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Poltergeist poster

Poltergeist

year 1982decade 80sdirector Tobe Hooper
Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Craig T. Nelson Steve Freeling
JoBeth Williams Diane Freeling

Poltergeist | The Rewatchables

host Bill Simmonshost Van Lathan theme Scary Month
Explore episodeClose episode

Producer credits not yet identified.

Most Rewatchable Scene

Final escalation and escape

In the discussion (11)
Approx. transcript time · 00:36:12Read transcript
  • The opening follows the dog through the family’s rooms before Carol Anne watches television.
  • Carol Anne’s second television encounter builds to the smoky hand and “They’re here.”
  • The stacked kitchen chairs retain a sense of innocent wonder before the haunting becomes threatening.
  • The tree attacks Robbie while Carol Anne disappears; earlier bedroom details prepare the later threats.
  • Dr. Lesh explains why some spirits resist entering the light.
  • The haunting escalates against the paranormal crew through the steak, maggots, face-ripping vision and headphone-wearing observer.
  • Tangina explains Carol Anne’s role and the Beast; the speech is important without being the speaker’s top scene.
  • The instructions about the light lead into the mother entering the portal and rescuing Carol Anne.
  • The final renewed attack includes the clown, the mother on the wall, the skeleton-filled pool and the family’s escape.
  • The mother climbing the wall anchors the exhilarating final escalation with the father and other protection absent.
  • Both agree on the final escalation as the most rewatchable sequence.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Catcalling; TV snow; effects; haunting terminology; family naïveté; sequels; remote; edit; remake; pan-and-scan

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:37:04Read transcript
  • Television snow and stations going off air are less familiar in the cable era.
  • Construction workers catcalling the teenage daughter, and her mother laughing, have aged badly.
  • The face-melting effects look dated, although that is expected from an older film.
  • The distinction between a poltergeist and a haunting is challenged because multiple dead people appear to be haunting the development.
  • The family lacks later haunted-house movies as a reference for recognizing the danger.
  • The second and third films are disliked or barely remembered.
  • Using a remote to change a neighbor’s television no longer feels possible.
  • An abrupt edit after the chair-sliding scene is attributed to removing a Pizza Hut joke after the company objected.
  • The 2015 remake is rejected as unnecessary.
  • Pan-and-scan cable presentations harmed the film’s composition and rewatchability compared with widescreen.

The most "year the movie came out" thing

Atari 2600

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 00:51:30Read transcript
  • Television snow is nominated as a period detail.
  • Calvin Klein jeans are another period detail.
  • Large Sony televisions with side dials are nominated.
  • The child’s Clue board game is nominated.
  • Gene Shalit appearing on television is nominated.
  • The Atari 2600 atop the television is the stated winner.

What’s Aged the Best?

Window fear; evil developer; family ghost films; title; family setup; marijuana; Spielberg’s reassurance; DirecTV parody

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 00:52:39Read transcript
  • Fear of something outside the bedroom window remains timeless.
  • The callous developer fits a memorable era of evil businessman characters.
  • Family ghost films returned and expanded into a major genre.
  • The word poltergeist is praised as an effective name for a noisy ghost.
  • The opening establishes an ordinary three-child family before the supernatural events begin.
  • Smoking weed in bed while the parents hang out has aged well.
  • Spielberg is reported to have joined Williams in the skeleton pool to reassure her.
  • A 2008 DirecTV parody with Nelson and Carol Anne prompts nostalgia.

The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot

Skeletons in the pool; graves reveal

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:58:36Read transcript
  • Skeletons rising in the pool are the main cinematic-shot choice.
  • The reveal of graves beneath the planned development is also praised for explaining the haunting.

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Rubinstein’s acting questioned; stronger-actress alternatives; ghost-world racial dynamics

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 01:06:08Read transcript
  • Rubinstein may look perfectly cast as a medium while giving an unconvincing acting performance.
  • The response defends the importance of looking like someone who could contact another world.
  • Sally Field with unusual makeup is proposed as an alternative medium.
  • Shirley MacLaine is proposed as a potentially stronger medium.
  • Viola Davis is imagined commanding the room as the medium.
  • Meryl Streep is another imagined medium, with an objection that the role may be too small.
  • A comic theory imagines reversed racial power dynamics in the ghost world to explain why these ghosts target white families.
  • A counterargument attributes the shortage of Black ghost stories to limited opportunities and investment for Black filmmakers.

Apex Mountain

Spielberg; Williams; bedroom clowns; closet portals; family ghost films; cursed productions; haunted-house escape

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:17:30Read transcript
  • Spielberg is proposed on the strength of Raiders, E.T. and Poltergeist.
  • Spielberg had the juice to do whatever he wanted after this week.
  • Craig T. Nelson is considered and rejected.
  • JoBeth Williams is affirmed.
  • Creepy bedroom clowns are affirmed.
  • Closet portals are affirmed.
  • Family ghost movies are affirmed.
  • Supposedly cursed real-life productions are affirmed.
  • Hooper is rejected in favor of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
  • Frantic haunted-house escapes are compared with The Amityville Horror, before this film’s escape is favored.

Cruise or Hanks?

Hanks, after initial Cruise preference

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:19:15Read transcript
  • Cruise is initially chosen to explore him in horror, but the discussion settles on Hanks as the everyday father; another Hanks response follows.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

All-Black cast; limited series across haunted houses

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:21:32Read transcript
  • An all-Black cast is suggested as the natural remake approach, while the actual remake is still rejected.
  • A five- or six-episode prestige series might work, potentially following different houses over the graves.

Just One Oscar

Visual effects; screenplay

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:22:43Read transcript
  • Visual effects and screenplay are the two stated Oscar choices.

Who Won the Movie?

JoBeth Williams; Spielberg also considered

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:27:24Read transcript
  • Ghost movies are initially credited, followed by JoBeth Williams as the individual choice.
  • Spielberg or Williams are considered; the discussion emphasizes Williams carrying the film while Spielberg received most of the credit.
Podcast choices
Speaker not identified
JoBeth Williams