Poltergeist Remake!

[DVDAVE]

Snowden and White Penning Poltergeist Remake
Source: The Hollywood Reporter August 19, 2008


Boogeyman scribes Juliet Snowden and Stiles White will write the screenplay for MGM's planned remake of Poltergeist, the 1982 horror film that was directed by Tobe Hooper and produced/co-written by Steven Spielberg.

The MGM/UA release grossed $122 million worldwide and earned Oscar nominations for its ILM-designed visual effects, sound effects and score.

The story of a suburban home built over an Indian burial ground and thus inhabited by a nasty spook earned further cult status when two of the child actors in the movie died after the film's release. Two sequels were produced.

Snowden and White have also had a hand in the remake of The Birds and co-wrote the upcoming Knowing.



http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=48091

This is getting crazy. I don't mind at all that if they want to make a remake out of an old movie that was bad that maybe could of been good, done with a bigger budget and maybe a different direction. But taking classics and remaking them is just so wrong on many levels. I am seriously getting so tired of this. I really hope this trend stops soon.:nono:

[JBond]

Of course it'll stop soon. Soon they'll run out of movies to remake.

[SnoBorderZero]

Then they'll remake the remakes. Or do prequels, or sequels, or rehashes.

[MovieMaven73]

I hate hearing this. Another classic thought of being remade. Don't people have any original ideas for christ's sake?

[JT3294]

Problem is that people nowadays don't wanna watch older movies. The only way to get *most* kids to watch a movie like poltergeist is to remake it... the new gen watches it and wonders what the old was like.

Studio makes extra money. Stupid but I can't fault them.

I personally wish more original stuff would come out too but... whatever...

[JackSparrowsGrl]

just about every movie is gonna be redone most likely

[Silent Yoda]

I generally hate this trend of Hollywood retreads (there are only a select few that usually work), but I was thinking about this very movie the other day as one I would possibly choose to remake someday. I love the original, mind you, but as sad as it is, most people haven't seen this movie. Or if they have, it's been years since then. And to those people, I say, pick up the Blu-Ray release that's coming soon. There probably isn't a better way to see that movie (except in theaters with a crowd).

I think it's a true classic horror film. If there is a film that inspires me to work in this genre the most, it's Poltergeist. But I'd be interested in a version of the story that isn't so over-the-top. I'd like to take the same approach as the original version of The Haunting (1963). The less the ghosts are seen, the better. Obviously, I doubt the people at MGM are thinking of taking a subtle approach. If anything, it will be bigger and louder than the original, if that's possible.

It really doesn't seem too likely that I could someday direct this remake now that it's been announced, but maybe the script they're writing will spend enough time in development hell that I can find myself at the helm down the road. I can always dream.

[Matrix_Fan]

I'm surprised they're considering remaking the movie, considering all the crap that happened the last time they made a poltergeist movie, and subsequent sequels.

Can't they just remake Blade Runner instead? I'm sure people are clamoring for that one. *Sarcasm*

[JBond]

Has any movie where Spielberg had writing or directing credits ever been remade? That takes some guts (stupidity) right there.

[Matrix_Fan]

Has any movie where Spielberg had writing or directing credits ever been remade? That takes some guts (stupidity) right there.

Since the writers of Boogeyman are writing this, I'll say it takes "Stupid Guts" to remake a Spielberg related project.

[EnderDeschain]

This one is actually not a bad idea. If it were to take Silent Yoda's "less is more" approach. Which it obviously won't. So it'll obviously suck. But still, it ain't like it'll be trampling all over a masterpiece. Poltergeist is another one of those movies that keeps it's reputation solely by it's reputation, sorta like Last House On The Left or the original Texas Chainsaw. They're ripe for remaking, 'cuz the originals aren't as good as people want them to be or remember them as.

[Agent Deadpool]

I remember seeing this as a kid and being scared sh**less during the clown scene. I dont like the idea of a remake but I am curious

[EnderDeschain]

I remember seeing this as a kid and being scared sh**less during the clown scene. I dont like the idea of a remake but I am curious


That scene scared the **** out of me, too. But you know what else scared the **** out of me when I was litte? Funhouse. Upon rewatching it not too long ago, it was pretty goddamn stupid. I think that has a lot to do with people's feelings about horror movies, this one and a bunch of others. Sure they were scary when we were little, but to any little kid today they just look dumb or boring. The original TCM is both. I'll never understand the love for it. Maybe it's nostalgia, but people need to get over that.

