The first official trailer for the Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Spider-Man 3) produced Poltergeist remake has finally been released, and it’s already causing quite the stir online. Directed by Gil Kenan (Monster House), this remake seems to be trying to stay as faithful to the original 1982 film as possible. Filled with evil clowns, demon possessed trees and a fair amount of static-afflicted televisions, Poltergeist is one of the many movies set to compete for audience attention in an already crowded summer.
Take a look at the trailer below and see if the Bowen family can handle their newest home’s recent paranormal infestation.
The original Poltergeist is such a classic because it perfectly encapsulated 1980s suburbia. By methodically dismantling the suburban family, Poltergeist played on middle-class America’s ultimate fears. It made people scared of the homes they live in. While we only have a trailer to go off of, this Poltergeist remake seems to be doing that again, but with a modern family. It’s apparent that the remake is copying the original’s most iconic scenes, and that (at least to me) is the biggest problem. For example, the trailer dedicates a good portion of its running time focusing on the evil demonic clown. Why a child’s parents would buy that evil little monstrosity is beyond me, but there it is. Instead of a slow burn style horror that the original clown provided, this one is jumping around and attacking everyone in sight. This same style of “scare” is seen again when Sam Rockwell, taking on the role once played by Craig T. Nelson, is attacked by his demon-possessed daughter. This is a symptom that often plagues most modern day horror films. Instead of building tension and suspense, the trailer seems to illustrate a film that is filled with jump scares.
Look, often-times the best course of action when remaking or rebooting a beloved film is to do something completely different. This is probably best illustrated with the recent Planet of the Apes movies. While the rebooted Apes films follow Caesar and his clan, they still remain respectful of the original franchise’s legacy. They pay tribute to the original movies in subtle ways, but they don’t painstakingly attempt to copy them. They are their own thing, and they work so well because of that.
The Poltergeist remake has a lot to live up to, and it’s only going to invite more criticism as it attempts to one-up the original with more bombastic effects and scares reminiscent of Paranormal Activity. Oh, it’s also in 3D. I’m sure that will go over well with the purists. In any case, Poltergeist will be in theatres July 24, 2015.
What about you reader? Did you enjoy the first trailer for Poltergeist? Are you concerned about the remake? Let us know in the comments below!
