Poltergeist

Rating:
Summary: The ultimate screen ghost story. Chilling, disturbing & fun!
Review: A young suburban family's home is taken over by otherworldy visitors who in an act of absolute vengeance, kidnap the youngest daughter. The best of all screen ghost movies, POLTERGEIST delivers non stop action & spectacular special effect that still manage to look good & spooky even after 20 years. The film is able to capture every childhood fear and torture not only the children & parents IN THE MOVIE but the audience as well. The fear of water, the fear of CLOWNS, the fear of that menacing tree infront of your bedroom window and the fear of monsters in the closet are all displayed here in the most frightening manner. These MEAN GHOSTIES don't just say "BOO!!", they roar, they laugh, THEY BITE and that's just a prelude because the last 10 minutes if this film has got to be the most thrilling, dazzling and frightening 10 minutes ever captured on film.

Aside from the Oscar-Nominated Special Effects, another of the films notable factors is the excellent ensemble cast who does an incredible job in capturing the warmth & love of a close-knit family. The lovely JoBeth Williams is specially delightful and her performance here is Oscar worthy (I'm surprised she wasn't nominated. Shame on the judges). And no review would be complete without mentioning the late, angelic Heather O'Rourke. Her innocent beauty is so astonishingly haunting that it might just burn into your subconscience an everlasting image of incorruptibility and innocence. Her unblemished radiance counteracts the visual grotesqueness & vileness of the film. Kind of like BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. It's a shame this talented little actress died at such a young age. Her fans miss her terribly.

POLTERGEIST was oringally slapped with an "R" rating. The films producer Steven Spielburg (a very smart man who knew very well that an "R" rating might hinder the films success at the box office) fought against it claiming that POLTERGEIST had no sex, no nudity & no excess violence- to which he had a point and the censors backed down. At the time, "PG-13" did not exist so the film's rating was dropped to "PG" to the dismay of many people- mostly parents who all thought the film was far too graphic & far too disturbing to be given such a MILD rating. Either way, POLTERGEIST remains a visually stunning film which combines grade-A special effects with a human element that most horror movies lack.

Superior in all aspects POLTERGEIST is a classic tour-de-force of the highest level. It's an unnerving but remarkable horror tale of things that go BUMP in the night. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Frightening, Epic Ghost Story!
Review: There aren't many movies based on ghosts and hauntings that can hold a candle to this epic horror classic. Tobe Hooper ("Texas Chainsaw Massacre") and Steven Spielberg (needs no introduction) paired up to make what was to become one of the greatest horror films ever. Though this movie is as old as I am, it still frightens me to this day.

Craig T Nelson (of "Coach" fame) plays Mr. Freeling, a real-estate agent selling homes in a large tract development. He and his wife (JoBeth Williams) live with their three children in one of these developments, and what they don't know CAN kill them. As it turns out, their home was built on a graveyard and the now restless spirits seek revenge. One of their children, Carole Anne (Heather O'Rourke), is drawn to these spirits and can talk to them via the television. Some seemingly harmless late night child's play goes very awry when these ghostly beings find a way to enter the house ("they're here..."), and later Carole Anne herself disappears and is taken into custody by the other-worldy inhabitants. What began as something of amusement (watching chairs move and silverware bend) quickly becomes a huge threat to the previously average, quiet family. Specialists, including the infamous clairvoyant pyschic (Zelda Rubinstein), are brought in to investigate the matter and retrieve Carole Anne from the alternate dimension in which she is being held captive by sinister beings.

The special effects in this movie are excellent, and show where Spielberg's input was more than effective. Not only are the big effects incredible, but the subtleties within the film are as well (the creepy malformed tree, the children's clown doll, the dog barking at the wall), thus illustrating that the seemingly benign can, in actuality, be grossly malevolent. Furthermore, this movie proves that excessive make-up effects in the gore department are not necessary to generate scares. The acting is also superb. All involved gave memorable performances that are not soon to be forgotten by fans of the genre. The dialogue is far superior to much of what you hear in many horror films, and at times is even witty. The film showcases fears that every child has at some point in his/her life, adding to the intense creepiness. It places horror within the home, a generally safe haven. There isn't a second of wasted film to be found here, for every bit adds to the plot and the thrilling, edge-of-your-seat atmosphere.

Overall, this is a great movie that should be owned and loved by any fan of quality horror. A must see! An added "spook" factor: some of the actors died shortly after the release, and the film is purportedly cursed!

