Poltergeist (1982) (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

[atamo]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

My 2 cents, whatever happened on that set is the reason we do not have a special edition disc of this film. I mean come on, pt.II and even pt.III have bonus packed discs, there's no reason this one wouldn't or shouldn't other than whatever happened during the shooting of this film.

Although I think you're probably right, I've never understood this as an excuse. Don't the people making the interviews and documentaries have the ability to ask the interviewees to not talk about certain things and edit controversial stuff out? Most documentaries go through the legal system before release, and there must be plenty of other things that could be discussed.

[postmodel]

Originally Posted by Nicolawicz

Has anyone seen that movie Night Terrors? I remember it being kind of good, but I definitely need to see it again.

That is one I have unfortunately never seen.

As I dig into Hooper's filmography I have to give some credit to The Apartment Complex from 1999. I think it was made for Showtime. I believe it has its quirky charm and is by far his best work from that era to the present. (Though I still need to watch Djinn which is on Netflix.)

I wonder if a release of Poltergeist with a ton of Special Features will ever exist as stated by others. Seems too complicated for a full-blown retrospective. Everyone would be walking on...Eggshells

[Show spoiler](which is available via Arrows TCM2 limited edition which is now out of print...see what I did there?)

But seriously, does any Test Footage or unused FX footage exist? Just behind the scenes stuff that walks around the whole "controversy"?

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by Hedji

Well that and the Variety ad Spielberg took out, yeah. Also the fact that 2 of the 3 child actors died untimely and tragic deaths may account for the fact that there is limited behind the scenes material released for Poltergeist.

Did Richard Marquand direct Return of the Jedi? Yes he did. Was George Lucas a VERY involved Producer on the set? Yes he was. I believe Poltergeist to be a similar situation. I think these things are difficult to quantify, and we will never know the truth, as there are three sides to every story.

Dominique Dunne died a few months after Poltergeist was released, and Heather O'Rourke actually died before Poltergeist III was released. Poltergeist III got a special edition Scream Factory release not too long ago. I don't think their deaths have anything to do with why the first film has a bare bones disc, and has had a bare bones history from Laserdisc to the present. Apparently there was going to be a special edition DVD released back last decade, but it was scrapped for unknown (legal??) reasons.

The Marquand comparison is interesting because there is extensive behind the scenes footage of him directing actors for Jedi. Same can't be said for Hooper on Poltergeist. In the one making of feature from 1982 he's in it for like a split second and he's gone. Spielberg dominates that thing. That by no means is a smoking gun, but it is odd to say the least.

[t_rav]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Hooper made a memorable debut (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and the rest was rubbish.

It doesn't surprise me that Spielberg directed Poltergeist because there's absolutely nothing in Hooper's filmography to suggest him capable of work of this high standard.

Perhaps you've never seen Salem's Lot? I've never even heard people who didn't like Salem's Lot describe it as "rubbish". It's far from rubbish.

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by atamo

Although I think you're probably right, I've never understood this as an excuse. Don't the people making the interviews and documentaries have the ability to ask the interviewees to not talk about certain things and edit controversial stuff out? Most documentaries go through the legal system before release, and there must be plenty of other things that could be discussed.

That's why I think something must be up, because if anything they could just have special features dealing with the special effects, the make-up, and even the Jerry Goldsmith score.

[klauswhereareyou]

Check at the 15:40 mark could be referring to 2nd unit stuff:

DP/30 Industry Legends: editor Michael Kahn - YouTube

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

Check at the 15:40 mark could be referring to 2nd unit stuff:

DP/30 Industry Legends: editor Michael Kahn - YouTube

What a fantastic video; I ended up watching the whole thing. And that bit you referenced about POLTERGEIST is very telling. Thanks for the link!

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by t_rav

Perhaps you've never seen Salem's Lot?

Actually, I haven't. Don't usually bother with TV mini-series, but might check out next time it's repeated.

I'm basing my opinion on the Hooper films I've seen.

Apart from Chainsaw...

Death Trap, The Funhouse, Lifeforce, Chainsaw 2, The Mangler...

All tripe!

[t_rav]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Actually, I haven't. Don't usually bother with TV mini-series, but might check out next time it's repeated.

I'm basing my opinion on the Hooper films I've seen.

Apart from Chainsaw...

Death Trap, The Funhouse, Lifeforce, Chainsaw 2, The Mangler...

All tripe!

Oh, you haven't seen it! Highly recommended if you have 3 hours to spare. If you're into horror, I think you won't be disapointed.

While I enjoy some of his other films you mentioned (with the exception of The Mangler, that one is garbage) I can definitely see where some would find them to be rubbish/tripe.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

I never truly saw the greatness with The Funhouse until my second viewing. Man I'm so glad I watched that film again. I think it's an extremely fun horror flick that is perfect during very late October night. It's not perfect but it's definitely a good horror flick.

I'm not the Poltergeist enthusiast as most people. I think it's an enjoyable film but nowhere near the masterpiece everyone else thinks it is. I'm a big fan of part 3 and think it's even better. I also believe Spielberg directed Poltergeist through and through. There is nothing in this film that even resembles Tobe Hooper.

[rocknblues81]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

I never truly saw the greatness with The Funhouse until my second viewing. Man I'm so glad I watched that film again. I think it's an extremely fun horror flick that is perfect during very late October night. It's not perfect but it's definitely a good horror flick.

