Schedule Update: Next week will be Train to Busan and a special reaction of Halloween on Halloween! The following week will be Aliens followed up by Naked Gun! Thank you everyone for your support! It means the world to us! Even though October is coming to a close, we will still be doing horror movies on this channel! We went through every single comment on all our videos and recorded every movie recommendation as well as how many times it was recommended and how many likes it got! So rest assured knowing your voice is heard and we have all that great information to help guide the movies we post for a long time to come! PS: My wife says sorry for the scream :)
I really recommend the Special Edition of Aliens, which is in reality the original cut before the studio made James Cameron trim it for time. It adds back a lot of really good back story! (But the theatrical release is still excellent if that's what you've got access to.)
Heather O'Rourke (Carol-Ann) December 27, 1975, -- February 1, 1988, Crohns diease Dominique Dunne (Dana) - November 23, 1959, - November 04, 1982, Mureded,,,, Richard Lawson - (Ryan) survived a commercial air crash via swapping seats with other passenger,,,,, Lou Perryman the tv remote guy - murdered. Dominique Dunne never got to see her movie :(:(:(:(...... - Robbie Freeling, was almost choked to death by the evil clown, just like what happens to Robbie in the scene. Steven saw that, probably in the video assist, and he pulled me away from it. they was real skeletons used in the pool section also for part 2..... www.thethings.com/heres-why-the-poltergeist-series-was-terrifying-for-the-cast/
I saw this a few times in the cinema back in 1982. You had to wait in the lobby before you went in and you could actually hear the screams and shouts of the audience as you waited. We all just looked at one another wondering what the hell are we in for??? Good times! 😆
I remember those good ole days. Spielberg thought that ET was going to not do as well, so he concentrated on Poltergeist and made this his baby/money maker for 1982. Woooooops. ET was in my home town's cineplex theaters for nearly 4 months. That was unheard of.
Oh man i would have loved to have seen this in cinemas. It has been my favourite horror film since i was a kid. For me a much better film than E.T, although i still love that movie.
38 years later, and it’s still the most spectacular haunted house movie ever made. Been watching it so many times since the 80:s, and I never get tired of the film.
"Poltergeist" and "American Werewolf in London" SCARED the SHIT outta me as a kid....still give me the chills on these years later...THAT is the mark of a truly great and timeless film!
Poltergeist, Amityville 2: The possesion, The omen and The exorcist... nothing better exist in a world of horror movies... I've been a movie collector for 35 years now (I'm 52) and I know what I'm talking about. Greetings from Croatia..
The parents are THE BEST. Pot-smoking, silly people, still in love with each other, and who genuinely care for their kids. I loved Jo-Beth Williams little excited jump up and down move in the kitchen when she realized that her husband was seeing what she was seeing. Thanks, gang!
I can't think of a movie of this kind where the parents are as grounded and relatable as Diane and Steven. The movie simply wouldn't have the same impact without it. Combination of great scriptwriting, casting and performance.
I did a little dance recently when I showed my wife proof of the effing shadow I’ve been seeing for a while now. She saw it and was like, “what?” Good times.
@@kamenwaticlients For starters, the participants were your average family of 5, and not a bunch of teenagers getting hacked up with machettes and such. I think that's what initially sets it apart.
Fun fact: Diane (JoBeth Williams) in an interview that aired on entertainment channel VH1 in December 2002, said: I would have to go into this huge tank of what I thought were mud with these skeletons - which, by the way, I thought were plastic, but later found out they were real skeletons. It was a real nightmare. Williams expanded on the remark in a separate interview, aired as part of the TV Land show TV Land: Myths & Legends in 2008: You have to understand that this sequence took probably four or five days to shoot. So I was in mud and goop all day every day for like four or five days with skeletons all around me [as I was] screaming. In my innocence and naiveté, I assumed that these were not real skeletons. I assumed that they were prop skeletons made out of plastic or rubber. I found out - as did the whole crew - that they were using real skeletons, because it’s far too expensive to make fake skeletons out of rubber. And I think everybody got real creeped out by the idea of that.
Even Craig T. Nelson said the same thing. I saw it on AMC Eli Roth's History of Horror. First season, Episode 7, Ghost Stories. Very interesting and creepy.
Man, there's no way they could get away with that today. Several years later, I started hearing folks saying "... did you hear? Those skeletons in 'Poltergeist' were actually real, like, she was swimming in the muck with real-life skeletons!" And I just figured "Yeah, right! Tell me another one!" ... it just seemed *too* unbelievable!
Two minutes alter the end credits start to roll, the awesome orchestral music is joined by what sounds like a choir of children singing "la, la, la . .. " to the tune of the score. This continues for about a minute more, after which the sweet sounding "la la la's " dissolve into childish, maniacal laughter - as if ghost children are perhaps laughing at the folly of the Freeling family . . . This goes on for over 20 seconds until the sound fades and the screen goes to black . . . This movie doesn't let go literally until the last possible second!
The key to Poltergeist has always been the family dynamics. You really become attach to them and want things to end out okay for them. It looks like the two of you felt the same way. Great reaction.
There's something so indescribable how it blends horror, humor, a sense of magical discovery with at the time a very unusual take with a more "realistic" take on ghost hunting. So damn good.
Tobe Hooper directed "Poltergeist", Spielberg produced and co-wrote it. Tobe Hooper is best known for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"! The dad is Craig T. Nelson! He had a long-running '90's sitcom called "Coach". He's awesome! Heather O'Rourke died at the tender age of 12 due to a medical misdiagnosis and older sister Dominique Dunne was murdered at the young age of 22 so this franchise developed a "cursed" reputation as a result. Poltergeist literally means "noisy ghost" in German. Lol. "They're here" became a hugely popular catch-phrase in spooky situations to this day!
You two are a lovely couple. I love your sense of wonderment and appreciation when watching these older films. You guys watch movies the same way we oldsters did when seeing them for the first time. This seems so uncommon in this day and age. When most of the young, and some of the older, reactors watch these older films they seem bored, jaded, overly critical and unimpressed. Lacking patience in story build up, having no appreciation for character development, atmosphere and tension. You two must be "old souls". You have become my favorite reactors, replacing "Cinema Rules" (Who are great by the way, you should check them out) as number one.
Thanks so much June!! Haha we are pretty old souls! Thanks for the recommendation! I've seen some of their stuff and they are great! We look forward to keep bringing as many reaction to the channel for as long as possible!
Fun little fact with the actress who played the mom JoBeth Williams. The skeletons in the pool with her were real skeletons. She didn’t find this out until after the filming. Great reaction!
Creepy fact - ua-cam.com/video/j9y34hc7qfw/v-deo.html The Herrmann Poltergeist of Seaford, New York - Paralopedia The real poltergeist family that the movie was based on.... enfieldhaunting.com/poltergeist-true-story/
@Tele Thuggie "They came from Carolina Biological," Kasson said, naming a medical and science supply company that sold human skeletons mainly for use in medical schools back in the 1980s. www.the13thfloor.tv/2015/12/22/the-shocking-history-of-the-poltergeist-curse/
From what i've heard hardly any of the crew knew the skeletons were real, basically just the people in the props department. Prop skeletons were expensive & they were unable to source the amount they needed, so they said screw it we'll get real skeletons & then just never bothered to tell anyone that they were real.
