Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist followed later that year by a DVD release. While William Peter Blatty, the author and screenwriter of "The Exorcist", described "Dominion" as "a handsome, classy, elegant piece of work", critical reaction to the film has nonetheless been mixed to negative. Many critics stated that it is only slightly better than Harlin's version, holding a rating of 30% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 55 out of 100 on Metacritic, whereas "Exorcist: The Beginning" holds a rating of 11% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 30 out of 100 on Metacritic. Nonetheless, the good reviews "Dominion" did get were
The Exorcist (film) "The French Connection". After a standoff with the studio, which initially refused to budge over Rydell, Blatty eventually got his way. Principal photography for "The Exorcist" began on August 21, 1972. The shooting schedule was estimated to run 105 days, but ultimately ran well over 200. Friedkin went to extraordinary lengths manipulating the actors, reminiscent of the old Hollywood directing style, to get the genuine reactions he wanted. Yanked violently around in harnesses, both Blair and Burstyn suffered back injuries and their painful screams were included in the film. Burstyn injured her back after landing on her coccyx when a