The making of the 1982 horror classic Poltergeist was far more terrifying behind the scenes than anything audiences witnessed on screen, with the shocking revelation that real human skeletons were used as props throughout production.
The Chilling Discovery
In a stunning admission that has emerged decades after the film's release, crew members have confirmed that the skeletal remains used extensively in the film's climactic swimming pool scene and other sequences were genuine human bones, sourced because they were cheaper than plastic replicas.
"If I'd known the skeletons were real, I'd have been even more disgusted," confessed special effects artist Bruce Courtney, who handled the macabre props without knowing their true nature. The production's frugal approach to budgeting led to this disturbing cost-cutting measure that would never pass modern filmmaking standards.
The Curse That Haunted the Cast
The use of real human remains has long been cited as contributing to the so-called 'Poltergeist curse' that seemingly plagued the production and its cast. Most tragically, two young actors from the film died prematurely under mysterious circumstances shortly after filming wrapped.
Dominique Dunne, who played the eldest daughter Dana, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend just months after the film's release. Then Heather O'Rourke, the iconic little girl Carol Anne, died suddenly during surgery for septic shock in 1988 at just 12 years old.
Behind the Director's Chair
The film's production was shrouded in controversy from the beginning, with ongoing debates about whether Tobe Hooper or producer Steven Spielberg truly directed the masterpiece. New insights reveal a complex collaborative process where Spielberg's influence was substantial, though Hooper maintained creative control over key horror elements.
Special effects artist Craig Reardon described the atmosphere as "fraught with tension," noting that the production felt like "two different movies being made simultaneously" due to the competing creative visions.
A Legacy of Horror and Controversy
Nearly four decades later, Poltergeist remains a landmark in horror cinema, but its disturbing production secrets continue to cast a long shadow. The revelation about the real skeletons adds another layer of macabre authenticity to a film that already felt unnervingly real to both cast and audience.
Modern film productions would face severe ethical and legal consequences for such practices, making Poltergeist a chilling time capsule of a different era in filmmaking—one where budget constraints sometimes overrode basic human dignity and respect for the deceased.
