Movies - Poltergeist film series

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	Movies - Poltergeist film series

The Poltergeist movies are a trilogy of horror films produced in the 1980s. Steven Spielberg co-wrote, co-produced, and some say directed the first Poltergeist although Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) was billed as the director. Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III each had a different writer, producer, and director. Brian Gibson directed Poltergeist II: The Other Side, whereas Poltergeist III was directed, co-written, co-produced and storyboarded by Gary Sherman. Michael Grais and Mark Victor co-wrote the first film with Spielberg, wrote the second film on their own and also co-produced it. Brian Taggert and an uncredited Steve Feke co-wrote the third film. Spielberg's long-time friends (and then-married couple) Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy co-produced the first film. Freddie Fields and Lynn Arost co-produced the second film, and the third film was co-produced by Barry Bernardi. The scores of the first two films were composed by Jerry Goldsmith. H.R. Giger did conceptual designs for the second film.

In the first, and most successful, film (released on June 4 1982), a group of seemingly benign ghosts begin communicating with five-year-old Carol Anne Freeling in her parent's suburban home via snow on the television. Eventually they use the TV as their path into the house itself. At first the ghosts play harmless tricks and amuse the mother, Diane, played by JoBeth Williams, but soon, more malevolent and nasty spirits are drawn, putting the family into harm's way and sweeping Carol Anne through her bedroom closet into another dimension. When she cannot be found, her father Steven, played by Craig T. Nelson, reluctantly calls on a group of parapsychologists from UCLA: Dr. Lesh, Ryan, and Marty, who are awestruck by the manifestations they witness. Steven learns that the subdivision they live in was built over a cemetery that was moved in order to allow the land to be developed for new housing. Dr. Lesh later returns with a spiritual medium, Tangina Barrons, who informs Diane that her daughter is "alive and in this house", yet because he wants to keep the souls he has around him in bondage, Carol Anne is being held captive by "The Beast," who "lies to her and tells her things only a child can understand". Tangina aids Diane in stepping into the "other side" to save Carol Anne. The medium pronounces the house "clean" when the girl is retrieved, however the ending of the film tells a different story. The family finds itself once more under siege when they discover that only the tombstones from the cemetery were moved, not the bodies...

The two sequels (released in 1986 and 1988) followed Reverend Henry Kane, "The Beast" who kidnapped Carol Anne in the first film, stalking Carol Anne and her other family members too.

Some of the stars in the movie suffered unfortunate fates, for which the movie series has been dubbed as having a Poltergeist curse.

Partial credits

Cast:

Craig T. Nelson
, Steven "Steve" Freeling (first and second films only)
JoBeth Williams
, Diane Freeling (ne Wilson) (first and second films only)
Jaclyn Bernstein, Young Diane (in the second film)
Dominique Dunne
, Dana Freeling (first film only)
Oliver Robins
, Robert "Robbie" Freeling (first and second films only)
Heather O'Rourke
, Carol Anne Freeling
Geraldine Fitzgerald
, Jessica "Gramma Jess" Wilson (second film only)
Kelly Jean Peters Young Jess (second film only)
Tom Skerritt
, Bruce Gardner (third film only)
Nancy Allen
, Patricia Wilson-Gardner (third film only)
Lara Flynn Boyle
, Donna Gardner (third film only)
Zelda Rubinstein
, Tangina Barrons, Clarivoyant
Beatrice Straight
, Dr. Lesh (first film only)
Martin Casella, Dr. Marty Casey (first film only)
Richard Lawson
, Ryan (first film only)
Will Sampson
, Taylor (second film only)
Richard Fire, Dr. Seaton (third film only)
Julian Beck
, Reverend Henry Kane (in the second film)
Nathan Davis, Reverend Henry Kane (in the third film)
Corey Burton
, Reverend Henry Kane (in the third film, voice only, uncredited)
Noble Craig, the Great Beast a.k.a. "Vomit Creature" (second film only)

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