Suburbanites Steve (Nelson) and Diane (Williams) suddenly experience paranormal activity in their home. What starts off as minor excitement quickly turns into nasty ghostly encounters. The disappearance of their daughter Carol Anne (O’Rourke) forces the Freelings to bring in parapsychologists and a professional exorcist to exorcise their home. Directed by Tobe Hooper and featuring Oscar Nominated Visual Effects by Richard Edlund, Michael Wood and Bruce Nicholson, Poltergeist is one of the most entertaining horror films of its time.

For thoughts on Poltergeist (1982), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

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Video Quality

Warner Bros. presents Poltergeist (1982) with a tremendous 2160p transfer in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K master in HDR10. This film was originally released on Blu-Ray by the company over a decade ago which was derived from an older source, but the included Blu-Ray in this release has also been provided with a transfer upgrade. This new 4K UHD presentation is a stellar update that blows every previous release out of the water on every front. This disc offers up a lovely amount of natural film grain with not many moments appearing tweaked. Within this average suburban environment, you will be surprised by how much distinct texture you will find in the production design, the makeup effects and more. This disc preserves the specifics of each environmental change with care.

Despite being made in the ‘80s, this is not a title that is going wild with pastels or other overbearing hues. Yet, the implementation of HDR remains one of the highlights of the release as it brings out the depth and nuance of each environment. There is a greater accuracy to the more natural colors such as nature and certain articles of clothing. The black levels are not inky, but they are also stable enough to avoid blatant crush, and white levels really impress especially in some of the hauntings. Print damage is not an issue in the slightest here. This is by far the best the film has looked on home entertainment, and fans should consider this a must-buy.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio remix, along with the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track which both hold up very well. Those looking for a more pure audio experience will really appreciate the stereo track which balances all of the elements well with only a hint of fragility at its peaks. Dialogue comes through clearly in both mixes even when the thrills ratchet up. Creepy environmental noises are given a precise placement within the mix. In comparison to the stereo track, the remixed surround sound track offers a firmer stability which allows fidelity to never falter. The low end of the track adds a bit of weight to certain notable moments, but it is not going to bring your house down despite what is happening on screen. The score emanates without a hint of damage. It adds so much to the thematic impact of the film. Warner Bros. has provided a top notch audio experience for this one. English SDH and an array of non-English subtitles are provided for those who want them.

Special Features

They Are Here – The Real World Of Poltergeists: A two-part, 31 minute documentary piece in which various mediums, paranormal investigators and the like come together to purport the plausibility of certain aspects of the film along with their own experiences with those beyond the veil between life and death. If you are into this cheesy type of show, you might enjoy this.

- Part 1 – Science of the Spirits (15:31)

- Part 2 – Communing With The Dead (15:33)

The Making Of Poltergeist: A seven-minute vintage featurette in which you get insights from writer-producer Steven Spielberg, producer Frank Marshall (creator of this piece), actor Craig T. Nelson, and director Tobe Hooper. This provides some relaxed on-set footage of the talent on set along with glimpses of the special effects production. It would have been nice if this was longer, but at least it was included.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Poltergeist (1982) is an all-time classic in the world of horror thanks to its grounding in character. Other movies may have a higher body count or more gore, but very few can offer the bone-deep thrills that this movie does. The Steven Spielberg story and screenplay pairs well with the assured eye of Tobe Hooper. We are celebrating 40 years since the film shook up the horror genre, and there are no signs of cobwebs on it. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a fantastic A/V presentation and a small selection of archival special features. This new presentation is what fans have been hoping to receive for years. Highly Recommended

Poltergeist (1982) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.