Spielberg's early stuff is his best. If you haven't seen Jaws it is a must see. The amount of direction involved with multiple conversations going on in some of the scenes is superb. Even with the dated effects it is a masterful movie on all points.
spielberg was only producer on Poltergeist. it was directed by Tobe Hooper. spielberg was under contract while filming ET and another film and was prohibited under contract from directing any other productions...
@@gerbear3227 That's story was half B.S. Spielberg wrote it (his only script outside of Close Encounters) and you can CLEARLY see his visual style in many scenes, Tobe Hooper had none of that. The reality was that Spielberg directed a lot of it himself as an "uncredited "2nd unit director".
As a kid....this movie...and the sequels....scared me more than any other horror movies or franchise. To this day....the old man in Poltergeist 2 walking and singing that song...is about the scariest thing Ive ever seen lol. Im saying this to give alot of credit to the producers and directors...especially Speilberg. Because the fear lies in the way the movies were shot more than the substance.
@@michaelbastraw1493 AFAIK, Hitchcock came up with the idea for it, and talked about it a lot, but it was one of his cameramen on Vertigo who worked out a way to actually do it.
Fun Fact: The father who plays in this movie as Steven Freeling actor Craig T. Nelson also voice the father Mr. Incredible / Bob Parr in the Disney The Incredibles.
The house imploding was a physical effect. A model of the house was wired up and pulled back thru a hole and filmed at 300 frames/second, then slowed down for the movie.
The practical effect of imploding the house is still probably my favorite special effect of all time. ILM built a detailed model, complete with furniture and light fixtures and everything, about 3 or 4 feet wide and deep. They set it facing upwards, attached to a funnel and an industrial vacuum. They used an extremely high-speed camera so that it would appear to be imploding in slow motion. While it was imploding, a crew member blasted it with a shotgun. So awesome.
Yeh face rip off lol i covered my eyes when that came on so did not see all of it in the drive in. Next summer 1983 we got a vhs recorder first moive we rented was poltergeist to rewatch again, i think i still cowered watching that scene lol. Then they aired the moive on abc tv all edited up no bad language even face rip off was cleaned up. But yeh i still rewatched it again an adult ya always discover something new about this moive got so many layers.
I heard something about that scene and covered my eyes (I was 13 and not yet into horror). Saw it however many years later and the face-tearing scene is still shocking! Also, a weird thing happened after the movie ended and the end credits were rolling. When I went to get up, I felt an odd heaviness, as if the planetary gravity had somehow increased a slight bit. We all felt it, if I recall. Very strange. I still remember that to this day . . .
It was actually super controversial at the time. It was initially rated R and Steven Spielberg appealed it and I don't know what he said probably, look no one dies in this movie there's no stabbings there's no blood spilled Etc and he got them to turn it back down to PG. But millions of parents were ticked off when their kids saw that face ripping scene and it basically started the conversation about needing another level of movie rating. 2 years later we had PG-13
Check out 4:57 - the poster on the wall behind his bed. It's a poster for the 1988 Superbowl. The movie was made in 1982. Also on the night of the Superbowl XXII January 31st 1988 Heather O'Rourke who played Carolanne became violently ill. She died the following day, 1st February 1988, in San Diego, the location of Super Bowl XXII - Interesting glitch in the matrix, right?
This film was rated PG: kids were tougher back then. Nominated for Best Original Score by legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith: film music was great back then. Practical effects: Special effects required blood, sweat and tears back then.
I'm an Eighties kid and I have 4 sisters, 3 of whom are older than me. My parents let us watch Poltergeist (I mean, why not?) The maggoty drumstick on the floor absolutely disgusted and scarred my young life. We had a lot of chicken dinners that I couldn't enjoy, because my sisters would chant "maggots in the chicken" over and over and I'd throw a tantrum about it. My dad would laugh just a little before telling them to stop 😒 Some of the imagery is frightening, but very well done. I think today's audience can appreciate the animation and special effects that were used, with some clever sequences (like the chairs rearranging themselves at the table and the Disneyesque hand coming out of the television). I see this as a family film, as crazy as it might seem. The family is close. The mom is a badass (an Eighties superhero, really). The paranormal team is likeable, especially Beatrice Straight, the older red-head with the words of wisdom about ghosts. The undercurrent of humor doesn't let the film slip into "dread" territory, unlike its inferior sequels, which are straight up horror.
Damn! I hope you can enjoy chicken dinners now at least! It was a very well done movie and I think the blend of comedy, family and horror worked perfectly
One of the most famous horror films that said to have been cursed, where 2 of the original actors in this film have died: Dominique Dunne was strangled by her ex boyfriend after the release of the movie, and was left braindead for 5 days before they pulled the plug. She was 23. Heather O'Rourke died at the age of 12 due to Stenosis and septic shock in her intestines. Her last film was POLTERGEIST III.
This movie lets audiences of today see that all TV stations and broadcasts used to end in the middle of the night. This gave the viewer an indication to actually go to bed especially since there was literally nothing left on TV to watch and as there was no Internet or smart devices there was nothing but the radio on at that time so unless you were with your buddies drinking you would haul your butt out of the recliner or off the couch and climb into bed. In a way we need that to come back as people are addicted to their devices or flipping channels and can always find something to watch at anytime of day or night. If they shutdown or went off the air it would give your eyes and your mind a chance to actually rest and unwind but that isn't gonna come back that's for sure.
That's true... There is an endless amount of content. Even if Netflix stopped adding stuff, I probably couldn't get through everything in one lifetime!
VHS was around though, so technically, you could watch a movie if you were lucky enough to have had a VCR (which were really expensive initially). But yeah, it was usually your marker to go to bed lol.
@@Fyrecide My Mom used to pay the $700 damage deposit to rent a VCR on top of the rental fee and tape fees it was a treat and not very often until we bought our first VCR around 1988 and I got my own for my bedroom brand new in 1989.
@@bradbarter8314 Yeah my parents got one back in 1987 or 1988 as well. I didn't have a TV in my room until about 1990 - 1991 though, and I pretty much just used it to play my SNES on lol.
OMG! That explains why I can’t stop watching The Conjuring movies. Something about them that I’m attracted to. The family element! It all makes sense now.
If you found THIS movie intense, then I suggest you check out The Entity. Another poltergeist themed flick from the early eighties. However THAT movie makes THIS one seem like an old Walt Disney movie by comparison (you'll find out what I'm talking about when you see it).
The clown doll jumpscare never gets old for one reason only: we’ve ALL been through that stage of being scared of something in our room as kids. So it frightens us on a personal level. That being said, I find it kinda sweet that Samantha grabbed your arm tightly during that scene. If I was younger, that would’ve definitely been me with my mom.
Another great movie choice guys. The corridor shot, with the door seemingly close but then moving away is a relatively easy shot to do. It was also used in ' The Shining ' as well as a few other movies. All you have to do is pull the camera backwards while at the same time, focusing inward towards the door. Doing both at the same time creates that effect. You can of course do it the opposite way which creates the opposite effect too.
As a gen X'er that watched this in the mid 80s, I'm glad that younger generations such as yourselves are open to watching something made before the naughties and appreciate it too! I've tried showing this to some Millennial friends of mine, and they couldn't get through the first quarter of the film, and complained that they're watching something from 82!.. haha As to the the reason why this film didn't seem to have any kind of closure or resolution, please watch Poltergeist 2, the story continues and you'll find out what it's all been about! 💀 👻
It's always good to appreciate the classics! Thanks for the suggestion to follow up with the sequel, we are definitely interested in seeing how the story progresses!
