#93 - Poltergeist (1982) Vs. Poltergeist (2015)

They’re here! Join BP, Coop and Justin as we analyse the iconic original Poltergeist movie.

Poltergeist is a 1982 American supernatural horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and written by Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, and Mark Victor from a story by Spielberg.

It stars JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, and Beatrice Straight, and was produced by Spielberg and Frank Marshall.

Plot

Poltergeist focuses on a suburban family whose home is invaded by malevolent ghosts that abduct their youngest daughter.

Chapters

00:00 What is Poltergeist?

00:54 Title Sequence

1:32 Introducing Poltergeist

1:59 Overall Thoughts

5:19 Favourite Parts

14:31 What We Disliked

20:11 Poltergeist (2015) – The Remake

31:08 Trivia

36:13 Ratings

40:51 Thank You

41:19 End Scene

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Release and Critical Reception

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer through MGM/UA Entertainment Co. on June 4, 1982, Poltergeist was a major critical and commercial success, becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 1982.

In the years since its release, the film 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.

Steven Spielberg involvement

Accounts differ as to the level of Spielberg's involvement, but it is clear that he was frequently on set during filming and exerted significant creative control. For that reason, some have said that Spielberg should be considered the film's co-director or even main director, though both Spielberg and Hooper have disputed this.

Sequels and Remake

The film was followed by Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986), Poltergeist III (1988), as well as a 2015 remake, but none had the critical success of the original.

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. Poltergeist was also featured on Season 1, episode 3 of Cursed Films.

Popular Culture

"Bad Dream House", the first segment of "Treehouse of Horror", the first episode of the annual The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials, is partly a parody of Poltergeist.

Spice Girls pays homage to the film in their 1997 music video for the song "Too Much".

The Family Guy episode "Petergeist", Peter Griffin discovers an Indian burial ground when he attempts to build a multiplex in a backyard. When he takes an Indian chief's skull, a poltergeist invades the Griffins' home. The episode used some of the same musical cues heard in the film and recreates several of its scenes.

American Dad! also parod