Poltergeist

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Poltergeist

PG

1982

1h 54m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

80 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Strange and creepy happenings beset an average California family, the Freelings -- Steve (Craig T. Nelson), Diane (JoBeth Williams), teenaged Dana (Dominique Dunne), eight-year-old Robbie (Oliver Robins), and five-year-old Carol Ann (Heather O'Rourke) -- when ghosts commune with them through the television set. Initially friendly and playful, the spirits turn unexpectedly menacing, and, when Carol Ann goes missing, Steve and Diane turn to a parapsychologist and eventually an exorcist for help.

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Critics Consensus

Smartly filmed, tightly scripted, and -- most importantly -- consistently frightening, Poltergeist is a modern horror classic.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

... A masterclass in creeping suburban horror.

Oct 23, 2023

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

One of the great anti-TV movies, alongside Network and The Truman Show.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 21, 2022

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

The keynote of the film is O’Rourke’s eerie, ethereally pale face, illuminated by the unearthly light of the haunted TV.

Rated: 5/5

Oct 21, 2022

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Rachel Wagner

Rachel's Reviews (YouTube)

They do a great job building tension with some effective scares

Oct 28, 2025

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Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

It really has something for everyone. It’s accessible enough to general audiences that don’t want to see gore, or be constantly scared out of their gore, but it has enough scares and good special effects to satisfy most horror fanatics.

Rated: 10/10

Sep 18, 2025

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

The major scares stuck with audiences for good reason, though it's the family dynamics that really make this one a classic.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 11, 2025

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Fred

Man, this is a GOOD movie. Nowadays I only hope for solidly mediocre. No boring parts. Great character development. Freely, but not too gory, we'll except for one dream sequence where a guy tears his own face off. Very California 1980s growing up - R.C. Cars, T.V. remotes new technology, Televisions going off air at night after the National Anthem, etc

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/13/24

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geminielsy

One of the best movies it still gave me the chills.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/13/24

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jessie

Classic 🤌🏽 not too spooky 👍🏽

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/18/22

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judy b

The first time I tried watching it, I gave up halfway through it. Gave it another go. The special effects are great, but it’s just not for me. There is a Poltergeist two. Definitely will not watch it.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/12/25

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Todor Y

Although it wasn't particularly noteworthy, I must say that the practical effects in Poltergeist (1982) were very amazing; they appeared so realistic that it was difficult to believe they weren't created using computer-generated imagery. There was an eerie charm to the atmosphere that only classic horror can provide. Nevertheless, the story and acting as a whole occasionally felt inadvertently humorous, more akin to a dark comedy than a gruesome haunting. Even so, it's nostalgically entertaining and worth seeing for the effects alone.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/31/25

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Angela M

This is my 2nd time to watch Poltergeist after it's original release long time ago. When it comes to horror/thriller, yes, some jump scare scenes but not the gory type of movie. What i like most is the underlying message about "family bonding and love" and "building trust towards people".

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/30/25

Full Review

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Tobe Hooper

Director

Craig T. Nelson

Steve Freeling

JoBeth Williams

Diane Freeling

Beatrice Straight

Dr. Lesh

Dominique Dunne

Dana Freeling

Oliver Robins

Robbie Freeling

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Synopsis

Strange and creepy happenings beset an average California family, the Freelings -- Steve (Craig T. Nelson), Diane (JoBeth Williams), teenaged Dana (Dominique Dunne), eight-year-old Robbie (Oliver Robins), and five-year-old Carol Ann (Heather O'Rourke) -- when ghosts commune with them through the television set. Initially friendly and playful, the spirits turn unexpectedly menacing, and, when Carol Ann goes missing, Steve and Diane turn to a parapsychologist and eventually an exorcist for help.

Director: Tobe Hooper
Producer: Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, Mark Victor
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: PG
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 4, 1982, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $121.8M
Runtime: 1h 54m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo, Dolby
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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