... just wait until E.T. was finished? Then there would be no debate about who really directed POLTERGEIST. Actually, that debate started because of how much he wanted to participate in the production, so it would've made more sense to wait and direct both movies.
shareThe casting process was already underway, and the studio likely had plans for the release set in motion - it's a Spielberg production, so that name along would carry cache, especially as this was right after Raiders came out. But it's an interesting point. But I always wonder if Spielberg would've left it to Hooper had there not been a delay with the filming of ET (I forget why but I read that he was really on that set but then something delayed the production, so he hopped over to "supervise" Poltergeist more thoroughly). Plus, it's one of the only films he wrote the script for as well, so he probably saw things in a certain way.
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Every time the subject of Poltergeist comes up, my father likes to tell about when it was released, and how parents took their kids to see it, expecting a charming family movie like E.T., because after all, isn't that the kind of movies Spielberg always does? They were completely oblivious to the fact that Spielberg made his reputation with a movie about A MAN-EATING SHARK! and that the actual director of the movie made his with a movie about A GUY IN A LEATHER FACE WHO MASSACRES PEOPLE WITH A CHAINSAW!
Obviously, I like to tell that story, too.
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"Oh, well," said Zanoni, "to pour pure water in the muddy well does but disturb the mud!"
I haven't read much about the history of its production, but Poltergeist has Speilberg's style stamped all over it.
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shareI don't think the debate about who the director is was foremost on his mind. I'm sure he had more pressing issues like counting his millions and making more millions.
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