By Lee Pfeiffer

The much-anticipated Blu-ray release of The Exorcist was worth the wait. Warner Home Video has justifiably been touting this as one of the major home video events of recent years and recently released the film to theaters in anticipation of the Blu-ray arrival. The film has aged remarkably well since its 1973 release. I recall being in high school when it opened and having to stand on line for hours in the frigid cold to see the movie, which initially only played at a small art house theater in New York. The film's impact hasn't diminished in the ensuing years, a testament to the talents of director William Friedkin and writer William Peter Blatty. Even though the film inspired countless inferior imitations that continue today, nothing comes close to the original Exorcist in terms of scaring the living daylights out of even the most sophisticated of viewers. Perhaps the film's ultimate impact lies in Friedkin's contention that this never was a horror movie, but a statement about the ultimate battle between good and evil. Friedkin wisely chose a cast based on their ability rather than box-office clout. The performances of the actors continue to impress, especially those of Jason Miller and some of the supporting actors who were not thespians by profession.

I won't waste time extolling the virtues of the film, as virtually everyone reading this has probably seen it numerous times. Warner Home Video has issued the movie on both DVD and Blu-ray, but the latter has all the bells and whistles that make this a truly phenomenal release. The DVD contains the extended director's cut from 2000, which was also a major hit when released to theaters. The DVD has a limited number of extras, all of which were issued previously: a director's commentary and some trailers and TV spots. The Blu-ray edition, however, features not only all of the special edition features that had previously been released, but also the original theatrical cut of the film. (Friedkin amended certain effects and added some scenes for the 2000 director's cut.)

John McTiernan, the once-revered director of such action films as Die Hard, Predator, The Hunt For Red October and the 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, has been sentenced to one year in jail and a $100,000 fine. McTiernan is free on bail pending appeal. The sentence results from his conviction on charges of hiring a private eye who used illegal wiretapping equipment to tape a producer McTiernan was having a dispute with. McTiernan was then convicted of lying to the court about his actions. For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Norman Wisdom, a giant in the field of British comedy, is dead at age 95. The iconic actor and comedian was one of the few remaining celebrities who made their names in the fabled British music halls of many years ago. His gentle brand of comedy generally found him playing a down-on-his-luck loser, similar to Chaplin's Little Tramp. So great was Wisdom's impact that Chaplin himself proclaimed him one of his favorite comedians, and his fans included Prince Charles, who grew up on his films. Wisdom had been living alone and independently until recently, when a series of strokes convinced him to move to a nursing home. Curiously, he was largely unknown in America, where his films were generally relegated to bottom-of-the-bill double features, if they were released there at all. However, in England, his popularity so transcended age brackets that his web site crashed when news of his death was announced. Click here for more.

True to his wishes, the family of Tony Curtis ensured that his funeral was an upbeat affair, filled with plenty of laughs and anecdotes. The star-studded tribute was open to the actor's many fans and was attended by his friends and family. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gave an impromptu eulogy and recalled how Curtis inspired him to succeed when he was a young actor. The Huffington Post notes how Curtis' widow remembered the mischievous superstar:

"Curtis' sixth wife, Jill Curtis, eulogized her husband of 12 years. She recalled how he easily dismissed their 45-year age difference when friends asked if he was worried about keeping up with a younger wife.

"Well, if she dies, she dies," she said her husband would deadpan in reply." For more click here