Poltergeist III...

[spacemonkey]

Now I know compared to the other two Poltergeist flicks part III is kinda the black sheep of the bunch, but I recently rented it again to see if it was really that bad.

I actually found it to be interesting. Thing is I appreciated what director was going for by not using any special visual fx, and just using light and mirror tricks. I think he was preatty succesfull in creating a visually different and interesting film, and doing it in a different way.

I guess when compared to the visual fx feasts that are parts I and II this one seems to be lacking something, but I actually liked the fact that the fx were done all on camera.

The thing with the mirrrors was done preatty cool, specially that scene where "evil carol Anne" grabs good Carol Anne through the mirrors in her room. And the stuff about the other side being "so cold" and therefore everything being frozen and icy. Though I dont understand why in the other films "the other side" was not cold. Know what I mean? In fact I remember "the other side" as being this really slimy place right? Oh well, I guess they just used this to give the film a different visual look, and it wasnt all that bad.

The one thing I really hated about it was that stupid shrink, the one that kept saying that Carol Anne was just using Mass hipnosis on everyone, that guy I couldve done without. I was really glad when he died!

What do you guys think of this one? Was I just on an acid Trip or was this actually ok?

[JivaFox]

I remember watching this over and over when I was younger. I was totally engrossed! IT was so...strange.

One of my best memories of horror :cool:

[MisterTwister]

I actually like this flick and i thought it was better than 2 which bored me. As for not having visual fx and using mirror tricks well.. i thought it was great and well done. I think the cast and director did a good job and it will never be the first one it sure beats the shit of the second one.

ps-for you Poltergeist 3 haters, watch the E!True hollywood story of "The Curse of Poltergeist" and i will bet you won't hate it no more.

[spacemonkey]

Yeah I heard about that curse, they say this because 4 people involved with the Poltergeist films have died. Including the original actor who played the Kane character in "the other side" and Heather O Rourke aka Carol Anne Freeling.

[Jewbo]

oh yes what a film. i wish i cud find it coz its been ages since i seen it but man did i love it when i did see it. the mirror theme was so cool. it was a dead shame about the girl that played carol anne died.

[spacemonkey]

Hey theres more Poltergeist III lovers outhere than I expected. Cool.

I enjoy these films, cause most of the time they have a strong family love theme to them. You know like nothing can penetrate that love that family members have for each other.

Plus I looove haunted houses and buildings.

That scene where Tangina turns old when the evil Carol Anne from the other side touches her and then Donna comes ripping out her decayed body, that scene was preatty spooky and gory.

And the scenes with the frozen cars on the parking lot. Cool stuff.

[MisterTwister]

Poltergeist 3 kicks ass! one of the best sequels in horror history.

[countchocula]

Poltergeist III is decent. It was a bold, unique step for the series to take. Tangina was officially irritating with this sequel, though. "You have the powah!" Ugh.

[countchocula]

Oh, and MGM will be releasing a double feature of Poltergeist II & III on DVD later this year. I'll probably just stick with my VHS copies.

[PhantomOfTheParadise]

Part III was good but my only concern was that the whole time Kane was trying to keep the spirits away from The Light (watch the second film(...yet at the end Tangina's like "I can lead you towards The Light"...it's like wait a minute...he doesn't want to go there! lol

[The Troll Man]

I always took that as that he couldn't go to the Light himself without being led, so didn't want anyone else getting there either...

[Fisting Ackbar]

Thought it was atrocious and incoherent.

Also, that fucking Marshie kid should be shot.

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by PhantomOfTheParadise
Part III was good but my only concern was that the whole time Kane was trying to keep the spirits away from The Light (watch the second film(...yet at the end Tangina's like "I can lead you towards The Light"...it's like wait a minute...he doesn't want to go there! lol

Yeah I found that to be a tad confusing too, cause I allways thought Kane didnt want to go into the light, but in this one thats all he wants.

