Poltergeist (1982)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Steven Spielberg (story)
Steven Spielberg (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

4 June 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

They're here.

Plot:

A family's home is haunted by a host of ghosts.

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Husband Wife Relationship | Evil Clown | Child's Point Of View | Vertigo Shot

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Craig T. Nelson	...	Steve Freeling
JoBeth Williams	...	Diane Freeling (as Jobeth Williams)
Beatrice Straight	...	Dr. Lesh
Dominique Dunne	...	Dana Freeling
Oliver Robins	...	Robbie Freeling
Heather O'Rourke	...	Carol Anne Freeling
Michael McManus	...	Ben Tuthill
Virginia Kiser	...	Mrs. Tuthill
Martin Casella	...	Marty (as Marty Casella)
Richard Lawson	...	Ryan
Zelda Rubinstein	...	Tangina
Lou Perryman	...	Pugsley (as Lou Perry)
Clair E. Leucart	...	Bulldozer Driver (as Clair Leucart)
James Karen	...	Mr. Teague
Dirk Blocker	...	Jeff Shaw

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:16 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:PG (TV rating) | UK:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1982) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | USA:PG (re-rating after appeal) | USA:R (original rating) | West Germany:16 | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

4267 Roxbury Street, Forest Hills, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The skeletons that emerge from the swimming pool while Diane searches for help are actual skeletons. JoBeth Williams didn't know this until after the scene was shot.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tangina is talking to Diane and the others about Carol Anne she tells them that she can only hear her mother's voice, but in the next scene she tells Steven to threaten to spank her if she doesn't answer them.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Carol Anne: Hello? What do you look like? Talk louder, I can't hear you! Hey, hello! Hello, I can't hear you! Five. Yes. Yes. I don't know. I don't know.

Movie Connections:

References "The Twilight Zone: Little Girl Lost (#3.26)" (1962)

Soundtrack:

The Star-Spangled Banner

Excellent PG-rated horror thriller.

Young family in cozy suburban neighborhood is suddenly besieged by a hostile, dastardly spirit that drags the adorable youngest child into the netherworld. They call upon a para-psychological team, then a genuinely gifted clairvoyant, to help them get back the little girl.

Admittedly, this ghost story may be technically directed by Tobe Hooper, but is clearly filtered through the sensibilities of writer / producer Steven Spielberg, making this more family friendly than it might have been otherwise.

"Poltergeist" is a slick, mainstream movie with a heavy accent on flashy special effects, but it also presents us with a reasonably likable and sympathetic family. It's a long film but doesn't feel as long as it is, with segments that are consistent in holding my attention.

Young Heather O'Rourke was a real find as the angelic little girl, and it's saddening to think that both she and co-star Dominique Dunne (who plays the eldest child) were lost at such young ages.

The cast is very good, with standout work by JoBeth Williams as the wife and mother, Beatrice Straight as the head of the research team, and, of course, the one-of-a-kind Zelda Rubinstein as the clairvoyant. I'll also watch almost anything with James Karen in it - he's simply a great character actor.

"Poltergeist" is decent entertainment that save for one ghoulish nightmare sequence should be acceptable fare for older children.

I really liked it; good work by all concerned.

10/10