Poltergeist (1982) | 100 Movies Bucket List

 

This is another re-watch that I was really looking forward to seeing again.

I've seen this a few times, but not for about 7ish years, so as well as I know the story, it still felt like I could come to this again with a somewhat fresh perspective.

I like this film a lot.

Re-watching this, it's clear how much it has influenced modern horror. There are so many iconic moments, scenes and lines that you'd know of regardless of whether or not you've actually seen the film.

I loved that the film gets right into it. Less than 5 minutes in, we're seeing Carol Anne at the TV, and the horrors never really slow down from here.

While the visuals are outdated when viewed from the lens of a modern audience, they were really original and inventive. Even ideas that have been used before and since this film, like clown dolls, feel extremely unique in the film.

Some of the acting isn't great, but a lot of the actors do a good job and are really committed to their performances - Heather O'Rourke, in particular, was amazing as Carol Anne, particularly considering how young she was and how much of the film was based on her character.

It's really easy to put yourself in the characters' shoes, to feel exactly what they're feeling. You can feel their fear.

Considering how much happens in the first half of the film, the pacing is great. Even in the slower moments, you're never bored.

I will say, the dialogue left a lot to be desired. There's a period in the film where a variety of characters give monologues that don't really move the film on, and instead distract us from the fact that the child is still missing! Cutting a couple of these could have saved a bit on the runtime.

Because the film absolutely didn't need to be almost 2 hours long.

But in saying that, it's still completely worth watching. The last 30 minutes are so fantastic.

So overall, this is absolutely worthy of the classic title, and is definitely one to watch if you've never seen it!