'Poltergeist'
They're heeeeeere. The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Van Lathan run to the light to rewatch the 1982 classic, 'Poltergeist' – starring JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson, directed by Tobe Hooper, and produced by Steven Spielberg.
Cast
JoBeth Williams as Diane Freeling
Craig T. Nelson as Steve Freeling
Zelda Rubinstein as Tangina Barrons
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
Written by: Steven Spielberg
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith
Notes
- The 'Poltergeist' Curse: both child actresses died young – Dominique Dunne was killed by her boyfriend, Heather O'Rourke died at 12 during 'Poltergeist' 3. The boy playing Robbie was actually strangled by a malfunctioning clown prop.
- E.T. and 'Poltergeist' came out one week apart in 1982. E.T. was the biggest movie of the year; 'Poltergeist' was the biggest horror movie. Spielberg was on the covers of Time and Newsweek.
- The Spielberg/Hooper directing controversy: the DGA got involved. Spielberg said Hooper 'isn't a take-charge sort of guy.' Frank Marshall said Spielberg designed every storyboard and was on set every day except three.
- Drew Barrymore was considered for Carol Anne but was cast as Gertie in E.T. instead – a career-defining fork in the road.
- Bill's hottest take: Zelda Rubinstein might be perfectly cast because she looks like a medium, but she might not be a very good actress. Wonders what happens with Viola Davis or Sally Field in the role.
- The film earned 3 Oscar nominations but lost all three to E.T. – Spielberg competing against himself.
Categories
Quote from Rog's review:
“Poltergeist is an effective thriller, not so much because of the special effects, as because Hooper and Spielberg have tried to see the movie's strange events through the eyes of the family members.”
Ebert praised it for seeing strange events through the eyes of the family rather than letting special effects overwhelm the cast.
The final 15 minutes – clown attack, JoBeth Williams thrown up the wall, the pool with skeletons, 'You son of a bitch, you left the bodies and you only moved the headstones'
- Atari 2600 with controllers sitting on top of the TV
- Snow/static on the TV
- Giant Sony box TVs with dials on the side
- Spielberg's technique of establishing a normal family for 15 minutes so the horror resonates
- The mom smoking a joint in bed
- Evil late-70s/early-80s white businessman villain archetype
- The catcalling of the teenage daughter by construction workers, and the mom watching and laughing
- The face-melting special effects look very 1982
- The family not being properly scared when chairs slide across the kitchen
- The skeletons popping up in the swimming pool
- The reveal that the new housing phase is being built on graves
The musical score by Jerry Goldsmith – too happy/upbeat, feels like the E.T. score rather than a horror film score
- Bill: Zelda Rubinstein might not be a very good actress – wonders what happens with an awesome actress in that role
- Van: the ghost world has reverse racial dynamics – ghosts are always messing with white people
- Steven Spielberg wanted Stephen King to co-write the screenplay; King said no
- Drew Barrymore was considered for Carol Anne but was cast as Gertie in E.T. instead
- Shirley MacLaine reportedly turned down a starring role
Zelda Rubinstein as Tangina – she's 'the lady from Poltergeist,' the definition of a That Guy
- Steven Spielberg – yes, Raiders in '81 then E.T. + Poltergeist a week apart in '82
- JoBeth Williams – yes
- Creepy clowns in a bedroom – yes
- Family ghost movies – yes
- Cursed real-life movies – yes, the most cursed movie ever
Easiest Hanks in a while – Craig T. Nelson's suburban everyman dad is pure Hanks territory
- Craig T. Nelson leaving for poker night after spirits are supposedly cleared, leaving his family alone
- The family taking 4-5 days to actually leave after being told 'the house is clean'
A prestige TV version with different houses built over graveyards, 5-6 episodes Mike Flanagan style
- Is JoBeth Williams' character the stepmom of the oldest daughter?
- How many YouTube views would the paranormal crew's video footage get? North of 50 million.
- The TV from the movie
- The Darth Vader clock/head from Robbie's room
When weird scary shit starts happening in your house, get out. Don't be a hero. Just leave.
E.T. first, then Poltergeist – do the fun heartwarming version then go dark
JoBeth Williams – she should have gotten more credit but was overshadowed by the Summer of Spielberg
Craig loved it despite not being a horror guy, called it 'Spielberg mixed with horror' and said Spielberg clearly directed this movie based on watching it