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Vadim Perelman To Direct Poltergeist
Remake of the classic Spielberg chiller

02 September 2008  |  Written by Chris Hewitt  |  Source: The Hollywood Reporter


When MGM made the decision to plunder its stellar back catalogue for a series of (hopefully) lucrative remakes, the company could have taken the easy way out: announce a bunch of titles, hire a cadre of hack, and set them to work. (A cynic would say this worked for The Pink Panther; Empire, of course, doesn’t have a cynical bone in our body…)

But, commendably, MGM has actually done the opposite, instead setting a series of top helmers to work on their crown jewels, from Darren Aronofsky on RoboCop, through to giving top second unit director, Dan Bradley, his shot at the big time with Red Dawn.

And they’ve continued in a similar vein by announcing that Vadim Perelman is to direct their recently-announced remake of Steven Spielber – sorry, Tobe Hooper’s 1980 horror classic, Poltergeist.

If you’re wondering, ‘Vadim who?’, he’s the super-serious director behind the ultra-depressing flicks, The House Of Sand And Fog, and The Life Behind Her Eyes. So, while he may not immediately seem the perfect fit for a commercial horror flick about a family whose home becomes haunted by an evil entity, he – and we - would beg to differ. A master of establishing an unsettling tone and exploring the dynamics of a family under pressure, Perelman might be perfect for this gig, as he’s likely to avoid cat-in-a-fridge type scares.

At the moment, little is known about the Poltergeist remake. The story seems relatively intact, but we don’t know, for instance, whether it will again focus on a family called the Freelings, or whether it will focus on their intuitive young daughter, Carol Anne. Or if it’ll have a freaky mini-psychic. Or that bit where the researcher claws off his own face in the bathroom. Or that bit where Jobeth Williams runs down the corridor, but it gets longer and longer as she goes. Or the bit with the tree. Or the bit with the clown. Or the bit…

OK, we’re big fans. And normally we’d say – in a scary Zelda Rubinstein voice – ‘leave this film alone!’ But we’re intrigued by Perelman’s appointment, so we wish him well.

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Your Comments

RE: Vadim Perelman To Direct Poltergeist
This is really happening, God if they go near E.T or breakfast at tiffany's I don't know what I'll do! More

Posted by Sphinx at 21:51 on 29 September 2008 | Report This Post

RE: Vadim Perelman To Direct Poltergeist
Stupid cunts. When will Hollywood stop raping its own classics? It's absurd. And I couldn't care less if it was being directed by Martin Scorcese, it is utterly pointless. But then again. This remake will be consigned to the bargain bin with all the other recent horror remakes that have failed to make any impact other than to be laughed at and ridiculed - Psycho, Omen, Texas Chainsaw, et al. With a lot of these movies it is still the originals that are talked about and revered, while the r More

Posted by DancingClown at 18:05 on 28 September 2008 | Report This Post

The new Robocop isn't a remake
The new Robocop film is NOT a remake and shouldn't be regarded as one of the remakes MGM is churning out. It's the fourth in the series and will carry on from where the 3rd film left off. Here's my proof, do your research EMPIRE - http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/12913 Rega rding the Poltergeist remake, I won't judge until I've seen it. More

Posted by SUPER_movie_FREAK at 02:21 on 04 September 2008 | Report This Post

Dear Me
Why remake solidly successful films with so much baggage (robocop is a now a near universal cultural icon)? It shows a great lack of imagination on MGM's part. If they are so artistically bankrupt that they have to rehash so many of their old films why not 're-imagine' films that didn't go the distance the first time. Regardless of the directors these films will be yet more nails in the coffin of courage and art in modern cinema. More

Posted by Knight of Fury at 23:00 on 02 September 2008 | Report This Post

Please.....
This pisses me off. If you can't come up with ideas for decent new movies, just DON'T BOTHER. Stop remaking films that were done perfectly well in the first place. More

Posted by ewanmc at 21:46 on 02 September 2008 | Report This Post

RE:
ake of Steven Spielber – sorry, Tobe Hooper’s 1980 horror classic, Poltergeist."b]Empireno good coming over all pedantic if in the very same sentence you're going to muck up the year of the original film. Everyone knows (well I thought they did) that eistut in 1982. That genius year that also gave us he Thing, Star Trek The Wrath of Khan, Conan the Barbarian, Blade Runner, Rocky III, First Bloodum...Anyways, can't see much point in this, no-one can match . Nelson Dad. The man is More

Posted by JediBobster at 19:19 on 02 September 2008 | Report This Post

Robocop remake? Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More

Posted by coljohnmatrix at 17:26 on 02 September 2008 | Report This Post

I've only seen House Of Sand And Fog, which was a bit pretentious and leaden, but Perelman really seems to know how to direct actors (see Ben Kingsley's frankly astonishing turn, featuring a spot on Iranian accent). And he knows how to shoot beautiful women's curves... ahem. Consider me somewhat interested. More

Posted by Manfrendshensindshen at 12:09 on 02 September 2008 | Report This Post

They're hheeeeeeeerrrree!
'This house.....is clean!' More

Posted by Seamie at 09:31 on 02 September 2008 | Report This Post


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