Poltergeist, released in 1982, remains a cornerstone of the supernatural horror genre. Directed by Tobe Hooper and written by Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, and Mark Victor, the film stars JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, and Beatrice Straight. Produced by Spielberg and Frank Marshall, it quickly became a major critical and commercial success.
In the years since its release, Poltergeist has been recognized as a horror classic. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, named by the Chicago Film Critics Association as the 20th-scariest film ever made, and a scene made Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments.
Poltergeist - E! True Hollywood Story (2002)
The Genesis of Poltergeist
The origin of Poltergeist can be traced to Night Skies, which Spielberg conceived as a horror sequel to his 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Hooper was less interested in the sci-fi elements and suggested they collaborate on a ghost story.
Writer Michael Grais stated that "we weren't really 'working' with Spielberg because he was on E.T.", and that Spielberg only had sporadic meetings with the writers in MGM's commissary.
E.T. and Poltergeist were released a week apart in June, 1982; Time and Newsweek referred to it as "The Spielberg Summer".
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Plot Overview
The film revolves around the Freeling family, who live in the planned community of Cuesta Verde, California. Steve Freeling is a successful real estate agent, and Diane Freeling looks after their three children: sixteen-year-old Dana, eight-year-old Robbie, and five-year-old Carol Anne.
One night, Carol Anne inexplicably converses with the television set while it displays post-broadcast static. The next night, she fixates on the television again, and a ghostly white hand emerges from the screen, followed by a violent earthquake. The following day is filled with bizarre events: a glass of milk spontaneously breaks, silverware bends, and furniture moves on its own. These phenomena initially seem benign, but soon grow sinister.
During a severe thunderstorm, the gnarled backyard tree seemingly comes alive. A branch crashes through the children's bedroom window, grabs Robbie and pulls him outside into the pouring rain as it attempts to devour him. While the family rushes outside to help Robbie, Carol Anne is pulled into a portal inside the closet.
Parapsychologist Martha Lesh arrives with team members Ryan and Marty to investigate. They determine there is a poltergeist intrusion involving multiple ghosts. Dana and Robbie are sent away for safety, while Dr. Lesh calls in Tangina Barrons, a spiritual medium. After touring the house, Tangina explains that their daughter is now in a different plane of existence occupied by spirits who have not found rest. In their dreamlike state, they are drawn away from the path to the afterlife by Carol Anne's life force.
The entrance to the other dimension is in the children's bedroom closet and exits through the living room ceiling. Diane, secured by a rope, passes through the portal, guided by another rope previously threaded through both portals. Diane retrieves Carol Anne, and they drop through the ceiling to the living room floor, covered in ectoplasm.
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Shortly after, the Freeling family have nearly finished packing to move out of the house. Before the family is to leave, Steve heads to his office while Dana is on a date, leaving Diane at home with Robbie and Carol Anne. Subsequently, "the Beast" violently attacks Diane and the children, apparently with the intent of dragging them into its dimension. While running through the backyard in an attempt to get help, Diane stumbles into a flooded swimming pool excavation. As skeletal corpses float up around her in the muddy hole, Diane crawls out and rushes back into the house.
Accompanied by Teague, Steve arrives back home to the mayhem and discovers that only the gravestones were moved; the development was built over the now unmarked graves. The Freelings jump into their car and collect Dana just as she returns home. They flee Cuesta Verde as the house implodes into a portal while Teague and stunned neighbors look on.
The Controversy Surrounding Authorship
There were suggestions that Spielberg, in addition to being Poltergeist's co-producer and co-writer, had also served as its de facto co-director. This view was bolstered by various statements Spielberg made about his involvement.
The Directors Guild of America opened an investigation into the "question of whether or not Hooper's official credit was being denigrated by statements Spielberg has made, apparently claiming authorship."
In a 2007 Ain't It Cool News interview, Zelda Rubinstein discussed her recollections of the shooting process. She said "Steven directed all six days" she was on set: "Tobe set up the shots and Steven made the adjustments."
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However, comments from actor James Karen, concerning a 25th-anniversary Q&A event which both attended, categorized Rubinstein's remarks as unfair to Hooper.
In a 2012 Rue Morgue article commemorating Poltergeist's 30th anniversary, interviews were conducted with several cast and crew members. In response to the magazine's query about the authorship issue, cast members unanimously sided with Hooper.
Make-up and effects artist Craig Reardon said Spielberg often had the final say. Hooper was asked about the controversy in a 2015 interview with online journal Film Talk and said the rumors originated from a Los Angeles Times article that reported on Spielberg shooting footage of "little race cars" in front of the house, while Hooper was busy elsewhere shooting another scene.
Special Effects and Visuals
Special effects in the movies have grown so skilled, sensational, and scary that they sometimes upstage the human actors. In “Poltergeist,” for example, the cast is made up of relatively unknown performers, but that’s all right because the real stars are producer Steven Spielberg director Tobe Hooper and their reputations for special effects and realistic violence. Their names on this horror film suggest that its technology will be impeccable.
The special effects for Poltergeist were produced by Industrial Light and Magic and overseen by Richard Edlund. The film won the BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects and earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Spielberg recalled that the most complicated lighting effects were used in Carol Anne's closet: "There were so many lighting effects: strobes and Las Vegas spots and fish tanks of water to give different kind of diffusion to the beams coming out and four large wind machines..."
Music and Soundtrack
Jerry Goldsmith composed the score for Poltergeist. With Spielberg, there's a tremendous amount of discussion. Goldsmith wrote several themes for the score, including the lullaby "Carol Anne's Theme" to represent blissful suburban life and the young female protagonist; a semi-religious melody for the souls caught between worlds; and several dissonant, atonal blasts for moments of terror.
The score went on to garner Goldsmith an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score. There is an alternate version of "Carol Anne's theme" which has lyrics. That version is unofficially titled "Bless this House" (which is a line from the chorus).
Legacy and Re-releases
Poltergeist was released by MGM/UA Home Video on VHS, Betamax, CED, and LaserDisc in 1982. On April 8, 1997, MGM Home Entertainment released Poltergeist on DVD in a snap case, and the only special feature was a trailer.
To commemorate the film's 40th anniversary, Poltergeist was released by Warner Bros.
The "Poltergeist Curse"
The Poltergeist franchise is believed by some to be cursed due to the premature deaths of several people associated with the film (including Heather O'Rourke and Dominique Dunne), a notion that was the focus of an E! True Hollywood Story episode.
Comparison with the 2015 Remake
Many viewers consider the 2015 remake, Dr. Poltergeist, to be a failure. Criticisms include unlikable characters, weird dialogue, and a story that doesn’t take you anywhere thrilling. The overuse of CGI was also a common complaint.
The original Poltergeist is often lauded for its character development and suspenseful storytelling, elements that the remake failed to capture.
| Aspect | Poltergeist (1982) | Poltergeist (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Tobe Hooper | Gil Kenan |
| Special Effects | Practical effects | CGI-heavy |
| Critical Reception | Highly acclaimed | Generally negative |
| Characters | Well-developed, likable | Unlikeable, poorly developed |
| Story | Suspenseful, engaging | Unthrilling, weak |
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