MPAA Rating: PG/Genre: Supernatural Horror/Stars: Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Oliver Robins, Heather O’Rourke, Michael McManus, Virginia Kiser, Martin Casella, Richard Lawson, Zelda Rubinstein, James Karen, Dirk Blocker, Lou Perry, Sonny Landham/Runtime: 114 minutes
I think it’s safe to start this review off by letting you in on a little secret about myself that you might find it hard to believe. That being that, unlike a lot of people my age, I am more than just a tad bit on the apprehensive side about one day owning my own home. Indeed not only because of lack of flexibility should my job ask me to relocate to say nothing of the fact that it seems like every other day that I hear from a dear friend of mine who does own a home about how they are always fixing this or that around the house, but because of another reason altogether. That reason being that I love my stuff and would absolutely hate it if my house became haunted since I know for a fact that at least 25-50% of the stuff I own would have to be replaced due to mischief, be it of the malevolent or benevolent variety, caused by a supernatural entity. Yes a fair amount of what I just told you might have been in jest, but the fact does remain that whenever one watches a haunted house movie it really does seem like the ghastly ghouls, sinister spirits, or demonic demons preying on the poor helpless family also take great perverse delight in ensuring the family is missing at least one priceless family heirloom be it Great-Grandma’s handmade collection of dishes or the kids’ video game console by the time their wrath is placated and the end credits begin to roll. Yet what if the priceless item at the receiving end of the supernatural presence in question’s wrath was not destroyed, but taken elsewhere and what if wasn’t an item at all, but instead a human child? Indeed what lengths would the family of said child be prepared to go in order to both understand what they were up against and rescue them? Indeed, and in case you hadn’t put two and seven together yet dear reader, it was this pair of core questions that were very much at the heart of a slice of horror cinema from 1982, and film I happen to be reviewing for you today incidentally, known as Poltergeist. A film that, for what it’s worth, I also happen to have quite the nostalgic fondness for. Not only because this was the first horror movie I ever saw as a kid, but because I saw this one with my mom rather than my dad who was usually the guilty party responsible for me seeing movies I might’ve been too young to see around that time like Shawshank Redemption, Alien “79”, and Caddyshack among others. Yet even with the glasses of nostalgia removed, there is still no denying that this is a very solid movie. To be sure, it’s not flawless by any means, but with the aid of riveting work on both sides of the camera Poltergeist “82” is definitely one cinematic ghost story you won’t mind being haunted by time and time again.
The plot is as follows: Taking us to the planned community of Cuesta Verde in the state of California, Poltergeist gets its spooky saga underway by introducing us to our collection of protagonists in the shape and form of the Freeling family. A family unit that consists of family patriarch/extremely skilled member of that distinct (or infamous dependent on perspective) group known as real estate agents Steve, stay at home mom Diane, 16-year-old daughter Diane, 8-year-old son Robbie, youngest child Carol Anne, and loving family dog EBuzz respectively. Yet out of everyone in this family, I think for the sake of this plot synopsis we need to put a tad more focus on Carol Anne for a little bit. This is because, shortly after our story gets underway, we see that late one night Carol Anne does something that is perhaps just a wee bit on the unusual side. No she doesn’t sneak out of the house to go to the arcade or spend time with her friends (that would be something more likely in synch with her older sister). Nor for that matter does she stay up late with Dad to watch the end of the big game when she has school the next day (I feel like that would be more in line with her brother Robbie). Rather, she simply goes downstairs and decides to engage in a conversation with the static-drenched television set. Yet, as if that wasn’t weird enough, we soon witness as the next night she proceeds to do this again only this time we, along with her, witness as something actually provides her with a rather….distinct response of sorts in the form of an otherworldly hand coming out of the screen quickly followed by an earthquake. Soon thereafter though, we see that this extending hand was just merely a warm-up act for what, at first, seems to be a mischievous yet benevolent troupe of ghosts. A troupe that, for what it’s