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October 7, 2020

Episode 488: Poltergeist (1982)

Special Guests: Dahlia Schweitzer, Chris O'Neill, Oliver Robins, Mark Victor, Gary Sherman, Gil Kenan
Guest Co-Hosts: Christine Makepeace, Vincenzo Natali

We kick off Shocktober 2020 with a look at Tobe Hooper's 1982 film Poltergeist. It's the story of a suburban family beset by supernatural forces.

Vincenzo Natali and Christine Makepeace join Mike to discuss hauntings, the pedigree of the film, the sequels, and 2015 remake.

Interviews
00:46:14 Dahlia Schweitzer talks about her upcoming book, Haunted Homes

01:42:32 Chris O'Neill talks about the questions of authorship and his upcoming book on Tobe Hooper

02:15:52 Oliver Robins talks about working on Poltergeist and Poltergeist II: The Other Side

02:36:43 talks about Poltergeist and Poltergeist II: The Other Side

03:19:08 Gary Sherman talks about Poltergeist III

04:20:07 Gil Kenan talks about the 2015 Poltergeist remake

Listen/Download Now:

Bonus Interview with Oliver Robins:

Links:
Buy Poltergeist on Blu-Ray
Buy Poltergeist II: The Other Side on Blu-Ray
Buy Poltergeist III on Blu-Ray
Buy Poltergeist (2015) on Blu-Ray
Buy Haunted Homes by Dahlia Schweitzer
Visit the Poltergeist fan site
Read Families divided, families united are big theme in Spielberg films by Anthony Breznican
Listen to the I Was There, Too episode with Martin Casella

Music:
Original Soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith
"Haunted House" - Jumpin' Gene Simmons

Watch:






4 comments:

  1. If you go to The Bearded Trio website and type in Poltergeist: middle of scene cut, it not only explains the reason behind this bizarre abrupt, jarring scene transition, but includes the original screenplay scene in its entirety thus rest of the dialogue from where it was cut and an organically reached conclusion to the scene and how it connects to the next scene in the movie.
    Spoiler: it all has to do with Pizza hut. Earlier in the same scene the young daughter says mom didn't make dinner and wants Pizza Hut. The harsh cut is Craig T. Nelson interrupting to yell, 'I hate Pizza Hut!' Which is hilarious. But not to their corporate sponsor which was Pizza Hut that got word of this and the prints were going out so their only cheapest option was to literally cut the scene out crudely and ship them out.
    However, if you read the comments, it doesn't sound like they got all the prints because people have memories of seeing the scene in its entirity. Including one commenter who, to your point, Mike describes how Diane was explaining the sensation in sexual terms.
    So it sounds like the scene existed, they cut it on the majority of the prints,some got out, but none either saved or found when they did the transfer for VHS which means they must've cut the actual negative since the scene has never been restored and just lost to time.

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    Replies
    1. (Thinks back to the Demolition Man episode). DAMN YOU, PIZZA HUT!

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  2. Ha! Beautifully brings it back around to show the cinematic shared universe of corporate final cut.

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  3. Gary Sherman Interview was very interesting.Wish I could hear some of those Michael Mann stories-Graet Show:)

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