Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist

"After languishing in post-production hell after Morgan Creek shelved it in favor of dramatic reshoots, Paul Schrader's Exorcist prequel finally makes it to the masses with this DVD release from Warner Bros. Amazingly, the disc comes complete so with a commentary track from the director along with a collection of deleted scenes for viewers to dive into. While the commentary curiously glides over the rift between the revered writer/director and the production company (or more to the point, the head of the production company), the track is an encompassing listen and goes a long way to explain the production's history and the choice of filmmaking techniques. Most interesting are Schrader's thoughts regarding master cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, who came out of retirement for the film only to premiere a theatrical complicated lighting scheme that was more than a bit overwhelming at first, though it does pay off in the end. Speaking of picture, the audio and video transfers are quite stunning, making for an extraordinary viewing experience with its 5.1 Dolby Digital sound and anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen picture. This DVD is worth a look for anyone who has followed the interesting tale behind the production, which is by all means a far superior film to Renny Harlin's scare-a-minute redo that landed in theaters with a heavy dud."