The Machine sends us to May 22, 2015 to cover the forgotten remake of the beloved 80's horror film Poltergeist, starring Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jane Adams, and Jared Harris.

Newly laid-off father Eric Bowen (played by Sam Rockwell) and his aspiring author wife Amy (played by Rosemarie DeWitt) move into a house in suburban Illinois with their three children: 16-year-old Kendra (played by Saxon Sharbino), 10-year-old Griffin (played by Kyle Catlett) and 6-year-old Madison (played by Kennedi Clements). As they get settled in their new home, Madison begins communicating with an otherworldly presence through the television, which messes with the lights and electronics to frighten and torment Griffin. While their parents are away at a dinner party during a rainstorm, Griffin is attacked by clown dolls and an old tree outside the house, Kendra is nearly pulled into a pool of tar in the garage, and Madison is lured through a portal in her closet. With their daughter missing and seemingly trapped between our world and the afterlife, the Bowens seek help from a team of parapsychologists and TV ghost hunter Carrigan Burke (played by Jared Harris) to bring their daughter back to the land of the living.

Written by David Lindsay-Abaire

Directed by Gil Kenan

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Movie Memory Machine is part of the Grunt Work Podcasts network. For more information on today’s episode, visit moviememorymachine.com.

Theme song by Porky’s Groove Machine.

Special thanks to Nate DuFort.

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