I firmly believe if one is to undertake any endeavour in life, one ought either to undertake it wholeheartedly. Otherwise why even bother. Film restoration is no exception to the rule and it is therefore a shame that the lost footage of this film was never able to be recovered. Thankfully, we still have the theatrical cut in its excellent form, so all is still well.
In 'Legion', producers have opted to restore and recut what was left of source VHS tapes to revive 'lost scenes' which William Blatty originally desired to have in the final cut, in hopes of more accurately presenting on screen the events depicted in his novel of the same name. But there's just one big, glaring problem - the 'new' material, comprising raw and fossilized VHS footage, sticks out like a sore thumb and resembles more a 1970s budget British TV sitcom than it does anything to do with The Exorcist III. Naturally this is at odds with (and frankly sacrilege toward) the film's otherwise gorgeous aesthetic (much like Friedkin's The Exorcist, cinematogrophy in Exorcist III is thoroughly absorbing and influencing to the overall viewing experience).
The inclusion of this under-cooked and out of place VHS footage breaks the thick and claustrophobic atmosphere The Exorcist III is known for. The aesthetic and overall feel of the film is tarnished and subsequently the mood is killed - unacceptable in a psychological horror.
I'm sure there are many who will overlook this and still enjoy overall, but I fail to see why anyone in love with this particular vision of the story needn't skip this cut altogether and go straight to the source - the novel itself. Whilst it may be argued they add depth to the plot in the spirit of the novel, these 'recovered' scenes can't merely be overlooked due to their poor-quality on-screen production value which are cheap and disruptive.
It's a shame adequate time and investment wasn't afforded to a proper digital restoration of the VHS tapes. Perhaps Blatty should have waited longer to leave this project in the capable hands of a trustee, for a time in the future when technology allows for a better result. Had the extra material been added in more competently, it would have complemented the theatrical version and we would've been treated to a remarkable work; perhaps even a superior cut!
So how might this be problem be overcome? The solution is simple - the theatrical cut of The Exorcist III is one of the most brilliant and regrettably overlooked psychological horror flicks ever made. If you want to fully appreciate the vision of this story Blatty originally had in mind, don't watch Legion - I recommend you read the book instead. Otherwise, stick with the theatrical cut, a highly underrated gem of the genre, second only to Friedkin's original.
Director's Cut - 5/10 Theatrical Cut - 7/10.
In 'Legion', producers have opted to restore and recut what was left of source VHS tapes to revive 'lost scenes' which William Blatty originally desired to have in the final cut, in hopes of more accurately presenting on screen the events depicted in his novel of the same name. But there's just one big, glaring problem - the 'new' material, comprising raw and fossilized VHS footage, sticks out like a sore thumb and resembles more a 1970s budget British TV sitcom than it does anything to do with The Exorcist III. Naturally this is at odds with (and frankly sacrilege toward) the film's otherwise gorgeous aesthetic (much like Friedkin's The Exorcist, cinematogrophy in Exorcist III is thoroughly absorbing and influencing to the overall viewing experience).
The inclusion of this under-cooked and out of place VHS footage breaks the thick and claustrophobic atmosphere The Exorcist III is known for. The aesthetic and overall feel of the film is tarnished and subsequently the mood is killed - unacceptable in a psychological horror.
I'm sure there are many who will overlook this and still enjoy overall, but I fail to see why anyone in love with this particular vision of the story needn't skip this cut altogether and go straight to the source - the novel itself. Whilst it may be argued they add depth to the plot in the spirit of the novel, these 'recovered' scenes can't merely be overlooked due to their poor-quality on-screen production value which are cheap and disruptive.
It's a shame adequate time and investment wasn't afforded to a proper digital restoration of the VHS tapes. Perhaps Blatty should have waited longer to leave this project in the capable hands of a trustee, for a time in the future when technology allows for a better result. Had the extra material been added in more competently, it would have complemented the theatrical version and we would've been treated to a remarkable work; perhaps even a superior cut!
So how might this be problem be overcome? The solution is simple - the theatrical cut of The Exorcist III is one of the most brilliant and regrettably overlooked psychological horror flicks ever made. If you want to fully appreciate the vision of this story Blatty originally had in mind, don't watch Legion - I recommend you read the book instead. Otherwise, stick with the theatrical cut, a highly underrated gem of the genre, second only to Friedkin's original.
Director's Cut - 5/10 Theatrical Cut - 7/10.