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POLTERGEIST

Just Like ‘Evil Dead,’ the New ‘Poltergeist’ Is A Sequel…

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on May 21, 2013 @ 8:51pm
Category: Movies / News

Semantics.

An update to our exclusive story posted yesterday regarding the plot details for the forthcoming Poltergeist “remake.”

Our friends at Moviehole.net reveal that the Gil Kenan-directed Sam Raimi-produced reboot – much like the Evil Dead remake – exists in the same world as the previous Poltergeist films. So while it is a ‘reboot’ of the franchise, it’s also somewhat of a sequel – taking place years after the Freeling’s were ran out of town. READ MORE

Exclusive

Exclusive: ‘Poltergeist’ To Film This September; First Details!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on May 20, 2013 @ 1:42pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

We just received inside Intel that Gil Kenan has officially begun casting his vision of Poltergeist.

He will begin shooting the movie as soon as September in Toronto, Canada.

In exclusive first details, the new version follows Eric Bowen and his family who, after he loses his job, relocate to a new town to start anew. His daughter, Madison, is abducted, making him truly understand what’s important in life: family. In the new version, Eric’s wife, Amy, can communicate with the dead.

Another interesting new character is Carrigan Burke, a television personality who hosts “Haunted House Cleaners.” The supernatural doesn’t scare this guy. Dr. Brooke Powell is Carrigan’s ex-wife who is a parapsychologist at a local university.Her team investigates the supernatural events surrounding the disappearance of the Bowen girl.

David Lindsay-Abaire is listed as the main screenwriter although Juliet Snowden and Stiles White has previously worked on it.

Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Roy Lee produce. READ MORE

Sam Raimi-Produced ‘Poltergeist’ Remake Has Another Director

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on March 06, 2013 @ 7:41pm
Category: Movies / News

After the huge success of The Last Exorcism Part 2 (that was extreme sarcasm), MGM has decided once again to move forward with their remake of Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg’s Poltergeist.

Gil Kenan, who’s best known for helming Monster House and City Of Ember, is the third director attached to the remake that’s been in development hell for the better part of a decade. Deadline reports.

The remake of the 1982 Tobe Hooper-directed pic is being produced by Sam Raimi, Nathan Kahane, and Roy Lee. The original starred Craig T. Nelson and Jobeth Williams as the parents of a normal family whose dream house turns into a nightmare. David Lindsay-Abaire, Juliet Snowden and Stiles White have worked on the latest screenplay.

And before you all freak out, let’s see what Raimi delivers with his The Evil Dead remake, premiering this Friday at SXSW. Evan Dickson will report back with a review STAT.

Exclusive

Thomas Jane To Direct And Star In ‘Wet House’!

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on February 14, 2013 @ 1:34pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

I’m eagerly awaiting Red Machine, a grizzly bear movie directed by Saw V‘s David Hackl and starring James Marsden, Billy Bob Thornton, Thomas Jane, Piper Perabo, Scott Glenn, Adam Beach, Michaela McManus and Kelly Curran. But in the meantime we can exclusively report that its screenwriter Jack Reher is reteaming with its star Thomas Jane for the upcoming Wet House, a horror film that Jane will direct as well as star in.

Reher explains what a “Wet House” is, “These places are popping up all over the United States. Kind of creepy. People go there by their own admission when they give up on life and their addictions. By means of drinking or drugs, late-stage users go to a Wet House when all hope is lost. Then they die…” Having known a few addicts and alcoholics, this seems pretty disturbing.

The film is “an elevated genre supernatural thriller and is loosely based on Charles Dickens’ classic ghost story “The Signal-Man.” A doctor treats a patient that checks in there after a horrific car accident and meets another resident that predicts tragic things that haven’t happened yet.. Slowly the doctor loses grip on his sanity in the Wet House and becomes haunted by something sinister.”

Tonally the film will resemble a mixture of Jacob’s Ladder, Poltergeist, and Secret Window. As far as Red Machine goes, we’re hearing it’s going to be hitting sometime this summer.

Mondo Releasing Poltergeist Soundtrack On Limited Edition Vinyl

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on February 13, 2013 @ 12:00pm
Category: Music / Images

Mondo, the collectible arts portion of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, has announced that they will be releasing a limited edition vinyl of the classic Steven Spielberg-produced, Tobe Hooper-directed 1982 film Poltergeist. The 2-disc vinyl set will be available on Feb. 22nd via MondoTees with a few randomly selected copies receiving clear vinyl (follow @MondoNews for the exact time of sale). Australian illustration duo We Buy Your Kids were commissioned to do the artwork for the front, back, and gatefold.

Composed by Jerry Goldsmith, the music represents the struggles of a family desperately trying to save their daughter after she has been sucked into their television by malevolent spirits.

