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1/ Been trying to catch up on some of the "cultural phenomenon" movies I've missed and tonight I watched Poltergeist (1982) for the first time. I have no idea how to feel about it. Within the context of it's time, I'd give it maybe 3.5/5. As just a movie today, maybe 2.5.
2/ As a movie that legitimized frauds like psychics and perpetuated the Christian Conservative supernatural/Satanic panic of the 80s I'd give it a 0/5. As a movie illustrative of the psychological mindset of that period, it is probably, IDK, back to 3.5 or 4?
3/ In a way the whole Satanic/supernatural panic of that period, where paranormal forces were very much real to some, was the QAnon of it's day. Ridiculous, illogical, but very much real in terms of how social and even legal perceptions were shaped.
4/ I remember when I was young the fear people had that things like Dungeons & Dragons or heavy metal were going to open up your home to supernatural or demonic influences, & that psychics were legit navigators of the spiritual realm. This movie both mirrors it and encourages it
5/ The real horror, to me - aside from the ridiculous superstitious mess movies like this helped make mainstream - was the tragic deaths of two of the actresses in it. The youngest, Heather O'Rourke, died at 13 of an intestinal problem. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_O%27Rourke
6/ Heather died in less than 6 hours from an ailment that seems to have been totally unknown to her family before that. I can't even imagine that. 6 hours. And some people acted like it was because she was in an "ungodly" movie. I remember that well.
7/ Dominique Dunne was strangled by a crazy ex-boyfriend the year Poltergeist released. Reading about the trial is heartbreaking; her murderer could not have been more guilty and he was only sentenced to 3 years by a judge who clearly sympathized with him https://www.ihorror.com/remembering-the-tragic-death-of-poltergeist-star-dominique-dunne/
8/ So I was sort of expecting a silly escapist horror movie and I am lost in the very real sadness of the deaths of two of the actresses in it and also conflicted over its irresponsible handling of a subject matter that contributed to a moral panic I remember from my youth.
