'Cursed' Steven Spielberg classic with four deaths and haunted props

The 1982 horror hit Poltergeist, directed by Steven Spielberg, was allegedly "cursed", with four cast members meeting untimely deaths post-filming and eerie tales surrounding its props. The film, which tells the chilling tale of a suburban Los Angeles family haunted by supernatural forces in their new home, is now hailed as a modern American horror classic. However, the real-life tragedies that followed its production have cast a shadow over its legacy, fuelling rumours of a "curse". Dominique Dunne, who portrayed the teenage sister Dana in the film, was tragically murdered just months after filming wrapped. She was strangled by an ex-boyfriend in a horrific off-set incident, leading to his conviction for voluntary manslaughter and a reduced sentence. This shocking loss sent ripples through the cast and crew, casting a dark cloud over the film. Heather O'Rourke, the young star known for her iconic line "They're heeere!", suffered a sudden medical emergency in 1988, collapsing unexpectedly. Despite being rushed to a children's hospital, doctors were unable to save her. Her death was later attributed to an intestinal abnormality exacerbated by infection and septic shock. The release of Poltergeist III followed just four months after her tragic passing, reports the Mirror . Two additional cast members perished within years of the follow-up films - Julian Beck, a theatre director who portrayed the sinister Reverend Kane in Poltergeist II, succumbed to stomach cancer in 1985. Will Sampson featured in Poltergeist II and later died in 1987 following complications from a heart-lung transplant. Then there's the matter of the props - the substance of cinematic legend. Crew members alleged that some of the skeletons featured in the film's chilling living-room-of-bones scene were actual human remains, sourced through medical suppliers as they were more affordable and appeared genuine on screen. Various testimonies - some from crew interviews at the time and subsequent magazine articles - paint a picture of fraught atmospheres during the sequels' production, with Will Sampson reportedly conducting an exorcism once filming concluded one evening. Critics embraced Poltergeist upon its 1980s release. Roger Ebert dubbed it "an effective thriller," commending how the filmmakers "see the movie's strange events through the eyes of the family members, instead of just standing back and letting the special effects overwhelm the cast along with the audience". The Washington Post described the film as one that "arouse[s] childhood fears, teasing away adult defenses... making us hunker in our seats". Spielberg had initially hoped to collaborate with Stephen King on the screenplay, but the horror master was committed to other ventures at the time. The picture received three Academy Award nominations and was ranked by the Chicago Film Critics Association as the 20th most terrifying film of all time.