Considered by many to be the greatest horror film ever made (forget about THE SIXTH SENSE, please), THE EXORCIST was originally released in December 1973. The film was a huge hit, and shocked some by receiving an R-rating despite being filled with horrific imagery and obscenities (not to mention the notorious "crucifix masturbation" scene). Most of the alternate versions and edits seen over the years have been the result of censorship, especially in foreign territories or for broadcast TV airings.

However, author William Peter Blatty has spoke of an "incredible" longer cut that he saw way back in 1973 that was never released, and that for many years Director William Friedkin dismissed or downplayed. All video versions up until and including the original 1997 DVD release featured the original 1973 theatrical cut. However, Warner issued a new 25th Anniversary Edition DVD in the fall of 1998 that included some deleted scenes presented after the film that Batty spoke of and fans had craved to see for years. The most famous is probably the "spider walk" scene, in which Regan crawls down the stairs spider-like and attacks her mother. Other deleted scenes include a theological exchange between Father Karras and Father Merrin on the hallway steps outside of Regan's room (a cut which most displeased Blatty), as well as a "happier" ending that made it very clear that evil had not won over good subsequent of the death of Father Merrin. Friedkin disliked this ending (and this author agrees), though Blatty had always pushed for its inclusion.

Now, Warner has spent considerable time and money to prepare a new edition of the film, and in all 12 minutes of new footage has been added to THE EXORCIST. Most importantly, it is worth noting that this new version is not a de facto "director's cut," but rather could be more accurately described as an "author's cut." All involved (including Friedkin) admit it the changes were made to please William Peter Blatty, who has heavily pushed for a cut to be released that more accurately reflects his personal vision of the film.

We took in a screening of this new digitally remastered cut of the film just to see what had been changed when it was finally released this past Friday, the 22nd of September. So, here's a rundown of the additional footage included in this new remastered and recut version, along with some notes of reference to what footage has been included as outtakes on previous DVD versions. (Note that sound remix elements have not be included as the whole sound track has been reconfigured, unless it is somehow significantly altered or cut part of the film. ) Special thanks to Brendan Fanckboner for his help in compiling this list:

• The first addition comes right at the beginning of the film; in fact, even before the opening credit cards. It is a brief shot that starts on Regan's bedroom in Georgetown, and the light goes dark. The camera pans down the rainy street past a couple walking down the street and stops at a close up of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Some new music cues have been inserted, and the brief few second shot then cuts directly to the credit "A William Friedkin Film." Since this scene dissolves straight to the first credit card, the music cue from "Beginnings from 'The Wind Harp'" is now very quiet and indistinct.
   
• A new, brief suspense music cue has been added to the shot of Father Merrin climbing to higher ground for a better look at the Pazzuzu statue.
   
• During the scene of the movie shoot at Georgetown University, the soundtrack features newly recorded dialogue for the actors, AD, and the crowd of extras.
   
• A new scene of Regan's first visit to the doctor's office has been inserted right before Karras' visit to his mother in the state mental hospital. This roughly 6-minute scene features Regan's first visualization of the demon, as well as Chris being told that her daughter is using "advanced" and "foul mouthed" language. Regan is then proscribed Ritalin(!), a common drug now but little-known then. This scene somewhat alters the course of Regan's oncoming "illness," as the subsequent strange mutterings of the little girl seem less surprisingly with this little bit of hindsight included.
   
• During the scene where Chris tries to phone Regan's father for her birthday, we no longer hear Chris scream, "I've been on this fucking line for twenty minutes!"  The shot ends before that line, and a new music cue has been added.
   
• During the party scene, the shot of Regan laughing while serving drinks has been omitted.
   
• During the infamous scene when Regan's skull is x-rayed, during the early parts of the procedure extensive dialogue by the doctor and nurse has been looped in, telling Regan to "relax," "lie still," etc.
   
• As Father Dyer helps Karras into bed, removing his shoes and turning off the lights, he simply says,"Goodnight," as opposed to the original version's,"Goodnight, 'Dims'."
   
• When Regan is examined by the psychiatrist, a brief "morph" of her face into the demon has been inserted right before she grabs the poor doctor's nuts. A new Regan growl cue has also been inserted.
   
• When Chris comes home to discover Regan all alone (directly preceding the scene when she discovers Burke Dennings has been killed), three CGI images of the demon and the Pazuzzi statue have been inserted on the stove, the door and Regan's bedroom wall. These "stingers" appear briefly for about 1-to-2 seconds each.
   
• When Chris gets home and sees the lights flickering, there is "that new music cue" again.  It lasts from the point where the lights go out completely to when she enters Regan's bedroom.
   
• Chris' reaction to the news of Burke's demise has been reedited.  It features an alternate master shot of Chris and Jarv grieving.  Jarv now leaves the scene and Chris turns to Sharon, suddenly catching sight of Regan behind her. 
   
