Pazuzu (The Exorcist) to take complete control of her mind. However, with the aid of the priest Father Tomas and her family, Regan fights back against Pazuzu, regaining control of her mind, just as Father Tomas exorcises the demon from her body. William Peter Blatty's creations of Pazuzu and "The Exorcist" were based on a heavily reported series of 1949 events in St. Louis, Missouri concerning the possession of a 14-year-old known as "Robbie Mannheim" (or sometimes "Roland Doe"). Blatty, who was a student at Georgetown University, read about the story in Washington, D.C. newspapers and created "The Exorcist" twenty years later. In
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