ABFTD #12

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
a guerrilla audiobook recording
narrated by Jon Olsen
Poltergeist
a novel by
James Kahn
based on a story by
Steven Spielberg
with a screenplay by
Steven Spielberg
Michael Grais & Mark Victor
(1982)

[@thealldayjk1]

Hey, thanks for reading my book out loud! Sorry you didn't like the backstory, I kinda did. None of it was from an early draft, it all crawled out of my brain - Steven's mandate to me was to expand the script into novel size, deepen it, and make it my own. Some of that science stuff was based on research I'd done on ESP in medical school. For me the novel was two stories being told in parallel, one in a suburban house, the other on the astral plane - which I suspect is how both Spielberg and I spent our childhoods, simultaneously in our suburban homes and living in another universe at the same time. Anyway, nicely read. Best wishes, James Kahn.

[@jonolsen7804]

I stand corrected, Mr. Kahn. Thanks for listening! Wish I'd had the chance to pick your brain about this book's genesis before I speculated aloud about it in my extemporaneous post-reading ramble. I apologize for being nit-picky about your creative decisions. Kudos to you for trying something different and new, rather than simply slapping prose clay over script scaffolding. I had a blast reading this book, and I'm honored you took the time to listen. Thanks for dropping us a line, -Jon Olsen, reader for the damned.

[@stanleykubrick1472]

Great novelisation...it bings much moore substance into the story and the characters.

[@Hamikka3]

I like the forays into the astral plane. They enhance Tangina's character, the passages are beautifully written, and they're often creepy and scary as hell.

[@AdelaideUnderground]

The James Kahn novelizations were my most treasured as a kid. I still have my ratty, red Granada Poltergeist, purple Futura ROTJ and black Ballantine Temple of Doom. They made a big impact on me. Phrases like "infant scrunched in a ball screaming silently" and "seized by spider lust" still stoke my imagination.

[@stanleykubrick1472]

James Kahn is a genius.

[@Aaron.Michael]

I've been looking for an audio version of this book forever.. thankyou so much

[@1918SMLE]

I loved the movie and was THRILLED to get this book at the BookMobile (!) that pulled up at our school (yeah I'm that old now!). I read and reread this until I had memorized whole sections and LOVED the astral plane expanded sections. It helped me learn that the book is ALWAYS better than the movie, even if the movie comes first! The 12 year old me thanks you for your effort in this wonderful book. I'll just have to book a long trip so I can listen to this! Cheers, Mr. Kahn

[@chrisprescott2273]

Your impression of Tangina is totally spot on, and your impression of Reverand Kane from part 2 is chillingly accurate as well. Love your channel.

[@uomodonore245]

I read this novel back in the 1980's when I was a teenager. The description of Marty entering the kitchen being skeletonized was something that I stood out for me and I have always remembered it. It was truly the most terrifying thing I've ever read.

[@MFobe]

Amazing... I think the battles etc would been to expensive to do back then.. or difficult.. I do like the idea of the little woman battling The Beast.. he's a fascinating character...

[@kathysteiner9169]

Love movie sad though about poor child kidnapped ❤

[@GAZArts]

I listened to all of this while painting & decorating and its utterly superb. Great novelisation and greatly read. Your Tangina was uncanny too lol.

[@Audiobooksforthedamned666]

Thanks for listening! Did you find the “hidden track” at the end?

[@arnehaugandersen3057]

I am so fascinated by the beast, this malevolent wraith that once was human... He/it deserves a own movie explaining how it came to be. To qoute Tolkien; nothing was evil in the very beginning.. Also, notice what happens at 05:44:00 and ca a minute onward, it explains a lot! Great job mr. Olsen!

[@Audiobooksforthedamned666]

Thanks for listening! I would watch the heck out of POLTERGEIST: ORIGINS, or whatever such a hypothetical prequel/spin-off would be called. Although, as many misbegotten franchise prequels have demonstrated, sometimes knowing less is better.

[@arnehaugandersen3057]

@@Audiobooksforthedamned666 I appreciate your opinion, but it is indeed a fun thought nonetheless

[@DanielSmith-zo1db]

I enjoyed the minook far more than the actual book too. Great reading, thanks for bringing this to us

[@feliciahardy9723]

You did a awesome job of reading, as with everything I have heard you read so far. I saw this movie when I was only 6 years old in the theatres. Boy, did I have nightmares. It didn't help I looked like the little girl in the movie, and my older brother telling me that the TV was going to suck me in, or the tree was going to get me. I had a tree a lot like the tree in the movie right beside my bedroom window. God, I hated that tree.

