Poltergeist(1982).A young family are visited by ghosts in their home. At first the ghosts appear friendly, moving objects around the house to the amusement of everyone, then they turn nasty and start to terrorise the family before they "kidnap" the youngest daughter. Written byRob Hartill... Synopsis Poltergeist(1982)
Movie Title: Poltergeist(1982)
Run Time: 114 min
Rating: 7.4 / 10
Genres: Horror
Release Date: 4 June 1982 (USA)
Director: Tobe Hooper
Writer: Steven Spielberg ,Michael Grais , ... and other credits
Actor: JoBeth Williams,Heather O'Rourke,Craig T. Nelson
Poltergeist was one of the films of the 80s that many kids of that era remember renting when VCRs were already a very popular thing. Like The Exorcist, it has been embedded into our movie culture as one of the great scary movies.
This film has been credited as having great special effects. But what I love about this movie is that, like other Spielberg films, the FXs are not offered to us at the expense of the film. That is, the effects aren't used to cover up holes. This is very popular in movies today. With the advancement in computer technology, many filmmakers decide that they can write their script on a POST-IT note and fill in the missing pieces with million-dollar special effects. But Spielberg films do not do this. Even in films like Jurassic Park which was a special effects showcase, the computer technology did not cover for anything. It enhanced the film to make it absolutely spectacular.
Poltergeist seems to be in the same vein as JAWS in that the monster is not shown right off the bat. Though a film like this is intended to be far-fetched and exploding, it is done in such a way that we almost could believe that this is what a real haunting would be like. We don't see a slimy creature around every corner. Instead, fear of the unknown is used. And Spielberg was a genius in tapping into childhood fears. Clowns, trees, lightning, closets...genius! Because, though we all tend to grow out of our childhood fears, there is still something terrifying about looking at them as an adult.
A great concept and great acting come together to make a truly unique movie. The long-debated question as to whether Tobe Hooper (the film's credited director) actually directed much or whether Spielberg took over for most of it, has never been satisfied. However, the film seems to show more tones of Spielberg than anything.
See it. * * * 1/2 out of * * * *
