Poltergeist (1982)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1982
Running Times: 114 mins
Format: Metrocolor     35mm     J-D-C Scope
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby

PRODUCTION
Production Company: MGM
Producers: Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg
Associate Producer: Kathleen Kennedy
Production Associate: Christopher Reynolds
Production Manager: Dennis E. Jones
Production Coordinator: Beverly Webb

SCRIPT
Script: Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, Mark Victor
Story: Steven Spielberg

DIRECTION
Directors: Tobe Hooper, Steven Spielberg (uncredited)
1st Assistant Director: Pat Kehoe
2nd Assistant Director: Bob Roe

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Matthew F. Leonetti
Camera Operator: Dennis Matsuda
1st Assistant Camera: John Leonetti
2nd Assistant Camera: Tom Klines
Gaffer: Pat Blymyer
Best Boy: Hugo Cortina
Key Grip: John Linder
Dolly Grip: Mark Averill
Stills: Bruce McBroom
Colour Timer: Bob McMillian
Camera Equipment: Leonetti Cine Rentals
Camera: Ultracam 35 Cameras

EDITING AND POST PRDUCTION
Editors: Michael Kahn, Steven Spielberg (uncredited)
Associate Editor: R. Fields
Assistant Editors: Albert Coleman, Mel Friedman
Negative Cutter: Brian Ralph

MUSIC
Music: Jerry Goldsmith
Orchestrator: Arthur Morton
Music Supervisor: Harry V. Lojewski (uncredited)
Music Editor: Ken Hall

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Art Rochester
Boom Operator: Richard Thornton
Re-Recording Mixers: Bill Varney, Kevin O'Connell, Steve Maslow
Supervising Sound Editors: Richard L. Anderson, Stephen Hunter Flick
Dialogue Editors: Bonnie Koehler, Warren Hamilton Jr
ADR Editor: Curt Schulkey (uncredited)
Special Sound Effects: Alan Howarth
Sound Effects Editors: John Dunn, Mark A. Mangini
Foley Artists: Joan Rowe, John Roesch

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Dottie Pearl
Hair: Toni Walker
Costume Supervisor: Ann Lambert
Men's Costumer: Charles DeMuth
Ladies Costumer: Buffy Snyder
Special Wardrobe: Lisa Jean Mower

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Effects Make Up: Craig Reardon

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Foreman: Jeff Jarvis
Special Effects Technician: John McLeod (uncredited)
Mechanical Effects Supervisor: Mike Wood
Pyrotechnics: Thaine Morris

