#93 – Poltergeist (1982) Vs. Poltergeist (2015) – The Complete Guide to Horror Movies

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Join BP, Coop and Justin as we analyse the iconic original Poltergeist movie. Poltergeist is a 1982 American supernatural horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and written by Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, and Mark Victor from a story by Spielberg.

Poltergeist stars JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, and Beatrice Straight, and was produced by Spielberg and Frank Marshall.

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Release and Critical Reception
Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer through MGM/UA Entertainment Co. on June 4, 1982, Poltergeist was a major critical and commercial success, becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 1982. In the years since its release, the film has been recognized as a horror classic. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, named by the Chicago Film Critics Association as the 20th-scariest film ever made, and a scene made Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments. Poltergeist also appeared at No. 84 on American Film Institute’s 100 Years…100 Thrills.

Steven Spielberg involvement
As Spielberg was contractually unable to direct another film while he made E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Hooper was selected based on his work on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Funhouse. The origin of Poltergeist can be traced to Night Skies, which Spielberg conceived as a horror sequel to his 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind; Hooper was less interested in the sci-fi elements and suggested they collaborate on a ghost story. Accounts differ as to the level of Spielberg’s involvement, but it is clear that he was frequently on set during filming and exerted significant creative control. For that reason, some have said that Spielberg should be considered the film’s co-director or even main director, though both Spielberg and Hooper have disputed this.

Sequels and Remake
The film was followed by Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986), Poltergeist III (1988), as well as a 2015 remake, but none had the critical success of the original. The Poltergeist Curse The Poltergeist franchise is believed by some to be cursed due to the premature deaths of several people associated with the film (including Heather O’Rourke and Dominique Dunne), a notion that was the focus of an E! True Hollywood Story. Poltergeist was also featured on Season 1, episode 3 of Cursed Films.

Popular Culture
“Bad Dream House”, the first segment of “Treehouse of Horror”, the first episode of the annual The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials, is partly a parody of Poltergeist. Spice Girls pays homage to the film in their 1997 music video for the song “Too Much”.

Two separate animated TV series helmed by Seth MacFarlane have parodied Poltergeist. In the 2006 Family Guy episode “Petergeist”, Peter Griffin discovers an Indian burial ground when he attempts to build a multiplex in a backyard. When he takes an Indian chief’s skull, a poltergeist invades the Griffins’ home. The episode used some of the same musical cues heard in the film and recreates several of its scenes.

American Dad! also parodied the film with the season 10 episode “Poltergasm”, in which the Smith house has become haunted by Francine’s unsatisfied sex drive, and Roger plays Ruby Zeldastein, a parody of Tangina.

The 2001 comedy horror film Scary Movie 2 parodies the movie’s clown doll attack in Robbie’s bedroom, as well as Diane’s levitation.

Poltergeist was the subject of walk through attractions at both Universal Studios Orlando and Hollywood’s annual Halloween Horror Nights event.

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