The vinyl will have five tracks never before released on vinyl. You can see the track list below as well as the original art and a shot of the final product. READ MORE

5 Disturbing Movie Disappearances!!!

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on January 17, 2013 @ 2:04pm
Category: Movies / Editorials

Mama, the Guillermo del Toro-produced horror thriller, hits theaters on Friday, January 18th. The film deals with two missing girls who return to society after five years of living in the wilderness.

Keeping the central conceit of Mama in mind, I decided to compile a list of movies that featured interesting disappearances (and, in most cases, reappearances). Originally I wanted to make this about “real life people who disappeared and then came back.” Whoops! In real life, if you go missing you’re probably dead. So we’re going with the movie version! Always better!

Head inside for 5 Disturbing Movie Disappearances! READ MORE

Horror Education Of The Week: ‘Poltergeist’

Movies
Posted by LaurenTaylor on October 21, 2012 @ 2:28pm
Category: Movies / Editorials

“Some people believe that when you die there is a wonderful light. As bright as the sun but it doesn’t hurt to look into it. All the answers to all the questions you want to know are inside that light. And when you walk to it… you become a part of it forever. Now, some people die, but they don’t know they’re gone…”

Poltergeist is brilliant and beautiful. The events in the 1982 film almost seem like they could truly happen, and perhaps they have without the world knowing. Set in perfect suburbia, five year old Carol Anne Freeling awakens her family one night, yelling into the static of the television.

Little does the Freeling family know that Carol Anne, having been born in their perfect house in Cuesta Verde, has a light within her that is a gateway to the afterlife. A light which will let the spirits, or the “tv people”, into our world – starting with two little words:

“They’re here.” READ MORE

[News Bites] Sam Raimi Directing ‘Poltergeist’(?!) And Other Breaks!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on October 17, 2012 @ 5:02pm
Category: Movies / News

In an article over at the THR, they misreport ~~sneak in~~ that Sam Raimi is set to actually direct the remake of Poltergeist, which David Lindsay-Abair has been writing since April. This is not true. The remake of Tobe Hooper’s classic is the story of a suburban home built over an Indian burial ground and thus inhabited by a nasty spook. While I’m not excited about the film being remade, Raimi does have the “family” mentality and also is one of the best at creating “impact” moments in the genre.

With Nate Parker falling out of the project due to scheduling conflicts, Spike Lee has turned to a frequent collaborator to replace him with James Ransone (Sinister) boarding Filmdistrict and Good Universe’s Oldboy, Variety reports. Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen and Sharlto Copley currently star with Lee helming. A remake of Chan-wook Park’s Korean revenge thriller, pic revolves around a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned for more than a decade for unknown reasons.

Jacki Weaver, who garnered an Oscar nomination for the 2010 Australian film Animal Kingdom, has joined the cast of Haunt, an original horror movie being produced and financed by QED International, reports THR. Also starring in the movie are Liana Liberato and Harrison Gilbertson. Written by Andrew Barrer, the story centers on a family that moves into a new home with a dark past. The introverted son (Gilbertson) becomes involved with a beautiful girl (Liberato) next door and as they begin to explore their sexual awakening, the two unwittingly invoke an alternative dimension of the house. Weaver will play a former resident of the house who has suffered a terrible family tragedy. Production will begin November in Utah.

TNT has put in development “Frankenstein,” a drama series from Lionsgate Television and 1019 Entertainment based on the five Frankenstein novels by Dean Koontz, which have sold more than 20 million copies. Deadline reports that feature writer James V. Hart (Dracula, Hook) and his son Jake Hart will write the project, a modern-day reworking of the classic Frankenstein mythology. “It is set in present-day New Orleans and follows Victor Helios (Frankenstein) and his creation 200 years after they thought they killed each other in a battle in the Arctic. The creature has survived and Victor has used science to keep himself alive — and they’re now in the same city unbeknownst to each other. Victor has engineered a new race of bizarre beings who answer to him, and when the creature learns that Victor is alive, an epic war ensues built on 200 years of pent-up rage, with New Orleans caught in the middle.” READ MORE

[Remember This?] Spielberg Dumps JoBeth Williams In A Pool With Real Skeletons In ‘Poltergeist’!

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on August 15, 2012 @ 11:10am
Category: Movies / Images

“Remember This?” is a new feature that highlights cool anecdotes from the horror genre’s storied past. It’ll pop up from time to time, giving you a brief look at something cool before you move on with your day.

This isn’t exactly a well kept secret, but it’s weird to think sometimes that some of those skeletons in Poltergeist are real. Towards the end of the film JoBeth Williams‘ character is thrown into a swimming pool flooded with dirt, rain and actual human remains (their house is built on a burial ground after all).

While the jury is still out on who directed the film between Tobe Hooper and producer Steven Spielberg, there’s no doubt that both of them were aware of their “authentic” props. What’s even stranger is that Williams was pretty much cool with it (stating that she was far more concerned about being electrocuted)! One thing’s for sure – this would not happen today. Hollywood is much less renegade in spirit than it was back then, and talent is more “finicky”. I was recently on the set of a horror film and watched the young female star – who had not heard this story – shudder in horror and disbelief as I relayed this tidbit.

As a germaphobe – I’m really hoping these things were thoroughly sanitized. Head inside for more pics! And decide for yourself if any of these are the real skeletons (dressed with fake rotting flesh) in question, or if the actual guys are somewhwre in the background. READ MORE

Anthrax’s Scott Ian Breaks Down Limited Edition Jackson ATL Guitar

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on July 25, 2012 @ 11:30am
Category: Music / Videos

Jackson Guitars will be releasing a very limited edition Among The Living Soloist guitar through Guitar Center. The guitar, which sells for $699.99, features the cover artwork to the 1987 Anthrax album Among The Living, which prominently displays Rev. Henry Kane, the terrifying antagonist from the Poltergeist sequels. Only 250 of these guitars will be made, so snag one here if you desperately need this for your collection.

The guitar is constructed from basswood and features a neck-through design with 24 frets and string-thru body. The rosewood fingerboard features pentagram inlays as well as an “ATL” inlay towards the upper registers. There is a single Seymour Duncan pick up and one volume knob. Below is a video of guitarist Scott Ian running through the guitar and explaining the history behind it.

Alright fellow guitarists, is this an axe you could see yourself rocking?

[Awesome] Check Out This Beautifully Retro Horror-Inspired Music Video

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on July 11, 2012 @ 9:57pm
Category: Music / Videos

Sometimes a music video goes for a horror vibe and falls flat on its face. But sometimes you get a video that just nails everything it’s going for and I can’t help but smile as my beloved genre gets the proper treatment. Such is the case with the music video for Jjamz “Heartbeat”, which is directed by Eddie O’Keefe. The video has the look and feel of Halloween, a figure known as “The Shape” that reminds me of a cross between Phantasm’s The Tall Man and Poltergeist’s Henry Kane, and visual color play like Argento’s Suspiria. All of these attributes are delightfully offset by a surprisingly catchy and chipper song. Check out the awesome video below and download the song for free here. READ MORE

Take The Expanded Ultimate Horror Challenge!!! How Do You Rank Now?

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on July 06, 2012 @ 2:04pm
Category: Movies / News

We have heard your cries! MANY of you felt that the The Ultimate Horror Challenge wasn’t comprehensive enough! So we included an additional 20 films that round it out a bit more. Many of these are from your suggestions! But this still isn’t a list of every horror movie ever made. And it still doesn’t contain every major work of every horror auteur (there’s still no John Carpenter’s They Live or Wes Craven’s The Last House On The Left).

The next update will be the Ultimate Horror Challenge: Final Edition – where we take your best new suggestions and use them to get up to 101 films that every horror fan should see! So in addition to your ranking, let us know which films should make the cut! Should newer fan favorites like Frozen or The Devil’s Rejects be included? Should we go back and pick up a few more old-school slashers? You’re shaping the Final 20! Discuss and vote and I’ll tally it up!

There are now 81 Films listed below the jump. Each film you’ve seen earns you 1 Point. Count out how many you’ve seen and let us know which category you fall into!

1-10 Points: Soccer Mom

11-20 Points: Mildly Adventurous

21-30 Points: Casual Fan

31-40 Points: Enthusiast

41-50 Points: Hardcore

51-60 Points: Unstable

61-70 Points: Need Meds

71-80 Points: Psychopath

81 Points: Special Circle Of Hell

Head inside to take the challenge! The films are listed in no particular order. This is NOT a ranking! READ MORE

Take The Ultimate Horror Challenge!!! What’s Your Score?

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on June 28, 2012 @ 6:00am
Category: Movies / News

This isn’t a list of every horror movie ever made. Nor does it contain every major work of every horror auteur (you’ll notice we didn’t include John Carpenter’s They Live or Wes Craven’s The Last House On The Left). Rather, this is a compendium of films that we feel – in one way or another – are essential viewing for every horror fan. Some are mainstream (Poltergeist), some aren’t (Cannibal Holocaust). It’s a broad sampling of key films from the genre.

