The second option may be a more interesting "upgrade", as Poltergeist's original 2.0 mix (listed as "Original Theatrical English" on the menu)

There are unquestionably many Spielbergian touches in Poltergeist; he did indeed co-write and produce it, after all. The suburban family milieu is pure Spielberg, as are the more melodramatic moments in the film. When Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams have their dramatic farewell before she plunges into the abyss, the camera cuts away to Beatrice Straight’s tearful reaction, and that’s one of Spielberg’s standard techniques to manipulate the audience by letting them know that it’s time to cry. Yet Hooper’s stamp is present on the final product as well, as there are numerous shots and bits of editing that didn’t quite fit into Spielberg’s house style at the time—for example, the repeated use of crash cut zooms onto faces, or the montage of Nelson screaming from different camera angles after the appearance of the ghost head. (Spielberg would go on to use similar setups two years later in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but he arguably learned the technique from Hooper and The Texas Chain S aw Massacre.) Here’s some more great breaking news: Our friends at Powerhouse Films have just informed us that their outstanding Indicator label—which already delivers fantastic special edition Blu-ray titles to the UK and European market—is officially coming to the US! We take a “cinematically” typical American suburban family and take it on spin through Hell - Hollywood has been mining that particular nugget since the late sixties, but rarely with such sheer entertainment value. There is infant-jeopardy, neighbour-ignorance and animosity, deceitful bosses and religion rammed down our throats - but only someone as wide-eyed and childlike as Steven Spielberg could have such elements combining to create one of the most fascinating, though-provoking and downright enjoyable horror yarns around. There are flaws, of course, but Poltergeist is certainly a classic of the genre. When the 80's made commercialism and overkill part of the fabric of existence, the spooky haunted house concept just had to follow suite. Thus, the tone and mood of The Haunting, The Legend Of Hell House, The Twilight Zone and The Uninvited gets the big budget makeover and audiences were finally shown what writers and directors had once only been able to hint at. Both The Thing and Poltergeist were inspirational icons to the genre as it dragged itself out of the seventies, proving that mainstream chillers could still offer the things that hardcore fans demanded to see, and wrap them up with good storylines and characters that you cared about. Of course, there’s a different element of Poltergeist that provides the single biggest reason why it works, and it’s one that tends to get overlooked. Without a solid family dynamic at the heart of the film, everything else would have been little more than sound and fury, signifying nothing. The Freeling household is a credible family unit, and without having that to anchor the film, the supernatural shenanigans wouldn’t work nearly as well as they do. The action may not be believable, but the family dynamic is, and that’s what keeps audiences grounded even when the film goes on its flights of fancy. Yet it’s not really the children who matter. Heather O’Rourke is fine as Carol Anne, and both Oliver Robins and Dominique Dunne make adequate siblings for her, but everything depends on Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams as Steven and Diane Freeling. Carol Anne may have become the face of the franchise, but Steven and Diane were its heart and soul. Nelson and Williams have a natural, easygoing chemistry with each other that works on multiple levels. They don’t just make a plausible couple; they make plausible parents as well, and that’s the real key to Poltergeist. Even when the dialogue fails them, the sincerity of their performances manages to sell it anyway—Williams manages to take that cringeworthy line about Carol Anne passing through her soul, and play it with utterly believable conviction. There’s an argument to be made that the film could be called “Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams’ Poltergeist.” The reality is that the success of Poltergeist can’t be attributed to any one person. Film is a collaborative medium, and neither Spielberg or Hooper could have created it alone. It took a legion of talented artists including co-writers Michael Grais and Mark Victor; co-producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall; cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti; editor Michael Kahn; visual effects supervisor Richard Edlund (as well as his own legions of supporting crew); and myriad others. Jerry Goldsmith also contributed one of his finest scores (even though calling it “one of his finest” doesn’t really narrow things down very much, as that could be said of nearly half of the scores that he wrote). It took a village to make Poltergeist work, and Spielberg tends to get too much deference simply because his name is the most recognizable one in the credits.When viewing the studio's promotional trailer for the upcoming 4K Blu-ray release, please make sure to set resolution to 2160p/4K. Theatrical Trailer (2:26) - Last included on MGM's 1997 DVD ( 1997 DVD, people!), this appropriately spooky vintage

