Exorcist 4 pics looks terrible!

[Charles Bronson]

Dark Horizons posted a link to some photos today (6/4/4) from the FX guy who worked on Exorcist: The beginning. (link below)

They show a way over the top evil figure and a crazed devil dog that doesn't even come close to the one's in Ghostbusters

What on earth is this film going to be like?

http://www.garyjtunnicliffe.com/gallery.php?Mode=1&ID=2&Page=1

[gavinhanly]

Far more looking forward to the potential release of the Schraeder version.

[James45]

I'm guessing they've been taken down, i can't see them

[Charles Bronson]

Is that certainly going to be released?

[DM]

Hey, that's our very own MrSpeed on page one. :clap:

[SIMON ADEBISI]

Why Renny Harlin? He's so damn crappy.

[MrSpeed]

Originally posted by Dave Metcalf
Hey, that's our very own MrSpeed on page one. :clap:


:suspect:


Pics had to be removed at the request of Morgan Creek.

[Ol' Blue Eyes]

If Warners do release the Schrader cut in some form, will this be unique in film history, 2 directors making their own takes of the same film and (roughly) at the same time, not years later as a remake (like with Psycho)?

[James45]

It is rather rare for a film to be completely reshot with different directors.

[Charles Bronson]

Originally posted by Ol' Blue Eyes
If Warners do release the Schrader cut in some form, will this be unique in film history, 2 directors making their own takes of the same film and (roughly) at the same time, not years later as a remake (like with Psycho)?

Maybe 'Ringu 2', which was made after the first 'Ringu' follow up, 'Spiral', didn't go down so well.

[Adamant]

I just want the proper vision of what E 4 should be like! The studio-approved one can be a failure for all I care. It insults me when the big studios take audiences for dumb fools who can't handle an intelligent film.

[Wezzy]

This from Variety:
'Exorcist's' double demons
DVD plan for prequels a head-turner

By CLAUDE BRODESSER, DAVE MCNARY

'Exorcist: The Beginning' has seen a revolving door of thesps since it first started shooting.
Having first made a prequel to the 1973 blockbuster with Paul Schrader and found it lacking in overt frights, Morgan Creek commissioned a second "Exorcist" prequel with a new cast, a tweaked script and a new director in Renny Harlin; that pic will be released in theaters Aug. 20.
Will Schrader's movie be consigned to the scrap heap? No, Morgan Creek topper James Robinson has other plans: He's seeking to have Warner Bros. release both helmers' "Exorcist" pics on DVD simultaneously. Among other potential confusions, this raises the specter of a complicated credits arbitration with the DGA.

It's an unconventional, and possibly unprecedented move, with sizable implications for both pics' bottom lines. Almost $100 million is at stake.

"I'm very proud of my film, and I think it deserves to be seen," Schrader told Daily Variety. "If I get the DVD, I can say 'God bless you Renny; may your film do well.' "

Schrader said he's agreed in principle to the arrangement with Morgan Creek in order to get his version seen and as a way of settling the contractual issues of his being owed a preview and an official screening. He also said the pact will eliminate the possibility of a Directors Guild of America credit arbitration.

Schrader noted his original marching orders were to make a non-hardcore horror film lacking in the original's more shocking qualities.

"They made it clear -- no spinning heads and no pea soup," he said. "So that's what I delivered, but then they changed their mind."

Schrader noted the pact includes a nondisparagement clause for both sides.

"The agreement allows me to say that it's Robinson's money and his decision," he added. "This is kind of a case of buyer's remorse, as you bought a Lexus, and when you got it home, you decided that you really wanted a Hummer, so now you have a Lexus and a Hummer in your garage."

It's unclear whether consumers would pay extra for two prequels. Also unknown is whether Warners would bundle both films in one DVD or simply make both films available individually. A spokesman for the studio said Morgan Creek hadn't yet discussed the DVD plan with execs there.

Robinson said he's deferring to Warner homevid prexy James Cardwell on the subject of how many discs to package, but insists the two "Exorcist" films are distinct, and not one film that has simply been reshot.

"This is going to sound unbelievable," Robinson said of the decision, "but we made a movie -- twice. If you see the two movies, you wouldn't believe it's the same d.p."

After Schrader's "Exorcist" allegedly came up short on scares, scribe Alexi Hawley was hired to change the script in a few areas, and its central characters were recast and, in some cases, renamed.

For example, Gabriel Mann, who played Father Francis in the Schrader version, was replaced by James D'Arcy in that role. In Harlin's movie, the character of Rachel (Clara Bellar) was changed to Sarah and played by Izabella Scorupco. And the part of Che-che, played for Schrader by pop star Billy Crawford, was changed to Joseph, played by Remy Sweeny.

The motivation for the dual DVD release was the substantial cost of shooting Schrader's picture, which Robinson says was roughly $32 million to $35 million. Harlin's version, shot with the same cinematographer, cost between $52 million to $54 million, according to Robinson.

"The situation is in some ways the ultimate film school exercise, though you usually don't give each director $35 million to make their film," added Schrader, best known for penning classics like "Raging Bull" and "Taxi Driver."

Of course, "Exorcist" had been bedeviled by numerous snafus that predated even the Schrader/Harlin imbroglio. John Frankenheimer was to have helmed the film originally, but died before he got the chance. Schrader's intended lead, Liam Neeson, was replaced by Stellan Skarsgard, due to Neeson's scheduling conflicts.

The DGA has declined to comment on the matter.

Date in print: Wed., Apr. 14, 2004, Los Angeles

In days gone by Schrader's film would have just been canned, the power/$ of DVD will at least allow us to see it.

[James45]

great news, i would imagine Harlin's version will be released on it own and also packaged with Schrader's in a premium set.

[jroadley]

Article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3624915.stm) over at the BBC site...

[camaj]

Originally posted by James45
It is rather rare for a film to be completely reshot with different directors.

Though famously it happened with Back to the future and Superman 2, although Donner only shot for a few days.

I wouldn't watch this film but I would love to compare both versions. That'd be very interesting

[Cinemasia.net]

Originally posted by SIMONADEBISI
Why Renny Harlin? He's so damn crappy.

He did "Deep Blue Sea", therefore he can make fun action-thriller movies with horror elements. It wouldn't be good, but at least there would be a hot chick stripping in front of a man-eating shark.

[James45]

Originally posted by camaj
Though famously it happened with Back to the future and Superman 2, although Donner only shot for a few days.

back to the future reshot a few days worth of footage after firing eric stolz and replacing him with Michael J Fox.

I certainly haven't heard of an entire film being completely remade with a different director because the studio wasn't happy with the results of the first director. I can't see the financial sense in their decision either. Schrader's film cost Morgan Creek around $32m but they didn't like it so decided to give Harlin another $50m to make a second film, effectively writing off the first film and their $32m.

By commissioning a second film they now have to recoupe $82m from one film they don't believe in and another from a second-rate action director. Surely with some clever marketing it would have been easy to make their $32m back with Schrader's film alone. They must have money to burn at Morgan Creek, get your scripts in to them!!:D

[bronso]

IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/#8) reports the astonishing news that Paul Schrader is "furious" that his cut will be released on DVD, because he wants a theatrical release.

Of course, that directly contradicts the above report. If true, though, what's the man thinking? The studio disliked his film so much they hired another director to remake it from scratch! He should take that DVD release and thank his lucky star that Morgan Creek didn't simply burn the negatives.

Besides, if the Schrader cut is even moderately good it's sure to pick up a following off the DVD, and then sooner or later it will get at least a limited release.