[@jaybluejay793]

what a pleasure to listen to this story.stranger things owes a lot to thistle movie.i wish I could of sent an email to Roger ebert an gene sister being they were disappointed with them movie.i wonder if they ever read them book of poltergeist they are it did drag a bit thistle movie.

[@arnehaugandersen3057]

Excellent!

[@kathysteiner9169]

They shouldn't stayed home after they get her back

[@ljd1980]

This is my second listen to this audiobook. I really enjoy the books that you narrate. I love the movie and the added extras in the original story is fantastic. Makes the workday fly by.

[@Audiobooksforthedamned666]

Thanks for listening! Glad to hear that some of these hold up to multiple listens. Now *I'm* curious to hear this one again.

[@ljd1980]

+Audiobooks for the Damned do you take requests for other novelizations?

[@Audiobooksforthedamned666]

We pay attention to requests, but what we read mostly depends on what we feel like reading. There are many, many books on our to-read pile.

[@ljd1980]

Are any of the Nightmare on Elm Street books novelizations? I noticed there are a few, but the titles are different from the movies.

[@gingerbeach4301]

I really liked the book better. But i get it.the movie was great. Tangina was my fave

[@chrisetheredge6265]

Do you think that the Tangina's astral scenes could be shot with today's technology and still have a visual punch?

[@Magnoire]

I've enjoyed your reading very much! I don't know where you're from but you do a passable Southern accent. I also enjoyed your personal comments at the end. Keep up the good work! The movie scared me and my best friend when we saw it and we were about 21 years old!

[@wnepper]

I used to have a 'Howard the Duck' movie novelization that I seem to remember being way better than the movie. ... since you take requests. There's also a "graphic novelization" of the 1980s 'Popeye.' Fantastic stuff here, btw. Great idea and execution.

[@AnthonyWLeone]

"Out of this experience, in this house, should we capture a high-resolution photograph of a genuine manifestation, Time magazine will still put us on the joke page.” Sadly, it would still be the same reaction if it happened today.

[@jaybluejay793]

I'm just want to say this poltergeist is there type of movie that can stand the test of time up there with them likes of star wars an titanic raiders of them lost ark

[@chrisrorer9012]

I find this very interesting and true ghost are real

[@jaybluejay793]

poltergeist will always be the scariest movie ever made.scarier than the shining and Halloween. strange to think this movie was made 40 years ago makes me feel old .I was six years old when this movie was in the theatres.this is hard to find movie but I did own the book of poltergeist 2.

[@jaybluejay793]

HEY aged. never saw this movie in the theatres when it was out.being I was too young.thòugh I did see the sequel when it was in the theatres.ànd it ws scary.always enjoyed the act Jfollowing lines

[@jaybluejay793]

great storyteller you are sir.ŕemember reading this book at the library in my high school.this book scared the living cap out of me.is it true that poltergeist was a sequel to close encounter of the third kind.was seven years old when this movie was in the theatres.funny how time flies. interesting this movie was in the theatres the same time as e.t.steven Spielberg in my humble estimated opinion is one of the greatest directors in the world.

[@maxpower001]

One of my favorite movies, saw it again the other night for the 75th time so i had to listen to this read again for the 3rd time... that damn clown 🤡

[@SOUPENE]

well done i spent several days listening too you read this the novel was awesome it answered alot of questions for me would love to be able too find a hard cover of this novel . thank you for sharing :)

[@Audiobooksforthedamned666]

Thanks for listening!

[@Thoralmir]

According to Steven Spielberg and Toby Hooper, the novel is indeed canon.

[@edgardickens7757]

This book would have been twice as entertaining if it hadn't devoted so much time to an astral plane that was so different from what was depicted in the Poltergeist films that my mind frequently wandered during these excessively bizarre sequences. Thanks to Mr. Olsen's spirited delivery and uncanny Tangina impression, the portions of the book based on the film led to some entertaining commutes which included some sinister twilight listening sessions while traversing a gloomy avenue near my house

[@donaldduck3078]

You aren't professional or whatever, but this was awesome! Thanks dude

[@tessacarol536]

Can you please do poltergeist 2 and 3?

[@Audiobooksforthedamned666]

Tessa Carol Almost finished recording II. As far as I can tell, there is no novelization of III.

[@tessacarol536]

Ok thanks:)

[@Audiobooksforthedamned666]

Tessa Carol Voila: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eITUmYueapmDopo

[@Colidape]

5:35:20

[@boogieman309]

2:07

[@boogieman309]

4:59