Poltergeist-1982
Director Tobe Hooper
Starring Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams
Scott’s Review #1,548
Reviewed September 1, 2026
Grade: A
Poltergeist (1982) was an enormous blockbuster hit when it was released. It successfully meshed sunny suburban family living with darker, fantastical horror elements.
And who can ever forget the spine-tingling catchphrase ‘They’re here,’ which went from the mouth of an adorable little blonde girl to the shivering mass audiences frightened beyond belief.
I remember sitting in a crowded movie theater as a ten-year-old boy, mesmerized by the events on the silver screen alongside other enthralled moviegoers.
In a strange pairing, Steven Spielberg, then known for sentimental yet well-made crowd-pleasers like Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), wrote the screenplay for Poltergeist.
Tobe Hooper, best known for directing the brutally raw and horrific The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), directed it.
The partnership worked, with each bringing tremendous assets. Spielberg created a likable, suburban family community and a family-ready marketability; Hooper brought the dark terror and creepiness to more mainstream audiences than would see a film like Chain Saw.
Rated PG, the final product is safe horror and hardly like Hooper’s masterpiece, but the elements mesh to create a memorable 1980s trademark extravaganza.
Steve (Craig T. Nelson), Diane (JoBeth Williams), teenage Dana (Dominique Dunne), eight-year-old Robbie (Oliver Robins), and five-year-old Carol Ann (Heather O’Rourke) make up an ordinary suburban California family.
They busily eat breakfast, rush off to school and work, and do everything that other typical families do. Steve is a real estate agent in their planned community of Cuesta Verde.
One day, bizarre ghosts begin to communicate with them through their television set, mostly via angelic Carol-Ann. A glass of milk spontaneously breaks, silverware bends, and furniture moves on its own
Initially benevolent and playful, the spirits turn unexpectedly menacing, and when Carol Ann goes missing, Steve and Diane turn to a parapsychologist (Beatrice Straight) and eventually an exorcist (Zelda Rubinstein) for help.
At the time, the special effects were jaw-dropping. Highly impressive; one example is the tree standing outside Robbie’s bedroom.
Initially nondescript, especially in the daytime, the limbs become fingerlike with electrifying, clawing movements that eventually reach into the bedroom.
In fact, several lightning-like white swirling patterns are used, especially during the frightening conclusion.
But dizzying effects are only one part of the experience. A film needs a proper story, building tension, and characters to root for to earn high praise.
My favorite parts of Poltergeist are the Freeling family’s relatability and the slow build to a frenetic finish. Most people, especially those living in the suburbs in the early 1980s, could see themselves represented.
Parents would relate best to Steve and Diane, and teenage girls to Dana.
I recall feeling like the little boy. Could there be monsters in my closet? Could a tree come to life and become a monster?
Poltergeist works so well because the audience likes the Freeling family.
In 1982, paranormal activity and poltergeists invading a family home were not the norm in film, especially in a mainstream film.
The film also sends a message of greed and gluttony that defined 1980s consumerism. Steve learns from his boss, Lewis Teague (James Karen), that the Cuesta Verde development was built on a former cemetery and that the graves were moved to a nearby location.
But were the graves moved and not the bodies? Of course, because they stood to make money from the development.
So, the spirits’ malevolence can be understood and even supported.
The ending is clever and even provides a needed dose of humor. The family flees their neighborhood as the house implodes into a portal while stunned neighbors look on.
The family checks into a room at a Holiday Inn, where Steve promptly removes the TV.
Poltergeist (1982) is a horror movie for kids. It’s not as scary for adults, but it’s well-written and still provides enough peril.
Compelling moments, like Carol-Ann’s hands on the snowy television set, remain iconic and disturbing.
The sequels followed the original film, and remakes pale in comparison, making the original all the more memorable.
Oscar Nominations: Best Original Score, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects
