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HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

post #1 of 25
10/7/08 at 9:54pm
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Poltergeist

Release Date: October 14, 2008
Studio: Warner Home Video
Packaging/Materials: Digipack case with attached collectible booklet
Year: 1982
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1h54m
MSRP: $34.99
MAIN FEATURE SPECIAL FEATURES
Video 1080p high definition 16x9 2.40:1 May be in standard definition
Audio Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1, Dolby Digital: English 5.1, English 2.0, French 2.0, Spanish 2.0 (both Castillian and Latin), German 2.0, Italian 1.0 Audio standards may vary
Subtitles English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, and Swedish (movie and select bonus material)


The Feature: 4/5
Owning a home - it's the American dream. Unless that dream is built on top of a bunch of dead people. Unfortunately that's the nightmare Steve and Diane Freeling (Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams) are faced with when they move into the Cuesta Verde housing development. Before long the most vulnerable member of their family is making connections with what lies beneath and what starts out mischievous soon turns malevolent when she gets paranormally abducted. Getting her back won't be easy, but a mother's love and a father's determination are powerful forces too.

Looking over the packaging I was a little surprised to see "Poltergeist" rated PG. I distinctly recall it being R-rated in its fright factor, but then I did the math and realized I was only nine at the time it came out. For my impressionable mind back then, a PG basically amounted to an R. Being less impressionable now as an adult I see the ingenuity of the whole thing. Why should only teenagers and adults experience horror films? Why not make one the whole family can enjoy? And who better to put together this family frightfest than Steven "Close Encounters" Spielberg (who wrote and produced) and Tobe "Texas Chainsaw" Hooper (who directed)? That the peanut-butter-and-chocolate style combination didn't generate more family-horror films is a surprise, but maybe that's because "Poltergeist" was actually scary and suspenseful, making the PG rating a bit of an underestimation in hindsight. Still, it goes to show that something doesn't have to be all gore and violence to be frightening, something the current slate of modern horror films could do with understanding.


Video Quality: 4/5
Accurately framed at 2.40:1 the picture is generally free of physical blemishes and signs of edge enhancement. Black levels are deep and stable, though shadow detail and delineation can be a little lacking. The transfer keeps grain structure intact with no indications of noise reduction, though there are a handful of moments where minor noise is evident. The color palette is pretty unremarkable, but color rendition and flesh tones appear accurate.


Audio Quality: 3/5
Though the release includes a lossless Dolby TrueHD track, I actually prefer the stereo option, the surround treatment being too disjointed for my taste. Most of the activity in the surround mix is in the front soundstage, with some support in the surrounds for the film score, but the whole thing doesn't sound sufficiently balanced or seamless. While the stereo track is lossy and only 192 kbps, it's surprisingly expansive. I also found the dialogue - particularly in the scene where there's a lot of whispering - more intelligible in the stereo track. If only the lossless track had been in stereo!


Special Features: 1/5

Just as with the 25th anniversary edition DVD, the sole feature on disc is a meager documentary about the paranormal. Though this release doesn't raise expectations the same way an anniversary release does, it still amounts to a lame show of support. The booklet, while nicely printed and containing some decent information, doesn't really make up for it.

"They Are Here: The Real World of Poltergeists Revealed" Documentary (31m05s): Ghost hunters and other paranormal experts talk about their area of expertise and its correlation to the film.

Collectible Booklet: Forty-six-page booklet attached to the packaging profiles cast and crew and includes a brief history of the production.


Recap

The Feature: 4/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 3/5
Special Features: 1/5
Overall Score (not an average): 2.5/5

A spirited "family horror" film gets very good video, less than ideal audio options and a poor set of special features. The film really deserves better and fans will be wise to hold off until it gets a proper release.
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post #2 of 25
10/8/08 at 6:26am

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

It's a shame that the special features are so lacking for this film.....it deserves so much more. Still plan on getting this one sometime as I haven't seen this since the 80's (I grew weary of watching it over and over on Pay TV during that time.....it seemed to be on constantly). I think I'm ready to watch this one once again.
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post #3 of 25
10/8/08 at 12:48pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Sounds like the same folks in charge of this edition handled the middling Beetlejuice edition. Sigh.
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post #4 of 25
10/8/08 at 12:58pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

In all fairness to WB for the lack of extras. We all know Speilberg and Hooper wont speak of the production controversies or allow anyone else to.
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post #5 of 25
10/8/08 at 1:12pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
In all fairness to WB for the lack of extras. We all know Speilberg and Hooper wont speak of the production controversies or allow anyone else to.

