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IMDbPro

Poltergeist III

  • 19881988
  • PGPG
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
19K
YOUR RATING
Heather O'Rourke in Poltergeist III (1988)
Trailer 1
Play trailer1:06
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Horror
  • Thriller
Carol Anne is staying with her aunt in a high-rise building, where the supernatural forces haunting her make their return.Carol Anne is staying with her aunt in a high-rise building, where the supernatural forces haunting her make their return.Carol Anne is staying with her aunt in a high-rise building, where the supernatural forces haunting her make their return.
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
19K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Gary Sherman
  • Writers
    • Gary Sherman
    • Brian Taggert
    • Steve Feke(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Heather O'Rourke
    • Tom Skerritt
    • Nancy Allen
Top credits
  • Director
    • Gary Sherman
  • Writers
    • Gary Sherman
    • Brian Taggert
    • Steve Feke(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Heather O'Rourke
    • Tom Skerritt
    • Nancy Allen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 149User reviews
    • 86Critic reviews
    • 40Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Poltergeist III
    Trailer 1:06
    Poltergeist III

    Photos162

    Nancy Allen, Tom Skerritt, Lara Flynn Boyle, Heather O'Rourke, and Kipley Wentz in Poltergeist III (1988)
    Heather O'Rourke and Nathan Davis in Poltergeist III (1988)
    Zelda Rubinstein in Poltergeist III (1988)
    Heather O'Rourke in Poltergeist III (1988)
    Poltergeist III (1988)
    The Legend of Hell House (1973)
    Poltergeist III (1988)
    Poltergeist (1982)
    Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
    Nancy Allen and Tom Skerritt in Poltergeist III (1988)
    Heather O'Rourke in Poltergeist III (1988)
    Nancy Allen in Poltergeist III (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Heather O'Rourke
    Heather O'Rourke
    • Carol Anne
    Tom Skerritt
    Tom Skerritt
    • Bruce Gardner
    Nancy Allen
    Nancy Allen
    • Patricia Gardner
    Zelda Rubinstein
    Zelda Rubinstein
    • Tangina
    Lara Flynn Boyle
    Lara Flynn Boyle
    • Donna Gardner
    Kipley Wentz
    Kipley Wentz
    • Scott
    • (as Kip Wentz)
    Richard Fire
    • Dr. Seaton
    Nathan Davis
    Nathan Davis
    • Kane
    Roger May
    • Burt
    Paul Graham
    • Martin
    Meg Weldon
    • Sandy
    Stacy Gilchrist
    • Melissa
    Joey Garfield
    Joey Garfield
    • Jeff
    Christian Murphy
    • Dusty
    • (as Chris Murphy)
    Roy Hytower
    • Nathan
    Meg Thalken
    Meg Thalken
    • Deborah
    Dean Tokuno
    • Takamitsu
    Catherine Gatz
    • Marcie
    • Director
      • Gary Sherman
    • Writers
      • Gary Sherman
      • Brian Taggert
      • Steve Feke(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Following the death of Heather O'Rourke in February of 1988 after she finished her work on the film (April-June 1987), it was the decision of director Gary Sherman to temporarily shelve the project during its post-production phase. However, due to the amount of money that had already been spent, MGM insisted that the film be finished and released as scheduled for June of 1988 or they would find someone else to do it. Apparently, after the film was given a PG rating by the MPAA in November 1987, the studio had already decided to have Sherman re-shoot the ending with more graphic scenes, in order to "up" the rating to PG-13. Planning for this re-shoot began in December 1987 and continued into January 1988, but was temporarily put on hold when O'Rourke died Feb. 1. The re-shoot (which used a stand-in for Heather) eventually took place in March, and the film was then "re-edited" and given a PG-13 by the MPAA in April 1988. Director Sherman would later claim that no such "re-shoot" took place, instead insisting that Heather died before they could film the "original ending" and that the current ending using the body double was what they hastily threw together when forced to "finish" the film by MGM. However, he is contradicted by at least six other people who also worked on the film who confirmed that the original ending was in fact filmed before Heather died and that the re-shoot of the ending took place after her passing. These people include producer Barry Bernardi, actor Kipley Wentz, assistant editor Jeanne Bonansinga, composer Joe Renzetti, special effects makeup artist Doug Drexler and the man who provided the voice for the Rev. Kane, Corey Burton. His claims would ultimately be proven false by the Collector's Edition Blu-ray release by Scream Factory, where the original film elements and the missing footage were discovered in a vault for a 4K restoration, including the original ending which Sherman denied ever existed. This Blu-ray release, as of 2020, has since gone out of print.
    • Goofs
      (at around 32 mins) After something strange happens in the bathroom as Donna gets ready for a party, Carol Anne and Donna walk into the main hall of the apartment. In the back, there is a large mirror. In the bottom, right-hand corner of the mirror, a crew member's bottom is shown wearing sandy brown dress pants.
    • Quotes

