Anyone else seen it? I just watched it for the first time yesterday and thought it was one scary movie. It's from 1982 and was directed by Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg and written by the latter.
Some special effects do not look real, but some do, and you can spot early computer graphics in the room with all the spinning objects (the lamp, the records, the figures). And there are plenty of scary moments, like all those skeletons popping up and those chairs suddenly stacking themselves on the table a la the drawer scene in "The Sixth Sense" (how'd they do that--in both movies?)
Anyway, very scary, and very funny in some parts. Excellent peformances. Anyone else have any thoughts on the movie?
Posted by Colorful Cartman (Member # 256) on :
I remember being scared out of my mind when I first watched it. /me was young, innocent, and impressionable back then Those gruesome skeletons gave me nightmares for weeks! By contrast, I happened to catch Poltergeist the other day and nearly pissed my pants. Ouch. Hard to imagine the cheesy effects and cheap cliches were once considered revolutionary. A classic for sure.
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
Oh, the stories I have about the making of that film's effects.
Posted by Veers (Member # 661) on :
Please tell.
Posted by ThoughtPyminal (Member # 480) on :
It was a good flick. Tobe Hooper barely directed it, though. Spielberg told him how to do just about everything...Hooper hasn't worked with Spielberg again.
The movie originally started out in script form as a movie called "Watch The Skies", and it was about a family on a farm being hunted by a bunch of badass aliens, one of which--Skar--would later apparently be the foundation for E.T., which is...suprising. Spielberg wanted an old-fashioned horror movie...
After much to do about nothing (and mucho dinero spent on pre-production designs) Steve decided he didn't want to do "Watch the Skies" anymore, and took elements from that script, and proceeded to make E.T. and Poltergeist.
Hooper was hand picked by Spielberg to direct the movie...but Spielberg ended up doing everything the way he wanted on set. The Story is that Hooper pretty much just sat there sipping coffee, watching Spielberg do whatever he wanted.
He didn't say anything because, well, if Spielberg wants to do your movie, the source of all Hollywood money says: Let him.
Anyway. Thought you might find that interesting.
Posted by Magnus Pym Eye (Member # 239) on :
Hooper had some pretty nasty things to say about the making of that film later on, though. But nobody listens to him, because, who the "fuck" is Tobe Hooper?
[ July 27, 2002, 19:37: Message edited by: Magnus Pym Eye ]
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
I saw that movie once when I was five years old or so. Not a very pleasant experience for someone so young. I began sleeping with a night-light again after watching that movie.
I don't remember a whole lot from it, but I do remember the pit opening up in the front yard. I remember the monster under the bed, and some woman jumping into a portal that was in a closet. I think this also had something to do with tennis balls. And who can ever forget the little girl watching television static and saying, "They're here."
Creepy.
Posted by Woodside Kid (Member # 699) on :
I've always thought the family should have sued the pants off that little psychic. She says "This house is clear" and then it really hits the fan! Can you say "fraud?"
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Those gruesome skeletons gave me nightmares for weeks! By contrast, I happened to catch Poltergeist the other day and nearly pissed my pants. Ouch. Hard to imagine the cheesy effects and cheap cliches were once considered revolutionary. A classic for sure.