THE EXORCIST: THE VERSION YOU’VE NEVER SEEN

D: William Firedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn.

The re-release of this 1973 film restores about 11 minutes of film that the author, Peter Blatty, always wanted to include. The press release promises that in addition to making the film more suspenseful, the restored footage also makes the film “spiritually deeper.” One thing the press release doesn’t explain is why the film is opening on March 17 in only three cities: Austin, Ann Arbor, and Athens, Georgia. Could it be the devil’smethodical plan to take over the world starting with the beginning of the alphabet? (Mar. 17)

HARD 8

D: Paul Thomas Anderson; with Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson.

Austin has been chosen for a test-run reissue of P.T. Anderson’s (Boogie Nights, Magnolia) first feature, a psychological web of a story about a mentorship/friendship betwen two Vegas gamblers. It’s a showcase for the brilliance of these actors, Anderson regulars who have room to shine amid the filmmaker’s genius for creating indelible characters. (Apr. 28)

This article appears in February 25 • 2000.

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Marjorie Baumgarten is a film critic and contributing writer at The Austin Chronicle, where she has worked in many capacities since the paper's founding in 1981. She served as the Chronicle's Film Reviews editor for 25 years.