Poltergeist III (1988)

User Rating:

3.8/10   

Director:

Gary Sherman

Writers:

Gary Sherman (writer)
Brian Taggert (writer)

Release Date:

10 June 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Horror | Mystery | 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:

After filming of the scene where the cars chase Patricia and Bruce, the car's explosion set the entire set on fire, almost taking a crew member and a few cameras he was rescuing. When Heather O'Rourke showed up for filming the next day and heard about the incident from director Gary Sherman, she was relieved that no one was hurt. She then asked Sherman, "Did you get the shot?"

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the end sequence, you can see that one of the mirrors is faked, by having cables run floor to ceiling to simulate the seams. One of the actors bumps in the cable and you can see it vibrate.

Quotes:

Pat Gardner: [after Bruce gets sucked into the window void outside the building, Carol Anne shows up to warn Pat off]
[shouts]
Pat Gardner: Carol Anne!
Carol Anne: [sadly] Go away, Pat! He doesn't want them, he only wants me! You don't love me, you don't want me here. My parents don't love me either. They sent me away. Kane loves me, Kane wants me!
[holds out her hand]
Carol Anne: Give me Tangina's necklace and you can have Bruce and Donna back. They're your family. I'll go with Kane.
Pat Gardner: [voice quivering] Your mom and dad do love you! They love you very much! And I love you too. It's hard for me to show it sometimes but I do love you!
Carol Anne: [doesn't believe her] No, save your family! They're the ones who mean something to you, not me!
Pat Gardner: [with tears in her eyes] That's not true! You are part of my family! You and Donna are like my children! I love you, Carol Anne and I'll do anything to prove that! You've got to believe me!
Carol Anne: [angrily] No! Go away!
[...]

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

NIGHT RIDER

"Carol Anne?...Carol Anne?!...Carol Anne!!"

A dreadful excuse for a thriller, ending the once-popular "Poltergiest" trilogy on a shameful note. A young child, continually dogged by evil spirits, brings her reign of bad luck to a Chicago high-rise when she goes to live with her aunt and uncle (apparently her real parents had had enough). There was nothing in the original "Poltergeist" that suggested Heather O'Rourke's character Carol Anne was the reason the spirits were taking over that house. She was just a pawn in their plans. This movie makes it seem like Carol Anne was the sparkplug to the whole thing! Actually she's the pawn in a new game: that of sleazy filmmakers hoping to squeeze more money out of the public with an obviously-inferior product. Effects, script and acting are all atrocious. NO STARS from ****