worth, appears to merely just be content with simple little tricks like making a chair go across the floor, rearranging the family’s furniture, and opening a cupboard door or 5. Unfortunately for our family, it isn’t long before the phrase “appearances can be deceiving” becomes a terrifying reality for them when it comes to their new housemates. This is because, in the midst of a horrific thunderstorm, a tree outside Robbie and Carol Anne’s bedroom decides to come to life and take Robbie outside through a window only for the spirits, while the rest of the family tries to free Robbie, to show off their true malevolent colors by proceeding to grab Carol Anne and take her through a portal located inside her closet to….somewhere else entirely. Thus, with the aid of a noted parapsychologist and her top-flight team, can the Freeling family come together to save Carol Anne from wherever she has been whisked away to or is this one time where things are about to get a lot more spirited and not in a good way? That I will let you discover for yourself…
Now right off, it should be said that the assorted departments operating behind the camera on this slice of horror cinema are all truly spooktacular in the best way possible as, by and large, each and every one of them is operating at or near the pinnacle of their respective abilities. Without a doubt, this starts with the work done in the director’s chair and, regardless of who you believe is the true director of this film (a debate that I honestly, quite like the spirits in this film, don’t see moving on and going into the light anytime soon), there is no denying that the film’s credited director Tobe Hooper (the first 2 Texas Chainsaw Massacre films in 1974 and 1986 respectively plus the 1979 Salem’s Lot miniseries among others) does do a wonderful job here. Indeed there are a couple of things that Hooper does here that really help to distinguish this slice of cinema from other films like it (including its own 2015 remake). The first is that Hooper does a fantastic job of letting this be a slow-burn kind of ghost story while also making the moments of horror that pop up genuinely intense including the last 15-20 minutes of the film which are genuinely nightmare-inducing. Alongside that however, we see that Hooper does a wonderful job of also putting more of an emphasis on the family at the heart of the story than on any of the supernatural occurrences taking place. As a result, not only do you genuinely care about the characters and what they are going through here, but it also helps to make the horror that much more potent as a result. Besides Hooper’s skilled work at the helm, this slice of cinema also has a fairly well-written screenplay as penned by a trio of writers at its disposal. Yes, it’s not flawless, but overall the work done on the written page does a terrific job of reinforcing the creative choices made by Hooper from a directorial perspective. Along with the work done by Hooper in the director’s chair and by the trio of writers responsible for this slice of cinema’s screenplay, this film also contains immensely skilled work from Matthew F. Leonetti (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Weird Science, Jagged Edge, Commando, and Strange Days among other entries) in the cinematography department. Indeed, through a combination of incredibly utilized practical effects work alongside truly haunting lighting and camera angles, we see that Leonetti is able to do a masterful job of both constructing for us as an audience a palpable degree of suspense and unease while also brilliantly presenting to us the more otherworldly aspects present in the narrative as well. Last, but certainly by no stretch of the imagination least, I feel like this section would not be nearly as complete if I didn’t take some time within it to talk about the wonderful work done by legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith (Patton, Chinatown, Alien, and Gremlins among many others) on the score for this particular film. I mean not only does his score here do a truly wonderful job of reinforcing the creepy themes and ominous atmosphere that is effectively permeating throughout the entirety of the film’s runtime, but it then proceeds to also balance those out beautifully courtesy of giving us points here and there where the music manages to become surprisingly a bit on the heartwarming side as well. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in solid, albeit a little bit shaky at points, work from the editing department as headed by Oscar winner, and frequent Spielberg-collaborator, Michael Kahn (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Used Cars, and Arachnophobia) it’s clear that this is definitely a solidly and competently made slice of horror cinema across the board.
