Early FX Designs


I'd like to thank fellow "Poltergeist" fan Matt Knowles for providing me with the scans below. He purchased these rare, original items on Ebay.


Here's what the "Beast" originally was going to look like. The sequence was filmed, but then re-shot when Spielberg thought the head looked too human:









On set test shot and negs of the original "face out of the closet scene", before they replaced the idea with Skull.

Auction description: THIS LOT IS FOR RARE RICHARD EDLUND TEST 35MM FRAMES AND HIGH-GRADE 11 X 14 PRINT (LOOKS LIKE HIGH-GLOSS CIBACHROME)! THIS INCREDIBLE MATERIAL DOCUMENTS THE EFX DEPARTMENTS FIRST LOOK AT THE DEMON IN DOORWAY



























Original concept drawing of the ghost that descends the stairs in Poltergeist, by Effects Supervisor Richard Edlund.







Auction Description: THIS LOT IS FOR EXTREMELY RARE, RICHARD EDLUND PRE-PRODUCTION ARTWORK - PIECE IS 8.5 X 14 INCH WATERCOLOR, MARKER AND PENCIL ON BOND PAPER - PIECE IS LUMINOUS AND GHOSTLY - THIS INCREDIBLE MATERIAL DOCUMENTS THE EFX DEPARTMENTS EARLY VISION OF THE DEMON - DON'T MISS THIS IMPORTANT KEY ART FROM THIS LANDMARK, AWARD-WINNING EFX CLASSIC!







Original concept drawing of the demon outside the kids room by Richard Edlund.

Auction Description: THIS LOT IS FOR EXTREMELY RARE, RICHARD EDLUND PRE-PRODUCTION ARTWORK - PIECE IS 10 X 13 INCH PASTEL OF DEMON IN DOORWAY - COLOR AND IMAGERY IS DELICATE AND ETHEREAL - ON BLACK CONSTRUCTION PAPER - THIS INCREDIBLE MATERIAL DOCUMENTS THE EFX DEPARTMENTS EARLY VISION OF THE DEMON - DON'T MISS THIS IMPORTANT KEY ART FROM THIS LANDMARK, AWARD-WINNING EFX CLASSIC!

*OVERALL CONDITION IS EXCELLENT! YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!

*GUARANTEED VINTAGE AND ORIGINAL! NUMBERED "85" AT BOTTOM LEFT!



And here's the rest of Matt's awesome collection!



















And here's some concept art for the Beast, when it appears outside the children's bedroom door: