Poltergeist

Summary

“They’re here!”

Recently my family has been revisiting numerous classic films from director Steven Spielberg. I grew up a rabid Spielberg fan. I equated Spielberg with great cinema from a young age. I was not wrong. If you look at his track record from the Seventies into the late Nineties, Spielberg was easily one of the greatest and most influential directors. I love Coppola and Lucas and De Palma, but out of that crop of filmmakers, I would wager that Spielberg inspired the most young filmmakers to try their hand at filmmaking. In 1982, Spielberg produced a family focused horror film named Poltergeist, which he wrote with Michael Grais and Mark Victor. Spielberg enlisted director Tobe Hooper, best known for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, to bring his vision of the screenplay to life. Spielberg would have directed the film himself, but he was busy at the time working on E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Tobe Hooper had just finished The Funhouse prior to working on Poltergeist. Interestingly, their directing roles could have easily been switched with Tobe Hooper directing E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Spielberg happily directing Poltergeist. That would have been interesting to see, but I am glad that things played out the way they did.

The collaborative effort between the two men created one of the most beloved horror films of its era, and inspired two sequels. Tobe Hooper would never achieve the level of success attained with Poltergeist again, but he did have a lasting career that included the well known cult films Lifeforce, Invaders from Mars, The Mangler, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Over the years, Tobe Hooper’s contribution to Poltergeist has been downplayed by the media. This is largely because Spielberg went on to be Spielberg, and Tobe never achieved Spielberg level of success again within his career. I am thankful that in the recent interviews with the cast and crew celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the film, the cast went out of their way to dispel the myth that Hooper’s contributions were minimal. The film benefits from the unique quality of both director’s contributions.

In the planned community of Cuesta Verde, California, real estate developer Steve Freeling (Craig T. Nelson) lives with his wife Diane (JoBeth Williams) and their three children – teenager Dana (Dominique Dunn,) eight-year-old Robbie (Oliver Robins,) and five-year-old Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke.) They have moved into their house recently. Steve had helped to design the community itself for his land developer boss, Mr. Teague. They live a picturesque suburban life. One night, Carol Anne begins to speak to the television set as it plays static. She tells her parents that “they’re here.” From that point forward, it becomes obvious that ghostly presences are in the home. The ghosts at first reveal themselves in nonviolent displays, but soon they take a dark turn. In a storm, a tree limb attacks Robbie, and then the tree literally attempts to swallow him. As the family rushes outside to assist Robbie, Carol Anne stays behind. Her attention is drawn to the television set. While her family is outside, Carol Anne is pulled into the television set. Her family scrambles to find a way to bring their daughter back from the realm she has been dragged into.

Poltergeist is the rare horror film that manages to scare adults and children while also appealing to both age groups. The script’s central focus remains on the family from the beginning of the picture until the finale. I think that the strong family dynamic – which matches the family dynamic seen in Spielberg’s E.T., Jaws, and Close Encounters – really shines through in the film. There is a natural chemistry between Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams that feels lived in, and the child actors respond well to their adult counterparts. It is compelling viewing to see a regular suburbanite family banding together against supernatural forces beyond their control. Spielberg’s script knew exactly how far the film could go without pushing into R-rated territory. The scares are well thought out, and they are scary. The film is also infused with a sense of wonder that comes across in scenes such as when the family sees all of the children’s toys come to life. That sequence is not scary, but it is amazing. The writing strikes the right balance between horror and the fantastic which has held viewers in rapt attention for the last forty years.

The direction by Tobe Hooper with assistance from Spielberg is wonderful. The actors come off completely natural in their roles thanks to the strong guidance. The actors themselves had formed a tight unit of friendship and camaraderie and it really comes across. Extremely technical sequences and camera movements are pulled off repeatedly in the film from the start to the finish with a great amount of imagination and hard work. Many of the difficult effects in the film are pulled off in-camera and hold up brilliantly today. Everything comes together under their direction.