That didn't stop an E! THS on Poltegeist from coming out and having actors and behind the scenes people talk about the production. The subject of the doc. may have been "The Curse of Poltergeist" but there were several discussions of what was going on behind the scenes of the films themselves. It did also discuss, although I forget in how much detail, the "who directed" controversy.
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post #6 of 25
10/8/08 at 1:24pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
Originally Posted by WillG
That didn't stop an E! THS on Poltegeist from coming out and having actors and behind the scenes people talk about the production. The subject of the doc. may have been "The Curse of Poltergeist" but there were several discussions of what was going on behind the scenes of the films themselves. It did also discuss, although I forget in how much detail, the "who directed" controversy.

Oh crap; I forgot about that. I never saw it but I heard about it. Anyone got a copy?

Regardless I did read that Speilberg didnt want WB to release or do a doc on the current Poltergeist release.
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post #7 of 25
10/8/08 at 1:28pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
Originally Posted by WillG
That didn't stop an E! THS on Poltegeist from coming out and having actors and behind the scenes people talk about the production. The subject of the doc. may have been "The Curse of Poltergeist" but there were several discussions of what was going on behind the scenes of the films themselves. It did also discuss, although I forget in how much detail, the "who directed" controversy.

I saw this documentary one night after I got home from the movies. I had just seen The Ring and I swear this piece was scarier!

Matt Butler - There's a chance E! might re-air it around Halloween so check your listings.
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post #8 of 25
10/8/08 at 1:37pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott D S
I saw this documentary one night after I got home from the movies. I had just seen The Ring and I swear this piece was scarier!

Matt Butler - There's a chance E! might re-air it around Halloween so check your listings.


Thanks Scott! Will do. I want to see this
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post #9 of 25
10/8/08 at 3:48pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

If they had to drop the documentary featurette from the LaserDisc, I guess I can live with that but, dammit, what's with dropping the trailers??? Hell, one of them was even on the original bare-bones DVD!
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post #10 of 25
10/8/08 at 4:27pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cameron Yee
Looking over the packaging I was a little surprised to see "Poltergeist" rated PG. I distinctly recall it being R-rated in its fright factor, but then I did the math and realized I was only nine at the time it came out.


Poltergeist was one of the films that contributed to the creation of the PG-13 rating, along with Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
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post #11 of 25
10/8/08 at 4:39pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
Regardless I did read that Speilberg didnt want WB to release or do a doc on the current Poltergeist release.

A couple of years back in an HTF chat with WB, the said they had some "Great" special featues planned for this. So probably at one time they had bigger plans. If Spielberg did indeed kill those plans, that's pretty lame. There was plenty that could have been discussed about the film without touching on the controversy.

It would have been nice if they could have thrown some other stuff on there. For example, and I keep mentioning it, I know that there was an alternate version of the "face ripping" scene that showed up on early television broadcasts. Does anyone else here remember this?
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post #12 of 25
10/8/08 at 4:48pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

This is one of my classic favorites that I will be buying for the first time on Blu-ray! I can not wait to own this title this will be cool!
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post #13 of 25
10/8/08 at 6:26pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Yeah, too bad about the lack of extras. Think I'll finally pick this classic up to own.

_Man_
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post #14 of 25
10/9/08 at 9:07am

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

I'm generally not big on supplements, but I join Travis in bemoaning the lack of a trailer on this release, especially given its inclusion on the old DVD release.
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post #15 of 25
10/9/08 at 11:30am

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Does this still have that unusual edit in the film. Been a long time since I watched it, but there was that one scene where the Craig Nelson and his wife are suddenly at their neighbors front door. It seemed like a broken reel sort of splice edit.

