It was only fitting to use a tagline of “they’re back” to recreate the tale of the Freelings, who were first terrorized by ghosts in the film titled “Poltergeist.” In this film, the family has settled into a new home , but all is not what it seems. In this article, you will learn some of the trivia surrounding the sequel to this rather popular horror film of the 1980s.
The Plot
The Freeling family attempts to move on with their lives by shacking up with Diane’s mother. They hope to forget the traumatizing nightmare regarding the kidnapping of Carol Anne. However, this is not the last time that the family will come face to face with paranormal incidents. This is where we meet the ghostly entrance of Reverend Kane , a religious fanatic who is responsible for many deaths of followers. He is on the rampage to capture the angelic younger daughter of the Freeling clan. In order to keep Carol Anne safe , it is going to take the strength of a family’s love, psychic powers, and the help of a wise Native American.
Reprising their roles, JoBeth Williams is once again Diane Freeling (the mother), Craig T Nelson (Steve Freeling- father); Heather O Rourke (Carol Anne Freeling , youngest daughter); Oliver Robins (Robbie Freeling – son). Zelda Rubinstein plays Tangina Barrons , the little lady with psychic powers and squeaky shoes.
Trivia and Facts
While the first movie was nominated for three Academy Awards , the sequel earned one nomination for an Oscar in the category of Best Effects (Visual Effects).
There is believed to be a “Poltergeist Curse” that befalls some of those who have worked on the three films in the trilogy. While it is known that her boyfriend murders Dominique Dunne after filming the first movie and Heather O Rourke passes on after the third film , another actor met an untimely death. Julian Beck, who played the eerie Kane, died of a case of stomach cancer right after finishing up the second film. Along the way, numerous cast members have also suffered the ups and downs of their career after taking on roles in the Poltergeist films.
Unknown at the time, a handful of cadavers used in the movie were actual skeletons. When the cast and crew learned of this fact , they requested an exorcism be performed on the set so that mounting tensions during the production would subside. It was granted and a man named Will Sampson, who was an actual shaman before he died in 1987, performed the exorcism. In order to perform his rites, studio security were told to leave the set unlocked and without any guards so that Sampson could visit the site during the middle of the night to complete the exorcism.
Following in line with the first film , there were no murders or people meeting a violent end in the second Poltergeist flick.
Ironically, a poster depicting “E.T.” decorated Carol Anne’s bedroom wall. In the first article, you learned that Drew Berrymore auditioned for the role of Carol Anne before she was granted the role of Gertie in “E.T.”