Image: The Movie DB
About This Quiz
Test your knowledge on the facts around the cast, crew and makings of the movie!
Why did the production crew use real human skeletons as props in the movie?
It added more of a scare factor
It was inexpensive
Purchasing real human remains was actually cheaper than creating or buying replica skeletons.
It was more convenient
The director wanted it to look more realistic by using real skeletons
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Who was one of the writers behind the story of Poltergeist?
James Cameron
Martin Scorsese
Tim Burton
Steven Spielberg
He was one of the 3 writers that collaborated on the terrifying screenplay for the movie.
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Who was originally considered for the role of Carol Anne?
Sara Gilbert
Tracy Gold
Drew Barrymore
She wasn’t chosen for the part due to Steven Spielberg wanting someone who was more “angelic”. But her audition did land her a role in another in his other film that summer which was E.T the Extra Terrestrial.
Brooke Shields
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The house they used in the film is located in what state?
California
It is located in Simi Valley, CA and the family that owned it during the filming still actually live there today!
New York
Nebraska
Idaho
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Who was the young actress who plays Carol Anne Freeling?
Natalie Gregory
Heather O’Rourke
Steven Spielberg discovered her while her sister, her mother and her were eating lunch in the MGM commissary.
Keisha Knight Pulliam
Dana Plato
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Where is the disturbing clown puppet from the movie showcased today?
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles
Hollywood Museum in Los Angeles
Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas
This clown was probably the source of many nightmares for people after they watched the film.
Alice Austen House in Staten Island
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Who was the actor that played the role of Robbie Freeling?
Oliver Robins
“Poltergeist” was actually the young actor's debut into acting in Hollywood.
Fred Savage
Neil Patrick Harris
Seth Green
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What happened to both young actresses who played the roles of Steve and Diane Freeling’s daughters?
They both became huge stars
They won awards for their parts in the movie
Both girls died at a young age
Dominique Dunne, who played the older daughter, was strangled by her boyfriend just after the film was released in 1982. Then six years later, Heather O'Rourke, who played the younger daughter, sadly died of intestinal stenosis.
They both left Hollywood to pursue a more normal life
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Where are both of those actresses buried?
Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego
Graceland Cemetery in Chicago
Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles
Both girls’ family laid them to rest in a prominent LA cemetery.
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What is the German meaning behind the word “poltergeist”?
Demon
Friendly spirit
Noisy ghost
During the movie the spirits in the house terrorized the Freeling family in many different ways.
Satan
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What was the reason for writer Steven Spielberg and director Tobe Hooper wanting relatively unknown actors to play the different roles of the Freeling family?
They didn't like using actors or actress that were well known due to their attitudes
To add a sense of realism to the family
They felt that having well known stars involved with the film would take away or distract the audience from the “realistic feel” of the characters.
They wanted fresh, new talent
At the time they didn't feel anyone in Hollywood was right for the roles
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Which two cast members were subsequently murdered?
Jobeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson
Zelda Rubinstein and Oliver Robins
James Karen and Dirk Blocker
Dominique Dunne and Lou Perryman
Dunne played the role of Dana Freeling and was strangled by her boyfriend and then declared brain dead in 1982. In 2009 Lou Perryman was murdered in Texas by an ax wielding 26 year old named Seth Christopher Tatum.
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Steven Spielberg hired director Tobe Hooper due to being impressed by his directing on what other horror film?
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Hooper’s experience with creating a chilling horror film was just what Spielberg was looking for.
The Exorcist
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Rosemary's Baby
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At the Academy Awards and the Oscars in 1982 what film did “Poltergeist” lose to?
The Breakfast Club
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial
Since it was another Spielberg film and Steven walked away with the awards, he didn’t feel too bad about losing...to himself.
Blade Runner
Die Hard
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Which multimedia source selected “Poltergeist” as one of The Best 1000 Movies Ever Made?
The New York Times
It’s a movie that had really impressed it’s audiences and critics alike at its release, even to this day it is thought highly of.
The Washington Post
The Los Angeles Times
The Star Ledger
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Zelda Rubinstein, who played the role of Tangina, claimed have what supernatural ability?
Being able to communicate with spirits
Being a practicing witch
Genuine psychic abilities
Zelda claimed to see visions or glimpses of things before they actually occurred.
Being able to read minds
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What is believed to effect some of those who were involved with the production of the movie?
A death curse
Within the first handful of years after the release of the film 4 cast members either died related to illness or were murdered which stirred up gossip of there being a curse connected to the film.
Bad luck with furthering their careers
Horrible nightmares that plagued them for years
Suffering from serious illness brought on after filming wrapped
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What was the budget for filming?
40 million USD
27.7 million USD
10.7 million USD
Spielberg and Hooper had a healthy budget available at their disposable to produce their film.
5.9 million USD
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What award was “Poltergeist” given for Best Visual Effects?
Academy Award
American Film Institute
Gotham Awards
The BAFTA award
The creators behind the film went above and beyond with producing chilling visual effects to add to the scare factor and they were recognized for their brilliance.