The actors are all well cast and deliver strong performances. Craig T. Nelson, who would later play Coach, is as perfect a fit for a suburban dad as I have seen in any film. We all believe him as the loving father and husband in the picture. JoBeth Williams channels great strength into her performance as the protective and distraught mother dealing with otherworldly problems. She is fantastic in her role. The chemistry between Craig and JoBeth has a real lived in quality. Heather O’Rourke is wonderful as Carol Anne Freeling. She was an immensely talented young actress who sadly passed away from undiagnosed stomach issues a few years later. Dominique Dunne who played the teenage sister Dana is another youthful actress who died too young. She was murdered at the age of 22. These couple deaths have led to conspiracy theories that the film itself was cursed, but I personally find those theories to be laughable. The world is unpredictable and sometimes, for some unknown reason, young folks die. The only reason I can imagine that these curse legends have persisted is the knowledge revealed by the effects department years later that JoBeth Williams swam with actual skeletons in the famous pool sequence. If the curse was real, wouldn’t the person cursed be JoBeth Williams, who went on to have a solid career and a normal life?  Regardless, the curse legends have only added to the allure of the film. Other performances of note include Beatrice Straight as Dr. Leah and the inimitable Zelda Rubinstein in the role of the psychic Zandina. James Karen is excellent as the greedy land developer Mr. Teague, and Oliver Robbins is also very good in the role of Robbie. Every cast member leaves a strong impression from their work onscreen.

The film has excellent effects work that has aged well aside from a few moments that overreach. There are a couple sequences that could possibly be cleaned up if performed today, but most of the tricks in the film are pure clever movie magic. Cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti’s work on the film is above reproach. Poltergeist remained his unrivaled best work for over a decade until his excellent work on the film Strange Days. The music was composed by iconic composer Jerry Goldsmith. Goldsmith was immensely talented and his work on Poltergeist rivals some of his best work. The score is wonderful.

Overall, Poltergeist is an enduring horror classic that should be enjoyed by families every year around Halloween, or honestly, any time of year. The film helped to inspire the next generation of horror filmmakers and deserves all the accolades it has received over the years.

Video

Presented in Native 4K in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, Poltergeist looks wonderful in Warner Bros. new UHD presentation. Fans of the picture will be elated by the work that Warner has done on this transfer. Fine detail is greatly enhanced from the prior Blu-ray presentation with very well resolved grain.  Matthew F. Leonetti’s cinematography shines on the new format. The film benefits from the increased color range available through HDR which brings out some really stunning blues in the latter part of the film. The color grading for the film is very attractive. I honestly can’t imagine this film looking any better than it does here.

Audio

Warner Bros. has presented Poltergeist with an engaging DTS-HD MA 5.1 track. While an Atmos track would have been not only a welcome addition, but a really compelling reason to purchase the new release, I was pleased with what Warner offered. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 track brings out the very best qualities of the great soundtrack. It takes a little while before the film really utilizes the surrounds in a meaningful way, but once the action picks up, the track is wonderful. Featuring a wonderful score by the iconic Jerry Goldsmith, there is a lot to enjoy about the track.

Supplements:

• They Are Here: The Real World of the Poltergeists
• The Making of Poltergeist 
• Theatrical Trailer 

Overall Scores:

Video: 5

Audio:4.5

Special Features: 2

Overall – 5/5

Poltergeist is an enduring classic of the horror film genre. The film is as amazing as it is frightening. The characters are well written and likable and the script is excellent. The actors in the picture all deliver fine performances. It is a great example of a film where every cast member is in fine form. Tobe Hooper (along with Spielberg) drew excellent performances from all involved and worked perfectly with cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti to deliver a visually impressive film. Aside from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, this film would be the defining film of Hooper’s career. Warner Bros. Has done their due diligence to bring the film to 4K UHD with a truly beautiful transfer. Fans of the film who own the prior Blu-ray from years ago should be extremely pleased to see the film in the new format. It looks fantastic. The sound has been given a solid boost as well, but an Atmos track would have really been something to hear during the finale sof the film. As it stands, this is the best way to view Poltergeist by far, and deserves a spot on the shelf of every film lover. Poltergeist earns our highest recommendation