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Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Oliver Robins ... see more see more... , Heather O'Rourke , Zelda Rubinstein , Martin Casella , Richard Lawson , Michael McManus , Virginia Kiser , James Karen , Dirk Blocker , Robert Broyles , Noel Conlon , Sonny Landham , Lou Perry , Philip Stone , William Vail , Joseph Walsh , Clair E. Leucart , Mike Fenton , Jane Feinberg , Allan Graf , Jeff Bannister , Lou Perryman , Michael Mc Manus , Dominick Dunne , Oiiver Robins

With Poltergeist, directed by Tobe Hopper, Steven Spielberg had his first great success as a producer. Released around the same time as Spielberg's E.T., the film presents the dark side of Spielberg's... read more read more... California suburban track homes. The film centers on the Freeling family, a typical middle class family living in the peaceful Cuesta Verde Estates. The father, Steve (Craig T. Nelson), has fallen asleep in front of the television, and the dog saunters around the house revealing the other family members -- Steve's wife Diane (JoBeth Williams), sixteen-year-old daughter Dana (Dominique Dunne), eight-year-old son Robbie (Oliver Robins), and five-year-old Carol Ann (Heather O'Rourke). Soon strange things begin to happen around the house; the pet canary dies, mysterious storms occur, and Carol Ann is summoned to the TV set, where a strange shaft of green light hits her and causes the room to shake ("They're he-e-ere!"). As curious events continue, Carol Ann is repeatedly drawn to the television, where she begins to talk to "the TV people." Soon Carol Ann is sucked into a closet, disappearing from this reality plane. Unable to find his daughter, Steve consults Dr. Lesh (Beatrice Straight), a para-psychologist from a nearby college. Lesh finds that paranormal phenomena is so strong in the Freelong household she is unable to deal with it and sends for clairvoyant and professional exorcist Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) to examine the house in hopes of finding Carol Ann. Tangina makes a horrifying discovery: Carol Ann is alive and in the house, but is being held on another spectral plane. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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74% liked it

154,844 ratings

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87% liked it

52 critics

PG, 1 hr. 54 min.

Directed by: Tobe Hooper

Release Date: June 4, 1982

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DVD Release Date: April 18, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (6,727)

  • fb100000040220993
    April 20, 2012
    fb100000040220993
    When researching Horror films, you will undoubtedly come across, "Poltergeist". You'll also notice that the film is often showered with adulation. I have no idea why. The attraction to this movie has always been lost on me. I didn't think it was scary when I was a kid, and af... read moreter a recent viewing, I still can't establish a connection to the film. If anything, the recent screening caused me to dislike "Poltergeist" even more. The film's biggest weakness, is that all of the scares are derived through special effects. For me, this style always comes up lame. Although state-of-the-art at the time, 30 years certainly hasn't done the effects any favors. There isn't any tension or atmosphere to make the viewer uncomfortable, so once the special effects are rendered useless, all you're left with is annoying characters and poor acting. Speaking of the acting, it may unintentionally, be the most horrific part of the whole spectacle. What also makes "Poltergeist" suffer, is the fact that the film seems very impressed with itself. That's actually common in Spielberg movies, so it's not a surprise here. It also carries a constant hint of optimism, that ends up detracting from the horror. "Poltergeist" is corny nonsense. It might beat today's paranormal efforts, but that doesn't say much.
  • aquateen2
    March 7, 2012
    aquateen2
    It's scary, tense and filled with memorable characters and lines. Poltergeist most intriguingly never fails to break it's eery feeling once the ghostly activity begins despite it's utter silliness.
  • fb1341085175
    October 25, 2011
    fb1341085175
    This is like riding The Haunted Mansion at a Disney park when you are a kid - consistently creepy but also with a foot well set on the fantastical side of the macabre, which is enough for you to know that you will get safely to the end. As a "right of passage" film (for those who... read more are old enough to watch it but not old enough for something to the likes of "The Exorcist"), it is one of the essential ones. As movie magic goes, it is one of those that haunts our childhood dreams. No matter that Tobe Hopper gets the directing credits, it has Spielberg's fingerprints all over it. And even then the disruption of the American family came out of the TV.
  • spielberg00
    October 1, 2011
    spielberg00
    POLTERGEIST is an entertaining, original (at the time, as there have been so many closely related films such as INSIDIOUS, THE OTHERS, and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, to name the very recent) thrill-fest.

    This film stars JoBeth Williams, is produced by Steven Spielberg, and is direct... read moreed by Tobe Hooper. JoBeth Williams performed solidly; Tobe Hooper, who had already had experience with horror movies from directing THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, directed phenomenally; and as for Steven Spielberg, this has to be his best film for which he does not serve as director.

    POLTERGEIST tells the frightening story of a family that is haunted by a mysterious entity. Their toddler-aged daughter can easily tell that "they're here", and at first her parents think she is fooling around. But when she is suctioned into the television set and cannot possibly escape, their minds have changed.

    Like I said, this was one of the very first haunted house movies, and even for that, it had a twist, which was the girl being sucked into the TV. It isn't overly complex (though slightly), and it is original, well-processed, and a full-speed thrill ride.
  • DreamExtractor
    August 17, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    One of the scariest movies I have ever seen.
  • fb729949618
    August 9, 2011
    fb729949618
    Modern horror classic. It could've used better visuals, but it's 1982.....who's complaining?
  • ironclad1609
    August 2, 2011
    ironclad1609
    Tobe Hooper's horror classic is clearly produced by Spielberg. The happy but somewhat chaotic families, with the male kids having Star Wars toys all over their rooms, much like in many Spielberg films of the era, still give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Here the haunting of the... read moreir house starts slowly but gets wilder by the minute, culminating in a pretty fiery showdown. That's the only part of the film that still labels as scary, making the most of the genre within 15 minutes. But even before that, the lovable (minor) characters and good set up still keep the audience's interest after all these years. While the effects may not have aged all that well, the film still works as a relic from those good old times.
  • fb619846742
    July 23, 2011
    fb619846742
    A well-conceived and delivered horror film from the mind of Steven Spielberg, detailing a family of five and their encounters with out-of-this-world forces and how they must rescue their youngest daughter who these forces have inexplicably taken from them. Although at times it is... read more rather corny and not as scary as it thinks it really is, this movie is still undeniably thrilling while still possessing a sweet side to it few horror movies possess. Just when you think things have wrapped up nicely, Spielberg inserts a few nicely developed twists into the mix, and the result is something irrefutably satisfying. Not a great movie but any means, but definitely solid popcorn entertainment, with a more than capable cast leading the way.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    March 20, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Poltergeist is one of the best horror films dealing with the supernatural. Produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper, these two cook up a film that scary, chilling and memorable. When I first saw this film I was of course scared, and I don't scare easily. The clown... read more scene was the WTF moment for me, and it stayed with me for some time, still has in a way. And I hate clowns. Go Figure. Poltergeist is probably one of the best films of the 80's, its certainly ranks up there as one of the scariest films of the 80's. Hooper and Spielberg craft a film that successfully builds tension and horror to create something truly terrifying. Thats the main reason that Poltergeist succeeds in being so terrifying, the scares steadily build up, and Hooper knows how to create the atmosphere necessary to make this a very chilling film. The film has terrific special effects and great acting. Poltergeist is a well paced horror film that definitely delivers great scares. As Tobe Hooper still had talent back then, he delivered a solid horror film, and combined with the production talents of Steven Spielberg, this is one spooky thrill that no horror fan should miss out on. Poltergeist is a fine classic .and is truly something to re watch or watch for the first time depending if you've seen the film or not. A one of a kind film of spooky proportions make this film a must see classic for all horror fans.
  • JonathanHutchings
    February 17, 2011
    JonathanHutchings
    There has been a lot of controversy over who actually directed this film. Tobe Hooper got the credit, but it's widely assumed that Spielberg was the de facto director. For me, it's quite obvious that Spielberg helmed the vast majority of Poltergeist because it has his fingerprint... read mores all over it -- the over-sentimentality, the cheesy moralizing, the swelling score, even his trademark shot compositions. Compare the direction of Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Poltergiest, and, for me, it becomes quite apparent that Hooper's nowhere to be found here.

    And that's probably why I didn't like it. It's a little too safe, and a little too cutesy -- but I guess that's what happens when Spielberg makes a horror movie (and yes, I'm well aware he made Jaws, but that was before he was "Steven Spielberg.") Aside from Zelda Rubinstein's performance, and ILM's excellent 80s special effects, Poltergeist is a vastly overrated film that conjures up just enough scares to pass as a horror film, but takes no risks in the process. It's the kind of movie that non-horror fans champion as a "scary movie" -- a glorified campfire story with a big budget. It may be the first, and only film that I can think of off the top of my head, that could be considered a "Family Horror" film. Those words do not belong together.

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Critic Reviews

June 1, 2011
TIME Magazine

The film delivers honest special-effects shocks without forfeiting its good nature. Full Review

Variety Staff
September 25, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

Given the talents, Poltergeist is an annoying film because it could have been so much better. Full Review

Dave Kehr
September 25, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Though the shocks are well conveyed, it's the sweetness that lingers, making this the first cute and cuddly entry in the genre. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Hooper and Spielberg hold our interest by observing the everyday rituals of this family so closely that, since the family seems real, the weird events take on a certain credibility by association. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Poltergeist is like a thoroughly enjoyable nightmare, one that you know that you can always wake up from, and one in which, at the end, no one has permanently been damaged. It's also witty in a fashio... Full Review

Wesley Lovell
August 15, 2011
Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy

A frightening, supernatural horror film that defined a generation. Full Review

M. Faust
January 2, 2011
M. Faust, Common Sense Media

One of the all-time great haunted house movies. Full Review

David Nusair
February 18, 2010
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

...a compelling and consistently creepy piece of work... Full Review

Walter Chaw
February 22, 2009
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

Spielberg clockwork: great suburbs, great special effects, great abuse of an expositive score, great overuse of the slow push-in, great hot mom, great irrelevant dad, great plucky little kids. Full Review

John J. Puccio
October 11, 2008
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

Think of it more as a fun-ride than a horror movie. Full Review

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    • Tangina: This house is clean.
    • Steve: Look, something's funny going on here next door. Something.
    • Diane: We were wondering if maybe you had experienced any disturbances.
    • Tuthill: What kind of disturbances?
    • Diane: Oh, you know, like dishes or furniture moving around by themselves.
    • Diane: Now reach back into our past when you used to have an open mind, remember that? Just try to use that for the next couple of minutes.
    • Diane: It's like another side nature, that you and I aren't qualified to understand. When you overreact, it makes what happened much to important.
    • Carol Anne: They're here!
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  • A number of unusual deaths has happened to the cast of what movie?  Answer »
  • "Poltergeist" - "Tootsie" and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" were released in what year?  Answer »
  • In the Harry Potter movies, which ghost is not tied to a specifuc Hogwarts house?  Answer »
  • In which California city does Poltergeist take place?  Answer »
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