Rating:
Summary: Great Ghost Film
Review: When I saw this film when is was about 20, it scared the guts out of me, now 24 years later, it isn't as scary but still keeps me thrilled. I watch this movie so many times and I never get scared of it. Alot of people out there like it too, only a few think it isn't that great. Everyone aks why is PG and I have 2 things to say to that
1. Back in 1982 PG-13 wasn't a rating
2. It couldn't have been R because it has no frontal nudity and rarley and swears.
So, I hope that answers your question. Anyway, this film even thou PG is not for kids. It may be a bit to scary and intense for younger viewers. A part that still scares the heck out of me is when the clown pops up and another part that scares me is when the guy is in the bathroom and he's ripping of all his skin. It may look a little fake, but what do you expect, it was made 22 years ago. This movie should be in any movie collectors shelf, even if your not a big fan of horror films cause this movie is for movie likers of the age 9 and up. So, go ahead and get this movie, it's worth every penny and will remain a gem in any one's shelf.
10/10
Rated PG for strong graphic violence, language, brief nudity and mild gore.

Rating:
Summary: "Pushing The Envelope" In Hollywood Ghost Stories
Review: Although Toby Hooper is credited for directing "POLTERGEIST", it is clear that Stephen Speilberg's "stamp" (artistic hand and creative direction) prevailed in the making of this movie. In fact, if it weren't for a strict industry contract stating Speilberg could only be director of "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" that summer of 1982 (when both films were released), Stephen Speilberg would have been able to make himself director of "POLTERGEIST."

Like most Speilberg films, the movie "POLTERGEIST" can strike a chord with any age audience. It is an imaginative, spiritual story filled with all the basic human emotions: laughter, sadness, tension, fear, and curiosity. The film takes the viewer on a roller coaster ride through the supernatural. The acting is superb for a movie listed in the "horror" section and I give the movie five stars. My top rating is because, for a ghost story, it is at the top of its game.

Viewing the movie in widescreen is a MUST. In widescreen, the visual story is told more completely and the smart orientations of the picture are at full bloom. Between the kid's closet and its roaring "punch hole" into the next plane, Carol Anne's doll-like presence, the lovable mother and family, the pyramid of kitchen chairs, the T.V.'s ghostly hand, the frightening clown, the demonic tree, the spirits, the faces and forms of the beast, the murky swimming pool, the skeletons, the clairvoyant pyschic, and the ultimate ghastly destruction of the Freeling's intense-looking home, the movie is filled with a strong theme of visual punches and storyboard icons that will leave an imprint on the viewer. In addition, a whitty dialogue and impressive film score (by Jerry Goldsmith) assist the success of the film. It is no wonder the movie was an instant success with audiences across America (both young and old alike) when released in 1982.

To sum up the impact of "POLTERGEIST": Who hasn't heard the phrase "They're Here..." ? That simple line of the movie -- elevated to eternal fame -- speaks for the status of the film itself and its place in the American kaleidescope. Not to mention, most real-life developers really do think twice about moving a cemetery now.

Rating:
Summary: Haunting.
Review: Steven Spielberg doesn't just make great family films and moving dramas. He also can help make a great horror movie. Of course, he had some help from famed horror director Tobe Hooper. However, make no doubt the hand of Spielberg is all over POLTERGEIST and the movie wouldn't be the classic it is without his guiding vision.

The movie is about the Freeling family, a typical suburban family living in an above average suburbs. Everything about the Freeling's life seems normal. That is until the youngest daughter, Carol-Anne. (Heather O'Rourke) starts hearing voices late at night from the television. She wakens the family late one night to announce that, "They're heeere." From there the Freeling's lives are slowly turned upside down as small ghostly pranks such as moving chairs and breaking glass snowball into more and more frightening incidents until young Carol-Anne is kidnapped into the neatherworld by forces from beyond.

JoBeth Williams pulls off a wonderful performances as the distraught mother and Craig T. Nelson is a joy to watch as the family's patriarch.

POLTERGEIST is a horror movie that is remininscent of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but with an extra heaping of Spielbergian special effects. The movie is full of suspense, yet actually contains very little violence, hardly any foul language, and no sex. If the film wasn't so frightening, it could be a family film.

Rating:
Summary: Just cuz there old doesn't mean they SUK!
Review: You see I don't understand why people think that the older horror flicks can't be scary anymore. It doesn't make sense considering that most new horror flick stink. The little teenage girls and boys watch psycho and laugh at it, because it's old and there parents said it was scary, and yet they turn around and say movies like They and Feardotcom are scary. No sorry people those flicks aren't scary. Poltergeist is one of those horror gems that seem to be loosing respect. Believe me this is a truly scary movie, but it also tells a story and has spectacular acting, some great humor, and lots of scares and suspense. The film is about a haunted suburban tract home in a development very much like the Arizona one in which Spielberg was raised. Spielberg also cowrote the screenplay, which taps into primal, childlike fears of monsters under the bed, monsters in the closet, sinister clown faces, and all manner of things that go bump in the night. At first, some of the odd happenings in the house are kind of funny and amusing, but they grow gradually creepier until the film climaxes in a terrifying special-effects extravaganza when 5-year-old Carole Anne is kidnapped by the spooks and held hostage in another dimension, and then the psychological horror stuff happens. You feel like these people are like you, and they seem just like your next door neighbors.While it's not nearly as frightening as Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or the original Nightmare on Elm Street, Poltergeist is one of the smartest and most entertaining horror pictures of its time, and remains one of the scariest movies ever made. Watch it alone in the dark, and do yourself a favor, take it seriously, I mean what's the point of watching a scary movie if your just gonna make fun of it and laugh at. Try sitting down and doing that with Saving Private Ryan, and you'll see that an event that was horrifying and horrendous can be the funniest experience of a life time. To enjoy a movie you must view it as it was meant to be viewed, this is a horror flick, and it was meant to scare you. Don't expect anything, just watch with an open mind. I love this flick and I want everyone else to enjoy it as much as I did.