Alongside the incredibly solid work done by the various departments behind the camera, it also doesn’t hurt this slice of spooky cinema in the least that the work done in front of the camera by the impeccably chosen and undeniably talented group of performers manages to be equally as terrific in their own right. Without a doubt in my mind, this starts with the work done by Craig T. Nelson (Mr. Incredible, Chief Hyde from Turner & Hooch, and Hayden Fox on the TV show Coach among others) and he is fantastic here. Indeed in the role of Steve Freeling, we see that Nelson does a wonderful job of giving us a character who, despite being very much a dedicated husband and terrific father, is also someone that is perhaps just a wee bit of a skeptic when it comes to the supernatural forces lashing out at his family. As the film goes along however, we see that Steve is able to push that skepticism aside in order to do whatever is necessary to keep his family safe and get Carol Anne back no matter what. Suffice it to say that it’s a wonderful performance and easily one of the top 5 of Nelson’s career. Working beautifully in synch with Nelson’s performance is the one given by JoBeth Williams (The Big Chill, Wyatt Earp, and Jungle 2 Jungle) as Steve’s wife Dianne. Indeed, much in the same vein as Nelson with Steve, we see that Williams does a genuinely remarkable job at giving us a parent that cares very deeply about her children and is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure their safety while also remaining a calm and tranquil presence in their lives. Unlike Steve however, we see that Diane is both perfectly onboard with the supernatural occurrences seemingly right from the word go while also willing to lead the efforts toward getting their daughter back. Indeed it’s a fantastic performance and one that Williams plays beautifully. Alongside Nelson and Williams, this slice of cinema also provides us with a stellar performance from Beatrice Straight (Network, The Formula, and Power from 1986) as Dr. Lesh. Indeed Straight does a masterful job of giving the film a character who, deliverer of vital exposition aside, is very much both someone who seeks to comprehend what is going on in the house yet who also has no qualms about staying there out of concern for the Freelings to say nothing of the fact that she is willing to utilize her expertise however she can to help them get their daughter back. Lastly, I feel that this section would be woefully lacking if I didn’t take some time within it to talk about the truly incredible job done by Zelda Rubinstein (Sixteen Candles and Teen Witch from 1989) in the iconic role of medium Tangina Barrons. Yes, it may take a significant amount of the movie before she shows up in this, but once she does there is no denying that Rubinstein brings a delightful blend of delightfully quirky, assertive, and yet also extremely compassionate/empathetic to a role that easily could have been a one-note character. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in wonderful performances from such screen talents as Heather O’Rourke who is brilliantly cast as Carol Anne, Dominique Dunne, Oliver Robins, Michael McManus, Richard Lawson, and a small yet pivotal role from iconic character actor James Karen among others it’s clear that this slice of cinema might have a few issues scattered about here and there, but thankfully the work done by this cast of players most assuredly does what it can to help make up for those and then some regardless of how much or little screentime they are given in the grand scheme of things.
All in all and at the end of the day is Poltergeist a perfect cinematic scare fest in every sense of the word? Sadly, and as much as my younger self would love to tell you otherwise, I am afraid that is not the case here though certainly not for lack of effort on the part of either the cast or crew involved in the making of it. With that said, is this the worst film made by any of the talents either behind or in front of the camera? Oh no. Definitely not. Trust me when I say that the fair majority of them have at least one film that I’m sure they wish they could conveniently forget. Sarcasm aside dear reader, there is no denying that I love this slice of cinema with a passion. To be sure, the editing can get a bit on the wonky (actual word by the way) side, there are a few things the narrative doesn’t really address that it ought to, and the fact that this film is very much designed to be a slow burn without an overreliance on jump scares or buckets of blood does mean that those of you who like your horror movies extremely visceral and/or fast and furious when it comes to the delivery of scares are sure to walk away from this feeling just a wee bit disappointed. With that in mind though, there is also no denying that the work from the director’s chair (regardless of who you think actually directed this film) is incredibly solid, the cinematography is absolutely haunting and stunning, the screenplay quite well-written, the score is ominous yet poignant in equal measure, and the performances in front of the camera (with particular regard to the ones provided by Nelson, Williams, Straight, O’Rourke, and Rubinstein) are all top-flight regardless of the amount of screentime that they are given. Suffice it to say dear reader that it might have 2 inferior sequels and a 2015 remake to its name, but on its own merits Poltergeist “82” is one riveting and genuinely spooky good time to be had no matter if it’s your first time or your 71st time watching it. Now if you’ll excuse me dear reader: I just went into my living room and there is a flurry of static on the TV, but I could’ve swore I turned it off about 10 minutes ago so now I have to call my local parapsychologist. Not that it couldn’t just merely be a case of me forgetting to do something because trust me that happens quite often. Rather it’s a case of being better safe than sorry because I would rather not take any chances on this especially after seeing the events that occur in this film and because I would really love to keep my TV ghost-free….Make of that what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give Poltergeist a solid 4 out of 5.
