Poltergeist (franchise)

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Poltergeist
Poltergeist (franchise logo).png
Official franchise logo
Created bySteven Spielberg
Original workPoltergeist
OwnerMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
(Expect first movie owned by Warner Bros. via Turner Entertainment)
Years1982–2015
Films and television
Film(s)
Television seriesPoltergeist: The Legacy (1996–99)

Poltergeist is an American horror film series distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the 1980s. The original trilogy revolves around the members of the Freeling family, who are stalked and terrorized by a group of ghosts, led by a demon known as the Beast, that are attracted to the youngest daughter, Carol Anne. The original film was co-written and produced by Steven Spielberg. The Poltergeist films collected a total of approximately $132 million at the United States box office.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with co-financing from 20th Century Fox, released a "revisionist" reboot of the series[1] on May 22, 2015.[2]

Films[]

Poltergeist (1982)[]

Main article: Poltergeist (1982 film)

Poltergeist is the original film in the trilogy, directed by Tobe Hooper, co-written by Steven Spielberg and released on June 4, 1982. The story focuses on the Freeling family, which consists of parents Steve (Craig T. Nelson) and Diane (JoBeth Williams); teenage daughter Dana (Dominique Dunne); eight-year-old Robbie (Oliver Robins); and five-year-old Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke), who live in Cuesta Verde, a California housing development which comes to be haunted by ghosts. The apparitions, under the control of a demon known as the "Beast", communicate through the family's television set and can only be heard by Carol Anne. Attracted to her life force and believing she will help lead them into the "Light", the specters abduct Carol Anne through her bedroom closet, which acts as a portal to their dimension. Much of the film involves the family's efforts to rescue their daughter, aided by a group of parapsychologists (Beatrice Straight, Martin Casella, Richard Lawson) and spiritual medium Tangina Barrons (Zelda Rubinstein). Carol Anne is eventually rescued from the other side and, following a second attack by the Beast that reveals the ghosts had originated from an improperly relocated cemetery beneath the neighborhood, the Freelings flee Cuesta Verde just before the house implodes and disappears into another dimension.[3]

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)[]

Main article: Poltergeist II: The Other Side

The first sequel, Poltergeist II: The Other Side, directed by Brian Gibson and released on May 23, 1986, takes place one year after the events in Poltergeist and offers an alternate explanation of the ghosts' origin. The film also develops the identity and backstory of the Beast, who lived during the 19th century as a religious zealot named Reverend Henry Kane (Julian Beck). Kane was the leader of a utopian cult, who in anticipation of the end of the world, sealed themselves in a cavern located directly below what later became the Freeling property. Kane is anxious to possess Carol Anne to continue manipulating his followers after death. The ghosts follow and attack the Freelings at their current household. Aided by an American Indian shaman named Taylor (Will Sampson), the Freelings manage to escape from Kane and his followers a second time.[3][4]

Poltergeist III (1988)[]

Main article: Poltergeist III

The final film in the original trilogy, Poltergeist III, directed and co-written by Gary Sherman, was released on June 10, 1988. To protect Carol Anne, the Freelings have sent her to live temporarily in a Chicago skyscraper with skeptical relatives Pat and Bruce Gardner (Nancy Allen and Tom Skerritt) and their daughter Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle). However, during psychiatric sessions, Carol Anne's recollection of her experiences enables Kane and his followers to locate her and make contact through the building's ubiquitous mirrors.[3][5] The ghosts abduct Carol Anne and then Donna, prompting Pat, Bruce, and Donna's boyfriend Scott (Kipley Wentz) to enlist the help of Tangina, who eventually escorts Kane into the spectral Light, thereby sacrificing herself to save the family.

Poltergeist (2015)[]

Main article: Poltergeist (2015 film)

A reboot of the original film, Poltergeist was directed by Gil Kenan and released on May 22, 2015. It centers on a family struggling to make ends meet who relocate to a suburban home. As in the original, the youngest daughter is kidnapped by spirits that inhabit the house. Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt star as the married couple, Kennedi Clements plays the daughter, and Jared Harris plays the host of a paranormal-themed TV show who comes to the aid of the family.

