• #121 - "Poltergeist" (1982) with Ben Carpenter and Bethany Wells

  • Oct 25 2024
  • Length: 1 hr and 14 mins
  • Podcast

#121 - "Poltergeist" (1982) with Ben Carpenter and Bethany Wells

  • Summary

  • Get ready for chills as we revisit a classic that doesn’t rely on superhuman slashers or crazed killers but still managed to freeze audiences in fear. "Poltergeist" (1982) tells the story of an ordinary suburban family haunted by supernatural forces that tap into our deepest fears. From a clown doll that springs to life, to a closet that becomes a portal to another dimension, and a tree that breaks through a bedroom window, the terror builds. But nothing is more unsettling than a young girl calmly pressing her hands against a flickering TV screen and announcing: "They’re here..."

    Join Tim Williams, Ben Carpenter, and Bethany Wells as they slide across the kitchen floor, grab a raw steak from the fridge, and dive into why this PG-rated fright fest has haunted HBO viewers since the 80s. Does it still give them the creeps? Tune in to this episode of the 80s Flick Flashback Podcast to find out!


    Here are some additional behind-the-scenes trivia we were unable to cover in this episode:

    • Dr. Lesh states in the movie that the paranormal activity in the Freeling home is likely caused by a poltergeist, rather than a haunting. This is because poltergeists are typically linked to a specific person, while hauntings are associated with a particular location. However, this assessment proves to be incorrect when Steven discovers that the house was built on a cemetery, indicating that the phenomenon is actually a haunting and not a poltergeist.
    • The sound effect for the beast that attacks the house at the end of the movie is the source for the MGM lion roar.
    • Poltergeist's special effects and score were both nominated for Oscars but lost to Spielberg's bigger film, "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial", in both categories.

    Sources:

    Wikipedia, IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Box Office Mojo

    ⁠https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/09/poltergeist-at-40⁠

    Some sections were composed by ChatGPT

    We'd love to hear your thoughts on our podcast! You can share your feedback with us via email or social media. Your opinions are incredibly valuable to us, and we'd be so grateful to know what you enjoyed about our show. If we missed anything or if you have any suggestions for 80s movies, we'd love to hear them too! If you're feeling extra supportive, you can even become a subscription member through "Buy Me A Coffee". For more details and other fun extensions of our podcast, check out this link. Thank you for your support!

    • https://linktr.ee/80sFlickFlashback
    Show more Show less
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about #121 - "Poltergeist" (1982) with Ben Carpenter and Bethany Wells

Average customer ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.