Poltergeist are you happy with this DVD?
 

Anyone own this?


No special features except a theatrical trailer.


Kind of weak.

Not to mention it's a snapper, unless you picked up the old MGM one.
But then again, I've always felt this to be mediocre.

I've held off buying this one hoping for a new release, but so far there's haven't even been any rumors.

I paid $1.99 for it at the Comp USA blowout four years ago. The transfer is presentable, OAR, and 16X9. There was going to a re-release of it but something happened and it's been on hold ever since. If I were you, I would go ahead and pick up the current disc.

The present release is the MGM keepcase. I believe Image put out the snapper version and it was replaced by MGM, a la Dances With Wolves.

My snapper version is Warner. No mention of Image.

We need a Special Edition... I've been holding out on this one forever

Poltergeist first came out from MGM in 1997 in a snapper.

Later MGM started using keepcases, and Poltergeist was repackaged in the keepcase.

A few years ago Warner took control of most MGM films, and re-issued the same disc in a Snapper.

Now Warner seems to be switching over to the keepcase, perhaps we will get the same lacklustre dvd that came out in 1997, re-packaged in a keepcase.

I thought there was a dispute between Tobe Hooper and Steven Speilberg as who really direct the movie. The film list Hooper as director but Spielberg who wrote and co-produce the film claimed that he did most of the directing.

I would like to see a remastered version someday. The current one has alot of problem and is subpar in quality. I would also like to see lots of extras on the makin of the film.

I would like to see a new version fix that scene that has the bad editing (just after the dad comes home, and watches the chairs slide across the kitchen floor, his wife's dialog gets cut off in mid sentence, and it switches to them standing at their neighbor's front door, where they are eaten alive by mosquitoes).

I don't personally recall it being any other way, but unless you spefically remember it being different, the dialogue thing you mentioned may be intentional. Look at how many other films have done the same thing: someone is babbling, but the scene intends for you to focus on the reaction of the person they're babbling to, and then their babbling gets cut off to go to the next scene. The idea is to imply that they just don't stop talking.

Just a theory.

Im pretty happy with the current disc...

It might be kinda interesting to put Steven Spielberg and Tobe Hooper together in a commentary or documentary, but other than that I'm pretty happy with the DVD I've got. Poltergeist is fairly entertaining but it's not a movie I'd really care to get too in depth with.

I never remember Spielberg claiming he did most of the directing; many critics and the like thought he did, though (based mostly on the style of the movie).

Gotcha.

I still see the MGM keepcase everywhere though. Why's that?

First DVD I puchased back in 97 so I would definitely welcome one of those 2 disc Warner Bros. special editions.

the rift between Hooper and Spielberg was pretty heated, i hear. Spielberg set up most of the shots himself (even reset some of Hooper's shots after Hooper set them), coached the actors, and dominated the editing process. all this despite Spielberg's attempts to rap up work on E.T.

i think the two directors made up later and even worked together on subsequent films. still, a documentary about that conflict would be a necessity if there is ever an SE for this movie.

"Poltergeist" is an extremely Spielbergish movie; it appears more like a Spielberg-directed film than most of his recent efforts.

Compare "Poltergeist" to some of Steven's earlier movies like "Jaws," "CE3K," and "ET," then compare it to Hooper's efforts of the same era like "TCM" and "Funhouse." You'd swear it was Spielberg in the director's chair.

As to the DVD, a SE is long overdue. I've held off on buying this one as well, in anticipation of a SE.

I've never heard Spielberg claim that he did most (or any) of the directing of Poltergeist, but I have seen it mentioned in print or in interviews from many fairly reliable sources for years, so I think, for the most part, it's probably true.

I remember some sort of televised tribute to Spielberg a few years back that was mostly actors he had worked with getting up and sharing their experiences. Jo-Beth Williams was one of the speakers, and she spoke about working with him on Poltergeist. She talked about the filming of many of the scenes, and while she never came out and said it, it seemed pretty clear from her ancedotes that Spielberg was the one pulling the strings.

As for the DVD, I haven't watched it in a while, but from what I remember, the Video/Audio is pretty good, especially considering this was a very early dvd release. Still though, A SE with extras would be awesome. I remember seeing this at a drive-in with my parents when I was 11, and it scared the living S**T out of me. The face-ripping scene really freaked me out, and it still bothers me to this day - which is strange since I have become a horror/gore fanatic and have seen much worse stuff than this that hasn't bothered me at all.

Roy

If you watch the "Making of..." documentary on Poltergeist there is only one shot of Tobe... otherwise it's mainly Steven.

There's also been stories about Steven getting in trouble with the DGA about his "role" in the movie.

Anyhoo... I'd like to see a SE of this movie. This movie had some great moments. If you weren't afraid of clowns, this movie could sure make you start :)

id heard that few years back a special ed was in the works but spielberg nixed it.

I'd buy an SE in a heartbeat!

Can you direct me to a place (B&M or online) that sells it in the keepcase? I've been meaning to pick this up. I assume it will be a long time until we see an SE.

There's a few of them at Borders and Best Buy in my area in keepcases. Also, Amazon pictures one in a keepcase (though, of course, that may just be a picture).