Way I see it, hes just a lost soul, and he needed someone like good ole Carol Anne with her special comunicating skill to take em there...only problem is shed have to die to take em there...wich is why Tangina took the plunge herself, so Carol Anne wouldnt have to die.

[ZoMBiEPeEpSHoW]

I thought I should take the opportunity to express my feelings for this film. In complete honesty, I found this film to be just as good as the first, and much better than the second [althought the second one is pretty far back in my mind, though I remember it being pretty uneventful]. Like many of you, I really enjoyed the mirror tricks and found the idea of ghosts [demons] in a skyscraper to be an interesting and original one. Great movie. I really look forward to seeing it on DVD some day.

[kubotakhan01]

Poltergeist III was a piece of shit horror flick if I ever saw one. Why can't Hollywood leave well enough alone?

I can think of countless flicks that have had their great names ruined by creating obviously cheap, bad B-movie sytle sequels for modern day classic films. Poltergeist is one of them, that had to suffer through not one, but two dull, poorly made "We made these to cash in on the name" sequels.

Bad Bad Bad film.

[Heavenley]

I loved all three Poltergeist films. The third one was neat IMO.

Too bad the girl (Heather O'Rourke) passed away in real life. She was a great child actress.

[spacemonkey]

You know whats weird?

How many people are like bashing on the second one.

I allways thought that the second one was a worthy sequel.
Had a good story, a good villain and kept true to the Poltergeist formula. In other words. Blow us away with some truly great special fx.

You know I was really bedazzeled by that scene in Poltergeist II The other side, in wich the father eats that worm in the Tequila, and then that huge slimy disgusting worm came out of his mouth, I allways thought that this scene was preatty amazing.

Thats why I say that the third ones so different. Its not bad, I just think that by taking the more subtle approach in terms of the special fx, well it just strayed too much away from what weve come to expect from a Poltergeist flick. Still IMO this does not make it a bad film. Its just tried something different and in my opinion succeeded in being unique and apart from the other two.

[Elgyn]

Sorry folks, but I really didn`t like "Poltergeist 3" at all. It seemed rather generic and unneeded. Plus with the FX, they tried to be too much like "Nightmare On Elm Street".

I`m also not crazy about Part 2. I think it has a few fantastic effects sequences (the aforementioned tequila-worm monster, the 'smoke signal' scene by the fire, and the climax on 'the other side'), but story-wise, it really DID feel like a total cash-in unneccesary sequel.
Plus, I have MAJOR qualms with Kane. First of all he`s a blatant copy of The Tall Man, and also in Part 3 they try to make him more of a Freddy-type boogeyman.


As Jay Sherman would say, "It STINKS!"

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by Elgyn
I`m also not crazy about Part 2. I think it has a few fantastic effects sequences (the aforementioned tequila-worm monster, the 'smoke signal' scene by the fire, and the climax on 'the other side'), but story-wise, it really DID feel like a total cash-in unneccesary sequel.
Plus, I have MAJOR qualms with Kane. First of all he`s a blatant copy of The Tall Man, and also in Part 3 they try to make him more of a Freddy-type boogeyman.


I rented Poltergeist II yesterday, to see it again. Just for the heck of it and realized a lot of its weaknesses.

It did have its cool effects sequences the thing with the braces, that was well achieved and the worm like we mentioned earlier. I also enjoyed this particular scene when the fathers gonna sit down on a chair and Kanes spirit kicks him out of it...damn that was some spooky shit. :D

But I all through out the ending when the whole family goes through to the other side...the word that instantaniously popped into my head was "hoaky". I dont know it felt kinda corny. Sorry, couldnt help it. And then when the grandma appears looking like an angel...well it didnt exactly feel like a horror movie to me at that point.

And the "battle" with the evil spirit at the end, was dissapointing because, hell, what the hell was it? I would have preferred that they fought with just Kane looking like himself and not that weird thing creature we see on the screen. The monster was sort of undescribable and not easy to understand. Maybe if theyd shown a bit better I would have been more satasfied, but sadly this was one of the let downs of the flick, for me anyways...and its a weird thing too cause the creatures in the flick were desingned by HR Giger.

