Poltergeist (1982) MOVIE REACTION! FIRST TIME WATCHING!!

[@CinemaRules]

Hello Film Fans, Shaun & Tom here from Cinema Rules! We are thrilled to announce that we are growing our community even further and that we have started a Patreon after many requests. This will be an opportunity for our biggest fans to gain early access to our Movie Reactions and new and exclusive content including Full Length Movie Reactions, Early Access Movie Reviews and the exciting Cinema Rules Podcast whilst simultaneously supporting the growth of this channel and its fantastic community! So if you like hanging out with us and talking movies, check out the link below, thank you all for your overwhelming support and we will see you in the next video! www.patreon.com/CinemaRules

[@gracesherlock7374]

hey i only found your channel yesterday, and have already watched all your videos and have subscribed. really guys it's great, I'm been a big horror fan even since i was little. it's so cool to find a channel like this :). have you guys thought of doing a the lost boys reaction?.

[@CinemaRules]

grace sherlock I love the lost boys! I have seen it recently though, however I’ll have to ask Tom if he’s seen it 😊

[@Korradoar]

whoa I just realized you have a freakin list of movies! and that list, is f***in epic. definitely check out the orphanage. and the crow! (its one of five films on "Cursed Films" documentary. You've watched three of the five they talk about. (Exorcist, Omen, Poltergeist))

[@gracesherlock7374]

@@CinemaRules awesome, it's been my favorite movie since i was 11. I'm watching it right now:). like i said before absolutely love the channel. fire in the sky is real cool to :).

[@Thecatdrums3]

Fun fact! Every movie that uses skeletons use real skeletons. They are extremely cheap to buy and all come from India, do with that what you like.

[@TrevyTrev-andTheFunkyPets]

Saw this in the theatre with my cool babysitter back in the day. I was emotionally exhausted after watching it. This movie rules still!

[@nealwhaley63]

To this day, one of the most potent commentaries on American middle class life. The Freelings had lived in their house for nearly a decade with no trouble. But they just had to have a backyard pool.....

[@zvimur]

The music composed by Jerry Goldsmith. Last time you guys heard him was in.... The Omen. Yep.

[@44excalibur]

Jerry had previously done Alien and Star Trek: The Motion Picture before Poltergeist.

[@zvimur]

@@44excalibur which gave us the TNG theme. Taa tadata tadataaa

[@zvimur]

@@deckofcards87 nobody's gonna mention his Rambo movies?

[@44excalibur]

@@zvimur That was after he did Poltergeist. I assumed we were talking about his pre-Poltergeist work.

[@zvimur]

@@44excalibur 4 months (6-10 1982 ) between Poltergeist and First Blood. Practically simultaneously.

[@rebeccahopkins9522]

You all have no idea how that little lady with the unusual voice who played the second psychic became insanely popular and much beloved in 1982 (when I was like 5 or 6) because of her role in this film. She became much beloved in the 80’s solely based on that one character in this film. People loved her. Aww, the 80’s, what a decade to be alive.

[@EagleFang74]

This was one of the most terrifying movies for American kids because the family and setting was so typical American suburbia. It took the most innocuous and seemingly safest place, the American cookie cutter split level tract house and turned it into this crazy hell scape. It take the trope of the old haunted house on the hill and moved it right into what could be your own living room. Hell is about an inch underneath your shag carpet. I was 8 when it came out and it made me terrified of my own closet. I remember my cousin and I watching it on HBO in the basement of our suburban split level house and shitting myself having to walk back upstairs. It made us scared of our own homes.

[@jenniferhaake9818]

Yes, they looked like my parents and I was Carol Anne’s age when I saw this on tv so it scared the crap out of me. Worse yet my relatives lived in the same street name as the house in the movie.

[@ThreadBomb]

It's like the dark side of ET in that respect.

[@Newjourney14]

you know what i love about this series? You two are not overreacting for the camera. Your reactions are genuine and that's what makes them so much better

[@JMulvy]

Fun fact: those skeletons in the pool, were real cadavers and No, the actress was not made aware of that fact until she was in the pool with them. She didn't even know that they had changed the script until they were ready to shoot because the original script had the pool finished and she was supposed to get trapped in the pool under a pool cover. Also, officially Spielberg did not direct this film because he was 30 mins away filming E.T. and his contract would not allow for him to work for two studios at the same time, however if you ask anyone that was on staff he showed up every day and Tobe Hooper (official director, Spielberg's apprentice) was not allowed to make a decision without his approval. Originally he wrote it to be about a ghost that haunt the boy through the tree in the back yard, because Steven grew up deathly afraid of a tree in his back yard, that he could see from his bedroom window.

