In the screenplay, the sequence where the Freelings and the paranormal psychologists witness the spirits at the staircase is a bit different. Instead of a floating spirit, the screenplay describes the spiritual display as “something ectoplasmic and blue-green” and later, “a crawling mass” that  ”resembles a giant hand with long, searching fingers, flowing down the stairs.”

There is a brief exchange of dialogue between Ryan and Marty, who the screenplay refers to as Tak.

RYAN: It’s manifesting! It’s manifesting! Look at the scope!

TAK:  Watch the trip wires! Temperature’s dropping.

RYAN: Racial!!

TAK: Can you breathe?

RYAN: Can you run? I’m workin’ on it.

The script then describes “another tentacle,” that is compared to a snake, that studies the Ryan’s video equipment. “Ectoplasmic mist” then enters the living room, where Diane, Steve, Robbie, and Dr. Lesh are resting.

DR. LESH: Have you experienced this before?

DIANE: First time!

DR. LESH: Me too.

All the lights turn on and blares in everyones’ eyes. A loud noise is soon followed by a “flash” before everything in the room returns to normality.

As in the film, everyone goes to watch the tape, where they see the shapes manifest into ghostly human figures. Then, they see the creepy eyes of what appears to be a deranged, old man. The following exchange actually appeared in the trailer:

DIANE: That thing is in there with my baby! That thing! That thing!

DR. LESH: My God! There are hundreds.

Lesh then takes out the tapes and puts them in a briefcase.

The original concept begins with Diane brushing her hair in front of the mirror. At one point, she flips her hair around and finds that her newly formed grey hairs are frozen in the air. Similar to a concept from The Entity, deep, finger-like impressions press up against her jaw. The invisible force then appears to give her an uninvited kiss.

While this is going on, the stain on the bedroom wall grows, before eventually reaching a stopping point. It then begins to breathe.

Diane runs to the door, but the force closes it before she could escape. She is then violently flung onto her bed. Her robe is torn off, leaving just her nightgown. Her legs are forced open and her body is thrusting in a more than suggestive manner. She is then dragged on to the wall, according to the screenplay, “across the mandibles of the spider stain.” She is then slammed against the stain, before being dragged to the other side.

As you can tell, the original scene would have granted Poltergeist an R rating, which was not Spielberg’s intention. The scene was re-shot in a less suggestive manner.

In the final film, there is a scene where Carol Anne approaches the television. A ghoulish hand floats out and bursts into the wall. In the screenplay, this began a small subplot, where a stain starts growing on that exact spot on the wall.

Later in the film, Diane finds E Buzz barking at the wall. Diane’s eyes are then directed to something, but the film cuts away. She, of course, was looking at the stain on the wall. The scene actually went on for a bit longer. She grabs a pillowcase and attempts to clean it off, but it doesn’t budge.

A bit later, as Teague and Steven are talking by the cemetery, we return to the stain as Diane is cleaning around the house. While she is making her bed, she notices that the stain is much larger now. Diane sees a picture on the other wall, and decides to hang it over the stain.

The stain then briefly disappears for a short time after the house has been “cleansed,” but  it doesn’t take long for it to reappear.