album name "Vulgar Display of Power" from.

I got the first vhs release of this … although the tape you shown didn’t match …

@JeffRauseo

9 ай бұрын

Interesting. Maybe I missed one? It’s hard to track some of this down at times. Not a lot of info out there

@slacktoryrecords4193

9 ай бұрын

@@JeffRauseoyes the WCI (Warner) big “cardpaper” box was the first release in 1979. VHS and Beta. And you missed in my opinion the best disc release to date, the 1997 DVD. It features the film with its original color timing (no “blue exorcism” scenes) and its open matte format (the widescreen is on the other side of the disc). It doesn’t have the mono, though-that’s a bummer-and its a very early DVD with all the limitations of the format, and used a scratched 35mm print as its source, but I still prefer it over the Blu-ray and the new 4K.

Betamax?

@thedys70

9 ай бұрын

confirmed, dad bought us a Beta [don't ask...] here in Australia, so it was easier to secure the Exorcist [& II] on Beta at local video store, as most favoured VHS; circa 1982

I decided to watch the movie for the first time ever when Believer released. I thought it would be neat to watch them in order. I was very disappointed with this movie. Maybe it was because people overhyping it, but I could not stand the acting, the editing and the effects. Luckily, my family went into Believer with lowered expectations and actually enjoyed that one more. Were there any other first time viewers that felt it was overhyped and came out disappointed? I kinda regret buying the original on 4k ultra HD since it wasn’t a movie my family or I appreciated.

The Exorist was Re-Issue Again on VHS in Late 1986 Copied From 1982.

Happy 50th anniversary Exorcist!!! I saw this movie when it was released .....took my girlfriend.

It's not as scary as it was in the 70s but still good

I'm not turfing out my 1998 VHS, including Fear of God doco. Even though I thought I had both versions on DVD and bluray, seems these are only the 132min cuts! #hoarderalert.

@kascnef

9 ай бұрын

I have that vhs too

At minimum, can I at least make a suggestion for a future episode in the series? Terminator [from 1984]

The PERFECT Horror Movie does not exis-- 😉

That 4K cover was bad. I ended up buying the UK Version.

@user-xp9ce1vw5p

Ай бұрын

Same, that was the 4 disc release including blurays as well as 4Ks

Can you do Heavy Metal, The Evil Dead, The Shining and The Lost Boys next

@moviesbye9294

9 ай бұрын

No

@simpsonshmforever

9 ай бұрын

@@moviesbye9294 what do you mean no?

Interesting video but your assertion that it was banned in the uk is simply not true. Warner Brothers refused to re-release it after the initial late 1970s vhs due to the video nasty morale panic knowing it likely would be banned like cannibal holocaust and simile crappy horror films of the early 80s.

I am 57 years old and I still will not watch this movie. It is the only horror film that I will not watch.

How can no one duplicate a decent sequel after all these decades.

@flightmodeon

9 ай бұрын

Exorcist 3 is more than decent

@mjwbulich

9 ай бұрын

​@@flightmodeon3 is fantastic. Maybe the single greatest jump scare ever.

Truly Iconic, but every time I re-watch it I like it a little less, feel it's too drawn out and not as effective, so I've stopped re-watching it. Didn't even join my dad for 50th anniversary viewing. But I'll never forget visiting my relatives in the states when I was 17 and this guy (my grandmothers second or third cousin or something like that), who was almost 70 then, asked if I'd seen The Exorcist, and when I said yes, he said "Look out to the right" (we were in a car) "that's the staircase from the end of the movie". Even at 17 I didn't quite realize someone like him might be interested in movies like The Exorcist, but of course he would have been mid 20's when it came out and might've seen it in theaters back then.

No Beta ?

Greatest horror movie ever, rest of the series was garbage especially the new one 😒

You skipped over a lot of releases. Do better research next time.

One of the most overrated films I have seen a 3/5 or a 63/100 not even scary watch hereditary if you want something actually scary.

@warsincs

9 ай бұрын

Hereditary is shit

I never understood the hype, I thinks it's a silly movie. But it might be different in the 70s.

The Shining 🪓 Would make an interesting Home Video History essay - Especially with the UK and US versions 🙏🏻