[@judithortiz-velazquez4992]

Thanks for the context.

[@matthewchambers-sinclair8772]

Another thing: the clown doll they rigged up to strangle Robby actually choked the actor and everyone thought he was just acting particularly well until he started turning blue.

[@nickholcomb2220]

That is WILDLY not okay on so many levels

[@TheMarvelousM]

For further context, the cadavers were actually real Bones that were touched up with fake flesh and skin. It was the equivalent of using a skeleton in a classroom, but still freaky nonetheless.

[@kennethwilliams7731]

Would not watch it again? I can't relate to that mindset at all. I've enjoyed watching this film for decades. Its just a great film. The fact that other films and TV shows copy it and reference it proves my point! I feel that this film deserves a higher rating than a 7.2…

[@tiffanym.3506]

Tangina's (little lady squeaky voice) is one of my favorite scenes. When it flips from talking about light and crossing over to "the beast" gives me chills every time.

[@JoyfulOrb]

This movie has one of the best marriages sketched in with tiny moments. A married couple that talks about Everything, that shares everything, and he opens up even more, until the wonderful moment of Don't Let Go! and he promises her, Never!

[@tonyabrookes9931]

❤

[@peterlenihan1613]

Before this movie, all haunted houses were old castles, creepy mansions or abandon homes. This is the first film where an ordinary suburban home became haunted. It made it seem that no house, even yours, is safe from the paranormal.

[@MY-se1jf]

The Amityville horror came out 1979. But I do prefer Poltergeist.

[@MY-se1jf]

I agree that it can get a bit boring, when every haunted house movie uses those plot points. But it can´t be helped. Truly new things have no history. And that´s what getting haunted is. Something from the past that keeps on nagging us. Poltergeist made a nice move with new house, but old grounds.

[@peterlenihan1613]

@@MY-se1jf My mistake, you are right. But that house had a history of multiple homicides. I guess Poltergeist was the one of the first movies where the house was brand new and the land was haunted.

[@ThreadBomb]

The original House On Haunted Hill (1959) was a modern house. Funny how most of these "fun facts" turn out to be untrue.

[@peterlenihan1613]

@@ThreadBomb I must respectfully disagree. You don't consider that house a mansion and an old one at that? It has over sized rooms, massive doors, marble statues and a huge plot of fenced-in land with a winding road leading to the front door. While it was in relatively decent shape, there were areas like the library which were in desperate need of repair. The vibe of the place was spooky at best. This is in contrast to the ordinary suburban house which was part of a fairly recent housing development. I have watched this movie a couple dozen times and I stand by my original statement.

[@Ivy94F]

Zelda Rubenstein who played the meduim Tangina was actually loved by audiences and she became an overnight sensation because of this film. It was because she was quirky, funny and comes off as really authentic to people. Her exposition scenes almost comes off like a documentary instead of a scene from a movie. It earned her a much bigger part of the story in the sequel.

[@evatackett321]

Zelda Rubinstein was an absolute gem and one of the best parts of the whole film. "This house is clean." Is probably one of the most memorable movie lines from the 80's. I love your channel and watching your reactions to classic horror favorites but you are crazy to think her character was a con in this movie....😢

[@brettallen2182]

Poltergeist is one of my favorite films of all time. I saw it as a young child and have held it close to my heart ever since. Very few horror films are able to capture the magic of the family dynamic and combine it with terrifying elements. Such an outstanding cast, beautiful score, amazing effects, and expertly written script.

[@Trilaan]

Everything about this film works on me, the horror, the drama, the comedy. Some of the stuff in it actually makes me cry because I think it's beautiful, such as when Carol Ann passes through her mother and leaves her scent behind.

[@jupiterfalls]

their reaction 11:47 LOL 😭😂 R.I.P. *Zelda Rubinstein* she played the Medium.

[@jenniferrogers2492]

The actress who played the teenage daughter, Dominique Donne, was murdered by her boyfriend shortly after the movie came out. And Heather O’Rourke, the little blonde girl, died a few years after making the sequel.

