Poltergeist III (1988)

Director:

Gary Sherman

Writers:

Gary Sherman (writer)
Brian Taggert (writer)

Release Date:

10 June 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

He's found her.

Plot:

Carol Anne is staying with her aunt in a highrise building, and the supernatural forces that have haunted her previously follow her there.

Plot Keywords:

Building | Supernatural | Good Versus Evil | Psychologist | Surrealism

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Tom Skerritt	...	Bruce Gardner
Nancy Allen	...	Patricia Wilson-Gardner
Heather O'Rourke	...	Carol Anne Freeling
Zelda Rubinstein	...	Tangina Barrons
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Donna Gardner
Kipley Wentz	...	Scott (as Kip Wentz)
Richard Fire	...	Dr. Seaton
Nathan Davis	...	Reverend Henry Kane
Roger May	...	Burt
Paul Graham	...	Martin Moyer
Meg Weldon	...	Sandy
Stacy Gilchrist	...	Melissa
Joey Garfield	...	Jeff
Christian Murphy	...	Dusty (as Chris Murphy)
Roy Hytower	...	Nathan

Also Known As:

Poltergeist III: The Final Chapter (Australia)
Poltergeist III: We're Back (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Germany:16 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | USA:PG-13 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating) | USA:PG (original rating) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Although there was an internet rumor that Jerry Goldsmith was originally contracted to score this film but quit due to budget cuts (and then supposedly used his "unused" P3 score later in The Haunting (1999)), this rumor is untrue. Goldsmith was unhappy with the results of Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) and did not have an interest in doing the third film. Also, it's clear that MGM did not want to spend the extra money they knew it would cost to hire Goldsmith, considering that "Poltergeist III" was being made on a lower budget than the last film. Ultimately, "Poltergeist III" was scored by Joe Renzetti, who director Gary Sherman recommended, having worked with Renzetti previously on his other low-budget movies.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: After something strange happens in the bathroom as Donna gets ready for a party, Carol Anne and Donna walk into the main hall of the apartment. In the back, there is a large mirror. In the bottom, right-hand corner of the mirror, a crew member's bottom is shown wearing sandy brown dress pants.

Quotes:

Carol Anne: You are so declasse.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Moonlighting: Poltergeist III - Dipesto Nothing (#3.10)" (1987)

Soundtrack:

JUNGLE MUSIC

Heather O'Rourke is the greatest (her best acting, IMO)

Going in a different direction from the previous two movies in the series, this one took a few chances. The high-rise, mirrors, a new Kane(sad what happened to Julian Beck), etc. I loved this movie for those reasons. Not saying I didn't enjoy the other two because those were excellent, but it seemed like there wasn't anything in there to make them considered a horror movie except for the presence of ghosts with a little bit of suspense. "Poltergeist III" contained murder, suspense, tricky camera angles and most of all, the best acting I have ever seen from Heather O'Rourke. She was so adorable in her red pajamas and I truly believe she carried the movie with up to par performances by Skeritt, Allen, Rubenstein, Fire, Flynn Boyle and Wentz. Her presence on screen while watching this movie is so magnificent and very believable. When I was little, she was my first crush and I loved her, I only found out on 6-4-2005 that she passed away and it crushed me. I say this is the best of the series and I know I am the minority, but hey, to each his own. I realize the first movie is pretty much legendary for her famous line "They're Here", but I feel the acting here is better. The way they made the concept of the mirrors work is amazing and I thought it was a great attempt a something new. I gave this movie a 9/10 because of how much I enjoyed Heather O'Rourke's performance. Check it out.