Legion: An Exorcist III Fanedit

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(Updated: September 16, 2012)
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10.0
Review by DwightFry78 — April 20, 2011 @ 12:04 am

This is, pure and simple, one of the most amazing fanedits I’ve seen, if only because absolutely NOTHING in it indicates that this is fanedited. I could have sworn this played in theaters, and I could have sworn this played in theaters back in 1990, as even the new opening credits have that optically printed feel, while most fanedit credits feel like homemade, albeit many of them very good, digital addendums. Speaking of credits, the ENTIRE closing credits crawl appears to have been retyped, every single word, just to cut out Nicol Williamson’s name and add some acknowledgements (any time, BTW!). Some meticulous work. Spicediver is not only an excellent editor, but even more of a perfectionist than I am.

As for the movie itself: I think the theatrical cut is a mess, and I think that even this version is flawed as cinema. It has some very interesting elements, but too much misplaced humor (“HIS GODDAMN NOSE IS BROKEN!!!” You’ve gotta be kidding) and Blatty’s limited directorial skills, much inferior to his talent as a writer and thus producing a mix of good moments and embarrassing ones (the scares could have been filmed by Ed Wood, and that dream sequence has to be a prank. It HAS to be a prank) keep it from exploring its many possibilities. The worst offenders could have been easily excised, but that’s not what this edit is about. It’s not how Spicediver wants the movie, it’s how he thinks Blatty would want it. And in that respect, this is a huge triumph, not to mention that, warts and all, it’s far superior to the theatrical. I particulsarly liked the simple but very effective way the ending was resolved. In this case, less is truly more.

Technically, this was flawless. Perfect video, perfect audio, indistinguishable from a store-bought official release. The menu is just a still of the cover, I think at least some music and a chapters menu would have been nice, but those are minor quibbles anyway. Extras are a nice trailer and some text links.

This said, I see no reason to not give this one a full 10/10. Great, very professional stuff.
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(Updated: September 16, 2012)
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10.0
Review by FatherMerrin — March 29, 2011 @ 1:06 pm

This outstanding edit brings to life the film that should of been. This edit removes all unnecessary scenes and as a result the film flows better and actually now makes much more sense.

Added footage involving the priest in the church put a massive smile on my face and gave the scene the extra shock it needed. The added footage where Kinderman first meets Gemini/Karras makes that scene finally work.

The only added footage I wasn’t 100% convinced by is the scene at the end where the Gemini says “I have dreams of a rose…” and it fades in & out of some dream footage. For me it had the effect of making the scene feel like 2 separate scenes. But William Pete Blatty was also very keen on this type of editing, so it is actually in keeping of the style of the movie.

All the removal of Exorcist/possession subplots did nothing but enchance the film and how Spicediver handled the Nurse Possession at the end which simple and brilliant.

Finally and most importantly, the ending. Having seen some previous attempts to correct the ending on youtube I was quite apprehensive. Those cursed bug eyes seem to be a problem no-one could solve. Well… Spicediver has succeeded where everybody else has failed! The ending not only works it is also haunting in a way I think Mark Kermode described when he saw the original Legion.

The big bonus for me is that this film from start to fininsh actually felt different from the Exorcist III. I can’t explain why but Spicediver’s version has a different air to it and as as result it’s like watching a whole new movie. Instead of watching the same movies with corrections, like most edits are.

As an Exorcist fan Spicediver’s edit of The Exorcist is in all likelyhood the closet I’m ever going to get to seeing Legion. Whether it will appeal to anyone outside the Exorcist or Horror community I don’t know, but this is a fine piece of work that should be scene by all edit fans.
F
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Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
This was a really well done edit to recreate William Peter Blatty's original intended version. It feels that there are a few moments within the first act where a couple seconds of silence in between lines felt cut out which felt less natural, but I don't remember if that was apparent in the theatrical version. Other than those moments, the editing felt seamless, and tightened the film overall.

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Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
My favorite fan edits usually take a pretty good movie and make it even more enjoyable and I think spicediver has done just that with this edit. I was already a pretty big fan of The Exorcist III. I think it's a very good looking movie with some terrific performances. The film only has a couple of really big scares, but I think the atmosphere and buildup to those moments makes them all the more effective. The original Alien does a similar slow buildup to create tension. Spicediver has made a few simple, but effective changes to the film, that I think work very well. The ending does feel a little rushed, but I know that he only had so much source material to work with. I highly recommended this edit to any fan of The Exorcist III.

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Overall rating
 
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
Turd polishing/turkey glazing at its finest.

It's obvious a lot of Spicediver care and attention went into demucking the theatrical release and turning it into an altogether different beast. The edit takes on a different pace and feels like a religious horror piece from the '70s, which is a plus; it allows one a chance to enjoy Dourif's and Scott's performances within a more coherent story, even if the latter hams it up in spots.

As noted by Dwight Fry, the custom titles look fantastic and range-free studio organic, both at the beginning of the movie and at the end. Another nice touch: Spicediver's foreword with creepy choirboy singing before the edit proper begins.

I watched the mp4 version, which sported excellent video quality.
Owner's reply October 02, 2012

Thanks for the positive review, ssj.

Some very observant comments about the 70's flavour - It never occurred to me until now.

SD

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