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Special Features
They Are Here: The Real World of Poltergeist Revealed
Editorial Reviews
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
Product Description
Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams. A Steven Spielberg classic places a typical suburban family in harm's way when beings from the other side" infiltrate their home and scare the bejeezes out of them with a series of bizarre and terrifying events. Celebrate the 25-year-old nightmare for the Freeling family with no let up in the sheer horror it invoked as when it was first released! 1982/color/114 min/PG/widescreen.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
51 of 58 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Now that DVDs are way down in price, I've ended up with literally thousands--I think. I have a tendency to resist the earlier releases, the ones that are obviously "cheapies" with no special features--I know that better editions are just around the bend for most films! But I recently had to make an exception for "Poltergeist". Now I had originally seen this film in a theater on its release. I have always considered it one of the best in its genre. I've seen it a couple of times since, but probably not at all in the last ten years (and for the record--all the sequels were terrible).
What amazed me was that I still thought it was a terrific movie! Now, some people will think a couple of the effects are cheesy--and for today's standards, maybe they are. But they are so well integrated into the film that I don't think the modern viewer will mind. And I believe films are historical documents--I hate that George Lucas, for example, has corrupted his films with constant CGI updates. It's as sacrilegious as colorization was!
"Poltergeist" succeeds as a great film due, in large part, to it's unrelenting suspense--but, in equal measure, it relies on us to care about the family involved. I think the movie endures because it has heart and characters to actually root for. Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams are great (and believable) as the parents affected. Their love for each other and their family, and their willingness to sacrifice anything for the safety of their kids is well presented and acted. Williams, in particular, has never been better. At first, she is your typical suburban Mom--but as strange things start happening, you see her confusion, her delight, her fear, her horror, her desperation and her heroic side. It's a very nice underrated performance. And Beatrice Strait and Zelda Rubenstein both give richer, more fully realized performances than I remembered.
Who'd have thought--all these years later--that it's the characters of "Poltergeist" that have distinguished it in my mind?
It's time now! We need a Deluxe Version DVD. It's hard to believe 2007 will mark 25 years--that seems a fitting opportunity to honor a film that has stood the test of time. I'll be first in line to upgrade. KGHarris, 9/06.
What amazed me was that I still thought it was a terrific movie! Now, some people will think a couple of the effects are cheesy--and for today's standards, maybe they are. But they are so well integrated into the film that I don't think the modern viewer will mind. And I believe films are historical documents--I hate that George Lucas, for example, has corrupted his films with constant CGI updates. It's as sacrilegious as colorization was!
"Poltergeist" succeeds as a great film due, in large part, to it's unrelenting suspense--but, in equal measure, it relies on us to care about the family involved. I think the movie endures because it has heart and characters to actually root for. Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams are great (and believable) as the parents affected. Their love for each other and their family, and their willingness to sacrifice anything for the safety of their kids is well presented and acted. Williams, in particular, has never been better. At first, she is your typical suburban Mom--but as strange things start happening, you see her confusion, her delight, her fear, her horror, her desperation and her heroic side. It's a very nice underrated performance. And Beatrice Strait and Zelda Rubenstein both give richer, more fully realized performances than I remembered.
Who'd have thought--all these years later--that it's the characters of "Poltergeist" that have distinguished it in my mind?
It's time now! We need a Deluxe Version DVD. It's hard to believe 2007 will mark 25 years--that seems a fitting opportunity to honor a film that has stood the test of time. I'll be first in line to upgrade. KGHarris, 9/06.
56 of 66 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Every since "Poltergeist" was released there has been debate about who influenced the final result more, Director Tobe Hooper or Producer Steven Spielberg. I personally think the answer can be discovered by comparing Poltergeist to their previous works: I ask you, is it closer in style to "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark"?
All that aside, "Poltergeist" is a rippin' good ghost story. Craig T. Nelson and Jobeth Williams play the parents of a family that unfortunately lives in one wicked suburbia haunted house. The movie develops slowly, giving us time to care about this family. Mr. Nelson and Ms. Williams are dream parents - cool, funny, smart and devoted to the family and each other.
The kids are pretty typical movie kids and their performances don't detract.
Initially, there are just a few unusual and creepy goings-on. Chairs move by themselves. The youngest daughter, played by young Heather O'Rourke, makes out voices that come through the television late at night after everyone else has gone to sleep.
At about the midway point of the film the owners of the "voices" start some serious shenanigans in the house and in the confusion, take little Carol Anne hostage. You're on the edge of your seat the rest of the movie.
Some academic ghost-buster types move in and set up cameras and recorders. Next thing you know, weird things are happening to them as well.
Made before the CGI age, "Poltergeist" nonetheless has some impressive special effects. The story tries to get under your skin. It doesn't just pick one thing to be scared of. There is no 25 foot shark or machete-wielding madman. Instead it succeeds over and over again at creeping you out at everyday objects. The old oak tree in the back yard becomes a menace. Toys in the kid's room turn sinister. The kitchen becomes a fright-hall.
When everyday objects are suddenly turning against you, what can you do? These are the things the family and the ghostbusters have to deal with while they try to figure out if they can get Carol Anne back.
