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Poltergeist

1982 horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and co-produced and co-written by Steven Spielberg

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A horror classic from the unlikely team of Tobe Hooper and Stephen Spielberg.

May 8, 2009

by Captain_Couth

Rating:

Poltergeist is the first of the horror trilogy. An old fashion ghost story told through the use of modern day technology. Stephen Spielberg wrote and produced this movie and he had horror director Tobe Hooper direct for the most part. For Mr. Hooper besides it being a paycheck, it was a chance to work within the Hollywood movie studio system (he would be a sucker if he didn't take the chance). Sadly he would become a victim of the Poltergeist curse because he never worked on a major studio production again.

Poltergeist is a tale about a haunting that terrorizes the Freeling family. The Freelings are your typical All-American family. They're living in a new community that the husband (Craig T. Nelson) is helping developing. One night, the youngest daughter is drawn to a t.v. that gets no reception. That's just one of the strange things that has been going on in the household. But it gets a whole lot worse (and very interesting) from this point on!

Stephen Spielberg and company created a truly frightening film. Not only did this spawn two sequels but it became a part of American pop culture. Poltergeist has become a fixture amongst the horror film genre as well. Spielberg used his pull (which would later work for Saving Private Ryan) to secure an R-rating.

Even though Spielberg wrote and produced this film I feel that Tobe Hooper should get the credit he deserves for directing this film. Poor Mr. Hooper, his career was never the same after this one. Hollywood should give him another chance.

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About the reviewer

Joseph Ulibas (Captain_Couth)
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About this movie

Wiki

First film of the Poltergeist series.

Dominque Dunne was later murdered by her boyfriend, she was the first actor who would fall victim to the so called "Poltergiest curse".

There has been a lot of dispute as to who directed the film. But several people who worked on the set have put those rumors to rest by saying that Tobe Hooper was the director during the entire production.

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Details

Cast: Dirk Blocker, William Vail, Philip Stone, Jeff Bannister, Joseph Walsh, James Karen, Allan Graf, Mike Fenton, Jane Feinberg, Sonny Landham, Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight, Virginia Kiser, Clair E. Leucart, Zelda Rubinstein, JoBeth Williams, Dominique Dunne, Oliver Robins, Heather O'Rourke, Martin Casella, Richard Lawson, Michael McManus, Noel Conlon, Robert Broyles, Lou Perry

Director: Tobe Hooper

Genre: Horror

Release Date: June 4, 1982

MPAA Rating: PG

Screen Writer: Steven Spielberg, Mark Victor

Runtime: 114 minutes

Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

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