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Who was the person in charge of composing the music for the film?
Danny Elfman
Hans Zimmer
Jerry Goldsmith
He was a veteran composer who wrote multiple themes for the score including the lullaby called “Carol Anne’s Theme”. Jerry passed away in 2004 at the age of 75.
Howard Shore
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When the film was released in 1982, how much did it make at the box office?
$76,606,280
It took 8th place as the highest grossing movies of the year 1982.
$15,678,448
$8,652,390
$93,517,782
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How many awards did “Poltergeist” win overall?
1 award
7 awards
Four awards
It won the Saturn Award for Best Horror or Thriller Film, the Saturn Award for Best Make-up , the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress (for Zelda Rubinstein) and the BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects.
3 awards
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What was the release date of this classic horror film?
June 1982
Some joked it was the summer of Spielberg due to the fact that he released two hit films back to back in the summer of 1982.
September 1980
October 1982
April 1981
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Why was the actress JoBeth Williams hesitant to film the swimming pool scene in the movie?
She couldn't actually swim
She was extremely worried about the pool water damaging her hair
She was concerned about being electrocuted
There was a ton of electrical equipment used to film and it was extremely close to the pool. She only was persuaded to get in and shoot the scene when Spielberg climbed in the pool with her stating, “Now if a light falls, we will both fry.”
She was afraid of drowning
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What is unusual about this film despite being in the genre of horror/thriller movies?
It was ahead of its time with the visual effects used
It was based on a true story
The story was very realistic
There are no deaths depicted
Most films in this kind of category typically depict different fatalities such as murders or other violent deaths.
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Who were the geniuses behind the amazing special effects in the movie?
Rocket Science VFX
Industrial Light and Magic team
George Lucas's company was innovative and creative when it came to producing special effects. So much so that their efforts won them the BAFTA award for Best Visual Effects and they received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.
Act3animation
Surreal World
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Who was the co-producer with Steven Spielberg?
Stanley Kubrick
Frank Marshall
After his work was completed on “Poltergeist”, Frank Marshall went on to produce another famous film called “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”.
Clive Barker
Roman Polanski
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In the film, what did the family learn about their house?
It cursed by an old witch doctor
It was plagued with a long list of unexplained deaths
It was built on an ancient tribal burial ground
The family unknowingly moved into a house where the land developers and builders had disturbed the sacred ground and angered spirits residing on that land.
It was previously the home of a serial killer
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In the film, what lie did Steve Freeling learn his boss had told him about the housing development?
That the developed land plots weren't selling
That the land was bought knowing it was cursed but they ignored the warnings
That they had relocated the bodies and the tombstones they had discovered
Steve’s boss had only moved the headstones from the graveyard and left the bodies behind, but he had claimed to have excavated the remains and laid them to rest peacefully with the headstones again.
That they didn't disturb the burial ground that was found but instead built around it
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In the film the family abandons what was their home and retreats to a hotel, what is the name of the hotel?
Holiday Inn
The family sought peace and rest in a safe location after going through their hellish ordeal in their own home.
The Sheraton
The Marriott
Motel 6
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When the Freeling’s arrive at the Holiday Inn, the hotel sign reads “Welcome Dr. Fantasy & Friends.” What is the significance of that sign?
It was a popular TV show in the 80s.
There is no significance
It’s a nickname for one of the producers of the film
Frank Marshall's nickname is Dr. Fantasy.
It was a famous magician who was performing at the hotel
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What movie studio backed this Spielberg film?
20th Century Fox
Time Warner
Paramount Pictures
MGM Studios
Originally Spielberg had approached Universal Studios before sealing the deal with MGM.
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In the film Robbie Freeling is terrorized by a clown and the tree outside his window, those terrors were inspired by which crew member’s childhood fears?
Frank Marshall
Steven Spielberg
As a child Spielberg was extremely fearful of clowns and there was an ominous tree that gave him the creeps outside his bedroom window as a child.
Tobe Hooper
Kathleen Kennedy
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Which character in the movie says the famous quote “They’re here.”?
Carol Anne Freeling
In the film Carol sits in front of the TV which is just playing static in her parents bedroom. Then as she gets closer to the TV you see a spirit’s hand reach through and a ghostly apparition fills the room. The bedroom shakes as the spirits enter into our world. Carol’s brother and parents are startled awake looking shocked and confused to what just happened. At the end of the bed Carol turns to face her parents and brother to cheerfully announce “They’re here.”
Tangina
Dr. Lesh
Steve Freeling
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What happened to the young actor while filming the scene where his character, Robbie Freeling, is being strangled by the toy clown?
He fainted
He had a panic attack
He became extremely frightened by the clown puppet
He was unable to breathe
At first Spielberg and Hooper thought that the young Oliver Robbins was just acting, but the boy started to turn purple and they immediately rushed to help him. They said that somehow the arms of the clown became wrapped around his neck too tightly and he was unable to remove them himself...SPOOKY!
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You Got:
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The Movie DB