Poltergeist (1982) - A Movie Review

Hauntings don’t usually revolve around people - you have a poltergeist.

Poltergeist was released to theaters in 1982. A family is being haunted by an unknown spirit in their home. After an evil entity takes their daughter away, they hire paranormal investigators. The fight to get their daughter back is not easy.

Whenever your guests arrive at your home do you ever say, ‘They’re here?’ Poltergeist is a different type of horror. Movies are always important to rewatch. There is always something that you miss. I had a very different reaction watching this film compared to my first time. Poltergeist equally delivers a story about a family and paranormal activity.

Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Oliver Robbins, and the late Dominque Dunne and Heather O’Roarke made a genuine family. I never focused on the family dynamic of Poltergeist until now because I was waiting for the horror. The Freelings feel like a real family.

The first half of the film takes its time to get to know each member of the family. It takes audiences through day-to-day life. My favorite moments are Steve and Diane interacting with their children, patiently talking about how to overcome their fears.

The late Heather O’Roarke did an extraordinary job for a young child actress. Reportedly the only scene that scared her was when she was clinging to the banister of the bed. I enjoyed Carol Anne’s interactions with her parents, especially the delivery of a now-famous line.

While both Robbie (Robbins) and Carol Anne get their fair share of screentime, Dana (Dunne) is hardly given a character. Like most teenagers, she does the usual teenage things, but she is hardly around during crucial moments in the film. She felt like an unnecessary character since most of the focus is on the younger kids.

Aside from doing their normal duties as paranormal investigators, I like how Beatrice Straight, Richard Lawson, and Martin Casella are actually given characters. While we get scenes of them at work, they take the time to understand the situation and empathize with the Freelings.

What would this film be without the mysterious Zelda Rubinstein as Tangina? Like her character, she was also a medium who sensed events before they happened. Aside from Carol Anna, she has always been my favorite character in the film.

Horror is not the center of attention in Poltergeist. The terrors are realistic. We all have fears. Poltergeist gives audiences something different to fear regarding paranormal activity.

The second half of the film is a bit slow and it wasn’t what I was expecting the first time. That’s because filmmakers were setting audiences up for a horror-induced climax. I like how Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg did that. Who directed Poltergeist has been an argument over time. Either way, I liked the outcome of the film. More horror movies should take their time to get into the story instead of getting right into the terrors.

Though the special effects for Poltergeist have aged over time, arguably they still hold up. The effects of the ghoulish ghost are creepy. Not as creepy as one nightmarish scene that was done with practical effects.

Filming Poltergeist was not an easy ride. One of the actors was almost choked, there were rumors of real skeletons being used for the film, and an urban legend called, ‘The Poltergeist Curse’ spawned. Several actors have died since the making of the film.

Poltergeist was the highest-grossing horror film of 1982. I recommend that you check out Poltergeist if you have not seen it. Among other horror films, it is a much different genre than expected.