Like so many sequels of the olden days (and i say this as a gen x-er myself) the sequels to Poltergeist are diminishing returns. Neither Steven Spielberg nor Tobe Hooper returned, which meant smaller budgets, and the results are lackluster. I wouldn't bother.
@@ObsceneVegetableMatter Poltergeist 2 is pretty solid. It's got creature design work by H.R. Giger (Alien). Don't bother with Part 3. Pure trash, money grab only.
@@TBRSchmitt Poltergeist II: The Other Side is... okay I suppose, but it retrofits the reason for the haunting somewhat, which I found disappointing, plus the ending is just outright bad and suffers from "showing too much". It does have some terrific horror moments in it though, and a terrifying, iconic performance from a certain character which I don't want to spoil for you, should you watch it sometime.
The amount of movies that can get and stay in our heads is actually demonic 🤣. Entity 🎥 is another one that stayed with me. For me, once you accept these things exist and can be rebuked, you can move on in life at Peace ❤
Started watching you guys looking up True Detective reactions and stuck around when i saw you guys reacting to The Sopranos. Now here i am at work on a Sunday, making overtime and going thru all of yalls movie reactions.....hey there are worse ways to spend a day at work lol
@@TBRSchmitt Nothing at all trivial about one of the greatest film composers of all time. Nominated for a total of 18 Academy Awards (including Poltergeist) and one win for "The Omen".
@@43nostromo I consider trivia as exciting information! But thank you for pointing out the potential misinterpretation of people thinking I’m considering their comment as trivial. I’ll try to stay away from using the term trivia so people know I’m genuinely super excited to learn more information about the movie and the people behind the scenes!
Steven Spielberg LOVED Heather O'Rourke (Carol Anne), that he gifted her the goldfish that was in the movie. During the scene when she was up in the air holding onto the bed, she was a very brave girl until the toys started to fly by her head so she screamed and wailed in terror to the point that Spielberg stopped the scene and he hugged and held her while promising she would NEVER have to do that scene again. Sadly, she passed away at 12-years-old from a misdiagnosis they told her she had Crohn's Disease but she actually had a bowel obstruction and she died during surgery.
Guys. This was the best reaction review I've seen you both do. I'm surprised that such an old great horror movie like this would have moved you so much. The reactions were real and just like the ones we encountered years ago. It was a joy watching you react. Thanks.
Not your typical haunted house, which is normally some old run-down mansion or creepy estate. This takes place where you would least expect it to happen... modern-day suburbia. It's disturbing to realize that in spite of all our advances in technology, there are still things out there that we can't comprehend. This is what makes this movie so great. One of my favorite films.
The elongating hallway scene is done by having the camera zoom in while the camera is moved backwards. Or maybe it's zooming out as the camera moves forward. It's one of those. I forget.
4:44 this dude's life is already a nightmare... the sister... the tree... the clown... plus he's sleeping next to a Clue boardgame, multiple Darth Vaders in the room and he's an L.A. Rams fan
You did have a point. Getting the daughter back didnt get rid of the ghosts. Since Steve Freeling was the one to figure out the house was built on an ancient burial ground, after getting their daughter back he should've been the one to know that sleeping in the house one more night was a very bad idea. I would get out immediately even if I'm told my house is clean. Especially after I find out my house was built on top of the dead
I've always interpreted it that Steven doesn't realize there are actual corpses there until they start popping up out of the ground. It's at that moment he understands that only the headstones were moved.
I was traumatized by this movie as a child. Any and all reference to this film to this day makes me uneasy. I have an almost paralyzing fear of the word Poltergeist. This is why it's my all time favorite horror film.
The novelization of this movie is hard to come by these days, but if you can get your hands on it it’s really interesting. Tangina in particular is almost a tragic figure, so gifted with her second sight that she has a hard time differentiating between fate and coincidence.
This show creeped me out during my childhood. When I saw it I was maybe 6 or 7 (about 5 years after it came out) and I had long blonde hair like Carol Ann. My dad would turn off the lights and put the TV on snow and say “they’re heeeeerrrrre” , Thanks 80’s dad lol
Great reaction guys. I was a teenager when this movie came out. Iv'e always liked this movie!!! This movie came out is when the best of movies came out. Just my opinion.
"Poltergeist" and "American Werewolf in London" SCARED the SHIT outta me as a kid....still give me the chills all these years later.......THAT is the mark of a truly great and timeless film!
A classic in horror. Poltergeist actually means noisy ghost in German. While the others in the series are not as well loved, they do add to the story. Hope you get a chance to see the rest of the trilogy. The Poltergeist franchise include the original trilogy: original (1982), Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986), Poltergeist III (1988). There was a reboot in 2015 and a tv series Poltergeist: The Legacy (1996-1999). Small Spoiler: The name of the Beast is Kane.
I watched this movie when I was a kid in the 80s. It always creeped me out. Especially, that kid's bedroom with the door purposely shut and the psychic with the baby voice, the static tv.
Spielberg got the idea for the scary tree outside of the window, because as a kid......he had one outside of his own, that used to give him the creeps.
Ah, thank you! I had fun laughing at your reactions. *LOL* That clown scarred my sister for life- she say this movie when she about 8 years old and I can still scare her with that clown. This is one of my fave horror movies ever! I still have fun watching it these days. This kind of intense movie is what we cut our teeth on back in the 80s. Not much compares these days, really... Or I'm just that desensitized. Glad you enjoyed it!
Highlights for me are the tree eating the little boy...really grabs me on a visceral level...and those coffins coming up out of the ground. I've seen it so many times but great to relive it like the first time for someone else. At this point I really watch it to appreciate the art of the incredible practical special effects, at their very pinnacle just before CGI began to take over everything. So glad Spielberg made the decision to keep it all old school for this one, because I think that's why it remains such a good view instead of seeming outdated.
I was 8 when this came out in 82, it scared the living shit out of me (which one would expect at that age lol). One of my favorite horror movies of all time easily. Poltergeist II while no where near as good as the first movie, I still love that one sooooo much. Poltergeist 3 on the other hand is garbage, and it's a shame since the little girl who plays Carol-Anne died during filming as others have mentioned already. Same with the older sister who was murdered by an ex. Basically it's "urban legend" that the movie was cursed.
Two years ago during Halloween Horror nights, Universal Studios made a scarehouse based on this film, one could walk through the suburban house and it was great. They even created the practical effect of the infinite stretching hallway.
This Movie was released 1982, and the kid's Superbowl poster is for a game which would take place on Jan. 31st in 1988, which is when Heather O' Rourke died. The young boy was nearly killed during filming when the animatronic arm on the clown went haywire and strangled him. Spielberg was walking by and said that kid is actually turning blue for people to figure out what was happening. It is hilariously awful that they didn't tell Jo Beth that she was gonna be in the pool with the bodies, and they certainly didn't say they were real life corpses. Just said get into the pool, then when she was in place, they floated dead bodies to the surface with balloons so they would spring forward at her. That's method acting on her face. It's sad that real corpses are cheaper to buy than fake ones.
Freaking loved this film after seeing it in the theatre back in the 80’s. I even bought Jerry Goldsmiths awesome soundtrack on vinyl. What makes it so special is the family.... just so well realised with non of the angst that current day movies insist on having. A family we’re happy to root for and spend time with. Craig T Nelson is terrific and I totally fell in love with Jobeth Williams. Even before it was available on vhs, I managed to get a bootleg copy that I virtually wore out! This film just has so many great moments that can still give me that lovely tingle on the back of my neck that is so rare these days......I’ve lost count of just how many times I’ve watched it over the years. I watched the remake of this some years ago and can remember not a goddamn thing about it.....it’s a perfect example of dismal modern storytelling. I just don’t care. Original Poltergeist is an absolute gem. Fun fact: It was Steven Spielberg’s hands pulling the face of that guy.
