The movie 'Poltergeist' used real skeletons because they were cheaper than buying props!

Posted Aug 23, by Bruno

Poltergeist was released in 1982 and was the most successful of the Poltergeist film trilogy. Steven Spielberg co-wrote and produced the first American horror film in the trilogy. The plot is of a Californian suburban family whose youngest daughter was abducted by malevolent ghosts who had invaded their home.
The film itself is considered cursed, because some of the people associated with the film have died very prematurely. The production used real human skeletons when filming the swimming pool scene. Many of the people on the set were alarmed by this and led others to believe the "curse" on the film series was because of using real skeletons.
Craig Reardon, a special effects artist who worked on the film, said at the time that it was cheaper to purchase real skeletons than plastic ones, as the plastic ones involved labor in making them. Williams was not afraid of the prop skeletons, but she was nervous working in water around so many electrically powered lights. Producer Spielberg comforted her by being in the water during her scenes, claiming that if a light fell into the pool, they would both be killed.
(Source)