This is one of the first horror movies I ever saw as a kid, and the weird thing is I only saw the last half-ish or so at the time. Basically, I saw all the insane parts. Kind of a weird way to see a horror movie at a young age, don’t ya think? It’s especially weird ’cause I can’t watch movies that way anymore. I gotta see something from the beginning. I didn’t see the whole movie in one sitting until a bit later, but I still consider this the first horror film I’ve seen (if not one of the first). But it’s definitely the first one that truly captivated me. To this day, it’s one of my all-time favourites.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
Poltergeist was released in 1982 as a joint effort between the legend himself, Steven Spielberg; and the late Tobe Hooper, director of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There is some debate over who really directed the movie, but I’ll get into that a bit later. Anyway, it’s about a suburban family who realizes that weird things are going on in their home. They end up finding out that a powerful supernatural force is behind this, and that their daughter Carol Anne is somehow able to communicate with them.
Not long after this, the weirdness starts ramping up as crazier supernatural phenomena occurs, moving things all over the place, and causing stuff to take on a life of their own. Carol Anne is then taken by the evil force and her parents seek help from paranormal investigators to find out what’s going on and how to get their daughter back.
That’s the overall plot of the movie. It’s simple, but moves along very briskly and is very well-paced. The family is ordinary, yet likable and relatable. Craig T. Nelson plays the father and does a fantastic job bringing compassion and also a little levity during the film’s lighter moments. JoBeth Williams plays the mother and has great chemistry with the others, bringing a lot of heart and plenty of emotional weight to the film.
And, of course, there are the kids. Their performances feel very real and you believe what they’re going through. It’s unfortunate that the actresses Heather O’Rourke and Dominique Dunne tragically passed away. I have no doubt that they would’ve went on to appear in more films. Everything about the kid actors feels just right, never over-the-top and always natural. It’s especially fun seeing how they interact at the start of the film while eating breakfast.
There’s not too many supporting characters, so the movie feels pretty small in that sense. We got some neighbors, the paranormal investigators, and a few others but that’s about it. The actors who play them are great, though, and do a fine job. They help add to the film, pulling you further into the movie as you see their reactions to everything.
The best supporting character is easily this cool Lisa Simpson-sounding woman named Tangina who helps the family communicate with Carol Anne to bring her back. She’s played by the late Zelda Rubinstein, who was a human rights activist and beloved actor who appeared in films such as Sixteen Candles and Teen Witch, plus numerous TV shows. She makes the movie take on a life of its own once she appears. Her performance brings a lot of power and heart, and even unexpected humor.
This scene where she talked about the supernatural forces is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of the film as well as Zelda’s career. Her delivery really sells it as she talks about the supernatural forces at work. It’s hauntingly effective.
Even though we never see what the supernatural world actually looks like, you can feel how creepy it is by how she describes what’s going on. It was a smart choice to leave that world off-screen and leave it to our imagination. This definitely had to be Spielberg’s choice. And yet the rawness and feeling of helplessness behind it is reminiscent of what Tobe Hooper captured in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
The effects are outstanding and still hold up to this day. In my opinion, this is some of the best work that ILM has done. It’s a lot of fun learning how they achieved many of the shots, as there is a lot of creativity put into the film. This white monster thing is one of my favourite creature designs from any film and has always stood out to me, despite only appearing in a movie for barely a minute.
As for the whole, “Who really directed it?” controversy, I believe Steven when he says it’s Tobe’s movie, but a lot of the sequences in the movie definitely have Spielberg’s influence. The way the story progresses, the way the characters are introduced, and especially the shots all have a Spielberg vibe. It makes sense, as he helped storyboard a lot of the film. In addition, this was edited by Michael Kahn, who’s edited many of Steven’s films.
It’s been widely speculated that Spielberg wanted to direct this but couldn’t because of a clause in his contract that kept him from directing other films while working on E.T. at the time. And while it seems like that’s the case, it’s worth knowing that Steven has stated that it was never his goal to direct Poltergeist.
Tobe was, at the time, new to the industry and getting a lot of attention for Texas Chainsaw, so Steven wanted to get him a directing gig to help further his career since they were good friends. I have no doubt that Tobe was involved with every step of the production, as co-producer Frank Marshall said that he was on set everyday. And, just like Steven, he too helped storyboard a lot of the film.
To clarify the whole situation, Steven sent Tobe an open letter that was published by The Hollywood Reporter during the film’s release that said the following.
“Regrettably, some of the press has misunderstood the rather unique, creative relationship you and I shared throughout the making of Poltergeist. I enjoyed your openness in allowing me…a wide berth for creative involvement, just as I know you were happy with the freedom you had to direct Poltergeist so wonderfully. Through the screenplay you accepted a vision of this very intense movie from the start, and as the director, you delivered the goods. You performed responsibly and professionally throughout, and I wish you great success on your next project.”
I admire that he went out of his way to put things into perspective and help out Tobe, it had to have been hectic for everyone and I’m sure Steven didn’t want the press giving Tobe a hard time.
If ya ask me, I’m of the opinion that they should’ve renegotiated things so that Steven and Tobe could’ve been listed as co-directors. But ya know… the road not taken. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
All that stuff aside, Poltergeist is an incredible movie. The family dynamic is great, the story is well-told, and it’s creepy enough without being too overwhelming for kids. The fact I saw the scariest parts from the film at an early age is really cool when I think about it, and I’m glad that it sparked my interest in horror movies (especially the supernatural type of stuff.).
The more I think about it, the more I realize the impact this had on my love for the genre. I’m surprised I didn’t mention Poltergeist in my Growing Up on Halloween & Horror Films entry from last year, but… the road not taken. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Definitely check this one out if you haven’t seen it. And until next time, don’t sit too close to the TV.
Have a good one ya’ll! 🙂
Kasey Lewis - Actor, Writer, Creator 