Glad you had fun, scary “fun”. I remember when I moved to Los Angeles in the late 80s, I found a book that listed places in/around L.A. that we’re used for film locations. The Poltergeist house was the first place I drove to in Simi Valley. Found the house. Sat in awe. And wondered how the owners felt about all of us who had to find the house and sit in awe.
This was a great reaction. Usually, I prefer one person reactions. You two compliment each other very well. Very laid back vibe but intense at the same time. 👍👍
This movie uses the classic formula of building the tension to a peak and then giving you a laugh to release the tension. Then start it all over again. I've been watching this moving now nearly 40 years and I still love it.
I'm 16 and it takes a lot to scare or scar me when it comes to horror movies, but the sequel is terrifying to me. I checked everything I drank for about 3 weeks after watching. If a movie is able to do that than just impress me, they DEFINITELY did it right.
By the way Spielberg based the story for Poltergeist on an episode of the original THE TWILIGHT ZONE called LITTLE GIRL LOST. You might enjoy checking that out.
haha poor clowns always have to portray the bad guy! Not sure if I was afraid of clowns as a kid or if I just realized its smart to not trust a clown as an adult out of fear of murder lol
Can I just say how a cute couple you both are :) Also this movie horrified me to no end a kid. I think I watched it at 10 years old and I should never have!!!
I saw it in the theater originally. The one thing I remember is when Zelda Rubenstein came on screen someone in back of my shouted “Oooo that mama bad”. The other thing I remember is that dog are really loud in the beginning.
Great Spielberg character development, he is the master of getting you vested in the characters , we really care about them. Steven makes laugh, cry, be terrified. This is one of my favorite Movies.
Not sure if you guys have watched it yet but GREMLINS from is another great Spielberg produced/ 80s horror movie. It's also perfectly suited for the season: Halloween and pre Christmas.
Yeh at the drive in they used to have the speakers you hung on the car window for all. I think during one of the jumpscares i knocked the speaker off the window we had to scramble to hang it back on.
I had forgotten how many scary situations are in this movie. It was great reliving them thru your reactions and great comments. I can’t wait for your reactions to Alien!
Poltergeist is definitely one of those rare haunted house movies to have heart and scares 😌. Plus as of haunted house movies go, poltergeist was one of the first to flipped the idea it on its head by taking place in every day suburbia where all the houses look the same, instead of the traditional old Victorian house/ Mansion. Showing that a normal everyday family could have a poltergeist problem in the most of unlikely of place. Which tells alot of truth when it comes to real paranormal case out there. That's why I think poltergeist really is on its own thing, and is why I don't compare it to something like the Amityville horror.
As I have seen a few "First time watching reactions" to Poltergeist 👻 I have heard a few people including now wondering what the pink gelatin is. If you have watched Ghostbusters they describe it as slime but also it's proper name (and where they got the name for their car) as it is ectoplasm believed to be a physical substance from the spirit realm but only experienced in the physical world if it comes in full contact in the spirit world.
Few movies scream 80s like this one: a family horror movie. It came out right at the peak of the genre, when someone had the idea: "hey, why not make a horror movie, I mean a real one, but for kids?" It was typically a kid's first really "scary" movie, after which many more would come. It was like a gateway drug for a generation of horror movie fans.
Schedule Update:
Next week will be Train to Busan and a special reaction of Halloween on Halloween!
The following week will be Aliens followed up by Naked Gun!
Thank you everyone for your support! It means the world to us! Even though October is coming to a close, we will still be doing horror movies on this channel! We went through every single comment on all our videos and recorded every movie recommendation as well as how many times it was recommended and how many likes it got! So rest assured knowing your voice is heard and we have all that great information to help guide the movies we post for a long time to come!
PS: My wife says sorry for the scream :)
You've already done Alien, so we're happy for October. Thanx. Best. Leo.
I really recommend the Special Edition of Aliens, which is in reality the original cut before the studio made James Cameron trim it for time. It adds back a lot of really good back story! (But the theatrical release is still excellent if that's what you've got access to.)
part 2 and 3 ??
Heather O'Rourke (Carol-Ann) December 27, 1975, -- February 1, 1988, Crohns diease Dominique Dunne (Dana) - November 23, 1959, - November 04, 1982, Mureded,,,, Richard Lawson - (Ryan) survived a commercial air crash via swapping seats with other passenger,,,,, Lou Perryman the tv remote guy - murdered.
Dominique Dunne never got to see her movie :(:(:(:(...... - Robbie Freeling, was almost choked to death by the evil clown, just like what happens to Robbie in the scene. Steven saw that, probably in the video assist, and he pulled me away from it.
they was real skeletons used in the pool section also for part 2..... www.thethings.com/heres-why-the-poltergeist-series-was-terrifying-for-the-cast/
That scream was great! Can’t wait for Aliens! Great movie by the great James Cameron!
RIP Dominique and Heather.
I saw this a few times in the cinema back in 1982. You had to wait in the lobby before you went in and you could actually hear the screams and shouts of the audience as you waited. We all just looked at one another wondering what the hell are we in for??? Good times! 😆
I remember those good ole days. Spielberg thought that ET was going to not do as well, so he concentrated on Poltergeist and made this his baby/money maker for 1982.
Woooooops. ET was in my home town's cineplex theaters for nearly 4 months. That was unheard of.
What an experience that must have been!
My friends and I went to this movie and laughed when all the girls screamed at the scary parts. Probably saw it three times. Great movie.
Oh man i would have loved to have seen this in cinemas. It has been my favourite horror film since i was a kid. For me a much better film than E.T, although i still love that movie.
Fuck man that sounds nuts. I was born in 87 my favorite movie of all time is predator with Arnold great alien movie
38 years later, and it’s still the most spectacular haunted house movie ever made. Been watching it so many times since the 80:s, and I never get tired of the film.
It's my favorite horror movie, as a kid growing up in the 80's it was a huge part of my childhood.
The remake was absolutely horrible though.
"Poltergeist" and "American Werewolf in London" SCARED the SHIT outta me as a kid....still give me the chills on these years later...THAT is the mark of a truly great and timeless film!
Poltergeist, Amityville 2: The possesion, The omen and The exorcist... nothing better exist in a world of horror movies... I've been a movie collector for 35 years now (I'm 52) and I know what I'm talking about. Greetings from Croatia..
I'm partly convinced this movie influenced the rise of 24 hours broadcasting.
Hahaha had to get that static to go away just in case....
That and blue screens instead of static.
@@leperwolf7287 --- it's to cut off the white noise so the ghosts can't communicate..
The parents are THE BEST. Pot-smoking, silly people, still in love with each other, and who genuinely care for their kids. I loved Jo-Beth Williams little excited jump up and down move in the kitchen when she realized that her husband was seeing what she was seeing. Thanks, gang!
Hahaha the mom was my favorite character! Especially when she went full on Mom Strength to save the kids in the ending
lol, looked like a cheerleader jump
I can't think of a movie of this kind where the parents are as grounded and relatable as Diane and Steven. The movie simply wouldn't have the same impact without it. Combination of great scriptwriting, casting and performance.
