Poltergeist (Exclusive Series) (HBO Max)

Initial release date: June 4, 1982

Studios: MGM/Amblin Productions

Tagline: They’re here

From a dimension beyond the living, a terror to scare you to death

Plot: Strange and creepy happenings beset an average California family, the Freelings - Steve, Diane, teenaged Dana, 8 year old Robbie and 5 year old Carol Anne - when ghosts commune with them through the TV set. Initially friendly and playful, the spirits turn unexpectedly menacing, and when Carol Anne goes missing, Steve and Diane turn to a parapsychologist and eventually an exorcist to help.

Cast

Craig T. Nelson (Book Club; Young Sheldon) - Steve Freeling

JoBeth Williams (The Big Year) - Diane Freeling

Beatrice Straight - Dr. Lesh

Dominique Dunne - Dana Freeling

Oliver Robbins (Poltergeist II; Airplane II) - Robbie Freeling

Heather O’Rourke - Carol Anne Freeling

Michael McManus - Ben Tuthill

Virginia Kiser (Mommie Dearest) - Mrs. Tuthill

Martin Casella - Marty

Richard Lawson - Ryan

Zelda Rubinstein - Tangina

James Karen - Mr. Teague

Writer(s): Steven Spielberg

Michael Grais and Mark Victor (both writers worked on ‘Cool World’, ‘Poltergeist II’)

Director: Tobe Hooper (Texas Chain Saw Massacre)

Rated PG (114 minutes)

The 1982 supernatural classic ‘Poltergeist’ is a scary flick that can also give you a couple light chuckles - mainly in the first opening ten minutes or so.

Even to this day, this classic still holds up. There are many moments that can be quite thrilling and ghostly visual effects are really awesome.

There are some very tense moments especially when the supernatural elements come into play. And, of course, when the young girl (Carol Anne) says the infamous quote “They’re here,” how she says it can be a little eerie.

Sure, there are a couple parts where the practical effects look really fake. But, it was the 80s and could only do so much at the time.

All of the chills and ghostly effects throughout the movie lead up to an extremely tense and scary final act.

Check out 1982s ‘Poltergeist’ on HBO Max.

FYI - ‘Poltergeist’ is almost four decades old!!! Just turned 39 this year!

Also stay away from the 2015 remake of the movie --- not that great

Here are some interesting tidbits about ‘Poltergeist’:

• Both of the terrors that plague Robbie came from Spielberg’s own fears as a child: a fear of clowns and a tree outside his window.

• Dominique Dunne (Dana Feeling) and Heather O’Rourke (Carol Anne) are buried in the same cemetery. On October 30, 1982, Dunne was strangled by her ex-boyfriend in the driveway of her home. She died on November 4 at the age of 22 having never gained consciousness. On February 1, 1988, O’Rourke died of intestinal stenosis at the age of 12.

• The house used to film this movie is located in Simi Valley, CA and still stands.

• During all the horrors that proceeded while filming the movie, only one scene really scared O’Rourke: that in which she has to hold onto the headboard while a wind machine blew toys into the closet behind her. The young actress fell apart. Spielberg stopped everything, took her in his arms, and said that she wouldn’t have to do that scene again.

• The film was originally given an R rating, but the filmmakers protested successfully and got a PG rating (the PG-13 rating didn’t exist at the time).

• Real human skeletons were used in the swimming pool scene, since the crew decided it would be too complicated and expensive to get fake ones. Actress JoBeth Williams wasn’t made aware until after the scene was finished… could be an urban myth.

• The clown puppet used in the film is on display at Planet Hollywood in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

• The movie’s line ``They're here!” was voted as the NO. 69 movie quote by the American Film Institute (AFI) (out of 100).

• The “Poltergeist Curse” is an urban legend based around the fact that there have been several unfortunate deaths of actors who appeared in the franchise, as well as other strange events.

• This is one of the rare films where Spielberg has a writing credit.

• The film came about from Spielberg’s failed attempt to do a sequel to ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind.’

• Jerry Goldsmith wrote this theme and the theme to ‘The Omen,’ but whereas ‘The Omen’ got praise from critics for being so dark and foreboding and effectively setting a menacing, demonic tone, the ‘Poltergeist’ theme was criticized for being too Disney-fied and ‘Leave It To Beaver,’ bullying the audience into an inappropriately cheerful and family-friendly state.

• A clause in the Universal contract prevented Spielberg from directing another film while preparing ‘E.T.’

• The film was a commercial success and earned $76.6 million in the US, making it the highest grossing horror film of 1982; Many critics considered it as a classic to the horror genre.

• The 1982 movie spawned two sequels and a 2015 remake.

https://youtu.be/9eZgEKjYJqA