From “Halloween” to “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” there is not any scarcity of iconic horror films from the ’70s and ’80s that launched long-running franchises. Still, “Poltergeist” stands out among the many relaxation due to its cult following — and plenty of of these followers consider the Poltergeist franchise is definitely cursed.
A reboot of the basic 1982 horror movie “Poltergeist” got here out in 2015, however let’s be trustworthy: nothing may examine to the unique. While no horrific accidents occurred on the set of the latest film (that we all know of, anyway), there are many rumors of a curse on the unique movie trilogy’s solid.
The film revolves round a suburban household who strikes into a brand new house and begins to note unusual issues involving their 5-year-old daughter, Carol Ann. Turns out, menacing spirits are haunting the home, and whereas their interactions appear innocent at first, their true evil nature is quickly revealed when Carol Ann goes lacking, and her determined mother and father flip to an exorcist for assist.
Read on to seek out out concerning the mysterious occasions which have made folks speculate that the Poltergeist film franchise could be the most cursed sequence in Hollywood.
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It All Began With Human Skeletons
One of probably the most well-known scenes options JoBeth Williams’s character, Diane, falling into the household’s pool full of skeletons. What you won’t know is that these skeletons are literally actual — not less than the “Poltergeist” solid did not. “In my innocence and naiveté, I assumed that these weren’t actual skeletons,” Williams mentioned in a 2006 episode of TV Land’s “TV Myths and Legends.” “I assumed that they have been prop skeletons made out of plastic or rubber . . . I discovered, as did the crew, that they have been utilizing actual skeletons as a result of it is too costly to make pretend skeletons out of rubber.”
Months After the Release of the First Film, a Star Was Murdered
“Poltergeist” was launched in June 1982, and in November of that yr, 22-year-old Dominique Dunne, who performed Dana (the household’s older daughter), was murdered. Dunne was strangled in her personal driveway by her abusive ex-boyfriend and was faraway from life help 5 days later.
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An Exorcism Was Performed on the Set of the Sequel
Concerned about the usage of actual skeletons on the set of the primary movie, Native American actor and “Poltergeist II: The Other Side” star Will Sampson carried out an exorcism on the set of the second movie in 1984. According to Williams, he went to the set late at evening by himself to do it. The subsequent day, the solid supposedly felt relieved.
2 Cast Members Died Within Years of the Sequel
Julian Beck, who starred as Kane in “Poltergeist II: The Other Side,” died of abdomen most cancers at age 60. He was recognized earlier than he accepted the position, and he died in September 1985, months earlier than the movie got here out in theaters. In June 1987, Sampson, the actor who carried out the exorcism, died of malnutrition and postoperative kidney failure at age 53. While their deaths could not appear so uncommon, some followers nonetheless consider they’re related to the curse.
Poltergeist’s Young Star Died at 12
Poltergeist’s iconic younger star Heather O’Rourke (aka Carol Anne, who mentioned the well-known “They’re right here” line) was extremely younger when she died of cardiac arrest and septic shock attributable to a misdiagnosed intestinal concern. She died in February 1988 at 12, a number of months earlier than the discharge of “Poltergeist III,” the ultimate chapter within the unique sequence.
A Cast Member Barely Escaped Death
Richard Lawson was aboard USAir Flight 405 when it crashed into Flushing Bay in March 1992. A complete of 27 folks (out of the 51 on board) have been killed. Lawson survived, however the occasion is but one more reason folks declare the film introduced unhealthy luck to its solid.
In 2009, a Second Cast Member Was Murdered
Lou Perryman performed the small position of Pugsley within the unique movie. He was 67 years previous when a lately launched ex-convict killed him in his own home with an ax.
What do you suppose — is it a curse or just a sequence of horrible occasions?