Future[]

On April 10, 2019, it was announced that the Russo brothers would helm a new remake of the franchise.[6]

Television[]

Poltergeist: The Legacy (1996–1999)[]

Main article: Poltergeist: The Legacy

A spin-off television series, Poltergeist: The Legacy, ran from 1996 to 1999, though it does not have any connection to the films other than the title.[7]

Cast and crew[]

Cast[]

The following table shows the cast members who played the primary characters in the film series.

Character Original series Reboot
Poltergeist Poltergeist II:
The Other Side 		Poltergeist III Poltergeist
1982 1986 1988 2015
Carol Anne Freeling Heather O'Rourke
Steve Freeling Craig T. Nelson
Diane Freeling JoBeth Williams
Dana Freeling Dominique Dunne
Robbie Freeling Oliver Robins
Dr. Martha Lesh Beatrice Straight
Ryan Mitchell Richard Lawson
Dr. Marty Casey Martin Casella
Tangina Barrons Zelda Rubinstein
Jessica Wilson Geraldine Fitzgerald
Taylor Will Sampson
Bruce Gardner Tom Skerritt
Pat Wilson-Gardner Nancy Allen
Donna Gardner Lara Flynn Boyle
Dr. Seaton Richard Fire
Scott Kipley Wentz
Reverend Henry Kane / "The Beast" Julian Beck

Noble Craig (Vomit Creature)1

Nathan Davis

Corey Burton (Voiced)2

Madison Bowen Kennedi Clements
Eric Bowen Sam Rockwell
Amy Bowen Rosemarie DeWitt
Griffin Bowen Kyle Catlett
Kendra Bowen Saxon Sharbino
Carrigan Burke Jared Harris
Dr. Brooke Powell Jane Adams
Boyd Nicholas Braun
Note(s)

1. Henry Kane in his "Vomit Creature" incarnation is portrayed by Noble Craig.
2. Though Henry Kane was portrayed by Nathan Davis, he was voiced by Corey Burton.[8]

Crew[]

Occupation Film
Poltergeist Poltergeist II:
The Other Side 		Poltergeist III Poltergeist
1982 1986 1988 2015
Director Tobe Hooper Brian Gibson Gary Sherman Gil Kenan
Writer(s) Michael Grais
Steven Spielberg
Mark Victor 		Michael Grais
Mark Victor 		Gary Sherman
Brian Taggert 		David Lindsay-Abaire
Producer(s) Frank Marshall
Steven Spielberg 		Michael Grais
Mark Victor 		Barry Bernardi Roy Lee
Sam Raimi
Robert Tapert
Composer Jerry Goldsmith Joe Renzetti Marc Streitenfeld
Cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti Andrew Laszlo Alex Nepomniaschy Javier Aguirresarobe
Editor Michael Kahn Thom Noble
Bud S. Smith
M. Scott Smith 		Ross Albert Jeff Betancourt
Bob Murawski
Distributor by MGM/UA Entertainment Co. MGM Entertainment Co. MGM/UA Communications Co. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
20th Century Fox
Production company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
SLM Production Group
Mist Entertainment
Amblin Productions 		Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Fox 2000 Pictures
Ghost House Pictures
TSG Entertainment
Vertigo Entertainment
Release date June 4, 1982 May 23, 1986 June 10, 1988 May 22, 2015
Runtime 114 minutes 91 minutes 98 minutes 93 minutes

Reception[]

Box office performance[]

Film Release date (US) Budget Box office revenue Reference
United States Foreign Worldwide
Poltergeist (1982) June 4, 1982 (1982-06-04) $10.7 million $76,606,280 $45,099,739 $121,706,019 [9]
Poltergeist II: The Other Side May 23, 1986 (1986-05-23) $19 million $40,996,665 $33,929,000 $74,925,665 [9][10]
Poltergeist III June 10, 1988 (1988-06-10) $9.5 million $14,114,488 N/A $14,114,488 [9]
Poltergeist (2015) May 22, 2015 (2015-05-22) $35 million $47,425,125 $48,210,406 $95,635,531 [11]
Total $74.2 million $178,545,003 N/A $306,381,703
List indicator(s)
  • A dark grey cell indicates the information is not available for the film.