[@gamleskalle1]

cursed movie nr.1. Omen and Exorcist cursed too.

[@melissawinn3295]

Heather O'Rourke died in after doin the 3rd movie she was only 12 years old

[@LeBatteur]

People die. It’s unfortunate but correlation isn’t causation.

[@donnabruhn6907]

So tragic though, almost like they were cursed

[@Hibbs4Prez]

My favorite film family of the 80s. Their relationships, their bond and their genuine love for one another makes the film special.

[@norwegianblue2017]

The thing that made this move so scary at the time was that it wasn't set in some old moldy mansion. For the first time you had a movie like this set in what was then a very modern home. If you were a kid growing up in this era, it made it way more relatable and scarier. Especially if you lived in the suburbs in one of these new tract homes, like a female friend of mine did. She even had a big tree right outsider her bedroom window. Scarred for life.

[@Masky5150]

Contrary to what many people think, Tobe Hooper did indeed direct Poltergeist. Steven Spielberg co-wrote the screenplay and did visit the set. It’s sad that even after he passed Tobe Hooper never fully got the credit he deserved for his directing this film. Definitely check out The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1974! It’s Tobe Hooper’s Masterpiece!

[@philipsheppard4815]

And then check out the second one for an altogether different experience!

[@styler10178]

This movie should be rated a 10. Always has been my all time favorite movie.

[@bobthecone]

The reason Zelda Rubinstein came in as a character is because her character was an actual psychic and the first woman was out of her depth. It's important to the storyline.

[@ThreadBomb]

Yes, it is logical in story terms, and it also helps to increase the sense of strangeness as the film progresses.

[@ilikeyoutube836]

Personally I give this movie a much higher rating. What I love about it is that the plot is utterly original. Kid gets pulled into some other close by dimension but can communicate through the tv, throw something into the upstairs closet and it comes back out of the ceiling downstairs, the whole house gets sucked into the other dimension in the end... I've never seen anything similar to it before or since. That white skeleton ghost thing, the big head that comes out of the closet, and the clown still scare the shit out of me to this day lol. (I'm 44.) That part where the ghosts all come downstairs is iconic. I'm a die hard scary movie buff and this is one of my all time favorite. Just my opinion, but I think it deserves a much better rating just for creativity. RIP Heather O'Rourke and Dominique Dunne

[@PhoenixHinds]

This movie, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and The Witches, are all children's horror movies that hold up well over time.

[@ASTPlumbing9090]

I think rewatching this knowing how Dominique Dunn died in real life (murder) and how the little girl died in real life makes this movie all the more eerie.

[@toddstorey719]

One of my favorite movies of all time. Saw it when it came out, I had just turned 13, scared the HELL out of me.

[@johnsmith-zu5db]

Poltergiest II from 1986 had one of the most creepiest characters in the Poltergiest trilogy of films, Rev Henry Kane played by the late Julian Beck. What makes Beck's appearance in the film even more ceepier is the fact that the actor was dying from Cancer. You can clearly see how thin and gaunt his face is in the film. Plus Poltergiest II has the Demonic worm in a bottle sequence. The design of the Demonic worm was developed by H.R. Giger. The conceptual artist who developed the Alien in Ridley Scott's Alien.

[@kylereese4822]

To creep you out even more...... Poltergeist(1982).... yea in Robbie/Carol -Anns room there`s a poster above his bed that predicts the future by 6 years..... not to creepy right, wrong..... the date on the poster is Redskins and the Broncos landed on January 31, 1988. Carol-Ann, Heather O Rourke died February 1, 1988. Here`s the poster nightmarenostalgia.com/2018/02/04/that-freaky-poltergeist-super-bowl-poster-that-predicted-the-future/

[@samwiserando]

the old movies like this are great to watch because you find out where all the modern movies get their inspiration from.

[@christopherhuff3123]

I feel soo old. It boggles my mind that so many people havent seen movies that I saw over and over in the theaters when they came out. Ive seen this hundreds of times.

[@psychoween]

One thing you must remember, the most exciting thing the researchers had witnessed before this was the toy car moving by its self a few feet over a many hour duration. The team was way over their head with this case and this is why they called in the heavy hitter in the little body, even if you were annoyed by her voice. BTW, I briefly met the films composer, Jerry Goldsmith, and he was a wonderful person. This is my favorite soundtrack of his. I loved the fake out ending. Just when you think it's over, all hell breaks loose.