Still I think it had good performances, and most of the fx were good, it had a sense of continuation from the first one. You know all the same characters...and they actually explain what all the corpses buried underneath their house came from.

[stevereno]

WOWZERS! people accually like this movie!

POLTERGEIST 3 IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES!

i remember seeing it when i was little and being freaked out by it! the part that freaked me out the most was when scott kisses donna, then pulls a piece of her face off! i thought it was playdough! (i was 4 at the time). after i saw this movie i was freaked out by puddles too :)

i loved the "evil mirriors" effects! its so interesting that they used plate glass for the mirrors and body doubles played the actors reflections. the only effect that sucked was "frozen scott" the ice looked like goop.

i cant find a copy of this anywhere! i once found a used one in a CASH COVERTERS but it was in really really bad condition. i hope it comes out on DVD!

this movie is totally under-rated. i still think they made a good movie, its not the film makers fault that HEATHER O'ROURKE died during filming. they made the best with what film they had.

SHIVER ME TIMBERS

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by stevereno
i cant find a copy of this anywhere! i once found a used one in a CASH COVERTERS but it was in really really bad condition. i hope it comes out on DVD!

this movie is totally under-rated. i still think they made a good movie, its not the film makers fault that HEATHER O'ROURKE died during filming. they made the best with what film they had.

SHIVER ME TIMBERS

Hey Steve-o your in luck dude! Theyre releasing both parts II and III on the same disc, for your poltergeist viewing enjoyment!

I think itll happen in the next few months so be on the look out for it dude!

Cool I think there are more who people who actually like Poltergeist III than the ones who dont. :D

[stevereno]

Originally posted by spacemonkey
Hey Steve-o your in luck dude! Theyre releasing both parts II and III on the same disc, for your poltergeist viewing enjoyment!

I think itll happen in the next few months so be on the look out for it dude!

Cool I think there are more who people who actually like Poltergeist III than the ones who dont. :D

wicked-ass!

why are both on one disc? does MGM have no faith in them?

thanks for the info MR. MONKEY :)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS

[Elgyn]

spacemonkey - I can`t remember what the 'final creature' looked like. Maybe I should rent it again just for the effects. Also, I had forgotten that Giger designed the creatures, thanks for reminding me!

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by Elgyn
spacemonkey - I can`t remember what the 'final creature' looked like. Maybe I should rent it again just for the effects. Also, I had forgotten that Giger designed the creatures, thanks for reminding me!

I just recently found this out myself while rewatching it. Its not one of his well known works, unlike the stuff his done for Aliens and Species.

But the monster itself, well its kind of abstract, you cant tell what the hell it is. Its a mess of tentacles and bones and faces thats hard to describe. H.P. Lovecraft popped into my mind while watching this film, cause the creatures in his stories are often times tentacled, slimy and undescribable.

But you can tell the creatures that the worm mutates into is defenetly a Giger design since its slimy and bony. Giger loves using bones on stuff...yeah if anything check it out for the fx.

As for the curse I didnt know that the indian actor who played "Taylor" also died after he finished making Poltergeist II. Damn that is sort of weird.

[spacemonkey]

Anybody else love or hate Poltergeist III?

Anyone know when the second and third films will be released on the same disk? I still havent seen this dvd.

[XCoRyX]

god the fucking amish looking dude in this one is scary.

[TheAxeGrinder]

The only scary parts about this one was 'that freaky amish dude' and the fact that this one, like the second, proved that this series was a one-hit wonder. Spielberg's original is the best out of the three, no doubt about it.

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by XCoRyX
god the fucking amish looking dude in this one is scary.

Cory you mean Kane, the evil "religious leader" who lost his way into the light...weird thing is in Poltegeist III its not the same actor who played him in the second one. Because the original actor...died. I dont know if youve heard this but supposedly theres a "curse" on these series of films, because so many people have died. Heather O Rourke died while making part III, Carol Annes older sister I forget her name died after she made part one. Also the india dude from the second film died.

