“They’re here” is such a simple quote, yet it’s one that terrified a generation, inviting audiences into a world they had never seen before. “Poltergeist,” the supernatural horror movie that is deeply rooted in the modern world, is set in a suburban house, with ghosts possessing our everyday appliances and comforts, like the TV. John Carpenter’s “Halloween” brought the horror home with a serial killer that attacked not in remote houses, but in the middle of the suburbs. The “Poltergeist” franchise took things a step further by showing that ghosts could plague not just suburban neighborhoods, but even high-rise apartment buildings in the big city — somehow, an idea that isn’t as commonplace as it should be.
The franchise revolves around members of the Freeling family, who become targeted by group of ghosts that terrorize and stalk them — led by a demonic entity known as the Beast. The ghosts are particularly drawn to the Freelings’ young daughter Carol Anne, who starts out as an innocent 5-year-old in the first film. Directed by Tobe Hooper from a story by Steven Spielberg, “Poltergeist” was a huge financial hit, was nominated for three Oscars), and launched a franchise with (let’s be honest) various degrees of success.
“Poltergeist” is, perhaps, most commonly associated with the unfortunate series of real-life tragedies that led to many people believing these movies are cursed. Whether there’s any truth to that or not, it cannot be denied that the “Poltergeist” movies, particularly the first one, are an important part of American horror history.
Before “Poltergeist” makes the jump yet again to the small screen with a recently announced TV show, revisit the franchise that terrified America so much it forced the MPA to rethink their movie ratings. Whether you’ve never seen a “Poltergeist” movie and want to absorb as much of the Freelings as you can, or you’re looking to revisit the franchise from the beginning, here’s your guide to watching the “Poltergeist” franchise.
How to watch the Poltergeist movies in order
Watching “Poltergeist,” “Poltergeist II,” and “Poltergeist III,” in that order, is obviously the best way to start. You start with the movie that may have been inspired by a real encounter with actual poltergeists, and experience the complete story of Carol Anne and the Freelings. The first “Poltergeist” movie tells you how they encounter The Beast and the other ghosts for the first time, as the entities plague the house they move into at a housing development in California.
“Poltergeist II” goes the exposition route, revealing more about the ghosts’ origins, and even the backstory and motivation of the Beast, making him just a regular evil man who turned into a demon. (Whether that was a good idea or not is a different matter.) The third film changes settings to a Chicago skyscraper, where Carol Anne is sent to live with relatives to be safe from ghosts … right before they find her again anyway and kidnap her through a mirror. All three of the original movies feature the spectacular Zelda Rubinstein as Tangina Barrons, still the gold standard for horror movie mediums.
The original movie trilogy is really the only must-watch marathon. There were two further additions to the franchise, which are an option for completionists, but are also totally skippable.
“Poltergeist: The Legacy” was the actual first “Poltergeist” TV show, premiered in 1996 and ran for four seasons. It tells the story of members of a secret society that protects humans from supernatural dangers. The show borrows the title “Poltergeist” but is otherwise completely and utterly unconnected to the franchise. As for the 2015 “Poltergeist” remake — well, it is just plain bad and it doesn’t really add anything to the “Poltergeist” experience. Still, Jared Harris is fun to watch.
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