I did a little dance recently when I showed my wife proof of the effing shadow I’ve been seeing for a while now. She saw it and was like, “what?” Good times.
Loving caring parents but yet....Give your child a ugly horrifying clown doll
One of my all time favorite horror movies, it just has a feel not many can replicate.
It's also amazing how many standards visuals and techniques it created that have been replicated.
Plus the pool was full of actual skeletons, not sure if you can get away with that today.
Coming from a cartoon
@@kamenwaticlients For starters, the participants were your average family of 5, and not a bunch of teenagers getting hacked up with machettes and such. I think that's what initially sets it apart.
Fun fact: Diane (JoBeth Williams) in an interview that aired on entertainment channel VH1 in December 2002, said:
I would have to go into this huge tank of what I thought were mud with these skeletons - which, by the way, I thought were plastic, but later found out they were real skeletons. It was a real nightmare.
Williams expanded on the remark in a separate interview, aired as part of the TV Land show TV Land: Myths & Legends in 2008:
You have to understand that this sequence took probably four or five days to shoot. So I was in mud and goop all day every day for like four or five days with skeletons all around me [as I was] screaming. In my innocence and naiveté, I assumed that these were not real skeletons. I assumed that they were prop skeletons made out of plastic or rubber. I found out - as did the whole crew - that they were using real skeletons, because it’s far too expensive to make fake skeletons out of rubber. And I think everybody got real creeped out by the idea of that.
That's absolutely insane!
@@KabukiKid Yup
Even Craig T. Nelson said the same thing. I saw it on AMC Eli Roth's History of Horror. First season, Episode 7, Ghost Stories. Very interesting and creepy.
Man, there's no way they could get away with that today.
Several years later, I started hearing folks saying "... did you hear? Those skeletons in 'Poltergeist' were actually real, like, she was swimming in the muck with real-life skeletons!" And I just figured "Yeah, right! Tell me another one!" ... it just seemed *too* unbelievable!
@@ephennell4everEven then how could they?
Two minutes alter the end credits start to roll, the awesome orchestral music is joined by what sounds like a choir of children singing "la, la, la . .. " to the tune of the score. This continues for about a minute more, after which the sweet sounding "la la la's " dissolve into childish, maniacal laughter - as if ghost children are perhaps laughing at the folly of the Freeling family . . . This goes on for over 20 seconds until the sound fades and the screen goes to black . . . This movie doesn't let go literally until the last possible second!
The key to Poltergeist has always been the family dynamics. You really become attach to them and want things to end out okay for them. It looks like the two of you felt the same way. Great reaction.
Thank you! Yeah the family element added another great level to the movie
There's something so indescribable how it blends horror, humor, a sense of magical discovery with at the time a very unusual take with a more "realistic" take on ghost hunting. So damn good.
And it's an average family. Other horror movies were teenagers partying and being picked off one at a time.
What a great line from Tangina: “It lies to her. It says things only a child can understand. “
Tobe Hooper directed "Poltergeist", Spielberg produced and co-wrote it.
Tobe Hooper is best known for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"!
The dad is Craig T. Nelson! He had a long-running '90's sitcom called "Coach". He's awesome!
Heather O'Rourke died at the tender age of 12 due to a medical misdiagnosis and older sister Dominique Dunne was murdered at the young age of 22 so this franchise developed a "cursed" reputation as a result.
Poltergeist literally means "noisy ghost" in German. Lol.
"They're here" became a hugely popular catch-phrase in spooky situations to this day!
Thanks for all the trivia! I saw about all the unfortunate deaths.. so sad.. Ooo definitely need to check out Texas Chainsaw Massacre!
"They're baaaaack"
You two are a lovely couple. I love your sense of wonderment and appreciation when watching these older films. You guys watch movies the same way we oldsters did when seeing them for the first time. This seems so uncommon in this day and age. When most of the young, and some of the older, reactors watch these older films they seem bored, jaded, overly critical and unimpressed. Lacking patience in story build up, having no appreciation for character development, atmosphere and tension. You two must be "old souls". You have become my favorite reactors, replacing "Cinema Rules" (Who are great by the way, you should check them out) as number one.
Thanks so much June!! Haha we are pretty old souls! Thanks for the recommendation! I've seen some of their stuff and they are great! We look forward to keep bringing as many reaction to the channel for as long as possible!
Fun little fact with the actress who played the mom JoBeth Williams. The skeletons in the pool with her were real skeletons. She didn’t find this out until after the filming. Great reaction!
Creepy fact - ua-cam.com/video/j9y34hc7qfw/v-deo.html The Herrmann Poltergeist of Seaford, New York - Paralopedia The real poltergeist family that the movie was based on.... enfieldhaunting.com/poltergeist-true-story/
That's a crazy fact!
@Tele Thuggie "They came from Carolina Biological," Kasson said, naming a medical and science supply company that sold human skeletons mainly for use in medical schools back in the 1980s.
www.the13thfloor.tv/2015/12/22/the-shocking-history-of-the-poltergeist-curse/
From what i've heard hardly any of the crew knew the skeletons were real, basically just the people in the props department. Prop skeletons were expensive & they were unable to source the amount they needed, so they said screw it we'll get real skeletons & then just never bothered to tell anyone that they were real.
I bet she wasn’t happy when she found out.
Spielberg's early stuff is his best. If you haven't seen Jaws it is a must see. The amount of direction involved with multiple conversations going on in some of the scenes is superb. Even with the dated effects it is a masterful movie on all points.
spielberg was only producer on Poltergeist. it was directed by Tobe Hooper. spielberg was under contract while filming ET and another film and was prohibited under contract from directing any other productions...
@@gerbear3227 And yet, it’s still a great movie.
@@gerbear3227 That's story was half B.S. Spielberg wrote it (his only script outside of Close Encounters) and you can CLEARLY see his visual style in many scenes, Tobe Hooper had none of that. The reality was that Spielberg directed a lot of it himself as an "uncredited "2nd unit director".
@@plastique45 it’s got spielbergs touch all over it. It just looks and feels like his movie.
@@plastique45 Not true. Spielberg himself said that he didn't direct it. Look it up. It's all Hooper.
Ah the clown jumpscare, it never gets old.
Pervert Herbert to the evil tree you shall not pass! Family Guy.
It gets me every time
Did you walk through the Poltergeist maze at Universal Orlando in 2018?
@@morganyakkofan9052 no, never been to Orlando.
@@nikecoro2606 Oh. Okay.
As a kid....this movie...and the sequels....scared me more than any other horror movies or franchise. To this day....the old man in Poltergeist 2 walking and singing that song...is about the scariest thing Ive ever seen lol. Im saying this to give alot of credit to the producers and directors...especially Speilberg. Because the fear lies in the way the movies were shot more than the substance.
And that old man preacher, the actor was on his last stage cancer and dying in his scenes which made for that look.
The trick hallway was all practical. A combination of zoom, dolly, and accordion-like walls. Best. Leo.
The Dolly Zoom, aka the Vertigo Effect, was developed by Alfred Hitchcock.
@@Heegaherger I don't know if he actually invented it, but that was the first time I ever saw it. Best. Leo.
@@michaelbastraw1493 AFAIK, Hitchcock came up with the idea for it, and talked about it a lot, but it was one of his cameramen on Vertigo who worked out a way to actually do it.
"Mom strength." Diane is one of the great 80s horror moms.