[@stephenn77]

This movie was one of several that scarred my childhood! Way better than the terrible remake. The practical effects were groundbreaking! Spielberg made this and E.T. at the same time.

[@DannX68]

WUUUUUUT??!?? This movie is a 10/10 for me. As you said, I love the family dynamic, and JoBeth Williams gives it her all in this movie. She's amazing! There's not a single thing I would change. Yes, I get your criticism of Dr. Lesh being "replaced" by Tangina, but Tangina is sooooo iconic. Well, at least I'm glad you didn't *hate* it :D

[@valerieverith2358]

The thing I got from this movie that I never really understood as a kid, despite having seen the original Poltergeist many times over, was; Tangina Barrens (sp?), the short lady ghost expert they brought in later, helped the more gentle and playful souls that were in that afterlife purgatory dimension to move on. So then all that was left, was 'The Beast' that nasty being that they mentioned earlier, and probably what bit that one guy and caused those gruesome hallucinations and the incident where the tree almost ate their son, Robby, and later even seemed like it was trying to sexually assault the mom. So we were tricked into a false sense of security (which would later become a horror movie trope; the fake-out) and had that fake ending where everything seemed okay, but then there was still the Beast that hadn't crossed over, and without any of the other nicer spirits there, that thing just went all out trying to get ahold of Carol-Anne again.

[@tonydebruin1052]

The special effects were done by Richard Edlund, who did them for this, but also Raiders of the Lost Ark, and for Ghostbusters.

[@natalievegas]

Tragic to know that both the elder and younger daughter had passed in real life. The child around 10-12? Misdiagnosed stomach disorder and the elder in early 20’s? Murdered by her boyfriend

[@Nopeonotme]

Oh shit... poor girl...

[@ThreadBomb]

And the guy playing the villain in the second movie had cancer at the time.

[@bethannprather1462]

I've just subscribed to you. What I really dig about this channel is... You're watching classic movies that not only were the first of their kind... They changed cinema forever. Your reaction to The Exorcist was great. Still a disturbing movie 47 years later. And no CGI.

[@biddleeewho4181]

Two cast members in this movie died at a tragically early age. Heather o'Rourke who played the little girl died of cardiac arrest in 1988 and Dominique Dunne who played the older sister was murdered by her ex boyfriend shortly after this movie came out.

[@zenomorph8806]

Another interesting fact. The scene where Diane attempts to open the bedroom door to the bedroom and it growled and slammed shut, was the first scene of the movie that was filmed. Also during the face ripping scene, the hands ripping the skin away belong to Steven Spielberg.

[@jal2550]

An absolute Masterpiece! The sound, music, effects, story, etc. Everything,

[@kthx1138]

Seeing you guys jump at all the appropriate stings, the ghost hand coming out of the TV, the clown wrapping its arm around Robby's neck, the corpse coming up out of the swimming pool behind the mom, makes me realize "Wow--the fuckin' movie still works!".

[@morganyakkofan9052]

The house implosion special effect amazed me the most.

[@keithartworker]

ET and Poltergeist both came out in 1982. As a 5th grader it was difficult to tell from the newspaper advertisements which one was the kids film and which one was the horror film. ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) was at the top of their optical printing game at this time and the Raiders of the Lost Ark effects techniques ILM honed for that film were used to great effect here too. It was truly a incredible time in movie history when the sheer difficulty in creating pre-digital shots like those separated productions that used ILM from everyone else.

[@DarthTach]

Fun fact: They were both filmed on the same street. That was why in ET you hardly saw down the street, and in Poltergeist you never saw up it. Spielberg was directing E.T. but Producing Poltergeist, so after he was done with ET he went down the street to watch the dailies for this movie.

[@ThreadBomb]

@@DarthTach Your fun fact is in fact not true.

[@dennisbaccam6235]

I love you guys! Your reactions to the scary/gory parts are so genuine and rewatchable, especially Tom’s! Sometimes they’re more entertaining than the actual movie!

[@joebryant5722]

A Brilliant movie, so gentle at first, then a bit quirky, and then becomes utterly terrifying!. Very unsettling every time I watch it. Gets to you when you think how would you be if your child vanished into another dimension!!

[@CassandrashadowcassMorrison]

Those are actual skeletons Tobe Hooper tossed in the muddy pool (without telling JoBeth).What a funny guy.