VISUAL EFFECTS
Visual Effects: Industrial Light and Magic
Visual Effects Supervisor: Richard Edlund
Visual Effects Coordinator: Mitch Suskin
Producers: Ed Breed, Paula Karsh
Production Supervisor: Tom Smith
Production Coordinator: Laurie Vermont
Technical Animation Supervisor: Sam Comstock
Animation Supervisor: John Bruno
Animation Assistant Supervisor: Renee Holt
Key Animator: Art Vitello
Animators: Milt Gray, Jose Able, Terry Windell
Assistant Animators: Ellen Lichtwardt, Bob DeLuca, Jack Mongovan, Peggy Tonkonogy, Scott Caple
Animation Camera Supervisor: James C. Keefer
Modelshop Supervisor: Lorne Peterson
Chief Model Maker: Paul Huston
Model Makers: Charlie Bailey, Dave Sosalla, Marghe McMahon, Sean Casey, Toby Heindel, Barbara Gallucci, Bruce Richardson, Ease Owyeung, Grant Smith, Jeff Mann, Larry Tan, Marc Thorpe, Scott Marshall, Steve Gawley
Laser And Cloud Effects: Gary Platek
Matte Painting Supervisor: Michael Pangrazio
Matte Photographer: Neil Krepela
Additional Matte Photographer: Michael Shannon
Assistant Matte Photographer: Craig Barron
Matte Animation: Kathryn Lenihan, Jay Davis, Judy Elkins, Kim Knowlton
Optical Photography Supervisor: Bruce Nicholson
Optical Technicians: Bob Chrisoulis, Duncan Meyers, Tim Geideman
Optical Printer Operators: Dave Berry, Don Clark, John Ellis, Mark Vargo
Optical Line-Up: Tom Rosseter, Ed Jones, Ralph Gordon
Electronic Coordinator: Christi McCarthy
Electronic Technicians: Bessie Wiley, Melissa Cargill
Electronic Engineers: Gary Leo, Marty Brenneis, Mike MacKenzie
Electronic System Designer: Jerry Jeffress
Electronic System Software: Kris Brown
Effects Cameramen: Bill Neil, Rick Fichter
Additional Scenes Camera: Jim Veilleux
1st Assistant Camera: Garry Waller, Peter Romano, Kim Marks, Robert Hill
2nd Assistant Camera: Ray Gilberti
Stills: Kerry Nordquist, Roberto McGrath, Terry Chostner
Visual Effects Editorial Supervison: Conrad Buff
Visual Effects Editor: Howard Stein
Assistant Visual Effects Editor: Peter Amundson
Effects Art Director: Nilo Rodis
Design Engineer: Mike Bolles
Draftsman: Ed Tennler
Production Accountant: Laura Kaysen
Production Secretaries: Kathy Shine, Mary Lou Hale
Stage Foreman: Pat Fitzsimmons
Supervising Stage Technician: Ted Moehnke
Stage Technicians: Bobby Finley III, Dave Childers, Dick Dova, Edward Hirsh, Harold Cole, John McCleod, Peter Stolz, Thaine Morris
Apprentice Machinists: Chris Rand, David Hanks
Administrative Supervisor: Chrissie England
Equipment Engineering Supervisor: Gene Whiteman
Equipment Maintenance: Michael Smith, Wade Childress
Key Assistant: Mike Lessa
Machinists: Conrad Bonderson, Udo Pampel
Titles: MGM Titles

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: James H. Spencer
Set Decorator: Cheryal Kearney
Set Designers: Martha Johnson (uncredited), William F. Matthews (uncredited)
Property Master: Craig Raiche
Construction Coordinator: Michael L. Muscarella
Carpenter: Brent W. Bell
Production Illustrator: Ed Verreaux, Dick Lasley (uncredited)
Lead Man: Greg Lynch (uncredited)

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Marion Tumen
Assistant to Frank Marshall: Patty Rumph
Assistant to Kathleen Kennedy: Denise Durham (uncredited)
Assistant to Steven Spielberg: Janice Pober
Assistant to Tobe Hooper: Daphne Stacey
Transportation Coordinator: Gary Hellerstein
Unit Publicist: Don Levy
Craft Service: Jerry Moore
Rip's Owner and Trainer: Richard L. Calkins

LOCATIONS
Locations: 4267 Roxbury Street, Simi Valley, California, USA; Irvine, California, USA; Simi Valley, California, USA
Location Manager: Paul Pav

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Glenn Randall Jr
Stunts: George Wilbur, Jean Epper, Beth Nufer, Bob Herron, Bob Yerkes, Cindy Folkerson, Dana Gendian, Felix Silla, Jaimi Gendian, Bobby Clark (uncredited), Chuck Waters (uncredited), Donna Garrett (uncredited)
Special Wire Performance: Paula Paulson

CASTING
Casting: Jane Feinberg, Mike Fenton, Marci Liroff

CAST
JoBeth Williams (Diane Freeling)
Craig T. Nelson (Steve Freeling)
Beatrice Straight (Dr Lesh)
Dominique Dunne (Dana Freeling)
Oliver Robins (Robbie Freeling)
Heather O'Rourke (Carol Anne Freeling)
Michael McManus (Ben Tuthill)
Virginia Kiser (Mrs Tuthill)
Marty Casella (Marty)
Richard Lawson (Ryan)
Zelda Rubinstein (Tangina Barrons)
Lou Perry (Pugsley)
Clair Leucart (bulldozer driver)
James Karen (Mr Teague)
Dirk Blocker (Jeff Shaw)
Allan Graf, Joseph R. Walsh (neighbours)
Helen Baron (woman buyer)
Noel Conlon (husband)
Robert Broyles (pool worker 1)
Sonny Landham (pool worker 2)
Bill Vail, Jeffrey Bannister, Craig Simmons (uncredited) (implosion men)
Phil Stone (football announcer)

