Screen Comparisons: THE EXORCIST 4K UHD vs 2010 Blu-ray

The piece below was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the art being covered in this piece wouldn't exist.

This article contains several comparisons which contrast the older Warner Brothers Blu-ray transfer with the new 4K UHD restoration. The frames aren’t necessarily exact matches, but should give a solid indication of the visual differences.

The “slider” images below allow for a quick comparison of the stills from both discs by color, cleanliness, and framing. Both sets of images are direct captures from the released discs, but may not be representative of both discs’ full 1080p and 4K UHD resolution. These are only illustrative of differences, and not definitive, especially in terms of resolution and clarity.

While the original source material used for The Exorcist’s 4K restoration has not been provided by Warner Brothers, it’s worth noting that the restoration credits on both cuts have been updated from their previous Blu-ray incarnations to note a 4K Restoration supervised and approved by director William Friedkin and cinematographer Owen Roizman (both sadly RIP).

Friedkin and Roizman supervised these new UHDs and the original 2010 Blu-ray, making for a notably interesting visual comparison. The Exorcist’s creative team has certainly taken advantage of the new color timing possibilities of HDR, pushing for deeper shadows and sharper color tones. The opening Iraq sequence is bathed in yellow and red, while the film’s later possession sequences contrast in a cooler, at times sharply bluer palette. The 2010 Blu-ray feels much more muted and hollow–an aspect that seems closer to theatrical and early DVD presentations–while the new UHD feels saturated and deeper by comparison.

The amount of detail brought out in this higher resolution cannot be denied. Where some shots of the Blu-ray note a good amount of black crush and pixelization, black levels on the 4K screenshots are more naturally developed. Note the finer texture of the sand and rubble of the archaeological dig, the tufts and shadows of Regan’s bedding and straps, the sinewy flesh and deep red blood of Dick Smith’s makeup on Regan’s face, and the usage of fog and mist in the film’s iconic lamppost shot and the appearance of Pazuzu during the exorcism.

It’s also interesting to note that accompanying the boost in image quality is a slight horizontal crop across both discs, reframing the film from its previous, more open-matte Blu-ray. I haven’t found other references online to this new framing, which seems like a deliberate choice by both Friedkin and Roizman.

It’s also worth noting that the sound mix has also received a Friedkin-supervised upgrade to Dolby Atmos, which is used to inventively disturbing effect in the film’s opening strings to final usage of Tubular Bells. A further coup compared to past releases is the remastering and inclusion of the Theatrical Version’s original mono mix, presented here in DTS-HD.

In the most mixed-bag aspect of this 4K upgrade, all of the film’s extras have been ported from the Blu-ray solely to the included 4K digital copy. Only the previously recorded commentaries by Friedkin (Disc 1–Extended) and William Peter Beatty (Disc 2–Theatrical) are included on the physical discs. Warner Brothers mitigates this by making the included Digital Code applicable on both Movies Anywhere and Vudu.

Regardless of the extra steps viewers must take to view the film’s archival special features, this 4K UHD of The Exorcist is a must-have upgrade for fans of a film long in the pantheon of Horror greats, just in time for the Halloween season.

The Exorcist is now available on 4K UHD courtesy of Warner Brothers.