Movie Flashback: Poltergeist

Poltergeist was released in 1982.

The film was directed by Tobe Hooper of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” fame.

The film was co-written and co-produced by Steven Spielberg who was in pre-production of “E.T.” at the same time that Poltergeist was in production.

Poltergeist starred:

Craig T. Nelson – Steve Freeling
JoBeth Williams – Diane Freeling
Dominique Dunne – Dana Freeling
Oliver Robbins – Robbie Freeling
Heather O’Rourke – Carol Ann Freeling
Beatrice Straight – Dr. Lesh
Zelda Rubenstein – Tangina

For a PG-Rated film, it was considered pretty intense and scary for its time, though it is pretty tame by today’s standards.

Shirley MacLaine was offered a starring role in the movie but backed out in order to make “Terms of Endearment“.

The forces that terrorize Robbie in the film were drawn from Steven Spielberg’s own childhood fears, clowns, and the tree outside his bedroom window.

Back in the “old days” of the 70′s and 80′s, TV stations actually quit broadcasting and went off the air late at night, creating the “snow” effect on the TV that is featured prominently in the movie. (Now, Infomercials dominate the airwaves on most local channels late at night) After seeing this movie a couple times when it came out, sometimes at night I would click my own TV over to snow of the local channel and if you stared at the screen long enough….you would swear that you could hear whispers and voices on “the other side”.

Decades later, my own daughter participated in a school haunted house at her grade school. My daughter was dressed in pajamas and was kneeling down with her hands on a TV screen that was just broadcasting snow and static. As people passed by, she would call out “Theeeeeeyy’rrrrrrrreee Heeeeeeerrrrreeeeeee” in reference to little Carol Ann in the movie. None of the kids going through the haunted house had a clue….though all the parents really liked it.

Drew Barrymore auditioned to play Carol Ann. After she did not get the part, she was cast in “E.T.”

The film was nominated for three Academy Awards for Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects, and Music.

Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams were cast because Steven Speilberg wanted “unknowns” featured as the parents in the film so that the monsters and ghosts would take center stage.

Craig T. Nelson has gone on to a very successful career which included starring in “Coach” and “The District”, along with appearing in numerous films.

JoBeth Williams has had a successful film career appearing in films such as “The Big Chill”, “Teachers”, “Wyatt Earp”, and others.

Oliver Robbins is now a writer/director, mainly of short films.

Zelda Rubenstein went on to a number of Film and TV roles and just passed away in early 2010.

The film has been plagued by tragedy involving it’s young actors.

Dominique Dunn (Dana) was strangled to death by her ex-boyfriend in 1982, just after the film was released.

Heather O’Rourke - (Carol Ann) Died of Intestinal Stenosis 6 yrs after Poltergeist was released. She was 12yrs old.

The house featured in the film is an actual house in Simi Valley, California. It is still standing today and is still occupied by the same owners as when the film was made.

Rumor has it that a remake of Poltergeist is in the works and may be released in 2012.