[Jewbo]

well tonight is the night. my poltergeist 2 and 3 dvd came yesterday and last night i watched part 2 and finally after about 6 years i get to see poltergeist 3 tonight. i hope its as great as i remember.

[spacemonkey]

Let me know how you fee about it when you do see it!
Be on the look out for those groovy mirror effects, some of them defy logic, and will have you thinking...just how did they do that??
Specially since there was no such thing as CGI back in those days.

[countchocula]

Originally posted by spacemonkey
Anyone know when the second and third films will be released on the same disk? I still havent seen this dvd.

Next Tuesday.

[ERIN_LoJ]

Before I read this thread I already had the double feature dvd on my shopping list for this week. I havent seen either sequel in ages and can't wait for it to get here. I remember enjoying all three each going down in slight quality the higher the number went, but all still well-done.

[movielover999]

I remember liking Poltergeist 3 and being bored to death by Poltergeist 2...

I saw Poltergeist 3 when I was 7 and saw it a couple times after that... I was probably 12 or 13 the last time I saw it... As of now, I have not seen the movie in years... But, I do remember being entertained by it...

As a kid it was actually my favorite (Dont kill me), but I was a young kid... I dont know what I would think now... But, I think I will buy that double disc and see...

Maybe I can at least still be entertained by it...

[Jewbo]

well i saw it and while it wasnt as scary as i remember it it was as good. mirrors have always woried me a little and yeah the mirror effects are great in this film. its a real shame heather o rourke died she looked like she cud have been a great actress and was such a cute kid.

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by Jewbo
well i saw it and while it wasnt as scary as i remember it it was as good. mirrors have always woried me a little and yeah the mirror effects are great in this film. its a real shame heather o rourke died she looked like she cud have been a great actress and was such a cute kid.

Hey Jewbo, any extras on the disc? Or was it barebones, as expected?

Im glad you enjoyed it!

Yeah its a shame she died too...of a stomach obstruction. She was a cute little actress.

[Jewbo]

Originally posted by spacemonkey
Hey Jewbo, any extras on the disc? Or was it barebones, as expected?

Im glad you enjoyed it!

Yeah its a shame she died too...of a stomach obstruction. She was a cute little actress. nah just the trailers but 2 films on 1 disc u dont expect much. great transfer tho.

[rtatick]

The Poltergeist II / III DVD returned me to this particular gem. It's not a great movie, but it's very entertaining. All the effects work with the mirrors is brilliant... Mirrors creep me out. I, like some have mentioned, watched this over and over as a kid and I found myself remembering many of the lines. Highly enjoyable still.

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by rtatick
The Poltergeist II / III DVD returned me to this particular gem. It's not a great movie, but it's very entertaining. All the effects work with the mirrors is brilliant... Mirrors creep me out. I, like some have mentioned, watched this over and over as a kid and I found myself remembering many of the lines. Highly enjoyable still.

Yeah, just watching it reminded me just how dorky that boyfriend guy is on Poltergeist III, hes so dorky dammit.

And how annoying that psychiatrist is...and just how happy I was when he was killed off. :D

But yeah, like I said before, I like this film simply because its so different, and I really dug the mirror effects and the onset special fx techniques, it was highly enjoyable and fun.

[stevereno]

Originally posted by spacemonkey
Yeah, just watching it reminded me just how dorky that boyfriend guy is on Poltergeist III, hes so dorky dammit.


What are you talking about? Scott was Hott. He's donna's knight in shining acne :D

SHIVER ME TIMBERS

[JayWolf]

My thoughts on Poltergeist III:

While I liked Poltergeist III, I found it to be the weakest entry. The fact Heather O'Rouke died in surgery during the filming of the movie didn't help matters much. But here are my qualms:

* The mirrors and effects on set was a fantastic idea, but how it was executed sometimes, it wasn't that freaky (only one or two scenes gave me the heebie-jeebies). I feel the movie should have played it much more on a psychological level with the mirrors and hauntings.