I hope you brilliant bunch know what I am talking about. Just curious if that was intended (it sure did not look like it!) or if was fixed in this version.
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post #16 of 25
10/9/08 at 12:10pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

From Literary Illusions Review's website:

"Note: For those who have never seen this movie, be prepared for an editing glitch in the scene where they are talking about going to Pizza Hut and Carol Ann is in the football helmet. This glitch has been in the film since nearly the beginning. You can thank Pizza Hut for it, since they complained about a line in which Steve mentions he hates Pizza Hut. Instead of redoing the scene, it has been cut in parts and there is no transition before Steve and Diane are standing on the front porch of their next door neighbor’s house. This is intentional. This is not your DVD player skipping!"
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post #17 of 25
10/9/08 at 5:50pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
Originally Posted by Travis Brashear
From Literary Illusions Review's website:

"Note: For those who have never seen this movie, be prepared for an editing glitch in the scene where they are talking about going to Pizza Hut and Carol Ann is in the football helmet. This glitch has been in the film since nearly the beginning. You can thank Pizza Hut for it, since they complained about a line in which Steve mentions he hates Pizza Hut. Instead of redoing the scene, it has been cut in parts and there is no transition before Steve and Diane are standing on the front porch of their next door neighbor’s house. This is intentional. This is not your DVD player skipping!"

Thanks for that info.

So I guess we can expect that "long lost, almost-never-seen-before, restored footage(s)" version in the gazillionth-dip release on Super-duper UltraX-D some day when Pizza Hut's no longer in business?

_Man_
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post #18 of 25
10/9/08 at 7:09pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

I believe all audio tracks, from 7.1 surround to 1.0 mono should be lossless.
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post #19 of 25
10/9/08 at 7:27pm

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

i remember i having nightmares as a kid after watching this film. the maggots in the steak and the living tree was too much for me then
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post #20 of 25
10/10/08 at 1:39am

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
Originally Posted by Travis Brashear
From Literary Illusions Review's website:

"Note: For those who have never seen this movie, be prepared for an editing glitch in the scene where they are talking about going to Pizza Hut and Carol Ann is in the football helmet. This glitch has been in the film since nearly the beginning. You can thank Pizza Hut for it, since they complained about a line in which Steve mentions he hates Pizza Hut. Instead of redoing the scene, it has been cut in parts and there is no transition before Steve and Diane are standing on the front porch of their next door neighbor’s house. This is intentional. This is not your DVD player skipping!"

That cut was in the film when I saw it the summer of 82, about 1 week into the release.

Doug
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post #21 of 25
10/10/08 at 6:18am

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
"Note: For those who have never seen this movie, be prepared for an editing glitch in the scene where they are talking about going to Pizza Hut and Carol Ann is in the football helmet. This glitch has been in the film since nearly the beginning. You can thank Pizza Hut for it, since they complained about a line in which Steve mentions he hates Pizza Hut. Instead of redoing the scene, it has been cut in parts and there is no transition before Steve and Diane are standing on the front porch of their next door neighbor’s house. This is intentional. This is not your DVD player skipping!"

You would have thought that Pizza Hut would have gotten over it by now? All I have to say is Pizza hut is still a ding dong!

But really this is sad for Pizza Hut and I can not say I am very happy about that scene being edited because of them! I will be buying this title and enjoying it just the same, but Pizza Hut should be ashamed!
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post #22 of 25
10/10/08 at 7:07am

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
Originally Posted by EnricoE
i remember i having nightmares as a kid after watching this film. the maggots in the steak and the living tree was too much for me then

It was the clown that freaked me out and still does to a certain degree.
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post #23 of 25
10/10/08 at 9:44am

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Poltergeist

Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
That cut was in the film when I saw it the summer of 82, about 1 week into the release.

Doug

'K.
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post #24 of 25
2/2/10 at 10:25am
I've been pondering for a while now whether to pick this up. Reading the back cover at a trip to Best Buy it says New Transfer from Regenerated picture elements. What?? What exactly does this mean? Also, what a shame that Warners didn't come up with a more substantial package. This is one film that has had a famously troubled production which many people may find fascinating. One way around any possible legal issues would be if MGM/Fox someday decide to release SE's of the sequels then perhaps they could include some portion of that backstory in a making-of featurette? What a missed opportunity
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post #25 of 25
2/5/10 at 12:24pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by Luisito34 View Post

I've been pondering for a while now whether to pick this up. 

Me too.  And at the great sale price of only $9,999!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Poltergeist-Blu-ray-JoBeth-Williams/dp/B001DEUVGK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1265401247&sr=8-2




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Poltergeist [Blu-ray Book]
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