Jo Beth Williams has always been a very underrated actor b
A brilliant film score composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith.
Jerry Goldmith's score for this film is one of his best and it doesn't get mentioned enough when people talk about his work.
Fun Fact: The father who plays in this movie as Steven Freeling actor Craig T. Nelson also voice the father Mr. Incredible / Bob Parr in the Disney The Incredibles.
Thanks for the information! I had no idea, he looked familiar but I didn't pick up on the voice similarity!
Also played Coach in the TV show Coach as well as the dad on Parenthood.
Craig was also high as a fucking kite while filming this movie. That was pretty funny to hear him tell this story.
@@edp5886 Also the main bad guy Peter Dellaplane in Action Jackson.
@@edp5886 And the villain in Turner and Hooch.
The house imploding was a physical effect. A model of the house was wired up and pulled back thru a hole and filmed at 300 frames/second, then slowed down for the movie.
super creative!
And it still amazes me to this day.
The practical effect of imploding the house is still probably my favorite special effect of all time. ILM built a detailed model, complete with furniture and light fixtures and everything, about 3 or 4 feet wide and deep. They set it facing upwards, attached to a funnel and an industrial vacuum. They used an extremely high-speed camera so that it would appear to be imploding in slow motion. While it was imploding, a crew member blasted it with a shotgun. So awesome.
You guys are watching all of my favorites! You have NO idea what seeing that guy pull his face off did to kids back in the day
Yeh face rip off lol i covered my eyes when that came on so did not see all of it in the drive in. Next summer 1983 we got a vhs recorder first moive we rented was poltergeist to rewatch again, i think i still cowered watching that scene lol. Then they aired the moive on abc tv all edited up no bad language even face rip off was cleaned up. But yeh i still rewatched it again an adult ya always discover something new about this moive got so many layers.
I can only imagine the horror as a kid!
I heard something about that scene and covered my eyes (I was 13 and not yet into horror). Saw it however many years later and the face-tearing scene is still shocking! Also, a weird thing happened after the movie ended and the end credits were rolling. When I went to get up, I felt an odd heaviness, as if the planetary gravity had somehow increased a slight bit. We all felt it, if I recall. Very strange. I still remember that to this day . . .
Yep, I saw it back in the early 80s, and it MESSED me up
It was actually super controversial at the time. It was initially rated R and Steven Spielberg appealed it and I don't know what he said probably, look no one dies in this movie there's no stabbings there's no blood spilled Etc and he got them to turn it back down to PG.
But millions of parents were ticked off when their kids saw that face ripping scene and it basically started the conversation about needing another level of movie rating. 2 years later we had PG-13
Check out 4:57 - the poster on the wall behind his bed. It's a poster for the 1988 Superbowl. The movie was made in 1982. Also on the night of the Superbowl XXII January 31st 1988 Heather O'Rourke who played Carolanne became violently ill. She died the following day, 1st February 1988, in San Diego, the location of Super Bowl XXII - Interesting glitch in the matrix, right?
This film was rated PG: kids were tougher back then.
Nominated for Best Original Score by legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith: film music was great back then.
Practical effects: Special effects required blood, sweat and tears back then.
I'm an Eighties kid and I have 4 sisters, 3 of whom are older than me. My parents let us watch Poltergeist (I mean, why not?) The maggoty drumstick on the floor absolutely disgusted and scarred my young life. We had a lot of chicken dinners that I couldn't enjoy, because my sisters would chant "maggots in the chicken" over and over and I'd throw a tantrum about it. My dad would laugh just a little before telling them to stop 😒
Some of the imagery is frightening, but very well done. I think today's audience can appreciate the animation and special effects that were used, with some clever sequences (like the chairs rearranging themselves at the table and the Disneyesque hand coming out of the television).
I see this as a family film, as crazy as it might seem. The family is close. The mom is a badass (an Eighties superhero, really). The paranormal team is likeable, especially Beatrice Straight, the older red-head with the words of wisdom about ghosts. The undercurrent of humor doesn't let the film slip into "dread" territory, unlike its inferior sequels, which are straight up horror.
Damn! I hope you can enjoy chicken dinners now at least! It was a very well done movie and I think the blend of comedy, family and horror worked perfectly
One of the most famous horror films that said to have been cursed, where 2 of the original actors in this film have died:
Dominique Dunne was strangled by her ex boyfriend after the release of the movie, and was left braindead for 5 days before they pulled the plug. She was 23.
Heather O'Rourke died at the age of 12 due to Stenosis and septic shock in her intestines. Her last film was POLTERGEIST III.
The kitchen table gag was done with the chairs being bolted together. Super quick grips finish the illusion before the camera panned back. Best. Leo.
This movie lets audiences of today see that all TV stations and broadcasts used to end in the middle of the night. This gave the viewer an indication to actually go to bed especially since there was literally nothing left on TV to watch and as there was no Internet or smart devices there was nothing but the radio on at that time so unless you were with your buddies drinking you would haul your butt out of the recliner or off the couch and climb into bed. In a way we need that to come back as people are addicted to their devices or flipping channels and can always find something to watch at anytime of day or night. If they shutdown or went off the air it would give your eyes and your mind a chance to actually rest and unwind but that isn't gonna come back that's for sure.
That's true... There is an endless amount of content. Even if Netflix stopped adding stuff, I probably couldn't get through everything in one lifetime!
VHS was around though, so technically, you could watch a movie if you were lucky enough to have had a VCR (which were really expensive initially). But yeah, it was usually your marker to go to bed lol.
@@Fyrecide My Mom used to pay the $700 damage deposit to rent a VCR on top of the rental fee and tape fees it was a treat and not very often until we bought our first VCR around 1988 and I got my own for my bedroom brand new in 1989.
@@bradbarter8314 Yeah my parents got one back in 1987 or 1988 as well. I didn't have a TV in my room until about 1990 - 1991 though, and I pretty much just used it to play my SNES on lol.
You two are definitely my favorite of the "First time watching," videos. Great to see your reactions to one of the best horror films EVER made!
Going to watch it on the big Screen tonight im soooo excited !!! its been 40yrs since ive seen it in Theaters wooohoooo
I love the family aspect about this movie. I think it's what I liked about the Conjuring movies. They have the family element and use it well.
I agree! The family aspect added a great layer
OMG! That explains why I can’t stop watching The Conjuring movies. Something about them that I’m attracted to. The family element! It all makes sense now.
@@TBRSchmittThe family aspect continues with Poltergeist 2: The Other Side.
I love that you both wear quality headphones so you get the great audio effects!
Hahaha makes the scariness extra scary!
If you found THIS movie intense, then I suggest you check out The Entity. Another poltergeist themed flick from the early eighties. However THAT movie makes THIS one seem like an old Walt Disney movie by comparison (you'll find out what I'm talking about when you see it).
Zelda Rubinstein was a national treasure! :)
Ah, that "sweet music" is the genius of the late and awesome power of Jerry Goldsmith.
The clown doll jumpscare never gets old for one reason only: we’ve ALL been through that stage of being scared of something in our room as kids. So it frightens us on a personal level.
That being said, I find it kinda sweet that Samantha grabbed your arm tightly during that scene. If I was younger, that would’ve definitely been me with my mom.
Another great movie choice guys.
The corridor shot, with the door seemingly close but then moving away is a relatively easy shot to do.
It was also used in ' The Shining ' as well as a few other movies.
All you have to do is pull the camera backwards while at the same time, focusing inward towards the door.
