Rating: 
Summary: First-class Ghost Story!
Review: Forget the controversy over who REALLY directed this movie (Hooper or Spieldberg). All that matters is that this one is a classic! If you really think about it, the premise is as hokey as they come (a girl gets zapped into the other-side through a TV and the best route to saving her is through her bedroom closet). But somehow the goofiness is made palatable thanks to brilliant directing and a memorable score by Jerry Goldsmith. I always remember this movie more for the music and it's quotable, sing-songy dialgoue ("Cross over children...all are Welcome...all Welcome"...), especially from Tangina.The brilliance in the directing shows through in the movie's ability to put such a breathless adventure inside a house. What should have felt claustrophic and flat is instead a movie that's fun, energetic and touching. The performances are top-notch, and the viewer really feels the characters are taking this "crisis" seriously. As good as the directing, acting and special effects are, I recommend seeing this movie more for the music. Never, in my opinion, has Goldsmith been better. He perfectly captures both the innocence and horror of the movie, weaving the two together into a truly memorable score. The tornado scene ranks as one of the hokiest moments every featured in modern horror cinema, but it sure is a wild ride thanks to Goldsmith's urgent scoring of the scene and great editing. I would forget the two sequels. Part 2 takes itself way too seriously and Part 3 is just plain bad.
Rating:
Summary: Ghosts, Goblins, Hooper, and Spielberg! Whatta combination!
Review: Excellent GHOST film works mainly becuz of f/x and refreshing directing by horror legend Tobe Hooper. Although a bit of Spielberg is noticing at times, if it werent for the opening credits where they plaster his name on just about every credit that u could possibly think of, there's NO way that any Tom, Dick, and Harry would ever notice that he had anything to do with this masterpiece. Its paced like a roller coaster. It never gets boring from start to finish. That's an HONOR! Kudos to Spielberg for fleshing out such a vivid and imaginative screenplay. Guess some of that JAWS notoriety rubbed off and his head inflated to the size of the Goodyear Blimp. Anyway, the film is scary in every aspect. Although i was surprised that a film with such gore could somehow slide underneath MPAA raters and snag a PG rating. Wow. They musta been thinkin...Hey if Spielberg has this film under HIS belt...why not try to make another JAWS! Except this time use Ghosts and Better f/x to better the monster. Well ladies and gents, this sure as heck isnt JAWS. Yet still credible in every sense of word and feeling. Frightening at times and hysterical at others. A MUST SEE for movie Buffs like me and my pal Allie> Huh?
Rating: 
Summary: The best "ghost" movie ever!
Review: I recently saw an episode of the Twilight Zone called "Little Girl Lost" and it made me want to revisit this 1980's horror classic. Tobe Hooper's darkly comic horror film ranks right up there with "Jurassic Park" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as one of the most entertaining films ever made. I for one don't believe it ever should have been released on video, but instead shown only in theaters from time to time. It's a roller-coaster ride of thrills as Williams and Nelson try to retrieve their daughter from the malevolent spirits that have abducted her. Zelda Rubenstein, as a plucky medium, gives an amazing, adrenaline-pumping performance - she's absolutely mesmerizing. The only place the movie could be said to bog down is when the parapsychologists stake out the house for ghostly activity, but the scenes are short and serve to make the amazing rescue scene, where Williams pulls Rourke out of the portal, even more intense. And as film critic Danny Peary wryly puts it in his "Guide for the Film Fanatic," "Whatever the movie is saying about the effects of television, it isn't good."
Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable Close Encounter Of A Very Different Kind
Review: POLTERGEIST: (noun)-meaning noisy ghosts. See movie for details. I saw this movie for the first time back when it was released in 1982. I was twelve years old at the time, and found it genuinely frightening. Now that I'm older and have seen it many times, it doesn't scare me so much anymore, but it still delivers. A collaboration between Steven Spielberg (of such films as....well you know!) and Tobe Hooper (director of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre). POLTERGEIST is the only ghost story that I have ever seen that delivers chills, state-of-the-art special effects, and unforgettable (and very believable) performances by the entire cast, yet remains in a class all its own simply because it laces these elements with both humor and warmth. After living in their brand new house for the last five years, the very close Freeling family starts to notice strange happenings every now and then. Particularly observant is 5-year old Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke as an absolute doll). At first the ghostly pranks are a little exciting to the family, but soon they realize the ghosts are not simply just playing around, but mean real business. The POLTERGEIST swings into full force, making it's intentions clear, pulling the family into a living nightmare from which they may not escape. This DVD edition doesn't really offer many extras, but the picture is the best that I've ever seen (the televised versions that we saw for years were very grainy, even blurred). An interesting observation that I made was that the theatrical trailer actually shows some extended sequences/dialogue that are not in the film (?). Maybe we'll be treated to a special edition somewhere down the line. Followed in 1986 by the sequel POLTERGEIST II: The Other Side, which would've been slightly better had Hooper or Speilberg been involved.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: Poltergeist is a haunting and moving film. From the opening scene when Carol Anne first talks to the TV to the scary supernatural events that occur later in the film, this film never fails to deliver. The story is very credible and moves along very nicely. Holding it all together is the excellent score by Jerry Goldsmith. His "Carol Anne" theme is one of the most memorable tunes of the 80's. A big nod also goes to the ensemble acting by the excellent cast. You never for a moment doubt these characters. Their ultimate goal of finding their girl at all costs is very heroic. I believe the film has been reclassified as PG-13, due to a scene involving illegal drug use and a scene of extreme gore. Despite some of the good family scenes, this is not a movie for kids under 13.
