Poltergeist 4K 1982 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

They are here... At first they seem ghostly, playing hide-and-seek in the Freelings' country house. But then it gets really scary! The clouds thicken, the reanimated trees attack, and little Carol Ann Freeling is sucked into a spectral void. And while her family struggles with a string of nightmares and tries to save the girl, somewhere in the neighborhood, something lurks...

Review 4K Movie

Although many horror fans consider Toob Hooper one of the luminaries of the genre, his career has been a rollercoaster ride, alternating ups and downs. With an undeniable talent for storytelling, Hooper has repeatedly been involved in dubious ventures that smear his good name and make producers question his professional suitability. And yet the contribution of the director in the history of cinema can not be overestimated, because he put the very first part of the long-playing franchise 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. Not having at its disposal a decent amount of funding, shooting the tape in virtually homemade conditions without the involvement of famous celebrities, able to provide his name to the project advertising support, Hooper was able to play a chilling story, carefully passing it off as a recreation of the documentary facts. Moviegoers who came to see it got a dose of unforgettable sensations with a sadistic aftertaste, while producers, meanwhile, laughed at the way their pockets were stuffed with substantial profits without the impressive costuming. After such a resounding success, Hooper had no more trouble finding a job, producing a steady film every couple of years, but nothing could compare with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which became the slasher's benchmark. Hooper's reputation gradually faded, his work on films like 'Eaten Alive' and 'Deadly Crash' calling more questions than admiration, and he seemed destined to be relegated to mediocrity when Steven Spielberg came along, brilliant at recreating the most dubious idea into something incredible.

The succession of genius productions that followed Spielberg since the original Jaws gradually turned him into one of the most influential directors of the Dream Factory, but even if he really wanted to, he could not direct all the films he paid attention to himself. Having a taste for entertaining family movies, Spielberg primarily took the work that firmly occupies a place in his soul, and yet with Close Third Degree Contacts, Indiana Jones and Alien, the director did not refuse to support secondary projects, the more so that some of them he wrote the script. In parallel with the work on the adventures of an extraterrestrial guest in the company of earthly children, Spielberg was developing the concept of a mystical horror film called 'Poltergeist'. And since he simply physically could not be torn between the two sets, Spielberg has established a close creative contact with Taub Hooper, was already desperate to return to its former position. And since the offer of a colleague was incredibly tempting, the author of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' accepted it without much hesitation, thus shooting his second significant project, which is no less recognized than the story of the bloody adventures of Leatherface.

As for the plot of 'Poltergeist', it unfolds on the grounds of a newly built housing estate, gradually inhabited by families acquiring a mansion. At the head of the story is Steve Freeling (Craig T. Nelson), quite successful manager of the company-developer, one of the first to get his hands on a posh house for the whole family. Having moved into the dream mansion with his wife Diane (JoBeth Williams) and children Robbie (Oliver Robins), Dana (Dominic Dunn) and Carol Ann (Heather O'Rourke), Steve hoped to live a quiet, peaceful life, while continuing to celebrate successes in selling empty estates, but soon enough all his plans begin to fall apart. Instead of getting what they are supposed to get out of life, the Freeling family witnesses off-scale paranormal activity right in their new home. At first, the presence of unseen guests seems like innocent fun. Objects suddenly begin to move around the rooms at will, sometimes inexplicable rustles are heard and nothing more. But at one moment the otherworldly rampage exceeds all reasonable limits, and the youngest daughter of the Freelings, Carol Ann, disappears in an inexplicable anomaly. And then Steve and Diane have no choice but to acknowledge the existence of the supernatural and give it a decent fight back.

For a long time there have been many controversial rumors surrounding the creation of 'Poltergeist'. Many critics, and even viewers, claim that Steven Spielberg, and not Toob Hooper, should actually be considered responsible for the film's production. As evidence of speculation exhibited numerous photos of the screenwriter and producer from the set, as well as emphasizing the family spirit of the production, which is absolutely inconsistent with the aggressive style of Hooper's directing. And yet Spielberg himself refused to admit his direct involvement in directing the film, agreeing only to the position of a creative consultant, periodically helping a colleague to launch the story in the necessary direction. Either way, 'Poltergeist' must be considered a production of Taub Hooper and no one else, as without him the story would certainly look very different. Partially changing himself and his preferences, the director has made perhaps the most unconventional film of his career, thus showing that with the participation of a competent team he is able to pleasantly surprise. And although in 'Poltergeist' almost every scene feels the hand of Steven Spielberg, the influence of Hooper has played no less important role, because he and no one else had to translate all the aspirations of a comrade into reality.

As in all pictures, which supervised Spielberg, in 'Poltergeist' special attention was paid to work with the young performers, because in many ways on their shoulders lay the development of the narrative. But, of course, the most responsible part in the whole movie went to Heather O'Rourke, who played the very Carol Anne, kidnapped by embittered ghosts. The girl had to build an emotional connection with the audience, to show him that all what is happening in the frame is quite a palpable danger, and if you allow even the slightest mistake, the Fieldings will never meet with his daughter. This is not an easy task even for skilled actresses, but Heather O'Rourke manages to show the camera a sincere innocence, winning without a trace. You empathize with the abductee and her parents while watching the story, mentally regret that you cannot help and wait with indescribable excitement when the mysterious story will be solved and it will become clear what exactly annoyed the restless ghosts.

In the end I want to say that 'Poltergeist' is an example of a very well thought out dramatic story based on classical canons of horror. Steven Spielberg's involvement makes 'Poltergeist' look like a diligent movie for the broadest family audience, but one should not diminish the merits of Toob Hooper, who was able to implement his colleague's ideas while also bringing a piece of his own directorial vision to the narrative. It is impossible to argue with the fact that the main intrigue of the story looks far from the most twisted, but the confident script, strong hand of the director, interesting acting and exciting special effects have created from "Poltergeist" one of the most popular horrors of its time. And in many ways, Toob Hooper's film remains a benchmark for the production of decent horror to this day. In this regard, I see no reason not to wish you the most fascinating viewing experience.