Poltergeist (1982) Tobe Hooper, Steven Spielberg – Deconstructing

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

A previous episode of our Deconstructing… video series took a deep dive into director Tobe Hooper's classic film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and for the latest episode of the show we're digging into another Hooper classic, his 1982 Steven Spielberg collaboration Poltergeist (watch or own it HERE). Check out the video embedded above to explore the origin of Poltergeist, its legacy, and the mysteries that surround it.

Directed by Tobe Hooper from a screenplay producer Steven Spielberg wrote with Michael Grais and Mark Victor, Poltergeist stars Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Oliver Robins, Heather O'Rourke, Zelda Rubinstein, and James Karen. The synopsis: 

Strange and creepy happenings beset an average California family, the Freelings — Steve, Diane, teenaged Dana, eight-year-old Robbie, and five-year-old Carol Ann — when ghosts commune with them through the television set. Initially friendly and playful, the spirits turn unexpectedly menacing, and, when Carol Ann goes missing, Steve and Diane turn to a parapsychologist and eventually an exorcist for help.

Deconstructing… is a monthly web series in which 

we choose one of your favorite horror movies and take it apart piece by piece (lovingly, of course) to see what makes it a classic. Each episode examines the origins, legacy and mysteries behind our beloved genre's most iconic titles… but we play fast and loose with the rules, so expect the unexpected!

The show is Written, Edited, and Narrated by Gregory Burkart, Produced by John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Some of the previous episodes of Deconstructing… can be seen below. To see more, and to check out our other shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Videos YouTube channel!