the audience applauded

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

This movie has some of the creepiest and most disturbing scenes you can imagine, yet it retains the warm feeling of a family movie somehow! The story makes you feel and care about the characters, and the great practical effects keep you on the edge of your seat. When it comes to buildup and "using your scares wisely" this movie could be used as a textbook. Basically when something happens in this movie, you will remember it! See it, you will not regret it.. and you will definitely not forget it!

This is a true classic. The haunting starts innocently and is initially seen as 'fun' by some of the family members, but then soon turns dangerous and scary. This is a very effective set-up that prepares us for what is to come. The characters a very likable, especially Craig T. Nelson as the cool and collected Dad; and Heather O'Rourke was equally good as the film's main victim. The visual effects were really good. The film did get quite weird towards the end, but it was all good and well within the film's theme.

A-Z Horror Movie of the Day..."Poltergeist" (PG - 1982 - US)Sub-Genre: Paranormal/Ghost My Score: 8.1Cast=7 Acting=9 Plot=8 Ending=10 Story=8 Scare=7 Jump=6 F/X=8 Creep=10 Twist=8A family is visited by ghosts in their home. At first the ghosts appear friendly...moving objects around the house to the amusement of everyone, then they turn nasty and start to terrorize the family and then abducting their daughter."There is no death...there is only a transition to a different sphere of consciousness." I was 12 when I first saw this and I LOVED it!! I can still go back and watch this and get a lot of the same feelings I had back then. As far as horror movies go in 1982. there was "The Thing" and this one which set the bar for 80's horror. If you have seen the reboot and not this one...please watch this when you have a chance.

Stephen Spielberg claims that while he produced Poltergeist, he did not direct it. If that's true, then official director did an amazing job of channeling Spielberg's 80s style. He captures Spielberg's ability to portray children as both natural and distinctly alien and mysterious. He captured his swooping camera shots and his slick use of special effects.Whether Hooper did all that, decided he didn't like it and never did it again, or whether Spielberg was the puppet master, the result is a terrific, fast-paced thriller full of terrific moments, suspense and humor.It was also a movie I was shocked to learn my girlfriend had never seen. When I asked her what I thought she had a whole analysis of the movie as a commentary on suburban culture. It made sense, so I guess it's deeper than I realized.The only scene I don't like is the one I feel certain is all Tobe Hooper's; that face melting thing. It's gross and feels out of place. Well, out of place in a Spielberg movie, anyway.