Doing both at the same time creates that effect.
You can of course do it the opposite way which creates the opposite effect too.
As a gen X'er that watched this in the mid 80s, I'm glad that younger generations such as yourselves are open to watching something made before the naughties and appreciate it too! I've tried showing this to some Millennial friends of mine, and they couldn't get through the first quarter of the film, and complained that they're watching something from 82!.. haha
As to the the reason why this film didn't seem to have any kind of closure or resolution, please watch Poltergeist 2, the story continues and you'll find out what it's all been about! 💀 👻
It's always good to appreciate the classics! Thanks for the suggestion to follow up with the sequel, we are definitely interested in seeing how the story progresses!
Like so many sequels of the olden days (and i say this as a gen x-er myself) the sequels to Poltergeist are diminishing returns. Neither Steven Spielberg nor Tobe Hooper returned, which meant smaller budgets, and the results are lackluster. I wouldn't bother.
@@ObsceneVegetableMatter Poltergeist 2 is pretty solid. It's got creature design work by H.R. Giger (Alien). Don't bother with Part 3. Pure trash, money grab only.
@@TBRSchmitt Poltergeist II: The Other Side is... okay I suppose, but it retrofits the reason for the haunting somewhat, which I found disappointing, plus the ending is just outright bad and suffers from "showing too much". It does have some terrific horror moments in it though, and a terrifying, iconic performance from a certain character which I don't want to spoil for you, should you watch it sometime.
@@TBRSchmitt Poltergeist 2 is worth seeing. 3 is pretty meh though. Don't bother with the remake. That was terrible.
THAT clown scene is WHY I HATE clowns! As a dad of daughters I’ve kept them from this movie intentionally so they don’t fear clown like I do lol
The amount of movies that can get and stay in our heads is actually demonic 🤣. Entity 🎥 is another one that stayed with me. For me, once you accept these things exist and can be rebuked, you can move on in life at Peace ❤
Now tell me if those new fangled "paranormal activities" movies even hold a candle to the good ol' days scary flicks...
I hate those movies to be honest. They come off as cheap reality show versions of Poltergeist.
Started watching you guys looking up True Detective reactions and stuck around when i saw you guys reacting to The Sopranos. Now here i am at work on a Sunday, making overtime and going thru all of yalls movie reactions.....hey there are worse ways to spend a day at work lol
Music by Jerry Goldsmith he has done The Omen, The Twilight Zone Movie , Alien and tons more to enjoy,
Thanks for the trivia!
@@TBRSchmitt Nothing at all trivial about one of the greatest film composers of all time. Nominated for a total of 18 Academy Awards (including Poltergeist) and one win for "The Omen".
@@43nostromo I consider trivia as exciting information! But thank you for pointing out the potential misinterpretation of people thinking I’m considering their comment as trivial. I’ll try to stay away from using the term trivia so people know I’m genuinely super excited to learn more information about the movie and the people behind the scenes!
Those famously cursed shoots are kind of his brand, then? Dick move Jerry.
@@TBRSchmitt no recommendations for The Omen, 1976? Ok, so I'll recommend.
Steven Spielberg LOVED Heather O'Rourke (Carol Anne), that he gifted her the goldfish that was in the movie. During the scene when she was up in the air holding onto the bed, she was a very brave girl until the toys started to fly by her head so she screamed and wailed in terror to the point that Spielberg stopped the scene and he hugged and held her while promising she would NEVER have to do that scene again. Sadly, she passed away at 12-years-old from a misdiagnosis they told her she had Crohn's Disease but she actually had a bowel obstruction and she died during surgery.
Guys. This was the best reaction review I've seen you both do. I'm surprised that such an old great horror movie like this would have moved you so much. The reactions were real and just like the ones we encountered years ago. It was a joy watching you react. Thanks.
Not your typical haunted house, which is normally some old run-down mansion or creepy estate. This takes place where you would least expect it to happen... modern-day suburbia. It's disturbing to realize that in spite of all our advances in technology, there are still things out there that we can't comprehend. This is what makes this movie so great.
One of my favorite films.
The elongating hallway scene is done by having the camera zoom in while the camera is moved backwards. Or maybe it's zooming out as the camera moves forward. It's one of those. I forget.
4:44 this dude's life is already a nightmare... the sister... the tree... the clown... plus he's sleeping next to a Clue boardgame, multiple Darth Vaders in the room and he's an L.A. Rams fan
No matter how many times I see this I still get chills and goosebumps when she's screaming from inside the TV
Poltergeist III is my favorite. The style and the use of reflections is very unsettling. Creepy guy is creepy.
You did have a point. Getting the daughter back didnt get rid of the ghosts. Since Steve Freeling was the one to figure out the house was built on an ancient burial ground, after getting their daughter back he should've been the one to know that sleeping in the house one more night was a very bad idea. I would get out immediately even if I'm told my house is clean. Especially after I find out my house was built on top of the dead
I've always interpreted it that Steven doesn't realize there are actual corpses there until they start popping up out of the ground. It's at that moment he understands that only the headstones were moved.
I was traumatized by this movie as a child. Any and all reference to this film to this day makes me uneasy. I have an almost paralyzing fear of the word Poltergeist. This is why it's my all time favorite horror film.
The novelization of this movie is hard to come by these days, but if you can get your hands on it it’s really interesting. Tangina in particular is almost a tragic figure, so gifted with her second sight that she has a hard time differentiating between fate and coincidence.
Thanks, TBR! Thanks, Samantha! 📺 #TBRSchmitt #TobeHooper #Poltergeist
This was mind blowing in the theater in 82.
This show creeped me out during my childhood. When I saw it I was maybe 6 or 7 (about 5 years after it came out) and I had long blonde hair like Carol Ann. My dad would turn off the lights and put the TV on snow and say “they’re heeeeerrrrre” , Thanks 80’s dad lol
Great reaction guys. I was a teenager when this movie came out. Iv'e always liked this movie!!! This movie came out is when the best of movies came out. Just my opinion.
Thanks you!! that's a great opinion to have!
"Poltergeist" and "American Werewolf in London" SCARED the SHIT outta me as a kid....still give me the chills all these years later.......THAT is the mark of a truly great and timeless film!
One of the best movie endings of all time, in my opinion. It helped to relax everyone after the stressful ride they had just been through.
A classic in horror. Poltergeist actually means noisy ghost in German. While the others in the series are not as well loved, they do add to the story. Hope you get a chance to see the rest of the trilogy.
The Poltergeist franchise include the original trilogy: original (1982), Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986), Poltergeist III (1988). There was a reboot in 2015 and a tv series Poltergeist: The Legacy (1996-1999).
Small Spoiler: The name of the Beast is Kane.
I watched this movie when I was a kid in the 80s. It always creeped me out. Especially, that kid's bedroom with the door purposely shut and the psychic with the baby voice, the static tv.
Spielberg got the idea for the scary tree outside of the window, because as a kid......he had one outside of his own, that used to give him the creeps.
haha they say write what you know! Thanks for the trivia!
Ah, thank you! I had fun laughing at your reactions. *LOL* That clown scarred my sister for life- she say this movie when she about 8 years old and I can still scare her with that clown. This is one of my fave horror movies ever! I still have fun watching it these days. This kind of intense movie is what we cut our teeth on back in the 80s. Not much compares these days, really... Or I'm just that desensitized. Glad you enjoyed it!