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME, but depends on your age mostly.
Review: Hey I saw this movie for the first time ever in the theaters when I was 7 years old, and this movie scared the heck out of me (to put it nicely). I hated this movie between that and when it hit cable, then I increasingly got not-scared of it. I just recently purchased this DVD and watched it for the first time in 12 years and to be honest, when you take the spooky and gross out stuff out of it, it's a heartwarming movie. Plus for me it reminds me of life growing up in the early 80s, since both young kids (Carol Anne and Robbie) are around what my age was then. Based on first hand experience, please do not show this movie to your kid if he's that young. I went after begging my mom to take me there. LOL Robbie (Oliver Robbins) is a boy who has possibly two of any 8-year-old kid's worst nightmares come true; a tree (or any object that looks mean) coming to life to take him away, and a clown who comes to life to attack him. Carol-Anne (the late Heather O'Rourke) ends up in another void, and her mom finally goes in to get her, to put it simply. There's everything for you in this movie, and if you're old enough, it won't scare you THAT much.
Rating:
Summary: The scariest movie I have ever watched!
Review: I watched this movie years ago as a kid and it scared the hell out of me! It still scares me when I watch it today. The special effects are considered cheesy by today's standards but it still packs a punch. The Freelings are a typical surburban family living in a typical neighborhood until weird disturbances(poltergeists!) occur in their house. The Freelings, not being very smart(I'd move out!) don't really mind these disturbances until their the ghosts attack one night and their youngest daughter is sucked into the TV set! Getting help from parapychologists(not quite Ghostbusters), they try to get their daughter back. Very scary stuff as the ghosts fight back! The movie as I mentioned still is very scary and packs quite a punch. However, it also shows a mother's love for her daughter and all she would do to get her back. Sentimental stuff. A+
Rating:
Summary: Sets the Standard
Review: All of today's recent horror movie makers get half of their ideas from this movie. There isn't any sex or gore but a ghost in a television still provides suspense that is more than entertaining. It is funny on a few instances too. I like it.
Rating:
Summary: What a Film! Steven Spielberg has done it again!!
Review: This film was the best! Steven Spielberg has done it again! I really liked this film because I thought the acting was great and the storyline was also a great set as well. The movie is about 5 family members: Diane (JoBeth Williams) Steven (Craig T. Nelson) Dana (Dominique Dunne) Robbie (Oliver Robins) and of course, the best part of the show Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke) who's house gets haunted by Poltergeists (To what the researchers believe) and Carol Anne gets...Well, i can't reveal that much of the plot, you just have to watch and find out!!
Rating:
Summary: Spielberg clearly triumphs with this horror masterpeice!
Review: There isn't much I can say about this movie that hasn't been said before in the reviews. Everyone seems to like this movie. Well, everyone is right. POLTERGEIST if filled with sincere performances, impressive even by today's standards special effects, a well developed plot, and an exceptional music score by Jerry GOldsmith. POLTERGEIST will even scare, after all, it is a horror film. I've said before that horror isn't my cup of tea, and it still isn't, but out of the few I've seen, this, and Hitchcock's Physco (original version) top the chart. The film posesses wonderful suspense, humor, and witty dialogue. remastered in Dolby Digital, Poltergeist never sounded better. Don't listen to what anyone else says. This mix is dynamic. Split surround is often used, especially during the effect sequences. Music score is nicely brought about, filling every channel when necessary. Overall, this sound mix is very pleaseing, do not be misslead by other reviews. Picture quality is sharp and accurate, although some artifacts remain, but few. Once again, some may over look the sharp editing, exceptional visuals,mesmorizing plot, and effective score, and will dub the movie unsatisfactory. These people are of course without a soul, and have no respect for the classics. Don't make that mistake. See Poltergeist today! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
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