Poltergeist

Product Information

They Are Here was originally produced for the 2007 Warner Bros. DVD. It combines interviews with various experts on the paranormal with clips from Poltergeist. They try to connect their beliefs about the supernatural to events in the film, which doesn’t exactly support their case. As documentaries go, it’s about as persuasive as the average Shark Week program on Discovery. If those programs have managed to convince you that megalodon are still alive and well in the oceans today, then this may be the show for you. The Making of Poltergeist is a vintage promotional featurette from 1982. Like most such EPK material, there’s little substance to it, though it does show some behind-the-scenes footage that provides a tantalizing glimpse of the rotating room in action. The fact that it focuses entirely on Steven Spielberg might add fuel to the fire for those who support the ghost directing theory, but it’s worth pointing out that it was directed by Frank Marshall, who could hardly be considered an unbiased source. We’re taking it a little easy here at The Bits this week, especially in this stretch between the holidays, so that our whole team can relax, unwind, and focus on family and whatnot. But we do have a good post today with release news, a new disc review, and a bit of a look ahead at a few new 4K UHD catalog titles that we expect to arrive sometime in the new year. As always, let’s start with the review first... Subtitles: English SDH, French, German SDH, Italian SDH, Spanish (Castilian), Dutch, Spanish (Latin American), Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish They Are Here: The Real World of Poltergeists, Part 2 – Communing with the Dead (Upscaled SD – 15:33) Though there have been reams of discussion on who the real author of 'Poltergeist' is -- Spielberg or Hooper -- it's clear that thematically, this is Spielberg's show all the way. It displays in spades his penchant for generalized spirituality without overt religious allusion. Nowhere is this more clearly defined than in what may be the film's thematic centerpiece, when Straight explains to Diane and son Robbie Freeling (Oliver Robbins) the nature of "the other side." Rather than some sort of apocalyptic judgment day, Spielberg's afterlife comes off as a sort of heavenly paradise whose only requirement for entrance is that you die. There is no Christian fundamentalism or gooey new-agey gobbledygook at work in Spielberg's intentions -- just an all-encompassing, admirable wish-fulfillment fantasy in which a wondrous world of pure love awaits us on the other side.

format's capabilities. Poltergeist isn't a visually showy or even attractive production, as only a handful of wistful suburban pans are WCG and HDR give a natural boost to the colours without losing the original cinematic intent; flesh tones are natural, greens are lush, reds are bold, and blues cool. Lighting, so important in the atmosphere, is well captured, giving intensity and vividness to the scenes, without encroaching or bloom.Audio Format(s): English 5.1 DTS-HD MA (Remastered), Original Theatrical English 2.0 Stereo DTS-HD MA, French 2.0 Dolby Digital, German 2.0 Dolby Digital, Italian 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish (Castilian) 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish (Latin American) 2.0 Dolby Digital NOTE: Both the 4K and Blu-ray discs in this release feature the same audio options, reviewed below. Of course, there’s a different element of Poltergeist that provides the single biggest reason why it works, and it’s one that tends to get overlooked. Without a solid family dynamic at the heart of the film, everything else would have been little more than sound and fury, signifying nothing. The Freeling household is a credible family unit, and without having that to anchor the film, the supernatural shenanigans wouldn’t work nearly as well as they do. The action may not be believable, but the family dynamic is, and that’s what keeps audiences grounded even when the film goes on its flights of fancy. Yet it’s not really the children who matter. Heather O’Rourke is fine as Carol Anne, and both Oliver Robins and Dominique Dunne make adequate siblings for her, but everything depends on Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams as Steven and Diane Freeling. Carol Anne may have become the face of the franchise, but Steven and Diane were its heart and soul. Nelson and Williams have a natural, easygoing chemistry with each other that works on multiple levels. They don’t just make a plausible couple; they make plausible parents as well, and that’s the real key to Poltergeist. Even when the dialogue fails them, the sincerity of their performances manages to sell it anyway—Williams manages to take that cringeworthy line about Carol Anne passing through her soul, and play it with utterly believable conviction. There’s an argument to be made that the film could be called “Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams’ Poltergeist.” The second option may be a more interesting "upgrade", as Poltergeist's original 2.0 mix (listed as "Original Theatrical English" on the menu) That would be silly, of course, but Poltergeist is the kind of film where any possessory credit is dubious at best. It’s old-school Hollywood factory filmmaking, but in the best possible sense. Both Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg deserve fair credit, as does everyone else involved. There’s enough quality craftsmanship on display here that it overcomes any weaknesses in the story and the dialogue—the whole of Poltergeist is far greater than the sum of its parts.

At the moment, the filmmakers are still holding tightly to details about the film. But fans are able to get a first look at Nicholas Hoult as Thomas Hutter today. This image, provided by Empire Magazine, doesn’t off up much. But it does allow fans to begin salivating over what this film may hold in store for us. It is also an accurate depiction of how we would all look seeing Bill Skarsgard in full on Nosferatu makeup. Nosferatu Two points need to be mentioned about both the master used for this 4K presentation, and the disc itself. The first is that this isn’t quite the original theatrical version of the film. The infamous jump cut at 34:13 is still present, of course, as some dialogue about Pizza Hut was removed long before Poltergeist ever hit home video in any version. (Whether or not the dialogue was actually present in theatrical prints is a debate for another time.) That’s old news, but the new changes involve digital fixes like the ones that were performed for the Indiana Jones series. Wires have been removed, the dog trainer has been erased from the opening of the film, and a few other mistakes like that have been corrected. There are still a few that haven’t, like the reflection in the toaster when the crew members swapped chairs offscreen for the table gag, but the most prominent ones are now gone. (For a complete list of the changes with time codes, see Movie-Censorship.com.) Depth: Depth of field is pretty terrific with the interiors and exteriors showing off a pretty excellent sense of scale and big feeling to it all. Movements are filmic and natural with no issues coming from any sort of rapid motions or camera pans. Here’s some more great breaking news: Our friends at Powerhouse Films have just informed us that their outstanding Indicator label—which already delivers fantastic special edition Blu-ray titles to the UK and European market—is officially coming to the US!