Highlights for me are the tree eating the little boy...really grabs me on a visceral level...and those coffins coming up out of the ground. I've seen it so many times but great to relive it like the first time for someone else. At this point I really watch it to appreciate the art of the incredible practical special effects, at their very pinnacle just before CGI began to take over everything. So glad Spielberg made the decision to keep it all old school for this one, because I think that's why it remains such a good view instead of seeming outdated.
I was 8 when this came out in 82, it scared the living shit out of me (which one would expect at that age lol). One of my favorite horror movies of all time easily. Poltergeist II while no where near as good as the first movie, I still love that one sooooo much. Poltergeist 3 on the other hand is garbage, and it's a shame since the little girl who plays Carol-Anne died during filming as others have mentioned already. Same with the older sister who was murdered by an ex. Basically it's "urban legend" that the movie was cursed.
The way this movie kept fear of the clown in plain sight but in its back pocket till the end of the movie was brilliant.
The sweetest "Hi Daddy" ever recorded.
I love rewatching your reaction to the clown doll taking the kid under the bed.
I think you two would appreciate "In The Mouth of Madness" (1994) John Carpenter....and a horror comedy-ish - THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)
I'm so happy to hear that you are going to react to movies that are not just horror movies.
Two years ago during Halloween Horror nights, Universal Studios made a scarehouse based on this film, one could walk through the suburban house and it was great. They even created the practical effect of the infinite stretching hallway.
I agree . Even though I wasn’t there, I saw videos of it on UA-cam, and it looked absolutely AMAZING.!
This Movie was released 1982, and the kid's Superbowl poster is for a game which would take place on Jan. 31st in 1988, which is when Heather O' Rourke died. The young boy was nearly killed during filming when the animatronic arm on the clown went haywire and strangled him. Spielberg was walking by and said that kid is actually turning blue for people to figure out what was happening. It is hilariously awful that they didn't tell Jo Beth that she was gonna be in the pool with the bodies, and they certainly didn't say they were real life corpses. Just said get into the pool, then when she was in place, they floated dead bodies to the surface with balloons so they would spring forward at her. That's method acting on her face. It's sad that real corpses are cheaper to buy than fake ones.
Freaking loved this film after seeing it in the theatre back in the 80’s. I even bought Jerry Goldsmiths awesome soundtrack on vinyl. What makes it so special is the family.... just so well realised with non of the angst that current day movies insist on having. A family we’re happy to root for and spend time with. Craig T Nelson is terrific and I totally fell in love with Jobeth Williams.
Even before it was available on vhs, I managed to get a bootleg copy that I virtually wore out! This film just has so many great moments that can still give me that lovely tingle on the back of my neck that is so rare these days......I’ve lost count of just how many times I’ve watched it over the years.
I watched the remake of this some years ago and can remember not a goddamn thing about it.....it’s a perfect example of dismal modern storytelling. I just don’t care. Original Poltergeist is an absolute gem.
Fun fact: It was Steven Spielberg’s hands pulling the face of that guy.
Glad you had fun, scary “fun”. I remember when I moved to Los Angeles in the late 80s, I found a book that listed places in/around L.A. that we’re used for film locations. The Poltergeist house was the first place I drove to in Simi Valley. Found the house. Sat in awe. And wondered how the owners felt about all of us who had to find the house and sit in awe.
This was a great reaction. Usually, I prefer one person reactions. You two compliment each other very well. Very laid back vibe but intense at the same time. 👍👍
Thank you so much for the support and kind words!!
This movie uses the classic formula of building the tension to a peak and then giving you a laugh to release the tension. Then start it all over again. I've been watching this moving now nearly 40 years and I still love it.
Some of the best moments of any supernatural film. Practical effects for majority of the movie. This has never been topped for this genre
“Theyyy’re heeereee!!” Gets me everytime 😱😱😱
Tobe Hooper was fired as Director and Speilberg took over. That's why there are 2 different directing styles in the movie.
The clown jumpscare is so good that it makes people forget to talk about how freaky the bodies in the pool jump is.
I'm 16 and it takes a lot to scare or scar me when it comes to horror movies, but the sequel is terrifying to me. I checked everything I drank for about 3 weeks after watching. If a movie is able to do that than just impress me, they DEFINITELY did it right.
Hands down the best paranormal film of the 80s
By the way Spielberg based the story for Poltergeist on an episode of the original THE TWILIGHT ZONE called LITTLE GIRL LOST. You might enjoy checking that out.
It's supposed to be a Tobe Hooper movie, but you can clearly see the Spielberg influences of family and humour. A classic.
You can tell it's both but the face peeling scene has Hooper written all over it.
This movie is a major contributing factor as to why I've hated clowns ever since I was a child.
Joe Davola: "are you still afraid of clowns?"
haha poor clowns always have to portray the bad guy! Not sure if I was afraid of clowns as a kid or if I just realized its smart to not trust a clown as an adult out of fear of murder lol
The girl who played Carol Ann actually died a few years after this was filmed. I believe of septic shock due to an issue in her intestines. So sad.
Don't forget Dominique Dunne, who played the older daughter, unfortunately being murdered not too long after this came out.
Fun fact : those are Spielberg's hands ripping the face apart.
Can I just say how a cute couple you both are :) Also this movie horrified me to no end a kid. I think I watched it at 10 years old and I should never have!!!
I saw it in the theater originally. The one thing I remember is when Zelda Rubenstein came on screen someone in back of my shouted “Oooo that mama bad”. The other thing I remember is that dog are really loud in the beginning.
hahaha did that person get any laughs from the crowd?!
"Watching this right before bed."
Hahahahaha. Oh this will be good.
Great to see this classic film can still terrify :) Steven Spielberg at his best.
Great Spielberg character development, he is the master of getting you vested in the characters , we really care about them. Steven makes laugh, cry, be terrified. This is one of my favorite
Movies.
Not sure if you guys have watched it yet but GREMLINS from is another great Spielberg produced/ 80s horror movie. It's also perfectly suited for the season: Halloween and pre Christmas.
I have not seen Gremlins so we are excited about reacting to that!
Yeh at the drive in they used to have the speakers you hung on the car window for all. I think during one of the jumpscares i knocked the speaker off the window we had to scramble to hang it back on.
I had forgotten how many scary situations are in this movie. It was great reliving them thru your reactions and great comments. I can’t wait for your reactions to Alien!
Poltergeist is definitely one of those rare haunted house movies to have heart and scares 😌. Plus as of haunted house movies go, poltergeist was one of the first to flipped the idea it on its head by taking place in every day suburbia where all the houses look the same, instead of the traditional old Victorian house/ Mansion. Showing that a normal everyday family could have a poltergeist problem in the most of unlikely of place. Which tells alot of truth when it comes to real paranormal case out there. That's why I think poltergeist really is on its own thing, and is why I don't compare it to something like the Amityville horror.
As I have seen a few "First time watching reactions" to Poltergeist 👻 I have heard a few people including now wondering what the pink gelatin is. If you have watched Ghostbusters they describe it as slime but also it's proper name (and where they got the name for their car) as it is ectoplasm believed to be a physical substance from the spirit realm but only experienced in the physical world if it comes in full contact in the spirit world.
Super interesting thank you!
Few movies scream 80s like this one: a family horror movie. It came out right at the peak of the genre, when someone had the idea: "hey, why not make a horror movie, I mean a real one, but for kids?" It was typically a kid's first really "scary" movie, after which many more would come. It was like a gateway drug for a generation of horror movie fans.