Poltergeist director?

[tigtat77]

I got and watched Poltergeist on blu today. It had been years since I've seen it. I know it lists Tobe Hooper as director and Spielberg as producer. I wonder how accurate that really is? The film screams Spielberg all over, even the shots and lighting. I've seen some of Tobe's other stuff, and none of it shows the talent that came through in Poltergeist. I wonder if Spielberg did'nt like what he saw in the first few days of shooting and took over, but gave Tobe the credit?

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by tigtat77

I got and watched Poltergeist on blu today. It had been years since I've seen it. I know it lists Tobe Hooper as director and Spielberg as producer. I wonder how accurate that really is? The film screams Spielberg all over, even the shots and lighting. I've seen some of Tobe's other stuff, and none of it shows the talent that came through in Poltergeist. I wonder is Spielberg did'nt like what he saw in the first few days of shooting and took over, but gave Tobe the credit?

Hey how was it on Blu? I love that movie and did know it was on blu. Was the PQ and AQ worth it?

[tigtat77]

Originally Posted by dolphinc

Hey how was it on Blu? I love that movie and did know it was on blu. Was the PQ and AQ worth it?

I thought it looked and sounded great. The review on here is very accurate. I'd say a solid 4 PQ and 4 AQ.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by tigtat77

I thought it looked and sounded great. The review on here is very accurate. I'd say a solid 4 PQ and 4 AQ.

Thanks for the info. I will be ordering it from Amazon today. And I will be doing it through Blu-Ray.com.

[tigtat77]

Originally Posted by dolphinc

Thanks for the info. I will be ordering it from Amazon today. And I will be doing it through Blu-Ray.com.

Your welcome. Post your thoughts when you get it. It has a great score as well, I never realized. Guess I wasnt paying too much attention to that kind of stuff when I first saw it when I was 10.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by tigtat77

Your welcome. Post your thoughts when you get it. It has a great score as well, I never realized. Guess I wasnt paying too much attention to that kind of stuff when I first saw it when I was 10.

I was about 13 when it came out and it scared the bejesus out of me.

[Belloche]

Spielberg was making E.T. at the same time and was not "allowed" to make another film by contract. If you've ever seen the extras from the laserdisc (Youtube) you can watch Speilberg directing it.

[tigtat77]

Originally Posted by Belloche

Spielberg was making E.T. at the same time and was not "allowed" to make another film by contract. If you've ever seen the extras from the laserdisc (Youtube) you can watch Speilberg directing it.

Thanks Belloche, I'll try and find the footage on youtube.

[matthieuxdetoux]

Originally Posted by tigtat77

I got and watched Poltergeist on blu today. It had been years since I've seen it. I know it lists Tobe Hooper as director and Spielberg as producer. I wonder how accurate that really is? The film screams Spielberg all over, even the shots and lighting. I've seen some of Tobe's other stuff, and none of it shows the talent that came through in Poltergeist. I wonder if Spielberg did'nt like what he saw in the first few days of shooting and took over, but gave Tobe the credit?

I think Hooper did the bulk of the work, but it always helps to have Spielberg producing.

He always keeps a close eye on his projects, but respects the directors vision as well. You can definitely tell between the two Transformers films which one he had more input on. Just look at Gremlins, Goonies and An American Tail. Obviously he knows what works and pushes people in the right direction, but I don't feel that he would "take over" a project. After all, he choose Tobe Hooper to direct Poltergeist.

The Blu ray is awesome. It's probably one of the best looking catalog titles I've seen.

[Cremildo]

From Scott Derrickson's Twitter:

[KubrickKurasawa]

Spielberg movies suck so it wasn't him.

[Bugg]

Hooper was the director, but Spielberg produced the hell out of it.

[BloodshotUSA]

Tobe Hooper was director and handled the day to day aspects of the filmmaking. But Spielberg was clearly the final authority on set. He was an active producer from the way it sounds. Kind of like a Brian Grazer or Jerry Bruckheimer.

FYI, In the scene where the camera man has a hallucination that he tears his own face off it's Spielberg's hands doing the pulling.

[Jay H.]

As I mentioned in another thread, the evidence clearly points to Arthur Leigh Allen as the one responsible.

[Gacivory]

Me

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

Me

Are you really Steven Spielberg?

[Markgway]

Cue P.T. Sherm in 5- 4- 3- 2- 1-

[klauswhereareyou]

Based off what I've read my guess would be it was for whatever reason a co-directing effort. Can't think of too many more films with Spielberg produced but did not direct that has actors claim they were directed either exclusively or almost exclusively by him and not the listed director. I'm sure he's done a lot of 2nd unit stuff on things he produced during that time (not just Poltergeist) but there's actors and other talent involved with this film that claim he was directing more than just second unit. I like Tobe Hooper's film output, especially that period from Texas Chainsaw up until Texas Chainsaw 2 so this isn't an instance where I'm crapping on the dude because I don't think he's talented or whatever. I think it's pretty obvious that he did direct at least some of Poltergeist (once again based on people involved and also how certain things are directed).