But you don’t have to be a horror die-hard to take the challenge! If you’re comfortable being a “Soccer Mom”, simply clock how many of these you have (or haven’t) seen and let us know! There are 61 Films listed below the jump. Each film you’ve seen earns you 1 Point. Count out how many you’ve seen and let us know which category you fall into. You can give us your specific count in the comments or yell at us for the films we’ve left out!! The categories are:

1-10 Points: Soccer Mom

11-20 Points: Mildly Adventurous

21-30 Points: Casual Fan

31-40 Points: Hardcore

41-50 Points: Unstable

51-60 Points: Psychopath

61 Points: Special Circle Of Hell

Head inside to take the challenge! The films are listed in no particular order. This is NOT a ranking! READ MORE

Updated: Sam Raimi Will Produce ‘Poltergeist’ Remake

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on April 27, 2012 @ 7:01pm
Category: Movies / News

THR provided an “official” update reporting that, as I suspected below, Raimi will not direct but instead will produce the redo with Nathan Kahane and Roy Lee. David Lindsay-Abaire, who worked on Disney’s Oz: The Great and Powerful for Raimi, is still working on the script.

Apparently, Roger Birnbaum, CEO of MGM, recently gave talks at the University of Denver. Collider discovered a Reddit* recap of the event that not only teased that the Carrie remake would be found footage, but also let it slip that Sam Raimi is in talks to direct their reboot of Poltergeist!

Vadim Perelman has been previously attached at the helm, with David Lindsay-Abaire, Juliet Snowden and Stiles White all penning the story of a suburban home built over an Indian burial ground and thus inhabited by a nasty spook.

While I have zero interest in seeing a remake of said title (why not just make another sweet ghost story?), the idea of having Raimi behind the camera is half-boner inducing. We’re talking about the man behind The Evil Dead franchise and Drag Me To Hell, not to mention the Spider-Man trilogy (although those are already incredibly dated). I’m going to call bunk on Birnbaum’s statement and guess what he meant was “in talks to produce” with his Ghost House Pictures company.

Steven Spielberg produced the 1982 classic directed by Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s Tobe Hooper.

*It should be noted that this report hasn’t ben officially confirmed and we don’t know the poster on Reddit. READ MORE

Producer Roy Lee Talks ‘Poltergeist’ Remake! Shooting In 2012?

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on November 28, 2011 @ 5:46pm
Category: Movies / News

Poltergeist112811 Producer Roy Lee Talks Poltergeist Remake! Shooting In 2012?

Last week while on the Los Angeles set of Takashi Shimizu’s new film, 7500, Bloody Disgusting had a chance to speak with Roy Lee about that film as well as a few upcoming projects. While I can’t say too much about 7500 right now, Mr. Lee did drop a tidbit about his upcoming Poltergeist remake.

Speaking to a group of reporters, Mr. Lee confided, “The one that I’m most excited about updating is the ‘Poltergeist’ reboot. That is probably something that somebody, hopefully next year, will be able to accomplish… I’m in talks [to produce it for MGM].”

So hopefully that will get in front of cameras next year. In the meantime, 7500 lands in theaters on August 31, 2012. Expect more updates, and our full set report, as that date approaches. READ MORE

AMPAS Production Art Database Online, Features the Likes of ‘Poltergeist’ and ‘Psycho’

Movies
Posted by David Harley on June 29, 2011 @ 4:05pm
Category: Movies / News

The Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences has unveiled their production art database, which is basically the best concept art and storyboard collection of all time. Although you can’t view EVERYTHING online (this is just a small sampling of what they have on file), it has a monstrous amount of content. The collection includes important, landmark genre films like Psycho and Poltergeist, and even fun schlock like Freaked! Check out the collection here and get ready to kiss a few hours of your life away.

An overhead shot of Bodega Bay from Hitchcock’s “The Birds”.
Designer Robert Boyle, illustrator Albert Whitlock:

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on November 01, 2010 @ 5:54pm
Category: Movies / News

Something insanely cool was shared with the Poltergeist Fan Site who posted the original treatment for Poltergeist entitled “Night Time”. The site writes: “In early 1980, Steven Spielberg collaborated by mail on a treatment with Tobe Hooper while Spielberg was shooting “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” The treatment, originally titled “Night Time” (perhaps a derivation of the aborted “Night Skies” project), was a ghost story set in the suburbs. Several months after the initial 11 page treatment was written and sold to MGM, Spielberg added about 20 more pages which further fleshed out some of the story’s initial ideas. It’s very interesting to note which elements of the finished film were there from the very beginning. However, more notable are the things which didn’t end up in the shooting script at all. In fact, most of the scenes in the amendment pages are completely different from what would eventually end up on screen. I would argue that what was added/changed later on in the actual screenplay made the story much better.” Wanna read? All you have to do is click here!
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Poltergeist

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on June 04, 1982 @ 12:00am
Category:

A young family are visited by ghosts in their home. At first the ghosts appear friendly, moving objects around the house to the amusement of everyone, then they turn nasty and start to terrorise the family before they “kidnap” the youngest daughter.