* The pool party footage should have been cut down some because half of it was meaningless and lent nothing to the movie at all.

*The psychiatrist should have been revised so he wasn't such an annoyance. Like, he likes and adores Carol Anne (instead of hating her and finding her an annoyance), but he doubts the fact she has been through supernatural events and thinks she imagines it and brings other into it. Also, as it goes along, he gets more and more convinced that what's happening is for real up to the point he dies.

* Kane should have tried a different approach of getting Carol Anne. He should have gone for Carol Anne's loved ones (like Donna) and kidnapped her to take her to the other side, then Carol Anne sees him in a mirror holding them hostage, threating to kill them unless she comes to him, and even has visions of them getting brutally murdered. In order for no one to suspect too much, the mirror versions take over their place.

* Tom Skeritt and Nancy Allen should have been more frightened at times because sometimes they were just playing it natural.

* At the end, instead of having Tangina show up in the mirror and sing her lines, they should have had more of a confrontation between Kane and Pat. Then when Kane gets near the mirror, Tangina shows up with Carol Anne (Carol Anne double since Heather O'Rouke was dead at this point) and throws Carol Anne threw the mirror to Pat and Tangina grabs Kane into the mirror and pulls him into the light.

Besides those qualms, it was a fairly likable movie.

As for Poltergeist II:

I can't believe my precious Poltergeist II is getting bashed on. I love that movie to tears, and it freaks the hell out of me. The family unit is still strong. This is the only time that the enemy was revealed for who he was and still scared me. The atmosphere and mood of the film has an eerie and dark vibe in the appropriate places and the lught vibes in the appropriate places as well. The supernatural occurances rather freaky, the Kane skeleton and Kane (let's not go there. Kane, potrayed by Julian Beck, REALLY scares the shit out of me)... *shivers* The demons/ghosts were also quite freaky, and I am petrified of Kane's demon form. Just that body composition of the decomposed heads of him and his dead followers... My god, it was so creepy! I can't stare at that thing whenever they show the close-ups. True, the final conflict was kind of weak and the other side felt hokey at first when they immediately saw each other and banded together. They really should have made it that Steven and Robbie were pitted against the former ghosts/demons they came across and had to fight them off and do whatever they could to get to Diane and Carol Anne. Besides that tiny qualm, I love this sequel as much as the first.

As for the double feature DVD:

My god! These films NEVER looked better! The widescreen on Poltergeist II is absoultey perfect (none of that damn pan and scan on the old VHS versions), the picture is crisp (looks new!) and so is the sound. The effects also actually look fantastic (the floating objects in the old VHS versions looked phony because you could see outlines on the floating objects) from the remastering instead of looking worse like what most remasterings so. This is how I always wanted to see Poltergeist II. The Poltergeist III transfer is also crisp and nice, but not much different from the VHS versions. My main complaint is that they should have tried for some actual extra features. There was supposedly some deleted footage from Poltergeist II that didn't make it that they could have put on the DVD, a documentary on the Poltergeist films, and commentaries (I wanted some insight). But hey, for only $10, it is a good buy. Check it out. You won't regret it if you like the series and the sequels. Beats paying for the $15 DVD of the original (which I still have to pick up. I think I'll do that this weekend).

Anyway, that's my two cents. Opinions/criticisms are welcomed as long as they are constructive.

The wolf is now out!

[JayWolf]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[spacemonkey]

Hey Wolf, I think that part three suffered too much because of Heathers death, I can imagine everyone disenchanted after knowing she had died. The ending had to be completely shot without really showing Carol Anne. I imagine the ending would have been a whole lot better had she been alive.

As for the mirror effects I like em the way they are, some of the effects are super creepy! I just appreciate the fact that they took that extra mile!

Poltergeist II...I too dont get why theres so much bashing on it, saying it wasnt necessary and all that. Of course it was necesary! We wanted to know what the hell was up with Carol Anne! Why did the demons / spirits want her so bad?

