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Poltergeist

Play trailer Poster for Poltergeist PG 1982 1h 54m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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Poltergeist

Poltergeist

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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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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide The Times (UK) ... A masterclass in creeping suburban horror. Oct 23, 2023 Full Review Kevin Maher The Times (UK) One of the great anti-TV movies, alongside Network and The Truman Show. Rated: 4/5 Oct 21, 2022 Full Review 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 Full Review Rachel Wagner Rachel's Reviews (YouTube) They do a great job building tension with some effective scares Oct 28, 2025 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Full Review geminielsy One of the best movies it still gave me the chills. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/13/24 Full Review jessie Classic 🤌🏽 not too spooky 👍🏽 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/18/22 Full Review Mary B Poltergeist is an undeniable classic. It’s got everything you could want in a horror film— rich character development, authentic emotion, and genuinely chilling moments. Who could forget the clown scene? The slow buildup, the tension, the way the family’s love for one another makes the terror hit even harder. It has that unmistakable Spielberg magic, the sense of wonder, the warmth, the perfect pacing yet it’s directed by Tobe Hooper, the genius behind The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. That combination of styles creates something rare: a film that feels both like a heartfelt family story and a nightmare unfolding in real time. Poltergeist isn’t just one of the best horror movies ever made; it’s one of the best films, period. The fact that it sits below 80% with audiences just proves how questionable people’s taste can be Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/26/25 Full Review Matty D Most will consider director Tobe Hooper’s premier feature, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to be his masterpiece. However, I beg to differ. Produced by auteur Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist is without a doubt director Tobe Hooper’s best film. Leagues ahead of The Funhouse, with a smarter script and bigger, better special effects than Texas Chainsaw, Poltergeist is simply put: the nightmarish side of the elusive American Dream. With an All Star cast—including the introduction of perfectly and eerily cast Heather O’Rourke—this is a film that will scare you, move you, and fill you with hope. With maybe the exception of one scene, Poltergeist is easily a horror film for everyone, young and old alike. Kids will identify with themselves onscreen as much as adults will too. If you’re not one for blood or gore, don’t worry because Poltergeist is able to deliver the frights without resulting to blood and guts. If you’ve never seen this film, you’re doing yourself a serious disservice! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/24/25 Full Review Harold C. A stylish slice of suburban horror that balances Spielberg’s iconic imagery with Hooper’s genre touch, this one still shines through its strong performances and unforgettable set pieces. Some effects show their age and the ending feels a little drawn out, but the atmosphere, character work, and sheer iconicness make it easy to see why it became a horror classic. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/21/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Poltergeist

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Movie Info

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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