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Now then, the big release news today is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has finally officially announced two major catalog titles for 4K Ultra HD... Audio: English: DTS-HDM 5.1, English DTS-HD MA 2.0 (original audio), French, German, Italian, Spanish (Castilian), Spanish (Latin) DD 2.0 Video Disclaimer: Screen captures used in the review are taken from the standard Blu-ray disc, not the 4K UHD Blu-ray disc. Contrary to Warner Bros.' usual habits, the included Blu-ray is a brand new disc (not available separately) that sources its 1080p transfer

There is a great deal of detail on show, skin has good texture, with pores, wrinkles and hair lines, while clothing has decent weave. Overlooking the valley with the new houses is suitably expansive, while the lawns are crisp and defined, likewise the gloopy mud in the swimming pool and the rain are well seen as are furnishings, wall coverings (gaudy or otherwise), paranormal paraphernalia and TV screens; all are keen. Does show up the coarseness of the ‘tree’ though. While not containing the most original of ideas, Poltergeist, did catapult into the mainstream conscience certain cinematic devices, ideas, if you will: that disturbing ancient burial grounds is generally a bad thing, and that clowns are scary. The latter is interesting, in that up until 1982 cinema rarely explored (exploited?) this, oh He Who gets Slapped (1924) or The Man Who Laughs (1928) might have dabbled in the idea with some stark imagery, but it took that scene in Poltergeist to unleash a torrent of scares and all the subsequent movies based on this one simple, terrifying, concept.

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It’s haunting, terrifying, silly, and slightly outdated, but Poltergeist remains one of the biggest sci-fi/horror movies of the 1980s, and a movie I can watch over and over again. Looking at it from a modern perspective, we’ve definitely seen scarier. And the special effects monsters and goo don’t hold a candle to the CGI we have nowadays. But no matter how dated they might be, the meticulously developed story makes up all the difference in some of the goofiness. That final 15 minutes are a pure pulse pounding ride, with one of THE best horror endings in the industry. 40 years later, I still get excited watching Diane trying to protect her children from the spirits vying for their dominance, and that ending is simply cinematic gold. downsampled from its true 4K roots -- means that even its strongest moments can't match the UHD in terms of vibrancy or refined detail, it's retained but improved is good news for everyone -- another feather in WB's cap, as they're not usually known for this. Fun fact for the absurdly curious: Yes, that annoying jump-cut around the 34-minute mark is still present and is as distracting as

Tobe Hooper's horror classic Poltergeist on 4K, focusing all its energy on the strength of a brand-new restoration and HDR10 enhancement. Description: A typical family in a quiet suburb of a normal California faces a frightening ordeal when its home is invaded by a Poltergeist. Late one night, 10-year-old Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O'Rourke) hears a voice coming from inside the television set ... At first, the spirits that invade the Freeling's home seem like playful children. But then they turn angry. And when Carol Anne is pulled from this world into another, Steve and Diane Freeling (Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams--In the Land of Women) turn to an exorcist (Zelda Rubinstein) in this horror classic from director Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre films) and producer and screenwriter Steven Spielberg.​. of the Digibook edition linked above. While I wouldn't personally award this film a full five stars, I certainly can and will recognize it as a well-made Without diving too deep into the discussion of who actually directed Poltergeist, there is no denying that the production undoubtedly displays Steven Spielberg's signature style, flaunting his familiar tropes and oozing in that unmistakable Spielbergian atmosphere. But the more impressive aspect of this now-classic supernatural thriller is how smoothly that style gels with Tobe Hooper's own aesthetic and camerawork, creating a unique viewing experience where a horror film is both scary and strangely family-friendly. This is one of the great horror movies that can be watched with the entire family. As he demonstrated in his cult classic The Funhouse, Hooper bides his time in building up an ominous tone and mood, allowing the story to unfold organically where the frights and nightmarish visuals enjoy equal weight as the drama anchoring this fantastical tale about a family confronted by the possibility of life after death. In fact, the story begins with an uncomfortable conversation about death after the family pet bird dies.There are unquestionably many Spielbergian touches in Poltergeist; he did indeed co-write and produce it, after all. The suburban family milieu is pure Spielberg, as are the more melodramatic moments in the film. When Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams have their dramatic farewell before she plunges into the abyss, the camera cuts away to Beatrice Straight’s tearful reaction, and that’s one of Spielberg’s standard techniques to manipulate the audience by letting them know that it’s time to cry. Yet Hooper’s stamp is present on the final product as well, as there are numerous shots and bits of editing that didn’t quite fit into Spielberg’s house style at the time—for example, the repeated use of crash cut zooms onto faces, or the montage of Nelson screaming from different camera angles after the appearance of the ghost head. (Spielberg would go on to use similar setups two years later in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but he arguably learned the technique from Hooper and The Texas Chain S aw Massacre.) Subtitles: English SDH, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish They’re here! On 4K UHD! All those angry spirits that have been causing havoc waiting for a chance to get a 4K release are now at peace. Tobe Hooper’s spooky classic, Poltergeist is finally coming to 4K UHD and we couldn’t be happier about it.