Poltergeist (4/10)

[Dehydrator]

POLTERGEIST (1982)
Directed by Tobe Hopper
Written by Steven Spielberg

Starring:
JoBeth Williams as Diana Freeling
Craig T. Nelson as Steve Freeling
Heather O'Rourke as Carol Anne
Beatrice Straight as Dr. Lesh

my rating 4/10

+++ might contain minor spoilers +++

The plot : Family gets harassed by unseen entities in their house. They kidnap the youngest daughter and the family hires a Doctor in Parapsychology who passes the case on medium Tangina Barret.

After about 20 times of sitting through POLTERGEIST I still fail to see what the big deal about it is. The story is hardly original ( SPOILER! ........ we seen and heard about indian cemeteries before..... SPOILER ! ), and the characters all live in Spielbergian suburban Utopia (you know, the place where EVERYTHING is so damm cute and idyllic you just pray for something to come along and pound that place into dust ) and the line "It's everything that scares you" becomes an excuse for showing off special effects, HAUNTING REMAKE style. The movie starts off like a true crapwagon, we are dared to sit through seemiling centuries of Spielbegerian suburban Utopia when we really get to know (and in my case, to loathe) our Spielbergian-suburban-utopian Family values (drink beer, watch football, have ruckus with the neighbour who'se remote control manipulates your TV, bury your pets in the backyard...). When the supernatural finally makes it's entry, POLTERGEIST is arguably at it's strongest, some neat stuff like the moving chairs, Caroll Ann's talking to the TV, and that weird thunderstorm which was cool until they fucked it up with the man eating tree. Yep, a man eating tree in the middle of Spielbergian-suburban-utopia, I guess he went for social commentary here. POLTERGEIST goes over-the-top waaay too many times for it's own good, the source of all evil seems to be a giant ectoplasmatic ghost bird in the kid's room, is loaded with many Spielbergian "ooh-the-wonder" moments which, in theory and as a rule, make for nice and cheesy cinema but suck hard in context of a movie that is supposed to scare you ( read, HORROR). If you're into Spielbergian-suburban-utopia, you're likely to dig the characters here, their chemistry works for this sort of thing (especially Williams and Nelson) and Heather O Rourke is way less annoying than the average kid-in-horror.

Comparing POLTERGEIST to earlier, a zillion times better haunted-house flicks like THE CHANGELING or THE HAUNTING makes clear how overrated and soap-operaistic it is. Might be suitable for younger viewers (double fist it with E.T.) or as an introduction to the horror genre. You could do way better.
4/10

[LukeA]

Amen, brother....I see nothing fantastic about this movie. I thought the parents were as flaky as they come (smoking weed and then not even really getting all that freaked out when a tree tries to eat their child...it happens alot, I know, but not at night during a thunderstorm...THAT should have at least been their cue that something was amiss) and didn't really represent anything I wanted to root for. I don't know...I'm a fan of classic haunted house flicks also, and this one is not the vaunted classic that it's made out to be. No chills up my spine, no real tension, I don' think..and the medium was a tad bit annoying in a "Willow-ish" sort of way. Not terrible, but just another notch in the overrated Tobe Hooper's belt, far as I'm concerned.

[Dehydrator]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by LukeA:
Not terrible, but just another notch in the overrated Tobe Hooper's belt, far as I'm concerned. </font>

I'm afraid I have to agree, apart from the obvious classic (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and perhaps THE FUNHOUSE & EATEN ALIVE(which I haven't seen but keep hearing good things about both), Hopper just ain't all that. I guess a case of "give him more production values makes his movies suck"-Director, the guy is. The last movie I saw of his was NIGHT TERRORS which sucked one hell of a lot more than POLTERGEIST. It's been a long time since I've seen his adaption of SALEM'S LOT but I remember rather liking it.
The only thing I'm slighty curious about is his CHAINSAW MASSACRE sequel, but on the other hand, I can't think of any director that didn't screw up at one time or the other. Maybe it's just because I really, really hate POLTERGEIST but I don't know how this movie managed to have such a good reputation.

