'Director's Cut' - pluses (in my view of course)

I've heard that there are several versions of the Director's Cut that delete some of the most extreme elements of the first verion of the DC - e.g., the Dietz/Howdy face appearing on an oven hood, or a faintly glowing Pazuzu statue shining on a wall of Regan's darkened bedroom.

Be these alterations as they may, I would like to list some DC features that I enjoy - and would like to invite others to contribute their own ideas about the first, and subsequent versions, of the DC.

I liked the **idea** of inserting the spider walk immediately after Chris receives news of Burke Dennings' death. But the version I saw ended the walk with Regan opening her mouth with blood flooding out. I would have much preferred the "other" scene of Regan coming down the stairs, lapping her bscenely lengthened tongue, and licking Sharon's and Chris's ankles. It's much more creepy and realistic than the bloody-mouth version, in my opinion.

The "stairway confessional" scene between Karras and Merrin added warmth and at least a hint of "Why?" otherwise absent in Regan's innocent misadventure. The "Why" haunts the film and the viewer's mind and at least Von Sydow's reply to Miller's question is a move in the right direction.

Also enjoyable is the brief, touching scene of Chris offering Merrin coffee with brandy when the elderly Jesuit replies (as he does in the novel), "Well, the doctors say I shouldn't...but thank God, my will is weak". A very nice human lull before the storm of exorcism begins.

The adding-back-in of Karras's first visit to the university language lab, where he listens to the real voice of Regan - the voice of a normal adolescent girl. Throughout the entire story, other than this brief encounter, Karras never actually meets the girl he's trying to help, except for her desperate but impersonal stomach dermatographia of "Help Me". The first language scene lab shows Karras deeply puzzled over the simple **normalcy** of the child, as opposed to the actuality of the monstrosity that seems to be occupying her body.

The very next scene after the language lab shows Karras saying Mass.
When he comes to the words of Consecration, "This is the cup of My Blood...the Mystery of Faith..." Karras's eyes light up, his features become enthusiastic, as if he is really hearing the words for the first time after a long period of doubt. The language lab scene is the catalyst for Karras's reawakening to faith. He is daring, based on the extreme contrast between the real Regan of the tapes and the disturbed Regan, to consider that the Mystery of Faith may be real, and potentially available to him again.

These two consecutive scenes are perhaps the most important in establishing a brief new spark of faith in the guilt-ridden, doubting Damien Karras. For me this hints at Karras's possible return to belief even more than the thumping bed in the exorcism, the demon's knowledge of Karras's mother's death and his interaction with the subway transient, and even Regans' dermatographia. Thus, the first language lab scene really warms the film and puts the subject of Karras's future return to the fullness of his vocation before the viewer as a real hope.

I'm sure I've rambled enough about the DC changes that I like. What do you think of the various versions...?