When the Freeling family discover strange supernatural phenomena taking place in their home, they’re initially intrigued. However, things take a dark turn when their youngest daughter is kidnapped by ghosts through a portal in their house. Seeking help from an eclectic array of experts, they fight to get her back.

Directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and co-written and produced by Steven Spielberg (Jaws, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial), Poltergeist is the perfect blend of Hooper’s intense and visceral filmmaking with the fantastical style of a Spielberg blockbuster. The film was nominated for three Oscars including Best Visual Effects thanks to some gloriously goopy practical effects and frightening scenes of paranormal activity. Decades after its release, Poltergeist remains relevant as ever in its depiction of the dark side of suburbia and the dangers of capitalist greed whilst exemplifying the ability of the horror genre to explore societal issues with biting accuracy. The perfect suburban home is not what it seems, the facade is easily broken and whatever is lurking under the surface may have been there all along.

Please note, this film will not have any ads or trailers, so please aim to be seated by the advertised start time. Instead, this screening will be introduced by the Young Programmers and will be preceded by the short film The Shift by Francesco Calabrese.

Screening as part of the Young Programmers' Trouble in Suburbia season.

Director Tobe Hooper
Year 1982
Duration 1h 54m
Language English
Cast Beatrice Straight, Craig T. Nelson, Jobeth Williams