I'm with you on that "Willard" thought, I guess "childish" is the word I'm looking for (but I liked WILLARD for all it's childishness). Spielberg just ain't the man to write a horrormovie apart from JAWS, which I don't really consider horror in terms of nothing supernatural going on. I mean give the guy the a special effect, a cheesy plot or the opportunity to include his "suburban-utopia", he'll do it.

[This message has been edited by Dehydrator (edited 05-13-2002).]

[Jewbo]

i loved it. one of my all time fave horror films. the clown was freaky as hell and i just loved it.

[Psychocandy]

I've got a definite softspot for Poltergeist. I will, however, admit that having seen it recently for the first time in years I found it a little disappointing. It was still very entertaining but it definitely lacked something I can't quite put my finger on...something that I don't remember being bothered by the lack of when I saw it years ago. What did surprise me though was how well some of the special effects have dated. The only cheesy effect in the whole movie was the guy pulling off his putty face. Anyway...it used to be a 5 out of 5 movie. I'd now give it about 3.5 out of 5. Definitely not a bad movie though.

[LukeA]

Oh, definitely not a bad movie..you can do a lot worse than Poltergeist. But unfortunately, I think Spielberg gets a little full of himself (much like George Lucas), and people naturally equate that with brilliance. Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List are two of the finest films ever made, along with Jaws and Duel. But he seems to have trouble blending "fun for the whole family" with truly frightening images. I don't think that the putty-face and the crawling meat really go with the rest of the "wondrous" vibe that the film portrays.
As far as Hooper goes, I think TCM is outstanding, but not much else he's done really stands out to me. The fact that he's doing stuff like Crocodile now pretty much puts the final nail in his coffin for me.
All in all, about a 5 out of 10, probably...and yet another attempt by Spielberg to give young children nightmares. His friends the censors apparently have that desire too.

[countchocula]

Poltergeist is a top-notch ghost/haunted house flick in my eyes. I agree that the Freelings seem to be sprinkled with that ever so sickening Spielberg glow, but the characters still came off as realistic and multi-layered from my perspective. The film wisely takes the first ten minutes or so to introduce us to the family members in a normal, placid environment, exposing their personalities and moral fiber. As a result of this preamble of sorts, what later befalls upon them is very effective and contrasts well with their lives before the "TV people" rained on everyone's parade. I grew fond of the entire bunch and actually cared about their fates, which is a notable feat considering that I don't usually root for the good guys.

I'm not a big fan of children. In fact, I detest most of them. But somehow, I warmed up to Carol Anne. She's too cute! I was thoroughly impressed by Heather O'Rourke's performance and how she managed to inject character and a sense of individualism into the part. She wasn't just a kid in a movie, she was an actress playing a role. I would have loved to see her and Danielle Harris star in a film together. What a duo that would be! The rest of the family is likeable and authentic as well. However, Dana, the older sister, didn't contribute much to the whole shebang. She just whimpers in the background and is never embroiled with the chain of supernatural events. She should have either been more fleshed out or dropped from the film altogether. On another minor note, I didn't really care for the overbearing light show that takes place while Diane is attempting to retrieve Carol Anne from the "void." The flashy, grandiose visuals coupled with Tangina's persistent bellowing dulled my senses and for no good reason. It all seemed a bit too much for such a simplistic scene.

Regardless of its light flaws, I still say that Poltergeist is one of the most satisfying and engrossing supernatural films of all time. It held my interest without ever loosening its grip. I can't imagine what it would have been like had Reverend Kane been thrown into the mix. I get chills just thinking about the possibilities.

My rating-4.5/5

[LukeA]

That's the thing...I actually like the sequel better. I think that the Reverend Kane is genuinely spooky and that the movie is never confused by what it is...a straight up chiller. I don't appreciate Spielberg's mixture of childish fun movie and horrific supernatural thriller. That's my main gripe with Poltergeist..