      Bruce Gardner: Carol Anne! Carol Anne! Carol Anne!

      Pat Gardner: Bruce! Bruce! Bruce!

    • Crazy credits
      A text in the credits reads "The character of Reverend Henry Kane was originally portrayed by Julian Beck"
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Red Heat/A World Apart/Rikky and Pete/Poltergeist III/Wings of Desire (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Jungle Music
      (uncredited)

      Written by Simon Stokes and Billy Cioffi

      Vocal by Simon Stokes

    User reviews149

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    So-So End to the Trilogy
    I'm a huge Poltergeist fan and I must say,I was hugely disappointed when I found out that only 2 of the main characters of the series were coming back to do this second sequel.I think this movie had the potential to be better than it was.It had an interesting plot of Carol Anne being sent to live with her aunt and uncle in Chicago,so that she could go to this school for gifted kids with mental problems,though I would suspect that Diane and Steven wanted to get Carol Anne away so they could have some semblance of a normal life,at least for awhile,the writers putting this in mostly so that they could have this in an urban setting,in a skyscraper.The most ridiculous aspect of this movie is how Dr. Seaton and Aunt Pat (Nancy Allen),must be the two dumbest characters,they still cling to the notion that all that's happening is just Carol Anne brainwashing everyone into believing that the entire building is being haunted by ghosts,no matter how many times the ghosts make it plainly clear and obvious that this isn't all in their heads. Nathan Davis is no match in comparison to the original Reverend Kane (played by Jullien Beck).Tom Skerritt plays the compassionate uncle who treats Carol Anne (the late Heather O'Rourke),like his own daughter. Apparently,Aunt Pat is not happy to have Carol Anne around,and it might have to do with some sibling rivalry she and Diane (JoBeth Williams),had growing up,though this is never explored.I think the mirror-thing was pretty innovative as well.Admittedly,having Carol Anne playing with a 'Speak-N-Spell' was rather ridiculous,being that she's supposed to be almost a teenager herself now (and so was having her wear those red, one-piece,footed blanket sleeper pajamas (Don't most of these have zippers? I've never seen button-up footsie pajamas before),though I think the writers added that so as to play to the subplot of the ghosts zapping the building out of it's heat and energy,making it freezing inside the building.Until I saw this movie,I didn't even know they make footsie pajamas that big,for preteen kids),and some of the other subplots could've used some work,or had been explored more in this film, overall this movie wasn't too bad,but admittedly,the first two movies in the series were much better,and the ending to this movie made no sense (I think they were planning a much better ending,but Heather died before they could do this,so they had to do this lame-excuse for an ending.Worst of all,what happened to Scott? Did he go to 'the light' with Tangina,Kane,and the other ghosts? Without Heather O'Rourke (whose life and career were cut tragically short),this movie would've gotten only a couple of stars from me,but because of her 8,or 9-star (out of 10), performance,I give this second sequel 5 out of 10 stars,so watch this if you may,but if you want a top-notch horror movie,look elsewhere!
    helpful•6
    1
    • ilovesleepers345
    • Mar 29, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 10, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Poltergeist III: We're Back
    • Filming locations
      • John Hancock Center - 875 N. Michigan Avenue, Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Production companies
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
      • Star Partners
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $14,114,488
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,344,308
      • Jun 12, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $14,114,488
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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