Friday The 13th doesn't work anymore. I loved that franchise and love Jason Voorhees to no end, but recognize the fact that a modern audience just won't get it the way I did when I was their age. A lot of movies are that way. There are notable exceptions, like Halloween or A Nightmare On Elm Street, one of which has already been remade and the other's about to be. That's where Hollywood needs some ****in brains and someone to tell them how stupid they are on occassion.

Poltergeist isn't one of those occassions. This remake could work.

[Agent Deadpool]

That scene scared the **** out of me, too. But you know what else scared the **** out of me when I was litte? Funhouse. Upon rewatching it not too long ago, it was pretty goddamn stupid. I think that has a lot to do with people's feelings about horror movies, this one and a bunch of others. Sure they were scary when we were little, but to any little kid today they just look dumb or boring. The original TCM is both. I'll never understand the love for it. Maybe it's nostalgia, but people need to get over that.

Friday The 13th doesn't work anymore. I loved that franchise and love Jason Voorhees to no end, but recognize the fact that a modern audience just won't get it the way I did when I was their age. A lot of movies are that way. There are notable exceptions, like Halloween or A Nightmare On Elm Street, one of which has already been remade and the other's about to be. That's where Hollywood needs some ****in brains and someone to tell them how stupid they are on occassion.

Poltergeist isn't one of those occassions. This remake could work.




Dude that friggin tree scene scared the bejesus out of me too. I never looked at trees the same way again after that.


Not to sound old but I agree with you that kids today just dont scare like they used to.Everything is too accesible now and that helps desensitize you alot. Random slasher with no backstory just doesnt work anymore today. Even the bad guys need to be fleshed out more nowadays to seem more scary.

[DVDAVE]

This one is actually not a bad idea. If it were to take Silent Yoda's "less is more" approach. Which it obviously won't. So it'll obviously suck. But still, it ain't like it'll be trampling all over a masterpiece. Poltergeist is another one of those movies that keeps it's reputation solely by it's reputation, sorta like Last House On The Left or the original Texas Chainsaw. They're ripe for remaking, 'cuz the originals aren't as good as people want them to be or remember them as.

I gotta disagree with ya here. Yeah sure I agree that some movies are more scary when your young but this is not one of them. Neither is The original Texas Chainsaw wich in my eyes is the greates horror movie ever made. These movies do not need to be remade they are classics. Thats just my opinion and I respect yours. I just disagree with ya.

[sabin26]

I think part of the reason I still get creeped out a bit while watching Poltergeist isn't just the movie, but everything that happened during the filming and after with everybody involved. I don't think this needs to be remade, all of the classic horror movies are just trying to go the horror porn route without really going that route. It doesn't work for me.

[stuv984]

*edit*

[Tiger Lily]

Since the writers of Boogeyman are writing this, I'll say it takes "Stupid Guts" to remake a Spielberg related project.

Boogeyman? :( nooo

[FranklinTard]

this flick made 122 million back in the early 80s? i would have not guessed that.

[Tiger Lily]

which Poltergeist was Kane in? he gave me nightmares.

[quiksilver022]

Problem is that people nowadays don't wanna watch older movies. The only way to get *most* kids to watch a movie like poltergeist is to remake it... the new gen watches it and wonders what the old was like.

Studio makes extra money. Stupid but I can't fault them.

I personally wish more original stuff would come out too but... whatever...

Yeah, we always bash studios for rehashing classics, but honestly, most of the rehashes rake in some serious dough, and (somewhat) reintroduce old classics to a new generation.. Not to mention they usually boost DVD sales for the originals. Anyway, if a 'Prom Night' remake can open to $20 million, anything can happen.

[DVDAVE]

which Poltergeist was Kane in? he gave me nightmares.

He was in the second and the third. All though I agree with ya he is creepy, but neither sequel were any good. Expecially the third.

[beilwei123]

I fully support you, this is my task. I hope you better: *edit*

[somedaygreat]

The thing I hate most about this, is that the movie Boogeyman was a piece of s**t, and I wouldn't trust a classic like the Poltergeist in the hands of those hacks. Why not have Stephen King write the screenplay? If you're going to drop massive amounts of money to produce a film, you'd better spend a big portion on paying decent writers, otherwise you end up with a movie so terrible that its only redeeming quality is Barry Watson with his shirt off.

I'm not opposed to remakes in and of themselves. The downfall of the remake tends to be bad casting, followed closely by a bad script.