Poltergeist (film series)

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Laserdisc cover of the first Poltergeist film
Laserdisc cover of the first Poltergeist film

The Poltergeist movies are a trilogy of horror films produced in the 1980s. Steven Spielberg co-wrote, co-produced, and some say directed the first Poltergeist although Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) was billed as the director. Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III each had a different writer, producer, and director. Brian Gibson directed Poltergeist II: The Other Side, whereas Poltergeist III was directed, co-written, co-produced and storyboarded by Gary Sherman. Michael Grais and Mark Victor co-wrote the first film with Spielberg, wrote the second film on their own and also co-produced it. Brian Taggert and an uncredited Steve Feke co-wrote the third film. Spielberg's long-time friends (and then-married couple) Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy co-produced the first film. Freddie Fields and Lynn Arost co-produced the second film, and the third film was co-produced by Barry Bernardi. The scores of the first two films were composed by Jerry Goldsmith. H.R. Giger did conceptual designs for the second film.

Contents

[edit] Films

Poltergeist (1982) 
In the first and most successful film (released on June 4 1982), a group of seemingly benign ghosts begin communicating with five-year-old Carol Anne Freeling in her parents' suburban California home via static on the television. Eventually they use the TV as their path into the house itself. They kidnap Carol Anne, and most of the film involves the family's efforts to rescue her. Eventually they do, but then the spirits, led by a demon known only as The Beast, go on a total rampage.
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) 
This sequel exists to explain in much greater detail why Carol Anne was targeted in the first film. As it turns out, the Freelings' house in the first movie was built over a massive underground cavern that was the final resting place of a utopian cult that died there in the early 1800s. This cavern was even below the graveyard that wasn't relocated in the first film. The cult was led by Rev. Henry Kane, and this man did not have the best intentions. He was power hungry, anxious to control the souls of his followers in both life and death. While not as scary as the first film, the second film was greatly helped by the creepy presence of Julian Beck, the actor hired to play Kane. Even though he was only 59 (and died during filming due to cancer), he looked far, far older, and his kindly-sounding Southern drawl barely hid the menace Kane was to convey. He was one of the most memorable characters in the entire series.
Poltergeist III (1988) 
Apparently, between the second and third films, the Freeling family has had quite enough of all supernatural activity, and have decided to cut it off at the source: Carol Anne is now living with her aunt Pat (whom Carol Anne insists on calling Trish, a common nickname for Patricia; this is important later in the film as a way of identifying an impostor Carol Anne) and uncle Bruce Gardner in the John Hancock Center where Bruce also works in downtown Chicago. This film was more or less abandoned halfway through filming when Heather O'Rourke, the little girl who played Carol Anne, died of a rare intestinal ailment. The film was finished, but it was clear nobody's heart was in it. The film is also looked down on due to its dime-store special effects, which in many cases literally consisted of smoke and mirrors.

[edit] Trivia

  • Some of the stars in the movie, such as Dominique Dunne and Heather O'Rourke, died young. As a result, an urban legend has grown up asserting that the cast was cursed. See the Poltergeist curse.
  • The line "They're here!" was voted on AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes at number 69.
  • H.R. Giger was responsible for The Beast's creature design.
  • Of all the films in the series, the first is the only one not currently owned by MGM — it is currently owned by Warner Bros. via its acquisition of Turner Entertainment, which is in possession of the pre-1986 MGM library.
  • A Family Guy episode was based around the movie called "Petergeist," in which the television is talking to Stewie. In the DVD commentary, Seth MacFarlane (creator of Family Guy) comments on how it was one of the first horror movies he ever saw, and how he was shocked that his parents even took him to see it.
  • In the South Park episode, "With Apologies to Jesse Jackson," while Cartman is fighting a midget, he makes him say: "Carol Anne, don't go into the light!"

[edit] Partial credits

  • Craig T. Nelson, Steven "Steve" Freeling (first and second films only)
  • JoBeth Williams, Diane Freeling (née Wilson) (first and second films only)
  • Oliver Robins, Robert "Robbie" Freeling (first and second films only)
  • Heather O'Rourke, Carol Anne Freeling
  • Dominique Dunne, Dana Freeling (first film only)
  • Lara Flynn Boyle, Donna Gardner (third film only)
  • Tom Skerritt, Bruce Gardner (third film only)
  • Nancy Allen, Patricia Wilson-Gardner (third film only)
  • Zelda Rubinstein, Tangina Barrons, Clairvoyant
  • Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jessica "Gramma Jess" Wilson (second film only)
  • Beatrice Straight, Dr. Lesh (first film only)
  • Richard Lawson, Ryan (first film only)
  • Will Sampson, Taylor (second film only)
  • Julian Beck, Reverend Henry Kane (in the second film)
  • Nathan Davis, Reverend Henry Kane (in the third film)
  • Corey Burton, Reverend Henry Kane (in the third film, voice only, uncredited)
  • Jaclyn Bernstein, Young Diane (in the second film)
  • Kelly Jean Peters Young Jess (second film only)
  • Martin Casella, Dr. Marty Casey (first film only)
  • Richard Fire, Dr. Seaton (third film only)
  • Noble Craig, the Great Beast a.k.a. "Vomit Creature" (second film only)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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