• After this different take of the exchange, the infamous "spider walk" has been inserted. However, this version differs from the deleted scene shown on the 25th Anniversary DVD. The walk itself has been cleaned up digitally to eliminate wires, and an alternate take of Regan spitting blood has been inserted, with some additional CG tinkering. It is an alternate take of the sequence that Friedkin and Blatty had tried due to the fact that the scene "wasn't happening" for Friedkin as scripted. (The only version previously known about is included on the 25th Anniversary DVD.)  Both the director and author/producer had long since forgotten about this outtake, but recently rediscovered it in the vaults and used it as an excuse to reinsert the whole thing!  The inclusion of the spider-walk scene also features another new bit of music, for more of a hair-raising experience. This new spider walk is then followed by a full 20 seconds of blackness, which seems intended to allow the audience to react to this newly-inserted footage.
   
• As Lt. Kinderman reveals his concerns over Burke's death to Father Karras, "that new music cue" can be heard, once again, during this scene. There is also new music during the new scene of Father Karras at the listening station at Georgetown University.
   
• During a mass that Father Karras performs, a brief extra long shot of the sermon has been included.
   
• After recording Regan's demonic voice during their second encounter, a 2-minute sequence has been reinserted of Karras listening to a tape Regan made before her possession. This poignant insertion features Regan leaving a message for her father after his and Chris' divorce.
   
• We see Father Merrin receive "the telegram" as in other versions, but once he reacts to it, we now can faintly hear the clanging sounds made by the Iraqi blacksmiths near the film's opening.
   
• After Father Merrin arrives to perform the exorcism, two brief shots have been added as the priests prepare for battle. Sharon is shown listening to a radio for comfort in the basement, followed by a subsequent scene with Chris offering Merrin some brandy, followed by a brief friendly exchange between the two. Father Merrin agrees to have brandy before the exorcism, despite his doctors' warnings. It's important to mention this moment of weakness on Merrin's part because it may have something to do with his heart attack, later on. This shot also features a new CGI background of Georgetown inserted behind the picture window of the living room.
   
• Just before Merrin and Karras enter the girl's bedroom to begin the exorcism, Merrin asks Chris the middle name of Regan. This quietly moving passage runs just a few seconds.
   
• Following the first part of the exorcism, a brief exchange on the nature of the demon between Merrin and Karras has been reinstated. (This scene is also available as an outtake on the 25th Anniversary DVD.)
   
• Following the "conclusion" of the first rite of exorcism, Regan continues breathing, even when Karras looks over at her. In the original version, she briefly stops breathing, and then Karras looks over at her.
   
• When Karras "sees" his mother on Regan's bed, we hear the sounds of that mental hospital all around us, letting us into Karras' guilt-racked mind for a moment.
   
• A digital morph of the Karras-Demon back to Karras has replaced the previous splice.
   
• Right before Karras leaps to his death through the window, Karras sees the face of his mother in the window.
   
• Two major additions have been made to the new ending of the film. The first involves the medallion Chris gives Dyer. In the original version, he takes it and she leaves quietly in the car. In the new version, he gives it back to her before leaving. This edit changes the nature of the encounter, and removes the apparent guilt and shame still felt by Chris in the original cut which Dyer does not resolve. We also now see Regan wave goodbye to father Dyer from the car as it drives off.
   
• Subsequently, the coda (also available on the 25th Anniversary DVD as a deleted scene) has been altered to give the film the "spiritual uplift" William Peter Blatty has often said the film lacks. After standing by the broken window and flight of stairs on which Karras was killed, Father Dyer runs into Lt. Kinderman, and the two have a brief exchange about movies. This passage is intended to illustrate that the devil has not indeed "won," and there is still goodness in the world(?) The "happy ending" is reedited slightly from it's form in the 25th Anniversary video.  Kinderman now says, "That's important" twice (obviously the same line relooped).  There is "lip flap" (mistimed audio to picture) during this scene.  One shot has also been removed: Dyer and Kinderman walking toward the camera, with Kinderman discussing a scene in CASABLANCA and Dyer saying Kinderman looks like Bogart. The scene simply cuts to the long shot of the two walking off after Kinderman asks Dyer to lunch. As the last shot in the new version fades out, we briefly hear the Indian/Iraqi singing as heard in the opening, which is then drowned out by the "Fantasia for Strings"/"Tubular Bells" mix.
   
  Perhaps the most controversial of the new additions, Friedkin has up until recently disparaged this ending along with most of the scenes put back into the film) but since seems to have had a change of heart. Or is his pocket book just getting fatter?
   
• There are now credits for the restoration and reconstruction, resulting in more of Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" being heard during this extension; new music is also covered in the restoration section of the credits.