Horror History: Remembering Poltergeist II’s JULIAN BECK
On this day in horror history, Julian Beck was born in Washington Heights, New York in 1925. He is best known for his role as Kane, the malevolent preacher in the 1986 movie Poltergeist II: The Other Side.
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Beck was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 1983. He died two years later on September 14, 1985, at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, aged 60. After his death, producers brought in voice actor Corey Burton during post-production to loop some of his lines for Poltergeist II: The Other Side.
The second entry in the Poltergeist series follows the Freeling family who again finds themselves under attack from supernatural forces attempting to claim their daughter. This time the spirit of an insane preacher who led an apocalyptic cult during the 19th century. In their efforts to save their daughter, the family finds help in a Native American shaman.
JoBeth Williams returned with Craig T. Nelson, Heather O’Rourke, and Zelda Rubinstein. Dana, the eldest Freeling daughter, was originally set to appear in a sequence showing her living away at college. But they scrapped the idea when Dominique Dunne was murdered in 1982.
Poltergeist II: The Other Side was directed by Brian Gibson from a screenplay written by Michael Grais and Mark Victor based on characters created by Steven Spielberg. Grais and Victor also produced. The musical score was composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith.
Released on May 23, 1986, Poltergeist II: The Other Side grossed $40.9M at the domestic box office. Ballantine Books published the novelization written by James Kahn in 1986.
How much do you love Julian Beck in Poltergeist II: The Other Side?
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