[@eddietucker7005]

Let me tell you what happened… at the same time as this was being filmed, Spielberg was doing principle photography on E.T. After his day of shooting, he would go to the production offices and watch that days rushes. He did not like what he was seeing, so would tell Hooper to re-shoot scene’s and I want this kind of angle, etc. So, no he is not credited as the director, but yet he was. All through production, he held Hooper’s hand and wasn’t happy about it. The score was based on a child’s tune and did ok, but John Williams was busy doing E.T. He originally hired Drew Barrymore for Poltergeist and Heather O’Roark for E.T., and he was determined to use both actresses. After he got to know Drew a little bit better, he switched their projects and it was definitely a better fit. No, JoBeth Williams is not dead, but Heather is. She died after Poltergeist 3 with a stomach infection that went too long without treatment. After Poltergeist 2, the actress playing the grandmother and 2 actor’s, the old man that is the evil one and the one who played the American-Indian died. Of course, we all know Dominique Dunn was choked to death by her boyfriend that was a Chef. I hope these facts clear up a few misconceptions and lore about the so called, Poltergeist curse. The first large ghost that you saw at the top of the stairs was made of a light, tissue material and placed in a clear water tank with some water having movement. It was shot through the tank to get that Original floating effect. It had never been done before. The guardian demon in front of the children’s room was shot similarly but was an actual puppet to control its actual movement. The first was just supposed to be a floating spirit. Everyone was trying to get JoBeth Williams nominated for an Oscar. With those new effects, she gave such a strong performance against the demons/spirits that were not really there She had to act against thin air. Tangina Barron was very necessary. The Dr. knew this was way beyond her talents, so they brought in an expert with a totally different personality to add a little bit of comic relief to a film that was heavy and actually scary. 7.2?? No. This is an 8.5. It would say 9, but there were some obvious gaffs that Hooper and the continuity people didn’t catch. In 2021, I know people who are still scared by this film!

[@ExUSSailor]

I love seeing a new generation being introduced to horror classics! I saw this movie when I was about 6. I was 14, or, 15 before I could sleep in a room with a TV again.

[@thechosenones4375]

Replay value is high on this one because the family doesn't act like they're in a horror movie until horror starts happening. Unlike most movies where they spend more time looking for jump scares than establishing characters.

[@ianwestc]

Another reason why Poltergeist was controversial -- did you see that blood? Smoking weed? Strong imagery? Children in danger? A guy ripping his face APART? This movie was rated PG. __PG__!!!! The power of Spielberg, seriously. He had so much power in Hollywood that he was able to twist enough arms to get it rated PG. That started some angry rumblings from watchdog groups. Spielberg's next movie (after this and E.T.) was 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, also rated PG, and it featured plenty of shootings and a guy's beating heart ripped out of his chest. That was the last straw, and the PG-13 rating was created. Jerry Goldsmith wrote the score for this, he also did the score for the Omen -- a much different feel! He won the Oscar for the Omen, but I think Poltergeist has a far superior score.

[@agresticumbra]

I truly love this film. I’m not a horror film person, don’t like suspense either, but the way the paranormal was presented, along with the family, and supporting cast, made the film great, IMO. I saw this on the big screen when it was released, and had a blast. Me & my hubby watch it annually. On an aside, a little movie detail: loved the detail of the dust and glitter being pulled out from under the kids’ beds as stuff was sucked into closet.

[@TheHojo73]

Guys! I got one more absolute MUST reaction. John Carpenters The Thing (1982) practical effects are killer awesome !

[@photojennifer]

The character Dr. Lesh was a scientist, she studied the paranormal. They had to bring in Tangina because she was physic and believed she could connect with the entity, and that's why there are two separate characters. Fun reaction! Saw this in the theater when I was in 7th grade and started my love of scary movies.

[@quatz1981]

What makes this film work is the family dynamic. Poltergeist really isn't a horror film, its a love story through and through, albeit a scary one. Its well acted, especially Jobeth Williams who was terrific in this, Jerry Goldsmith's score is one of his best and the effects for the time are really well done. Love this film.

[@ThreadBomb]

Why is it not a horror film? It's based on a horror premise and has a ton of horror scares.

