Poltergeist
A seemingly ordinary suburban family battles hostile spirits after their home becomes a supernatural gateway and their youngest daughter vanishes beyond reach.
Overview
A family's peaceful life is shattered by supernatural forces that escalate from playful to terrifying.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- foreboding
- terrifying
- halloween viewing
- late night horror marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Poltergeist as a tightly scripted, technically accomplished, and consistently frightening modern horror classic with strong family-centered emotion.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Freeling family's suburban home becomes a portal for ghosts and the central arena of escalating terror.
The ghosts kidnap the youngest daughter, making the parents' rescue effort the emotional engine of the story.
The film pairs consistently frightening ghost activity with extraordinary technical effects and a major studio production scale.
Diane and Steve Freeling, joined by their older children and paranormal investigators, unite to save Carol Anne.
Films like Poltergeist, and why
The Amityville Horror
shared haunted-house premise, supernatural escalation, family-centered stakes, and atmospheric ghostly suspense
The Exorcist
shared suburban supernatural horror, child endangerment, escalating paranormal menace, and polished studio filmmaking
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
shared family-oriented supernatural adventure, imaginative special effects, and a warm emotional core beneath frightening encounters
The Conjuring
shared haunted domestic space, eerie practical effects, and a young family confronting an otherworldly threat
Movie Details
- Director
- Tobe Hooper
- Release Date
- 1982-06-04
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (3473)
Cast
- JoBeth Williams
- Craig T. Nelson
- Beatrice Straight
- Dominique Dunne
- Heather O'Rourke
- Oliver Robins
- Zelda Rubinstein
- Richard Lawson
- Martin Casella
- Michael McManus
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Poltergeist about?
- A seemingly ordinary suburban family battles hostile spirits after their home becomes a supernatural gateway and their youngest daughter vanishes beyond reach.
- What is Poltergeist like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Poltergeist as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Poltergeist violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Poltergeist as mild.
- What did critics think of Poltergeist?
- Critics broadly regard Poltergeist as a tightly scripted, technically accomplished, and consistently frightening modern horror classic with strong family-centered emotion.
- Which films are like Poltergeist?
- Films with a similar feel include The Amityville Horror, The Exorcist, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and The Conjuring.
- How long is Poltergeist?
- Poltergeist runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch Poltergeist?
- In United States, Poltergeist streams on AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC.
