LEGION: Exorcist III Director's Cut - my review
William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist III is one of the best horror films ever made. Not only is it a worthy successor to one of the scariest and most influential films in all of cinema, but it manages to be great as a standalone mystery film as well. It was written for the screen and directed by William Blatty, who wrote the novel that the original film was based on as well as the sequel, titled Legion. He set out to direct The Exorcist III himself as he was not pleased with the changes made by William Friedkan, director of the original Exorcist film. The Exorcist III is Blatty's hypnotic tale of what takes place exactly 15 years after the events of the first film. We follow a familiar character, Lt. Bill Kinderman (George C. Scott) as he investigates murders that seem to resemble killings of the infamous "Gemini Killer", who died in the electric chair 15 years earlier. We are brought into a world where evil looms over and mortality is questioned.
This review is for the newly released Directors Cut. The Theatrical version gave us great performances and memorable scenes. There were, however, many changes imposed by the studio, making the end product less faithful to the source than Blatty had intended. It was long thought that the remaining footage of The Exorcist III - the unseen, original footage - had been lost forever, but thanks to Scream Factory, the video label responsible for the release of many "Collectors Editions" of horror and sci-fi cult films, some of that original footage was found and restored into the movie...including Blatty's original ending.
In the theatrical version, there were last minute parts added that should have never been there. Important scenes were cut from the film and even an unnecessary exorcism was forced in to make the studio happy. In the end, Blatty had to sacrifice a lot to get The Exorcist III made, and it didn't help that the first sequel bombed badly. The theatrical cut is still a great film despite the changes that were made. William Blatty created a nightmarish atmosphere while remaining subtle and not relying solely on shock. George C. Scott as Kinderman brings a certain charm to the picture and his chemistry with the rest of the cast is brilliant. I actually happen to like the exorcism scene at the end, which has intense visuals and a great speech from Lt. Kinderman. The Directors Cut brings new life into the movie, giving it a sense of fulfillment while retaining - and adding to - the charm and dreadful atmosphere of the theatrical version.
The additional scenes and clips in the Director's Cut originate from old VHS tapes containing the original footage. Some very short snippets, such as Kinderman and Father Dyer (Ed Flanders) conversing in a restaurant about James Stewart, and other longer, more important plot points make up the Directors Cut. The change in quality is highly noticeable as the footage is unpolished and grainy compared to the rest of the movie, however, it is added in a way that is almost artistic. For example, all the scenes in the cell with the Gemini Killer are from the VHS footage, which gives off an otherworldly feeling. Had they decided to downgrade the quality of the theatrical cut to match the footage, we would not get that effect, so I am not complaining.
Completely gone are the scenes of Jason Miller as Father Karras. As you may remember, the Gemini Killer is played by both Jason Miller and Brad Dourif switching back and forth to signify Father Karras' possession. Yet in the Director's Cut, it is all Brad, who was mesmerizing in the role. Dourif has stated that he believes his best takes were captured on the earlier footage which was presumed to be lost. We get to see those earlier takes in the Directors Cut since much of the added footage is of his encounters with Lt. Kinderman in the cell. Also, many of the scares, such as the notorious hospital hallway scene, are kept intact. The most notable difference is in the end. There is no random priest coming out of nowhere and there is no exorcism. Instead, we are finally given the true - and abrupt - ending that die-hard fans of the film deserve.
Despite the changes in quality, The Exorcist III Director's Cut turned out wonderfull. I am pleased with the result. This is the version that fans have been waiting for. This is the version that William Peter Blatty wanted us to see!
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