My first experience with "Poltergeist" wasn't watching the movie. I was in a multiplex, next door watching something else, but through the walls WE were listening to the audience watching "Poltergeist" next door shrieking and screaming. I know I wasn't the only person thinking "What in the WORLD are they WATCHING next door?" We stepped out of our movie at the end to see the overhead sign. We knew this was something we HAD to go see.
We weren't disappointed.
All that aside, "Poltergeist" is a rippin' good ghost story. Craig T. Nelson and Jobeth Williams play the parents of a family that unfortunately lives in one wicked suburbia haunted house. The movie develops slowly, giving us time to care about this family. Mr. Nelson and Ms. Williams are dream parents - cool, funny, smart and devoted to the family and each other.
The kids are pretty typical movie kids and their performances don't detract.
Initially, there are just a few unusual and creepy goings-on. Chairs move by themselves. The youngest daughter, played by young Heather O'Rourke, makes out voices that come through the television late at night after everyone else has gone to sleep.
At about the midway point of the film the owners of the "voices" start some serious shenanigans in the house and in the confusion, take little Carol Anne hostage. You're on the edge of your seat the rest of the movie.
Some academic ghost-buster types move in and set up cameras and recorders. Next thing you know, weird things are happening to them as well.
Made before the CGI age, "Poltergeist" nonetheless has some impressive special effects. The story tries to get under your skin. It doesn't just pick one thing to be scared of. There is no 25 foot shark or machete-wielding madman. Instead it succeeds over and over again at creeping you out at everyday objects. The old oak tree in the back yard becomes a menace. Toys in the kid's room turn sinister. The kitchen becomes a fright-hall.
When everyday objects are suddenly turning against you, what can you do? These are the things the family and the ghostbusters have to deal with while they try to figure out if they can get Carol Anne back.
My first experience with "Poltergeist" wasn't watching the movie. I was in a multiplex, next door watching something else, but through the walls WE were listening to the audience watching "Poltergeist" next door shrieking and screaming. I know I wasn't the only person thinking "What in the WORLD are they WATCHING next door?" We stepped out of our movie at the end to see the overhead sign. We knew this was something we HAD to go see.
We weren't disappointed.
101 of 123 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is one of my favorite movies, and I've reviewed the earlier DVD issue elsewhere. My review this time is purely for the new DVD reissue which is one of the biggest disappointments I've come across. Let's start with this "25th Anniversary." The only mention of the anniversary is a haphazardly placed sticker on the outer sleeve. The fact that it was just slapped onto the box gives the buyer an idea of how much thought went into this new DVD.
Then there are the extras. A documentary about true-life hauntings. Okay, that's not bad. But wait - where's the original trailer for the film that was on the earlier DVD? It's been removed. Did the trailer get sucked into Carol Anne's closet and is being held captive by the Beast? What purpose did removing the trailer serve?
This is a pointless release. My advice is to hang onto the earlier release which is anamorphic AND has the trailer and skip this one; there will be another, hopefully better, release someday. Warner Brothers should be ashamed.
Then there are the extras. A documentary about true-life hauntings. Okay, that's not bad. But wait - where's the original trailer for the film that was on the earlier DVD? It's been removed. Did the trailer get sucked into Carol Anne's closet and is being held captive by the Beast? What purpose did removing the trailer serve?
This is a pointless release. My advice is to hang onto the earlier release which is anamorphic AND has the trailer and skip this one; there will be another, hopefully better, release someday. Warner Brothers should be ashamed.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Original
This movie set the bar for the paranormal film craze of late, and nobody else has quite measured up. Excellent!
Published 1 day ago by Ryan Brady
5.0 out of 5 stars
Holds up well over time.
I saw this in the theater oh so many years ago, back when you could afford to go.
Then I got a LaserDisc copy in widescreen and it was very good. Read more
Then I got a LaserDisc copy in widescreen and it was very good. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Jim the builder
5.0 out of 5 stars
Introduce it to younger viewers or watch it again!
A real classic featuring memorable scenes, haunting music, creepy clowns, crazy corpses and all the great little details newer pictures seem to leave out. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Nicholas A. Lake
4.0 out of 5 stars
Chilling
A classic that hopefully doesn't get remade in the era of the hollywood remake. Liked how the used the white noise of the tv.
Published 15 days ago by Carey
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good One I Missed for 25 Years
Coming to this after it's been around for a quarter of a century makes me wonder what else I have been missing in life. Read more
Published 16 days ago by drkhimxz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still a fantastic movie after all these years
I just rewatched this classic and found it very entertaining. The story line, special effects, suspense, everything is very well done. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Kevin M. Harwood
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic.
Nice transfer. One of my all time favorites. "There is no death." "Honey, Tweety can't smell a thing." "Throw it into the light!!!"
Published 16 days ago by B. Hughes
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's a classic
It's a classic 70s horror flick. The special effects were great at the time, but are pretty dated when you look at it now. It's a lot of fun to go back and watch the oldies.
Published 17 days ago by Michael A. Bynack
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent quality
The film is old, but you would never know it. HD format really made this a Good film to watch.
Published 17 days ago by Lynn
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic
I remember seeing this when I was younger, and then they tried to make 2 more which were not as good as the first.
Still I watch this over and over.
Still I watch this over and over.
Published 19 days ago by starr*
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