Critical and public response[]

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
Poltergeist (1982) 86% (59 reviews)[12] 79 (7 reviews)[13]
Poltergeist II: The Other Side 37% (19 reviews)[14] N/A
Poltergeist III 17% (18 reviews)[15] N/A
Poltergeist (2015) 31% (128 reviews)[16] 47 (27 reviews)[17]

Poltergeist curse[]

The "Poltergeist curse" is a rumored curse attached to the Poltergeist trilogy and its crew, derived from the deaths of two young cast members in the six years between the releases of the first and third films.[3][18] The rumor and the surrounding deaths were explored in a 2002 episode of E! True Hollywood Story titled "Curse of Poltergeist".[19]

  • Dominique Dunne, who played eldest daughter Dana in the first film, died on November 4, 1982, at age 22 after being strangled by her ex-boyfriend John Thomas Sweeney.[20] He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison, but was paroled after serving three and a half years.[18] She also appeared in the 1982 movie Shadow Riders.

Documentary[]

The Curse of Poltergeist, a documentary film based on the mystery of the franchise, was set to begin shooting in November 2015, with Adam Ripp as director; financing and production was to be provided by his company Vega Baby, alongside Indonesia-based MD Pictures. The documentary intended to focus on the life and experiences of actor Oliver Robins, who played Robbie Freeling in the first and second installments of the franchise, as a way to explore the tragedies that have befallen those involved with the films.[24] The movie has yet to be produced.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "MGM, Fox 2000 To Co-Finance & Distribute ‘Poltergeist’; Production To Start This Fall". Deadline Hollywood. June 20, 2013.
  2. ^ Hipes, Patrick. "Rosemarie DeWitt Chimes In For 'La La Land'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d Lee, Joseph (September 4, 2008). "A Bloody Good Time 9.04.08: Poltergeist Franchise Breakdown". 411mania.com. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  4. ^ Kelhoffrr, Josh (June 23, 2010). "They're Back: The Story of the Inevitable Sequel". Poltergeist Online.
  5. ^ Kelhoffrr, Josh (June 23, 2010). "Spirits in the City: The Third and Final Sequel". Poltergeist Online.
  6. ^ https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3555052/poltergeist-getting-remade-captain-america-avengers-directors/[bare URL]
  7. ^ Mackie, Drew (May 20, 2015). "20 Things You Might Not Know About the Original Poltergeist Trilogy". People. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  8. ^ "Interview with the Voice of Kane". PoltergeistIII.com. Retrieved February 27, 2011.
  9. ^ a b c "Box Office History for Poltergeist Movies". The-Numbers. Nash Information Services. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  10. ^ "UIP's $25M-Plus Club". Variety. September 11, 1995. p. 92.
  11. ^ "Poltergeist (2015)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  12. ^ "Poltergeist (1982)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  13. ^ "Poltergeist Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  14. ^ "Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  15. ^ "Poltergeist III (1988)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  16. ^ "Poltergeist (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  17. ^ "Poltergeist Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  18. ^ a b Mikkelson, Barbara. "Poltergeist Deaths", Snopes.com, August 17, 2007
  19. ^ "Documentary to Explore 'Poltergeist' Movie Curse". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  20. ^ "Dominique Dunne, Actress, Dies After Being Choked", The New York Times, November 5, 1982
  21. ^ Baker, Bob (May 26, 1988). "Suit Blames Doctors in Death of Young Actress". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California, US. p. 35. ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Retrieved August 7, 2008.
  22. ^ "Heather O'Rourke, 12; Starred in 'Poltergeist'". The New York Times. February 3, 1988. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
  23. ^ Folkart, Burt A. (February 2, 1988). "'Poltergeist' Star Heather O'Rourke Dies at Age of 12". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California, US. p. 3. ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  24. ^ Mia Galuppo (October 7, 2015). "Documentary to Explore 'Poltergeist' Movie Curse". The Hollywood Reporter. (Prometheus Global Media). Retrieved October 8, 2015.

External links[]

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