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It's baaaack: The 25th anniversary of "Poltergeist"

I remember three things from the summer of 1982: the music, my camp boyfriend and the movie Poltergeist. I still listen to some of the music and I retain fond memories of the boy. But I recall Poltergeist as the catalyst for a family melodrama that involved me tearfully declaring that I would never be able to sleep or watch television again. (I'm still an insomniac!)

Twenty-five years later, I'm having flashbacks. On Thursday, Oct. 4 (for one night only), 250 theaters will screen a digitally remastered, HD print of Poltergeist, complete with a 15-minute feature on paranormal activity.

To refresh your recollection, here's the original trailer:



The question for me is whether I should go see it. The obvious answer is "of course not" because I don't really like scary movies, and this particular one scared the bejesus out of me (and not only me). In fact, I only saw it because (a) my aforementioned boyfriend was independently seeing it the same night, and (b) my brother lied and said it was not that scary. (This was revenge for my almost sending him into cardiac arrest by throwing a slipper at him when he was watching Halloween.) But I'm considering seeing it because I don't like being that scared by anything. The Wizard of Oz scared me as a kid but I watched it again and got over that. Now it's one of my favorite movies.

Of course, unlike Poltergeist, The Wizard of Oz didn't have a small child getting abducted by ghosts in a television, a man pulling off chunks of his face, a bottomless throat appearing in a wall or the most malevolent toy clown in movie history.

Like Poltergeist, though, it did have a scary tree.

Some of Poltergeist's creepiness was bigger than the plot. Both of the daughters in the movie died (in unrelated incidents), which led to rumors that there was a Poltergeist Curse.

Dominique Dunne, who played the older daughter (on the right) was murdered by her ex-boyfriend a few months after Poltergeist was released. She was only 22. And Heather O'Rourke (on the left) died six years later (at age 12) from a bacterial infection. The other female member of the family, JoBeth Williams is alive and well, and still lovely.

And then, of course, there was Zelda Rubinstein as Tangina, the paranormal expert who has been described as the "true star" of the movie. During a photo shoot for Poltergeist III, Rubinstein felt a "jolt," and shortly thereafter, she learned that her mother had died. The photo taken at the moment of the jolt turned out hazy. Creepy.

There's one thing I keep wondering about this anniversary screening: Will this movie have as much impact now that almost everyone has cable television? Who sees a TV with snow anymore?

If you're less of a wuss than I am, and want to make definitive plans to see the Poltergeist 25th anniversary screening, click here for theater and ticket information.

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  • HeyShasta's picture

    Yep, wuss!

    I think I must be as much of a wuss. Just seeing that clown again... I forgot about the face-chunks though.

    I remember being terrified by the movie, but I don't remember how many times I watched it. A lot! "Run to the light, Carol-Anne!" still gets said every so often.

    And look! I'd forgotten that Mr. Incredible is the Poltergeist dad!

     

    I might go see it! (and watch through my fingers)

    <>
    Shellih's picture

    I HATE CLOWNS!!

    I have hated clowns since that movie!!  But since we have our own version of "She Made Me Watch That" in our house I know I will be hauled down to the theater and propped up and I will once again have to suffer through the damn clown scenes.

    All I have to say is I better get something darn good in return!!

    Natazzz's picture

    *nods*

    Clowns are evil...
    Brenda647's picture

    What A Movie

    I didn't see it in a dark theater, I saw it on TV in the light of day and it still scared the heck out of me.  But, that's what made it one of my favorite movies. 

    I'm pretty sure it'll be playing here, so I'm going to go see it and get the experience of seeing it with a lot of people who will jumping out of their seats, much like I will.  

    STAY AWAY FROM THE LIGHT!!!

    Peace, Joy and Love

    Brenda647's picture

    What A Movie

    I didn't see it in a dark theater, I saw it on TV in the light of day and it still scared the heck out of me.  But, that's what made it one of my favorite movies. 

    I'm pretty sure it'll be playing here, so I'm going to go see it and get the experience of seeing it with a lot of people who will jumping in their seats, much like I will.  

    Peace, Joy and Love

    "This house is clean"

    LostSoul's picture

    Scary Movie

    To paraphrase Crazy Ralph from the original "Friday the 13th"...This movie has a death curse on it!

    So many actors and filmmakers lives were destroyed or lost because of this movie series...Nothing to celebrate here.

    As they said in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"...Run away; run away!

    Elvis730's picture

    Things that scare me

    This movie has in it, the two things that scare me the most

    Clowns and Little girls in dresses who have creepy sweet little voices
    Ever since I saw the Shining with those twins.....good lord they were creepy!   

    I also hate dolls....bad childhood trauma with dolls....esp those that talk!

    Marrion: Now, tell me what do you see?
    Kel: Two lovers in a passionate embrace
    Kath:...Two dead sticks

    not only but also's picture

    Not clowns so much as

    Not clowns so much as kitchen furniture. That's the scene that scared the bejesus out of me.

    The only other film to scare me so much was the US version of The Ring. I watched it on a night flight and couldn't bring myself to leave my seat for the next 10 hours. And I nearly had a heart attack one night when I glimsed a dressing gown hanging on the back of my girlfriend's bedroom door in a triangle shape ... just like the kid with her hair over her face.

    I really shouldn't watch this. But I will.

    Not Only But Also

    jbrophy's picture

    holy crap, holy crap, holy crap

    I remember distinctly coming home from that movie and walking into my mother's room and saying "move over". That movie scared the living bejesus right out of me. I was in the summer of my sophomore year at college and I slept with my mom. LOL The guy ripping his face off - yikes. The thing that scared the crap out of me was that they kept explaining all of the events as they happened. Rational, intelligent explanations. To this day - still the scariest movie I have ever seen.

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