Disc Reviews

The Exorcist II: The Heretic Blu-ray Review

• 29th Sep 2024

What on God’s green earth were they thinking? Everything cries out “no!” in this odd sequel. We get some returning cast including Max von Sydow (flashback!), Kitty Winn and of course, Linda Blair. You do kind of feel sorry for poor Kitty Winn’s Sharon Spencer at the end who gets randomly taken over and acts out, … well…  What she does doesn’t do her any favours.

They are joined by Richard Burton who plays the man of the cloth this time to come to the aid of poor Regan as she is once again tormented from beyond. The late James Earl Jones and Louise Fletcher add to the squandered cast in a film that still ranks highly of a film so lowly received by fans and critics alike.

Sadly for this review, it was only Disc 2 that was made available. So, the International version, which has a different outcome. In the end, it’s a hard film to recommend. But it has a fairly decent extras package.  Two discs. Two versions of the film and at least 5 commentary tracks!

What is interesting is that one of the commentary tracks is by David Kittredge who has directed a retrospective documentary on the making of the film called Heretics (Hopefully the opening line of this review is the tagline for that documentary!). Sadly that’s nowhere to be seen in this set, otherwise, that might be the reason to buy it.  Opinion on the film may be slanted (steeply!) but we do like our bonus extras!

Steven Hurst

Full contents:

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of both cuts of the film
• Original lossless mono audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter Savieri
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Glenn Kenny and Matt Rogerson, plus an archival interview with cinematographer William Fraker

DISC ONE – ORIGINAL PREMIERE VERSION

• New commentary by film historian Lee Gambin and filmmaker David Kittredge, director of the feature-length Exorcist II documentary, Heretics
• New audio commentary by screenwriter and author Kelly Goodner and film historian Jim Hemphill
• Archive audio commentary with director John Boorman
• Archive audio commentary with special consultant Scott Michael Bosco
• It’s Okay, He’s Gone, a new visual essay by film critics BJ and Harmony Colangelo
• What Does She Remember?, an archive interview with actress with Linda Blair
• An Interview with Editor Tom Priestley, archive featurette
• Theatrical trailer
• Teaser trailer
• Extensive image galleries

DISC TWO – INTERNATIONAL / ORIGINAL HOME VIDEO VERSION

• Archive audio commentary by film critic Mike White of The Projection Booth podcast
• Theatrical trailer

Details:
Barcode: 5027035027937
Cat number: FCD2623
Format: BD
UK Release date: 07/10/2024
RRP: £24.99
Genre: Horror
Region coding: B
Runtime: 117 MINS
Discs: 2
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: Feature EN Mono 1.0
Colour: Colour
Director: John Boorman
Cast: Linda Blair, Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher, Max von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Paul Henreid, James Earl Jones
Language: English
Subtitles: English SDH
Rating: 18

The Exorcist II: The Heretic is out on 7^th October