WARNING: This Article May Contain Spoilers
I have a question, how can a remake be considered as part of an original cannon? Yes, I said it, the 2015 version of Poltergeist is referred to as both a remake of the 1982 film AND the fourth instalment in the Poltergeist franchise. Wouldn’t that make it a sequel instead?
They’re Heerreeee
Possibly the most well-known quote of the whole film and it’s said around 20 minutes into the original film. This probably sounds like a really odd thing to say but there’s something about the sweet and high-pitched voice of little Carol Anne that just makes these two words sound so creepy! Along with the way the strobe lighting used distorts her face before she even utters those words. It’s that same voice that almost painful to hear when she is calling out for help throughout the film. With the remake however, I feel like this line no longer works because clearly they are already in the house – Maddy talks to someone in the closet plus something keeps pushing the stick out of the ground when she’s playing the garden. In the original film, Carol Anne’s only interaction with the spirits is through the TV and we actively see their spectral image flow from the set into the house. Maybe, “they’re already here” would have been more accurate for the remake.
The Use of Subtlety
I will say it again and again, the great thing about certain horror films is the subtlety used as it increases the fear in those more impactful moments. Outside of the spectral images of the spirits, or TV people as Carol Anne calls them, we never actually see anything. In the remake however, when Maddy touches the TV screen before uttering those famous words, hands appear on the screen like people trying to get out. I get this was maybe supposed to be used as a jump scare but I just don’t think it has as much impact. On top of this, the moment when Maddy is taken in the remake ends up on a much bigger scale. In the original film, Robbie is grabbed by the tree outside which he is already terrified of in which, in my opinion, is a distraction for them to grab Carol Anne. In the remake however, all three of the children are attacked in different ways in the lead up to Maddy’s abduction. I assume this is supposed to almost emulate the Final Destination idea where the audience has to figure out what going to happen to who.
Steve vs Eric
I originally wanted to compare the families as a whole but I have decided to hone directly in on the two fathers. It was a big talking point when Tom Hardy took on the role of Eddie Brock and looked like crap on screen because I guess many actors don’t want to be but that’s what I feel is great about Craig T Nelson’s portrayal of Steve Freeling because this is a man that has lost his daughter without rhyme or reason and the stress is apparent on his face, clothes and the fact the fact that he’s drinking when Dr Lesh and her team arrive at the house. This is a man grieving for his child! On the other hand, Eric (and this is meant as no offence to Sam Rockwell) looks like crap from the very outset. I assume this is meant to be due to the stress of being laid off from his job and being unable to afford much but this means there’s barely any change between before and after the abduction of Maddy. The other, and again no criticism of Rockwell because I think he’s a good actor, but he just doesn’t seem to have the same presence, when needed, as Craig T Nelson does.
The Seeds of Disbelief
This is actually one of the things I love about the original film, and that is the fact that the family isn’t believed straight away. Dr Lesh and her team at first seem to think what is happening isn’t real, for example Ryan and Marty check under the table when the kettle moves across the table by itself. They even think that Carol Anne’s voice could easily be coming through a CB-radio. For me, this is completely normal – who would believe something like this straight away? However, apart from Boyd’s suspicions, in the remake they seem to believe them straight away – from the first experience Dr Powell and her team have in the house, she tells the Bowen family about poltergeists.
Devaluing a Character
I’m going to be honest, Tangina is possibly my favourite character in the whole of the original film. She’s small but conducts so much power amongst the characters around her and she even has some of the funniest lines in the whole film. The important thing is that we know very little about her – even though she’s good guy she is also very mysterious. On the other hand, I feel the addition of a past relationship between Dr Powell and Carrigan along with the fact that he is a TV occult specialist really devalues the character. Powell even mentions that his powers “aren’t that special” and he says himself that he’s “tired of faking it for the cameras”.
Not Your Typical Happy Ending
You would think that with around 20 minutes left of the original film that this is where it ends, Carol Anne is safe and sound and the Freelings are moving away – well you would be wrong! Tobe Hooper is a genius with this moment because it lulls the audience into a false sense of security. This means that what we thought would be a happy ending, turned out to not be so happy. We actually lose this element in the remake as they openly draw attention to the spirits presence remaining when Maddy tells her family that they didn’t go into the light.
Homages to the Original
Possibly the most obvious of these would be when we are first introduced to Carrigan via his TV show and the use of the hashtag #ThisHouseIsClean. This is clearly a reference to the words used by Tangina in the original film after they rescue Carol Anne. Wasn’t she wrong! Along with this, the house of cards that appears behind Griffin when he goes to speak to his sister seems to be in reference to the chairs being stacked on the kitchen table in the original film. They also seem to split Craig T Nelson’s most powerful line, “you left the bodies and you only moved the headstones!”, across two characters.
What You See Is What You Get
This probably sounds like a really weird way to name this section but I couldn’t think of a better way to explain it. Now, this is only in reference to the original film as this whole moment is removed from the remake but I honestly could not discuss Poltergeist and leave this great fact out. There is a scene towards the end of the film where Diane is surrounded by skeletons in the family’s newly dug pool which I’ll be honest would be terrifying enough but here’s the kicker – the skeletons were real! Even better, the cast weren’t told about this cost-cutting exercise so the reaction of JoBeth Williams who plays Diane Freeling is completely genuine. The skeletons were real, the fear was real – like I said…what you see is exactly what you get!
In Conclusion
It’s been a while since I’ve said something like this but I honestly think the original film is miles better than the remake! I’m not sure but the characters somehow feel more relatable and it almost feels like the remake was trying to go for more shock and awe then honing in on the actual fear and power of the poltergeist.