[stevereno]

this is a really good movie but i liked part 3 better(don't ask)

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[Dehydrator]

I also happen to like the first sequel, Reverend Kane was great and so was Taylor. By no means a great effort but a very solid movie. 6/10

Of course, you could do worse than POLTERGEIST. I just don't think it deserves it's reputation, if generic characters and special effects make a good movie, in my opinion that HAUNTING remake deserves less detestors, I can't help but compare the two and wonder why one of them gets praised and the other one gets bashed by so many people...I guess my taste sucks. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


[This message has been edited by Dehydrator (edited 05-13-2002).]

[countchocula]

Well, I can't comment on The Haunting remake since I haven't seen it (and don't plan on doing so), but I'm not 100% clear on what you mean by "generic." To me, the term "generic" applies to one-dimensional characters that litter most slashers (jock, slut, funny guy, goth chick). The Freelings don't seem standard or clichéd to me. Yes, the dad enjoys football and guzzling beer. Yes, the younger children are almost too cute and perfect. These traits would normally bother me if the characters lacked depth, but here, everyone is given that depth. They shine through as real people. And I'm positive that there are families out there that are very similar to the Freelings. I don't think many family units resemble the Tanners on Full House. Now that's "generic."

[AlienClown]

4/10??! No way, not in my book. This is one of the best horrors of the 80s and depending how much hand you think Spielberg had in this, Hooper's only other major contribution to the genre. I really like this movie, especially the characters which I feel are very down-to-earth, and the suburban setting. This easily has a place on my favorites list.

[gorysnoopy]

this is a classic!
i have watched it as a child,as a teen and as an adult and not once has it ever failed to entertain me.the freelings felt real to me,the scene where diane is about to go into the void to get carol anne,and steven's face is next to hers-when they kiss,it sends shivers down my spine.maybe i'm just a romantic sap:P but that kiss gets to me.you can feel the love there.
not to mention the freaky ass clown that scared the shite out of me when i was a kid!

[Michael_myers]

i know a girl named Carol Anne Freelings

[JayWolf]

POLTERGEIST was freaky. So was the sequel. The family actually felt real and the ghosts and fears from childhood they throw at you are freaky. It actually scared me. Only film (and it's sequel) they had actually successfully scared me and still do. Now a movie I don't think deserves it's reputation is BLAIR WITCH! I'm VERY big anti-Blair Witch! I want to burn the movie at the stake.

[Dehydrator]

Jaywolf : I don't really think POLTERGEIST and BLAIR WITCH compare. One thing u can't accuse B.W.P. of is overusing special effects, which is one of the reasons why I don't like POLTERGEIST. In terms of the hype they get, the BW-marketing might be annoying and just calls for controverse reactions but POLTERGEIST's "classic" status is, in my opinion, ten times more ridicolous.

Countchocula: What I mean is that the Freelings are one of those families you see in TV-commercials or church journals. The kind of family I imagine that could have done that "Pro-Nuclear"-Spot in THE NAKED GUN 2,5 (sole difference is that their dog has no two tails...). I can hardly imagine a "perfect" family per definition but Spielberg (I'm quite sure that the Freelings belong to him and not to Hopper) sure can. But Spielberg's "perfect" family is no different than the typical slasher-cast you mention, just replace Gothchick with cutie, smart teenage daughter, funny guy with stoned Craig T. Nelson... the way family life is portraid in POLTERGEIST is equally clichéd as, say teen-life is portraid in Melrose Place.

I have no idea what FULL HOUSE is. There once was a series about that Tanner-family who adopted this hairy, cat-eater who crashed in their garage with his spaceship, do you mean that one? It was called ALF in germany (the name of the hairy guy) and I thought it was a hoot. It's been a long time since I've seen it but if my memory serves me right, these Tanners were equally stereotypical than the Freelings.

[Razorblade Smile]

I used to really like Poltergeist. When I was 12.

But it is just NOT one of those movies that stands the test of time.

I still think the bodies coming up out of the pool is pretty cool though.