I'm not the Poltergeist enthusiast as most people. I think it's an enjoyable film but nowhere near the masterpiece everyone else thinks it is. I'm a big fan of part 3 and think it's even better. I also believe Spielberg directed Poltergeist through and through. There is nothing in this film that even resembles Tobe Hooper.

I agree with everything here with the exception of The Funhouse, but I haven't seen that movie.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by rocknblues81

I agree with everything here with the exception of The Funhouse, but I haven't seen that movie.

Definitely give it a shot and even a second one if you find that you didn't care for it much the first time. It's one of those films that's strictly a late night film with all of the lights off. It has a great atmosphere.

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

I never truly saw the greatness with The Funhouse until my second viewing. Man I'm so glad I watched that film again. I think it's an extremely fun horror flick that is perfect during very late October night. It's not perfect but it's definitely a good horror flick.

I'm not the Poltergeist enthusiast as most people. I think it's an enjoyable film but nowhere near the masterpiece everyone else thinks it is. I'm a big fan of part 3 and think it's even better. I also believe Spielberg directed Poltergeist through and through. There is nothing in this film that even resembles Tobe Hooper.

I agree, never really cared for Poltergeist much growing up and didn't get into it until the blu-ray. I still don't think it's Hooper's best by any means, though it does have some great scenes. Just missing something overall, though I don't know what. Weird seeing that boy's room though which was very similar to mine, would've been about the same age as him at the time it was made.

After TCM, my favorite of his is Eaten Alive (Death Trap), which is just a great blend of sleaze, horror, and humor. Also love Lifeforce and The Funhouse. Salems Lot is ok to me, pretty boring though until the last 30 minutes I think.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by SuperFlyHighGuy

I agree, never really cared for Poltergeist much growing up and didn't get into it until the blu-ray. I still don't think it's Hooper's best by any means, though it does have some great scenes. Just missing something overall, though I don't know what. Weird seeing that boy's room though which was very similar to mine, would've been about the same age as him at the time it was made.

After TCM, my favorite of his is Eaten Alive (Death Trap), which is just a great blend of sleaze, horror, and humor. Also love Lifeforce and The Funhouse. Salems Lot is ok to me, pretty boring though until the last 30 minutes I think.

Yeah you nailed it. It's missing something but not sure what.

I bought the blu ray to Salem's Lot and while I do enjoy it the film has major pacing issues namely with being way too long. It also has subplots that get forgotten about. It should've been cut down by an hour or so. That said, it has some of the best looking vampires of any vampire film (those glowing eyes are awesome) and some genuinely creepy moments.

I still need to see Lifeforce. I've heard a lot of mixed things about it.

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

Yeah you nailed it. It's missing something but not sure what.

I bought the blu ray to Salem's Lot and while I do enjoy it the film has major pacing issues namely with being way too long. It also has subplots that get forgotten about. It should've been cut down by an hour or so. That said, it has some of the best looking vampires of any vampire film (those glowing eyes are awesome) and some genuinely creepy moments.

I still need to see Lifeforce. I've heard a lot of mixed things about it.

I love the effects in Poltergeist, as well as the production values and the characters; but once the whole family acknowledges the existence of the supernatural, it just feels like there isn't much at stake because we know that they aren't going to kill off any of the family members. Yes they bring in more people to the house but it's more of just watching what happens, there really isn't much tension.

Agree on Salem's Lot - cool vampires but definitely too long without much happening.

I'm a big fan of Lifeforce, can't recommend it enough. It really flies along without much downtime - really fun and R-rated science-fiction horror. One of my favorite 80s films.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by SuperFlyHighGuy

I love the effects in Poltergeist, as well as the production values and the characters; but once the whole family acknowledges the existence of the supernatural, it just feels like there isn't much at stake because we know that they aren't going to kill off any of the family members. Yes they bring in more people to the house but it's more of just watching what happens, there really isn't much tension.

Agree on Salem's Lot - cool vampires but definitely too long without much happening.

I'm a big fan of Lifeforce, can't recommend it enough. It really flies along without much downtime - really fun and R-rated science-fiction horror. One of my favorite 80s films.

Exactly. That's where I feel the film falls into family friendly Spielberg territory as well.

I've gotta check out Lifeforce. Is there any lack of special features on the standard edition blu ray or is the collector's edition the way to go?

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

What a fantastic video; I ended up watching the whole thing. And that bit you referenced about POLTERGEIST is very telling. Thanks for the link!

Yeah I guess someone could read what he said a few different ways, but to me it seems like he's inferring that Spielberg actually directed a good chunk of the movie, but then once he realizes what he said he kind of backs off a little saying kind of saying I'm just the editor, so I don't really know whatever happens on set, or something to that effect.

[StingingVelvet]

I like a lot of Hooper movies, but the only one I LOVE is Poltergeist, which I think is telling.

[MJD64]

All this talk of Poltergeist had me throwing it into my blu-ray player again and I noticed something interesting. Remember the scene where the workmen installing the pool are teasing Dominique Dunne on her way to school and one of them hugs himself and repeats "I love you" to her before she flips them all off? That guy is Sonny Landham, who appeared at the end of that same year as Billy Bear in 48 Hours, I think this was the first time I noticed it!

...and oh yeah, Spielberg totally directed this movie! His fingerprints are all over it, especially in the family dynamic and interactions. That is pure Spielberg.

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by MJD64

Remember the scene where the workmen installing the pool are teasing Dominique Dunne on her way to school

So sad about what happened to her. Also, I never realized until recently that her brother was Griffin Dunne of American Werewolf in London.