PLOT SUMMARY

The Freeling family's suburban home is invaded by what seem at first to be merely mischievous and playful spirits. But when their young daughter Carol Anne disappears, things take a nastier turn. A team of parapsychologists and a medium move in to help the Freelings and uncover a nasty secret buried beneath their house...

A surprisingly dark and grim film which showed that - at least this early in his subsequently lamentable career - Tobe Hooper still had the sensibilities that led to the creation of his earliest horror classics. The Spielberg touch is evident throughout but the film is much nastier and cynical than it would have been had Spielberg made it alone. The horror set pieces are excellent, the cast does well to hold its own against the plethora of special effects and there are plenty of genuinely creepy moments to enjoy.

Germany
DVD Distributor: Warner Home Video (50165)

Japan
DVD Distributor: MGM Home Entertainment (DL-51749)

USA
Theatrical Distributor: MGM
Laserdisc Distributor: MGM Home Video (ML 100165); MGM Home Video (ML 101639); MGM Home Video (ML 101749); MGM Home Video (ML 104865); MGM Home Video (ML 104961)
DVD Distributor: MGM Home Entertainment (906039); Warner Home Video (65064)

Argentina
Rating: 16

Australia
Rating: M

Chile
Rating: 14

Finland
Rating: K-16

France
Rating: -16

Norway
Rating: 15; 16

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: R; PG (re-rating)

West Germany
Rating: 16

1983
Academy Awards, USA
Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing (Richard L. Anderson, Stephen Hunter Flick) - nominated
Best Effects, Visual Effects (Richard Edlund, Bruce Nicholson, Michael Wood) - nominated
Best Music, Original Score (Jerry Goldsmith) - nominated

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA
Saturn Award Best Horror Film - winner
Saturn Award Best Make-Up (Dorothy J. Pearl) - winner
Saturn Award Best Supporting Actress (Zelda Rubinstein) - winner

BAFTA Awards, UK
Best Special Visual Effects (Richard Edlund) - winner

Young Artist Awards, UK
Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Heather O'Rourke) nominated

1982
June
4: USA - theatrical release

September
10: Finland - theatrical release
15: Spain - theatrical release
23: West Germany - theatrical release
29: Sweden - theatrical release

October
20: France - theatrical release

November
5: Norway - theatrical release

1994
July
20: USA - laserdisc release (MGM Home Video (ML 104865))

1997
March
26: USA - laserdisc release (MGM Home Video (ML 104961))

April
8: USA - DVD release (MGM Home Entertainment (906039))

2000
February
23: Germany - DVD release (Warner Home Video (50165))

April
18: USA - DVD release (Warner Home Video (65064))

It knows what scares you.

Some things have to be believed to be seen.

Poltergeist seem to be connected with an INDIVIDUAL, Hauntings seem to be connected to an AREA, A HOUSE usually.

Juegos diabólicos - Venezuelan title
Poltergeist: demoniache presenze - Italian title
Duch - Polish title

SEQUELS
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
Poltergeist III (1988)

SEE ALSO
Poltergeist: The Legacy (1996 - 1999)
Repossessed (1990)
Scary Movie 2 (2001)
The Uninvited (1944)

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Thrills: America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies (2001)
Dominique Dunne: An American Tragedy (1998)
The Making of Poltergeist (1982)
Precious Images (1986)
Terror in the Aisles (1984)

MAGAZINES

TV Filmes August 1999 p.43 (Portugal)
review (by Carlos Cabral)

KEYWORDS

ghosts, poltergeists, the supernatural, haunted houses, children, families, dogs, mediums, scientists, parapsychologists, trees, swimming pools, suburbia, television, cemeteries, housing developments, the paranormal, psychics

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008