[@quatz1981]

@@ThreadBomb like i said in my comment its really more of a love story, albeit not in the traditional sense. It has many horror elements for sure but its the themes and messages behind the film that suggest its more of a love story but a scary one. Just depends how you look at it.

[@EmlynBoyle]

Fun fact. When the guy is ripping his face off at the mirror, the hands are Steven Spielberg's clawing away at the puppet head.

[@dragonstoy7649]

Oh! Yes! Love this movie!! A couple fun facts: The hands you see ripping the face apart in the kitchen scene are actually Stephen Speilberg's. And Zelda Rubenstein (Tangina) is an absolute gem. Please look up Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, if you haven't seen it. It's a more modern movie, but it's wonderfully meta, and picks apart all of the horror tropes we are familiar with. It's one of the last movies Zelda Rubenstein was in before she died, and they let her tell the villian's back story in her wonderful, creepy voice. And you guys were correct. Those were actual dead human bodies, because they were cheaper to get than the fake ones.

[@allthatjazz177]

16:12 - Bored yet boys? ( 80's kid laughter intensifies. ) Let that be a lesson to you both. Always respect the classics.

[@oldstrawhat4193]

You both are so intelligent and intellectual. Your reactions and discussions are really meaty intellectually. You put most other reacters/reviewers to shame. Well done! 👍

[@dominicramirez7642]

John carpenters The Thing is amazing you guys gotta check it out next

[@Theomite]

Oh, and POLTERGEIST II: THE OTHER SIDE actually does a good job of explaining more about the spirits that were in the house and why one of them was incredibly evil and powerful. It's actually worth a watch.

[@chuckjacobs4049]

The film was directed by Steven Spielberg. He was in post production on “E.T.” and Universal Pictures would not allow him to direct two films at once to complete against each other, so he hired Toby Hooper as the “ghost director.” Interviews with the cast support this.

[@jordanpaterson9043]

Well theres also supposedly conflicting claims regarding the degree of work done by both in all fairness

[@Sarah_Gravydog316]

yes & Tobe hadn't directed a big movie, so he didn't know to handle lighting & shooting in daylight before the sun set & stuff, so Steven was like, "This goes here, the camera goes here, shoot this way..." & took over to get it done

[@InimicalWit]

Family favorite, growing up. We watched this movie lots of times. Thanks for having us along 💙

[@richhenry8004]

The first woman was a "scientist", the second woman was a clairvoyant medium. It would not make sense for them to be one character.

[@Thom1212]

The score played to the familial feel of the Freelings. Especially as it centered on Carol Anne. And it really highlights the look and feel of the times. Having grown up and been a teen in the eighties, I can say, it really was like that back then.

[@jeffmartin5703]

The scene of the house imploding was an actual model of the house that was pulled back thru a hole by wires and shot at 300 frames/second.

[@Tracifriday]

You guys are stepping into cinema GOLD HERE she says why holding an ultra long cigarette holder....yes darling cinema gold

[@SomeGuy-cw9rw]

You can’t be hating on Zelda Rubenstein’s voice. It makes the movie in some ways.

[@anthonyhebisen]

Just wanted to say that finally I’ve found a well executed and thought - out film reaction channel and a very well done film analysis review. It’s hard to find reaction videos done with this much meticulous and intelligent dissection and my hats off to you guys . Cheers from Texas-

[@brittyn]

Tom’s scared/grossed out/confused face has me cracking up!!!

[@hunted3355]

You guys are seriously entertaining to watch and listen to.... just been binge watching your reactions.... well done

[@benf8933]

Just found the channel, love seeing you guys watch these films for the first time. Some suggestions to watch: The Howling (1981) The Haunting (1963) Pumpkinhead (1988) From Beyond (1986) Near Dark (1987) In the Mouth of Madness (1995) Event Horizon (1997) The Lost Boys (1987) Creepshow (1982) Dog Soldiers (2002) The Fog (1980) The Blob (1988)

[@daviddenton4951]

React to American Werewolf in London! Great special effects and one of the best werewolf transformations!

[@AudieHolland]

They were real skeletons. Not actually decaying corpses. Back in the day, realistic plastic skeletons were harder to come by than to get some actual skeletons from medical universities that use them for teaching. The actress Jobeth Williams was more afraid that, with all the lighting equipment needed for filming set up so close to the pool, that it might fall in and she would be electrocuted. Reputedly, Spielberg reassured her by going into the pool with her himself while filming the scene.