[countchocula]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Dehydrator:
I have no idea what FULL HOUSE is. There once was a series about that Tanner-family who adopted this hairy, cat-eater who crashed in their garage with his spaceship, do you mean that one? It was called ALF in germany (the name of the hairy guy) and I thought it was a hoot. It's been a long time since I've seen it but if my memory serves me right, these Tanners were equally stereotypical than the Freelings.</font>

Alf was great! But Full House was an entirely different sitcom that took the meaning of "corny" to indescribable levels. Every family dilemma was solved without much ruckus or frustration, and typically came to an end with a hug and/or words of acute sappiness. The Tanners make the Freelings look like a pack of satanic necrophiliacs...or something like that.

[stevereno]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by countchocula:
Alf was great! But Full House was an entirely different sitcom that took the meaning of "corny" to indescribable levels. Every family dilemma was solved without much ruckus or frustration, and typically came to an end with a hug and/or words of acute sappiness. The Tanners make the Freelings look like a pack of satanic necrophiliacs...or something like that.</font>


michelle tanner made carol anne freeling seem like regan from the exorcist

"YOUR MOTHER SUCKS COCK IN HELL!"

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[APzombie]

This is one of my favorite horror movies, it may not seem so original to you because it inspired so many other horror movies out today.

There Here!

[LukeA]

Easy there! I may be a little younger (21) but I'm certainly not of the "new school" in my tastes. I just don't think Poltergeist is all that great...I'm not a big fan of most of Spielberg's stuff. I know it's inspired quite a few films, but it was in turn inspired by quite a few as well. The cycle continues....

[Michael_myers]

Heather O'rourke and the sister are dead. O'rourke died of a chronic ilness, the sis was butchered by her husband. Danielle Harris has turned slutty, and is no longer her cute, Jamie self. The olsen twins (michelle tanner) WHOOOHOOO! This year there 16, making them able to do poprn in 2 year!

[kubotakhan01]

I think that people who don't like Poltergeist, weren't around when it first came out. I was a young kid and It horrified me. If you were below ten when this flick first came out, you were scared of Poltergeist, no ifs ands or buts.

[stevereno]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Michael_myers:
Heather O'rourke and the sister are dead. O'rourke died of a chronic ilness, the sis was butchered by her husband. Danielle Harris has turned slutty, and is no longer her cute, Jamie self. The olsen twins (michelle tanner) WHOOOHOOO! This year there 16, making them able to do poprn in 2 year!</font>

thats not correct michael myers

dominique dunne (dana freeling) was strangled to death (not butchered) by her boyfriend (not husban)when she was 22 and she was buried in the same cemetery as heather o'rourke.

thought i should clear that up because it is a common mistake

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[Dehydrator]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by kubotakhan01:
I think that people who don't like Poltergeist, weren't around when it first came out. I was a young kid and It horrified me. If you were below ten when this flick first came out, you were scared of Poltergeist, no ifs ands or buts.</font>

I was about one year old when POLTERGEIST came out and I first saw it at nine or ten. Of course, these times I was impressed but I think it was mostly because I didn't see any other "haunted house" movie and you know, kids are always impressed by much "thunder and lightning" (special effects, i mean), and in this sense, POLTERGEIST of course delivered the goods.

[Shadow Whisper]

(In old man voice) Times were different way back then. If you were a kid and had parents that did not let you watch R rated movies and you liked horror you were screwed. Your options mostly consisted of pre 60s movies. There were not very many made for TV movies and only the smallest fragment of them were horror. Cable was sparse back then. Most kids had writen off seeing a horror movie that was new untill the were seventeen. Unless they had an arangment with an older sibling or baby sitter. So when Poltergiest came around it was the much awaited fresh blood that young horror fans were hungering for. They could say to their parents its only PG and they could get it. It was new and set in the here and now and you could you could watch it was all that mattered. You got to remember a lot of that generation of horror fans only had that pre 60s to compare it to which it easily beat by light years. When I saw it for the first time my horror palet was far developed when I saw it. By then I had already scene Its Alive, Its Alive 2, Alien, and Galaxy of Terror. In spite of this I thought Poltergeist was good when I first saw it. I have not scene it in years so my view of it may have changed but somehow I dont think it has.