What's Scarier Than POLTERGEIST? A POLTERGEIST Remake Of Course

Everything old is remade again lately in H'wood and now supernatural horror classic POLTERGEIST is getting the treatment. This movie is so iconic it would seem hard to do a remake but it hasn't stopped new versions of movies like CARRIE, which is due out later this month.

Some interesting details have emerged though; the script is by a New York playwright, David Lindsay-Abaire, who specializes in plays about lost children (at least his play and then film RABBIT HOLE is about this topic). On the casting front, indie favorites Sam Rockwell and Jane Adams have major roles as the dad and a parapsychologist. And there is also a GHOST HUNTERS-type character from a reality TV show who is exploring the spirits that take over the new families' home. No word on whether the house is in a subdivision that was built over a graveyard.  :)

There is one thing that probably won't be in the movie--the TV static which is the entryway for the ghosts. TV static as it appears in the original film doesn't really exist anymore because broadcast TV's don't turn off at a certain hour at night. Remarkable to think that was actually a thing back in the day. But now, TV is 24/7 on broadcast, cable, online, your phone, etc. I imagine, to a younger person the scene of the TV static might even be somewhat confusing but back then it was super creepy. The original scared the bejeesus out of me as it cleverly took the mundane households items (like a TV, or a clown doll, or a piece of leftover meat in the fridge) and turned them into supernatural things.

So I'm skeptical if they can scare things up in the same way the second time around but we'll see. POLTERGEIST redux will likely hit theaters late next year.

Was The Summer of '82 The Best Summer Ever For Movies?

There was a piece online this week from CBS This Morning where film critic David Edelstein of New York magazine called the summer of '82 Hollywood's Best Summer Ever for movies.  If you look at the lineup, you just might agree; E.T., POLTERGEIST, STAR TREK II: WRATH OF KAHN, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, ROCKY III and even TRON.  He says it was the last summer of big movies with personal themes before the marketeers took over. He is not alone in his assessment.

In fact, down in Texas at one of my favorite local movie houses The Alamo (where I've had a few films play myself!), they are doing a summer retrospective of the summer of '82.  They have these movies playing on their original release dates even.  What a fun idea!  Anyway, you can watch the segment below and post your comments about whether you agree with Edelstein.