living by insisting the film's core mythology is plausible. There's a reason everyone failed the late, great James Randi's Million Dollar Beyond any doubt, Poltergeist has never sounded so good. There is a DD 5.1 alternative, as well, but, trust me, the TrueHD is far better and much more detailed and aggressive. It may not be as detailed as much more recently crafted sound designs, but this remains very impressive indeed. has been granted a substantial bitrate boost from the old Blu-ray's lossy 192kbps Dolby Digital (that's DVD quality) to full-fledged image detail, better color saturation, a more stable and film-like appearance, and of course improved contrast that helps support medium-deep

Sound

NOTE: The screenshots in this review are all sourced from the newly-remastered Blu-ray disc and, as such, obviously do not represent the

There is a great deal of detail on show, skin has good texture, with pores, wrinkles and hair lines, while clothing has decent weave. Overlooking the valley with the new houses is suitably expansive, while the lawns are crisp and defined, likewise the gloopy mud in the swimming pool and the rain are well seen as are furnishings, wall coverings (gaudy or otherwise), paranormal paraphernalia and TV screens; all are keen. Does show up the coarseness of the ‘tree’ though. retained but improved is good news for everyone -- another feather in WB's cap, as they're not usually known for this. WCG and HDR give a natural boost to the colours without losing the original cinematic intent; flesh tones are natural, greens are lush, reds are bold, and blues cool. Lighting, so important in the atmosphere, is well captured, giving intensity and vividness to the scenes, without encroaching or bloom. The Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director’s Edition: The Complete Adventure Limited Edition is a 3-disc set here in the States that includes the DE in 4K, a newly-authored 4K of the previously-released Theatrical Cut as well as the Special Longer Version (included via seamless branching), and a Blu-ray full of bonus content that I’m told includes basically everything ever created and released for the film on home video. (I’m awaiting confirmation of the exact contents from the studio.) But it does NOT include a Blu-ray of the DE itself, nor are Blu-rays of the Theatrical and SLV versions included. The DE is available separately on Blu-ray, and obviously the Theatrical Cut Blu-ray was included in the original 4-Movie Collection from last year. They Are Here: The Real World of the Poltergeists (2 parts, 31:00 total) - Carried over from the 2008 Blu-ray (and what

Warner upgrades 'Poltergeist's audio to Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/16-bit), and it's a nice little remix. The film still doesn't truly overwhelm our aural senses, but it certainly sounds good for a 1982 film. They Are Here: The Real World of Poltergeists, Part 1 – Science of the Spirits (Upscaled SD – 15:31) downsampled from its true 4K roots -- means that even its strongest moments can't match the UHD in terms of vibrancy or refined detail, it's Contrary to Warner Bros.' usual habits, the included Blu-ray is a brand new disc (not available separately) that sources its 1080p transfer

The construction of the film is also wonderful, and this makes even more sense once the outcome of the film is revealed – the opening scene with the TV playing the Star-Spangled Banner, knowing on what the house is built is simply delicious. While the opening foreboding/foreshadowing elements that come into play show a maturity and audacity of film-making that gives a respect to the audience as well as world-builds the environment. And all from childhood fears from producer Steven Spielberg.

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They Are Here was originally produced for the 2007 Warner Bros. DVD. It combines interviews with various experts on the paranormal with clips from Poltergeist. They try to connect their beliefs about the supernatural to events in the film, which doesn’t exactly support their case. As documentaries go, it’s about as persuasive as the average Shark Week program on Discovery. If those programs have managed to convince you that megalodon are still alive and well in the oceans today, then this may be the show for you. The Making of Poltergeist is a vintage promotional featurette from 1982. Like most such EPK material, there’s little substance to it, though it does show some behind-the-scenes footage that provides a tantalizing glimpse of the rotating room in action. The fact that it focuses entirely on Steven Spielberg might add fuel to the fire for those who support the ghost directing theory, but it’s worth pointing out that it was directed by Frank Marshall, who could hardly be considered an unbiased source. they'll immediately strike viewers as impressive, especially on an OLED or even LCD screen with reliable local dimming. (There are even dual