So what’s the deal with the Poltergeist remake?
The Poltergeist remake has finally broken its silence with the announcement of a rating as the MPAA has slapped this one with a predictable PG-13. Poltergeist isn’t exactly the kind of movie that requires much more than that, though, especially considering the original film was somehow only PG. Although this isn’t exactly big news or really all that surprising, it gives us a reason to talk about the remake, so here’s a refresher.
The Sam Raimi produced remake will be a contemporary take on the Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg classic as it centers on a family struggling to make ends meet that relocates to an outdated suburban home and is confronted by an angry spirit who kidnaps their youngest daughter and challenges them to band together to rescue her from the clutches of evil. While I still think that a Poltergeist remake is completely unnecessary, especially because the original film is nearly perfect, I’m starting to come around to it.
And a lot of that has to do with the cast that sees Sam Rockwell, Rosemary Dewitt and Jared Harris take the leading roles. That’s gotta count for something, right? My only real concern, however, is director Gil Kenan, who’s last feature film was back in 2008 with City of Ember, a movie that literally no one saw. Not that Kenan isn’t a capable director because I’m sure he is, he just doesn’t have enough films under his belt to truly get a sense of what kind of movie this is going to be, and that kind of scares me.
There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, and it’s a little concerning that we’re hearing so little about such a substantial remake. Is that good or bad? Got me…
Poltergeist is slated for a July 24, 2015 release.
“Poltergeist” truly was a groundbreaking (no pun intended) horror film; it had a remarkable cast, fine atmosphere & pacing, and was genuinely both frightening and funny. I think I still respond more to the Tobe Hopper influence in the film, as there are certain trademark Spielberg techniques that oft feel canned and manipulative. For example, some of the soundtrack felt like it belonged to a an epic action/adventure-rather than a horror film, and while it obviously worked-having the Freeling’s be a very loving, close-knit family, much of the human drama between them and the paranormal investigators became saccharine at times. And no doubt owing to the era in which it was made, several special effects, such as the investigator hacking at his own face, the demonic tree and the beast from the closet, look quite cheesy now; it would be great to see these updated-hopefully with an emphasis on the corporeal craft of FX, and a minimum of the CGI’s. For those reasons, along with an idiosyncratic issue here or there, I think a remake might just be the ticket, and if anyone can pull it off with some sincerity and originality, Sam Raimi can. His unique style and vision as director/ producer/writer lends a strong influence to any production in which he is involved. There are so many layers to his various works, they can happily be viewed repeatedly to re-appreciate them, and even to spot something previously missed. (“Drag Me To Hell,” for example, is quite the horror gem.) Not that everything he’s had his hand in has been an unequivocal success, but I will look forward to Raimi’s interpretation of this iconic film with hopeful anticipation.
The PG-13 sadly doesn’t surprise me -.-
Yeah, not surprising at all! At least it’s not really the kind of movie that needs a rating any higher than that, though.