Poltergeist (1982): cast, story & where to watch
1982 · Film · ★ 7.1
Released in 1982, Poltergeist is a horror film directed by Tobe Hooper, running about 114 minutes. “It knows what scares you.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Steve Freeling lives with his wife, Diane, and their three children, Dana, Robbie, and Carol Anne, in Southern California where he sells houses for the company that built the neighborhood. It starts with just a few odd occurrences, such as broken dishes and furniture moving around by itself. However, when he realizes that something truly evil haunts his home, Steve calls in a team of parapsychologists led by Dr. Lesh to help before it's too late.
Who’s in it. Poltergeist stars Craig T. Nelson as Steve Freeling, JoBeth Williams as Diane Freeling, Beatrice Straight as Dr. Lesh and Dominique Dunne as Dana Freeling, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.1/10, Poltergeist has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $122.2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on YouTube TV and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Poltergeist page.
If you liked it. Fans of Poltergeist tend to enjoy Psycho, The Silence of the Lambs, The Shining and Alien.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Poltergeist (1982)?
- In US, Poltergeist is available to stream on YouTube TV, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Poltergeist worth watching?
- Poltergeist holds an audience score of 7.1 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy horror. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Poltergeist?
- Poltergeist stars Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne and Oliver Robins.
- When was Poltergeist released?
- Poltergeist was released in 1982, with a runtime of about 114 minutes.