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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[tigtat77]

Originally Posted by dolphinc

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

I hate clowns to this day beacuse of it.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by tigtat77

I hate clowns to this day beacuse of it.

Honestly out of all the horror movies I have seen I think Poltergeist had the biggest impact on me. It had to be because I was 13, when you hit your 20's horrors movies become more of a comedy than anything.

[tigtat77]

Originally Posted by dolphinc

Honestly out of all the horror movies I have seen I think Poltergeist had the biggest impact on me. It had to be because I was 13, when you hit your 20's horrors movies become more of a comedy than anything.

I think that when it comes to horror, the old saying of "they dont make em like they used to" is completly true. It is my favorite genre, I do like slasher flicks as a form as entertainment, but it's sad to see that horror has evolved into mainly that. A good intelectual horror film is very rare nowadays.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by tigtat77

I think that when it comes to horror, the old saying of "they dont make em like they used to" is completly true. It is my favorite genre, I do like slasher flicks as a form as entertainment, but it's sad to see that horror has evolved into mainly that. A good intelectual horror film is very rare nowadays.

+1, today it's pretty much cookie cutter films coming out of Hollywood. No originality to speak of.

[scweb13]

Here is some info that I found on IMDB

Steven Spielberg worked on this movie and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) literally back to back. Principal photography on Poltergeist ended in August of 1981, then Spielberg took a few weeks off and began work on E.T. Spielberg also supervised the visual effects for both films simultaneously (which were produced at Industrial Light & Magic under the supervision of Richard Edlund and Dennis Muren). Once post production work on Poltergeist began in early 1982, Spielberg was in total control. He was responsible for the editing of the film (Spielberg's usual editor Michael Khan edited this film while Carol Littleton edited E.T), the final sound mixes and loops, the supervision of the visual effects, and the selection of Jerry Goldsmith as the composer of the score. Poltergeist and E.T opened to theaters nationwide only a week between each other during the summer of 1982, Poltergeist on June 4th and E.T. one week later on June 11th.

Though on-screen credit goes to Tobe Hooper, a wealth of evidence suggests that most of the directorial decisions were made by Steven Spielberg. In fact, Spielberg had wanted to direct the film himself, but a clause in his contract stated that while still working on E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Spielberg could not direct another film. Members of the cast and crew, including Executive Producer Frank Marshall and actress Zelda Rubinstein, have stated that Spielberg cast the film, directed the actors, and designed every single storyboard for the movie himself. Based on this evidence, the DGA opened a probe into the matter, but found no reason that co-director credit should go to Spielberg.

[tigtat77]

Originally Posted by scweb13

Here is some info that I found on IMDB

Great info thanks alot for that. I would definatly call it a Spielberg film.

[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.