Amazon.com: What a combo! Tobe Hooper, the director of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, teamed up with family-oriented producer Steven Spielberg to make Poltergeist. The film is about a haunted suburban tract home in a development very much like the Arizona one in which Spielberg was raised. (Because it came out the same summer as Spielberg's E.T., it was tempting to see both movies as representing Spielberg's ambivalent feelings about childhood in suburbia. One was a fantasy, the other a nightmare.) Spielberg also cowrote the screenplay, which taps into primal, childlike fears of monsters under the bed, monsters in the closet, sinister clown faces, and all manner of things that go bump in the night. At first, some of the odd happenings in the house are kind of funny and amusing, but they grow gradually creepier until the film climaxes in a terrifying special-effects extravaganza when 5-year-old Carole Anne (Heather O'Rourke) is kidnapped by the spooks and held hostage in another dimension. Though not nearly as frightening as Hooper's magnum opus, or the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, which came along two years later, Poltergeist is one of the smartest and most entertaining horror pictures of its time. --Jim Emerson
Description: This awesome supernatural thriller stars Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams as a California couple swept up in a wave of horror after sinister spirits invade their home and kidnap their child. Year: 1982 Director: Tobe Hooper Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Jo Beth Williams, Beatrice Straight
Poltergeist 25th Anniversary Edition Poltergeist is my favorite movie of all time. I've been waiting for an Anniversary edition for years! This edition is very disappointing as far as extras go. I gave it 3 stars for the picture and sound quality which have never been better! Where is the theatrical trailer? In the theatrical trailer for the movie, there is part of a deleted scene where everyone is looking at the tapes of the ghosts. They see a black shadow with red eyes and behind it the shadow of "the beast". Diane covers Robbie's eyes and screams "That thing is in there with my baby!" Steve has to pull her away from the video monitors. I'm sure there are other deleted scenes as I know there is an outtake. The scene where Diane is forced up on the ceiling was originally shot differently. There was a spider-like stain above her bed that she ended up being dragged across and there was supposed to be more of an emphasis on a "ghost rape". The spider-like stain was supposed to foreshadow what the children's closet ends up looking like. I've seen pictures of this scene with the spider-like stain and I have to say I like the cut in the movie much better. There are also plenty of documentaries that could've been included on this dvd. You can watch the Making Of Poltergeist on youtube. The MGM release at least had an 8 page booklet with production notes and photos! I hope Warner Bros will release a special edition of the movie in the future with a lot of the extras I've mentioned! There's been a long debate over the years of whether Steven Spielberg directed it instead of Tobe Hooper. I know Spielberg helped out as he did with other movies he produced.(The Goonies) Who cares who really directed it. Give the fans what they want!!!!
One of the best in horror. THEY'RE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who doesn't know that line??? If you don't, I pity you. Go rent this movie immediately. The acting is superb, the script amazing, the fx are good for its time. One of the creepiest and most interesting movies to emerge from the horror genre. Another horror masterpiece and a must see/must own. Highly recommended.
Classic Speilberg Lately I have been really craving a good suspense/horror film. And I could have sworn I had seen this before, but when I started watching it I realized I have not. And man am I glad now I have seen it.
It starts off with nice shots around the town where everything seems normal, and you can definitely tell Spielberg was directing this. The story evolves around a family in there home, who start to notice strange things happening around there house. At first the wife thinks it's amusing, some of the spirits seem to be playful, until one of the evil ones kidnaps there daughter and pulls her into the in between world.
The family then seek out help to get there daughter back, and all hell breaks lose.
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For a movie made in 1982, the visual FX are pretty good. Unlike if Spielberg had of made it today, it would be 90% CGI Overkill.
It's a great film, and just when you think it's over, it starts again and becomes a movie you are really not expecting.
I'm glad I realized now that I had not seen this before, or else I would kick myself. It is a great flick, and I can;t wait till I rush out and hire the sequels.
The Most Fun You'll Have in a Haunted House In 1982 Steven Spielberg gave us this enjoyable spookfest; it was directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 1974), and it is definitely a fun thrill-ride. It contains a few truly fright-inducing set pieces, particularly the clown doll scene. Many's the kid who had sleepless nights because of that. Very effective.
From the first glimpse of Poltergeist (The National Anthem heralding the end of television's broadcast day...before most TV was on all day and night) to the last comical scene, you are guaranteed a good time with plenty of chills and thrills. This is not just a good scary flick, it has that magical Spielberg touch. The direction, cinematography, and performances are good. The budget is good, as are the effects for the time.
We meet a family that could be our neighbors. They're normal. Not goody goody, not quirky, but average and typical. Believable. So it's so much more jarring when evil forces enter their lives. I like Poltergeist. It's got class. It knows when to be funny, and when to scare you. And when you think the supernatural danger is finally gone, it gets even worse.
I have one small complaint about this film. Unfortunately there is a stupid (and poorly done) jump-cut around the 34 minute point where the Mom is showing her hubby the moving chairs; apparently the theatrical release included the line "I hate Pizza Hut!" uttered by Craig T. Nelson, and Pizza Hut took issue. (Check any legitimate copy of the film's screenplay and you'll find this dialogue.) Therefore, every video release of Poltergeist, from VHS to dvd, has this ridiculously inept edit which cuts from JoBeth Williams in midsentence to when she and Nelson are on the neighbors' doorstep. It's a disorienting and cumbersome jolt, not smooth at all. Maybe I'm nitpicking a good film, but they could have cut it at a better point where a character wasn't speaking. Or didn't MGM consider dubbing over Nelson's line with different dialogue? It's done all the time. Oh, well. It's just a little drawback to a perfectly good spooky film.
But even with that peccadillo, Poltergeist is one of the best modern haunted house films available. It's not as chilling as the classic "The Haunting" from 1963 (based on Shirley Jackson's wonderful novel). Poltergeist is more of a funhouse ride, and it always satisfies.
25th Anniversary...Box Being a huge fan of this 80's masterpiece, I eagerly awaited the arrival of the new DVD, certain it would contain an abundance of special features and extras. I was sadly let down. After the numerous documentaries made on the Poltergeist series, there was no excuse to keep them off of the newly released film. No only did the film NOT deliver the extra features that I expected, but it removed the theatrical trailer that was on the original DVD release. That said, the box was attractive and came with a nice protective cover which was about all the new release had to offer.
Aside from the feature flaws, the film was supurb. The actors were believable and warrented much of my sympathy. I really cared for the Freeling family, which is more than I can say for many characters in the horror genre. The scares were valid and the film brought several common childhood fears to life. One of the final scenes involving young Robbie and his toy clown continues to frighten me each time I watch Poltergeist. Unlike many of the new horror films we see today, Poltergeist is not particularly gory and will appeal to an audience who doesn't relish an abundance of blood, gore, and innards.
Part of what made the film such a great success was the music composed by Jerry Goldsmith who's music was also featured in The Omen. Be sure to check out the sountrack if you enjoyed the music in the film.
I highly reccommend Poltergeist to any avid horror fan or anyone seeking a few hours of quality entertainment. Don't miss this one!
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