Episode 488 · Film year 1982
Poltergeist (1982)
- Special Guests
- Dahlia Schweitzer, Chris O'Neill, Oliver Robins, Mark Victor, Gary Sherman, Gil Kenan
- Guest Co-Hosts
- Christine Makepeace, Vincenzo Natali
Show notes
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 (opens in a new tab) and Christine Makepeace (opens in a new tab) join Mike to discuss hauntings, the pedigree of the film, the sequels, and 2015 remake.
Interviews
00:46:14 Dahlia Schweitzer (opens in a new tab) talks about her upcoming book, Haunted Homes
01:42:32 Chris O'Neill (opens in a new tab) talks about the questions of authorship and his upcoming book on Tobe Hooper
02:15:52 Oliver Robins (opens in a new tab) talks about working on Poltergeist and Poltergeist II: The Other Side
02:36:43 Mark Victor talks about Poltergeist and Poltergeist II: The Other Side
03:19:08 Gary Sherman (opens in a new tab) talks about Poltergeist III
04:20:07 Gil Kenan (opens in a new tab) talks about the 2015 Poltergeist remake
Vincenzo Natali (opens in a new tab) and Christine Makepeace (opens in a new tab) join Mike to discuss hauntings, the pedigree of the film, the sequels, and 2015 remake.
Interviews
00:46:14 Dahlia Schweitzer (opens in a new tab) talks about her upcoming book, Haunted Homes
01:42:32 Chris O'Neill (opens in a new tab) talks about the questions of authorship and his upcoming book on Tobe Hooper
02:15:52 Oliver Robins (opens in a new tab) talks about working on Poltergeist and Poltergeist II: The Other Side
02:36:43 Mark Victor talks about Poltergeist and Poltergeist II: The Other Side
03:19:08 Gary Sherman (opens in a new tab) talks about Poltergeist III
04:20:07 Gil Kenan (opens in a new tab) talks about the 2015 Poltergeist remake
Labels: 1982 Chris O'Neill Christine Makepeace Craig T. Nelson Gil Kenan JoBeth Williams Mark Victor Oliver Robins Steven Spielberg Tobe Hooper Vincenzo Natali
Watch
Music credits
- Original Soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith
- "Haunted House" - Jumpin' Gene Simmons
Links & resources
- Buy Poltergeist on Blu-ray (opens in a new tab)
- Buy Poltergeist II: The Other Side on Blu-ray (opens in a new tab)
- Buy Poltergeist III on Blu-ray (opens in a new tab)
- Buy Poltergeist (2015) on Blu-ray (opens in a new tab)
- Buy Haunted Homes by Dahlia Schweitzer (opens in a new tab)
- Visit the Poltergeist fan site (opens in a new tab)
- Read Families divided, families united are big theme in Spielberg films by Anthony Breznican (opens in a new tab)
- Listen to the I Was There, Too episode with Martin Casella (opens in a new tab)
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Comments (4)
Anonymous 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.Mike White (Thinks back to the Demolition Man episode). DAMN YOU, PIZZA HUT!
Anonymous Ha! Beautifully brings it back around to show the cinematic shared universe of corporate final cut.Ryan Gettig Gary Sherman Interview was very interesting.Wish I could hear some of those Michael Mann stories-Graet Show:)