Poltergeist

19821 hour 54 minsREnglish

HorroRated verdict

Legendary

1980sSupernaturalHaunted HouseGhost StoryFamily Horror

Directed by: Tobe Hooper
Written by: Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, Mark Victor
Produced by: Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy

Collections

Practical FX Supernatural Family Horror Haunted House

Why it’s HorroRated

Poltergeist works because the family feels completely real before anything goes wrong. Tobe Hooper and Spielberg build real stakes so that when the horror hits, it actually lands. The practical effects are still impressive and a few scenes remain hard to shake. One of the best haunted house films ever made.

Synopsis

The Freeling family lives in a new development built over ground with its own history, and the house begins making that history known. What starts as rearranged furniture and knocking sounds becomes something that takes their daughter. Tobe Hooper and Spielberg build real stakes before the horror arrives, and a few scenes have never been easy to shake.