Rating:
Summary: It Knows What Scares You
Review: Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams star as Steven and Diane Freeling. The Freelings reside in a suburban development called Cuesta Verde. The development was built on an old cemetary, but the bodies were never removed. Also, the Freeling home has been invaded by a strange para-psychological presence. Strange and unexplained occurances begin to take place. At first, the occurances are minor, such as items sliding across the floor, but eventually, the occurances begin to get much more scary in nature until finally the Freeling's youngest daughter Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke) is captured by the supernatural forces and placed in another dimension. The family can only hear Carol Anne's voice through the TV.

The family solicits the help of a parapsychologist to help them get their daughter back. However, the presence has also sensed the efforts to retrieve Carol Anne. Each member of the Freeling family must summon up their inner strength and put their fears aside in order to help Carol Anne. Finally, Carol Anne is rescued and the parapsychologist declares the house as "clean"; but is it?

This is a truly scary movie. There's no blood, but the pure psychological terror will be sure to scare even the staunchest of viewers. The special effects are what make this movie so special. They truly hold the viewer's interest throughout the film. This is a movie that horror movie fans will be sure to enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: Always Liked This But...
Review: Poltergeist comes from my childhood so it will always be a part of me. It was one of the first films I remember seeing and I will never forget it. To watch it now brings back memories of being a kid and for that it will always have a place in my heart. This film was never that scary to me. For some reason I found it too silly to be scary. Poltergeist is also one of the dumbest movies to be made because there is no way a family would stay in a house AFTER chairs pile up on the table and they hear voices at night. Also who would stay in this house AFTER they got Carol Ann back? That was the straw that broke the camel's back. When I was a child I didn't notice these things but as an adult it makes a once very interesting film seem down right pathetic. I still like this movie it just makes no sense whatsoever.

Rating:
Summary: Poltergeist (1982)
Review: Director: Tobe Hooper
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Jobeth Williams, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Zelda Rubenstein.
Running Time: 114 minutes.
Rated PG for ghastly scary scenes and some language.

The anticipation for "Poltergiest" was imminent. With "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" director Tobe Hooper teaming with the likes of Steven Spielberg (who has directed such classics as "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park") and Frank Marshall, it was bound to be a supernatural classic. The team did not disappoint. This film is one of the most stylish, devilishly entertaining horror films of the past quarter century, using superb special effects, fine performances, and an elegantly humorous screenplay as a springboard to portray the terror of restless spirits.

The opening scene of "Poltergiest" is the most famous, presenting the cute six-year old girl Carol Ann in front of a disoriented television screen. As the girl turns back to her family, who has fallen asleep watching a television program, she proclaims "They're here!", creating the foundation for a tense, roller-coaster ride full of ghoulish thrills and chills. When the family realizes that their house has been inhabited by fiendish spirits who wish to use their daughter as tool to reach the next world, parents Steven and Diane (played extremely well by "Coach"'s Craig T. Nelson and the charming Jobeth Williams) must put their faith back in love and use sheer determination to save their family from the evil ghosts.

Some of the most memorable and witty scenes involve the quirky haunted house specialist (played by Rubenstein), which she guides the Freeling parents into a world of unspeakable horrors as they attempt to rescue their daughter. The musical score by Jerry Goldsmith is evocatively on the mark, using a chorus of children vocalists that not only create a glorious harmony, but add an eeriness to the film. "Poltergiest" is not only a ghost tale, but a film that renders a theme of hope and faith, using a gentle touch that is not found in many horror films. A magnificent spectacle of stricly original terror, "Poltergiest" has withstood the tests of time and is still of one of the best.

Rating:
Summary: Its a scream
Review: The best horror series ever made. A pity they only made three of them. Unfortunately the actres that played Chalorine is no deceased. Shortly after complete the final Poltergist movie she was accidently killed in a helicopter accident while co director steven Spilliberg was shooting Twiligh zone the Movie.

In Poltergist little Charalan who is 5 years is old is captured by the spirts and taken to the other side. This movie has a couple of gory and disgust parts. Rated PG 13 for language and supsense.
tangena is an angle. Unlike in Poltergist 2 and 3 nobody dies.