[@ThreadBomb]

Not the only film to use real skeletons, but for some reason the most controversial.

[@AudieHolland]

@@ThreadBomb Remember the Haunted House that had an actual mummified corpse and everyone thought it was just a prop?

[@tonyabrookes9931]

A lot of us 'older folks' saw this as kids so it will live with us FOREVER - especially the parts that scared the @#*! out of us!

[@lrowerowe7207]

It was the clown scene for I was 6 years old in 1982 I have huge of clowns 🤡

[@voicesofww2]

The "schoolgirl" is played by a 22-year old, to be fair. Also the actress was murdered by her boyfriend the same year this film was released

[@virz4432]

:(

[@rachelmckitterick]

You guys should read up on what is known as The Poltergeist Curse. There have been SO many deaths and serious accidents happen to people who stared and worked on the 3 Poltergeist movies. It's incredible reading. Like the oldest Daughter wasn't in the sequel movies because in real life, she was murdered after this first movie was made.

[@HMFan2010]

So, that scene in the kitchen with the chairs stacked on the table at 5:39? That was a PRACTICAL EFFECT. I've seen a “making of” where as soon as the camera pans away to follow Mom getting cleaner from under the counter, about 6 people come out of nowhere to position the chairs on the table making ABSOLUTELY NO NOISE AT ALL. It’s awesome. 7.2 rating?!?! Oh, come on! It’s AT LEAST a 9! LOVE this movie! The remake was not good IMO; don’t waste your time.

[@ThreadBomb]

There probably was noise while they moved the chairs, but it would be simple to cut out.

[@davidbailey6397]

I saw this in theaters when it came out when I was 11. Scared the crap out of me . The thing to remember is that back then those “ tropes” weren’t done to death as they are now and directors like Spielberg were extremely talented in timing and suspense . You have the distinction of having seen those tropes used in movies that people like Spielberg ,Scott,Carpenter , Friedkin,etc, had perfected. Rob Zombie attributes his influence to these trailblazers. Nowadays ,it’s hard to get scared by any horror movie .

[@Leopold_33w]

The skeletons were anitomical ones used for medicine... Back in the day, those bones were donated by people from India. Today they're plastic replicas. So yes, technically the skeletons in that scene were once real people...

[@billwhipple9039]

You two are quickly becoming some of my favorite reactors Edit: I saw poltergeist for the first time when I was about 7. The guy ripping his face off haunted me for a long time Edit: Evil dead, evil dead 2, army of darkness, ash vs evil dead seasons 1-3. They're all worth watching

[@carlosrvra]

Great to see that this movie still holds up. One of my top five horror movies from that decade... century even. The idea that the family had to stay in the crazy-scary house because their kid was trapped in it... just a great idea

[@arcanask]

The whole Poltergeist franchise is cursed. Whole lotta weird bad shit happened to the cast and crews that worked on those films.

[@connerzz8202]

arcanask same with The Exorcist. Two of the above the line crew members died during or after production and the entire set burned down besides the daughter’s bedroom. Creepy 😳

[@juanbautyoficial]

Hi. I’m 46 years old (which means I was a 8 years old baby when this movie came to screen) and Poltergeist is definitely my fav movie ever. I’ve liked your reaction, I expected some kind of typical millennial cynicism... but fortunately, don’t was the case. Your reaction has been very kind, respectful, very funny (those scare jumps), with prons and cons well explained, and it’s clear that you both loves the movie art. So, instant subs! Have fun with your classic horror movies competition!

[@iamthatguyfromslipknot1137]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing as millennials that have only seen recent movies usually wouldn't like or respect older movies so its great to see these guys really enjoying these old movies that people like us love..im 41 so grew up around the same movies that you did to so I'm well into these older films..

[@Amber-wu4qv]

The bird should have been a warning. People used to bring a canary bird to a potential permanent home. If the bird died then they wouldn't stay there. Something was wrong with the house. Birds are very sensitive.

[@mcrosemasters3060]

Canaries were also used in coal mines. For the same reason. There was a gas that would kill the birds and that would alert the coal miners of the gas.

[@erykcszminschki7104]

This movie was the original for ghost movies in suburbia, and changed the game of ghost movies forever! Love it!!

[@serpentsepia6638]

"They're here" was the catch phrase of the decade. Also, that little old lady's voice was creepy af. I never saw it as annoying, so that's a new take for me.