I agree Kane was far creepier as played by Julian Beck was one of my childhood boogymen! That guy creeped me and my friends out so much! Great movie, but like I said before...the ending was to nice for a horror film; It went into "corny" territory, what with the grandma floating around looking like vergin mary or something. But thats just a minor problem I have with it, because I love the film! Special that tequila in the bottle scene, and having the dad throw it up later! Great stuff! Still gets me today.

Thanx for you review on the double disc, thats just what i wanted to know, how did the film look and if it had any extras. Sad to know it didnt have any, but then again your getting two kick ass movies for the price of one!

[JayWolf]

Originally posted by spacemonkey
Hey Wolf, I think that part three suffered too much because of Heathers death, I can imagine everyone disenchanted after knowing she had died. The ending had to be completely shot without really showing Carol Anne. I imagine the ending would have been a whole lot better had she been alive.

As for the mirror effects I like em the way they are, some of the effects are super creepy! I just appreciate the fact that they took that extra mile!

Poltergeist II...I too dont get why theres so much bashing on it, saying it wasnt necessary and all that. Of course it was necesary! We wanted to know what the hell was up with Carol Anne! Why did the demons / spirits want her so bad?

I agree Kane was far creepier as played by Julian Beck was one of my childhood boogymen! That guy creeped me and my friends out so much! Great movie, but like I said before...the ending was to nice for a horror film; It went into "corny" territory, what with the grandma floating around looking like vergin mary or something. But thats just a minor problem I have with it, because I love the film! Special that tequila in the bottle scene, and having the dad throw it up later! Great stuff! Still gets me today.

Thanx for you review on the double disc, thats just what i wanted to know, how did the film look and if it had any extras. Sad to know it didnt have any, but then again your getting two kick ass movies for the price of one!

Yeah, I know that the movie suffered greatly from Heather's death. Hell, they weren't even originally going to finish it because of her death, but the damn board forced them to. Too bad I wasn't around at the time. I would have helped Gary Sherman make a good ending. Like said before, when Kane is by the mirror, Tangina pulls Kane in and tosses Carol Anne back through the mirror to Pat and Tangina drags Kane into the light while he still tries to grab Carol Anne in the process.

But what really confused me is why did Kane want Carol Anne to take him into the light in the third one? His main goal in the previous ones was to keep her on the other side to distract his followers.

Also, you're welcome for the small DVD review. As for the Poltergeist II ending, it wasn't the other side being revealed that bothered me, but the fact that the battle wasn't more fierce in it.

[stevereno]

BUMP in yo' face!

the other day I went to WAL MART and found "POLTERGEIST II/III for $14.99 (canadian). Problem was I had no money. So I went back yesterday and THEY WERE ALL GONE! (they sold like 10 copies in 3 days, I didn't realise people actually like them) BUT, luckily someone picked up a copy and moved it to a different location. I happened to find that location a snag the flick.

Ok, So I watched it and was kinda disapointed with the lack of anything on it. Not even a little "chapter menu poster" on the inside. JERKS. But the film looks great, and I loved the widescreen.

I've been looking for this flick for 3 years and finally I found HER...I mean IT.

SHIVER ME TIMBERS

[Could Be Worse]

I recently bought the trilogy on DVD, and as always was extremely impressed with 1, disappointed with 2 (except for Kane), and surprisingly pleased with 3. 3 has many faults, yes, but I believe it to be a well made film, especially since the vision was destroyed with the death of Heather O'Rourke.

[Gluttony]

I actually do want to see these, but interestingly, I did not think Poltergeist was a great flick. But the sequels are still intriguing.

[The Sandman]

I actually like the 3rd but that movie is a huge floppy one because of the ending, it's so annoyed! Without revealing spoilers, that's probably the worst ending since a very long time!!

[FT13TH Addict]

I enjoyed the second, but the bad and awful ending of the third made this one a real failure.

7/10 for II
4/10 for III