The Movie: This restored version of The Exorcist is also known as The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen, and was released in theaters on September 22, 2000. It contains 11 minutes of additional footage not seen in the original version of the film, and is not the same as the 25th Anniversary DVD version, which also included scenes not in the original version.

This, admittedly, was my first time ever watching The Exorcist, and I really didn't know what to expect, but I must say, this is the greatest horror movie I have ever seen. It is truly spine tingling and bone chilling, and achieves it without any inane startling pop-ups as most modern horror movies do. This movie induces true fear from within the deepest regions of your mind and soul, not just lame anticipation of something about to jump out into view.

This re-cut version of the movie also included a few new digital effects that were very subtle and blended into the movie quite well (so it's not like those Special Edition Star Wars movies!), as well as a digitally enhanced and remastered soundtrack that I will talk about below in the DVD part. But really all I can say about this movie is that it is one extremely well made film, unlike any other I have ever seen.

The DVD: The actual movie experience of this DVD is quite amazing. The video transfer, though slightly grainy, is quite clean and nicely restored, with only minor instances of compression artifacts in the gradients, but the audio is where this DVD truly shines.

The 5.1 EX soundtrack is incredibly detailed and superbly mixed, fully surrounding you with every deliciously frightful groan, creak, scream and puff of wind. Not only is the actual sound itself detailed, but the positioning of each individual sound in the surround field is precisely placed... and this is in every scene, not just for special effects!

Special features, on the other hand, are somewhat weak. They include numerous TV/radio spots and theatrical trailers, as well as director's commentary, but the rest of the stuff is all text-based. But as I said before, the actual movie experience of this DVD was quite amazing, and the incredible sound mix is a special feature in and of itself, if you ask me!