[@zombiTrout]

That damn clown traumatized many of us back in the 80’s.

[@ThreadBomb]

A classic example of Chekhov's Clown.

[@AugustEverywhere]

The best part of this movie is how it made late night static on a TV scary as hell. Well done lads!

[@lordwalker71]

The movie is said to cursed because the girl who played carol ann died shortly after making the second one and the actress who plays the older sister died of a drug overdose and I think there were a few other bad things that happened to people associated with the movie. They did use real skeletons because they were cheaper then fake ones, the actress who played the mom thought they were fake the whole time she was filming the scene in the pool.

[@Kevin-rg3yc]

The actress who played the older sister didn’t die from a drug overdose she was actually murdered by her abusive ex boyfriend

[@Kamandi1971]

@@Kevin-rg3yc yup she was Dominique Dunne rip

[@dieCG]

“Has that kid seen Alien?” Yes. Back in the 80s/90s, movies like Alien/s, Terminator, Predator were marketed towards kids. We had toys, cereal, lunch boxes, the whole shabang based off those movies. It was a very different time back then. We were less coddled.

[@oskulock]

I saw Alien when i was 7 years old for the first time. Still my favorite movie of all time.

[@slytheringingerwitch]

Those were the days, I remember watching most of the Nightmare films as a kid, along with Critters too and Fright Night. Happy days.

[@AndreiGu]

i'm sure everyone who didnt have horror movies marketed toward them as children are absolutely screaming with jealousy

[@dieCG]

@@AndreiGu : Oomph. I’m sorry ya clearly had a bad day, and are looking at someone to redirect your bitterness, but I don’t work here, Karen.

[@CNAwarrior]

Two of the child actors died after making this movie. The first one was Dominque Dunn who played the eldest teenage sister - she was strangled to death by her boyfriend. The second one was Heather O’Rourke who played Carol Ann. She died after the 3rd installment in 1988 at the age of 12 from Septic Shock. Other actors died as well making the franchise earn the title of Hollywood’s Poltergeist curse.

[@iamthatguyfromslipknot1137]

Is this the movie with the quote the movie satan didn't want made or am I thinking of the Exorcist..?..you are very right though as its always been said this franchise was cursed.

[@CNAwarrior]

I am a teenage werewolf I think the quote was scariest movie ever made and it was the exorcist

[@iamthatguyfromslipknot1137]

@@CNAwarrior yeah I think you are right..thanks..

[@TheFacelessStoryMaker]

YOU ONLY MOVED THE HEADSTONES!!! Yeah this freaked me out as a kid.

[@elizagaskell7957]

A couple of suggtions for films to watch are: 1. Amityville Horror (1979), 2. The Babadook (2014); 3. Rosemary's Baby (1968); 4. The Evil Dead (1981); 5. Candyman (1992).

[@sftrick]

I think you meant Candyman

[@moviesforever6147]

@@sftrick Yes because Handyman is a porno...

[@donnybuoy]

“Kid has a poster of Alien, you’re telling me you’ve seen that film?” Well, I mean, Halloween was the first movie I ever saw 😅

[@CarloisBuriedAlive]

Quite frankly, Insidious is a better Poltergeist remake than the actual Poltergeist remake

[@xotmatrix]

I've seen this movie a dozen times and I never noticed that Alien poster before. Alien was weirdly marketed to kids when it came out, with trading cards and toys. Those toy adverts gave me nightmares.

[@druidkhan6066]

A film you should definitely have a look at, is 'The Changeling' (1980), staring George C. Scott. Its a ghost film, but compared to other films, I think the Changeling is the scariest film ever made, and Martin Scorsese, the film director of Goodfellas, also thinks its the scariest film ever.

[@EricEustace]

It was "ok". I checked it because of the hype but it just seemed like a regular haunted house type movie. Maybe I've just seen to many horror films lol,

[@jaemyrick5277]

The ending got the biggest laugh in the theater when I saw it my first time.

[@vwlssnvwls3262]

This movie was a perfect mix of scary, and entertaining. It keeps dragging you in all directions right up to the end. One continuing theme in almost all 80s thrillers, and horrors is the suburban family element. It is one of the things I always enjoy watching.

[@TheRaidernation33]

Got to watch John Carpenters The Thing

[@dack6528]

RIP Heather O'Rourke 1975-1988