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[Remember This?] Spielberg Dumps JoBeth Williams In A Pool With Real Skeletons In ‘Poltergeist’!
“Remember This?” is a new feature that highlights cool anecdotes from the horror genre’s storied past. It’ll pop up from time to time, giving you a brief look at something cool before you move on with your day.
This isn’t exactly a well kept secret, but it’s weird to think sometimes that some of those skeletons in Poltergeist are real. Towards the end of the film JoBeth Williams‘ character is thrown into a swimming pool flooded with dirt, rain and actual human remains (their house is built on a burial ground after all).
While the jury is still out on who directed the film between Tobe Hooper and producer Steven Spielberg, there’s no doubt that both of them were aware of their “authentic” props. What’s even stranger is that Williams was pretty much cool with it (stating that she was far more concerned about being electrocuted)! One thing’s for sure – this would not happen today. Hollywood is much less renegade in spirit than it was back then, and talent is more “finicky”. I was recently on the set of a horror film and watched the young female star – who had not heard this story – shudder in horror and disbelief as I relayed this tidbit.
As a germaphobe – I’m really hoping these things were thoroughly sanitized. Head inside for more pics! And decide for yourself if any of these are the real skeletons (dressed with fake rotting flesh) in question, or if the actual guys are somewhwre in the background.
We have an exclusive first look at A Man in the Woods With an Axe, a blood-soaked, genre-twisting homage to 1980s slasher films.
Spanning four decades, A Man in the Woods With an Axe begins in the summer of 1987 before pushing into the modern era, weaving together timelines and perspectives in a way that builds both dread and intrigue.
Drawing inspiration from genre standouts like Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Hatchet, and The Cabin in the Woods, the film blends visceral horror with moments of dark humor, creating a uniquely balanced experience that honors tradition while carving its own identity.
Writer-director Dillon Brown (Primal Darkness) aims to deliver everything fans crave from a slasher while boldly subverting expectations with a mid-film twist that redefines the story.
“This is an unapologetic love letter to the films that made me fall in love with horror,” Brown tells Bloody Disgusting. “But I didn’t just want to recreate that feeling; I wanted to challenge it. About halfway through, the film takes a turn that completely changes how you view not only this story, but the genre itself.”
Brown describes the vintage-inspired production as “far and away the bloodiest film I’ve ever made,” with practical effects helmed by Cody Ruch (The Mill, Pig Hill), an instructor at Tom Savini’s Special Make-Up Effects Program.
From Horror Dadz Productions, A Man in the Woods With an Axe is currently in production and targeting an early 2027 release.
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