Novelist William Peter Blatty based his best-seller on the last known Catholic-sanctioned exorcism in the United States. Blatty transformed the little boy in the 1949 incident into a little girl named Regan, played by 14-year-old Linda Blair. Suddenly prone to fits and bizarre behavior, Regan proves quite a handful for her actress-mother, Chris MacNeil (played by Ellen Burstyn, although Blatty reportedly based the character on his next-door neighbor Shirley MacLaine). When Regan gets completely out of hand, Chris calls in young priest Father Karras (Jason Miller), who becomes convinced that the girl is possessed by the Devil and that they must call in an exorcist: namely, Father Merrin (Max von Sydow). His foe proves to be no run-of-the-mill demon, and both the priest and the girl suffer numerous horrors during their struggles. The Exorcist received a theatrical rerelease in 2000, in a special edition that added 11 minutes of footage trimmed from the film's original release and digitally enhanced Chris Newman's Oscar-winning sound work. Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Genre: Horror
- Category Supernatural Horror, Religious Drama
- Theme: Demonic Possession, Crisis of Conscience
- Studio: Warner Home Video
- Run Time: 02 hr 12 min
- Edition: Restored / Remastered
- Language: Spanish, English, French
- Subtitle Language: French, Spanish, English
- Picture Format: widescreen
- Release Date: October 5, 2010
- Lead Actor: Ellen Burstyn, Kitty Winn, Jason Miller, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow
- Supporting Actor: Lee J. Cobb, Ron Faber, Titos Vandis, Wallace Rooney, Mercedes McCambridge, Robert Symonds, Jack MacGowran, Vasiliki Maliaros, Rev. William O'Malley, Barton Heyman, Peter Masterson, Robert Gerringer, Rudolf Schundler, Roy Cooper, Donna Mitchell
- Director: William Friedkin, Jason Miller
awards
- Awards: Academy Awards (2), Golden Globe Awards (3)
- Winner: Golden Globe Awards, Best Director, 1973, William Friedkin
- Winner: Golden Globe Awards, Best Screenplay, 1973, William Peter Blatty
- Winner: Academy Awards, Best Sound, 1973, Chris Newman, Robert Knudson
- Winner: Golden Globe Awards, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Ro, 1973, Linda Blair
- Winner: Academy Awards, Best Adapted Screenplay, 1973, William Peter Blatty
- Nominations: Academy Awards (8), Golden Globe Awards (3)
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Picture, 1973, William Peter Blatty
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Cinematography, 1973, Owen Roizman
- Nominee: Golden Globe Awards, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Pictur, 1973, Ellen Burstyn
- Nominee: Golden Globe Awards, New Star of the Year - Female, 1973, Linda Blair
- Nominee: Golden Globe Awards, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, 1973, Max von Sydow
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Art Direction, 1973, William Malley, Jerry Wunderlich
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Picture, 1973, William Peter Blatty
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Actress, 1973, Ellen Burstyn
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Editing, 1973, John C. Broderick, Norman Gay, Evan Lottman, Bud Smith
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Director, 1973, William Friedkin
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Director, 1973, William Friedkin
