10 Classic Horror Films That Aren't Scary Any More

8. Poltergeist

Tobe Hooper makes terrifically twisted movies about crazed hillbillies, so it€™s strange to find him at the helm of Poltergeist, a movie about a nice, dull American family who find their home invaded by unfriendly spirits. In fact, repeat viewings lend credence to what the critics said all along €“ Hooper was the remote control of writer/producer Steven Spielberg, who wanted a big bucks special effects movie rather than a film that actually scared people. Hooper snuck in some of his trademark dark humour, but once Zelda Rubinstein shows up, the movie becomes the effects showcase that Spielberg wanted. Remade in 2015 with a PG-13 rating, the new version excises all the gore (and the fun), but keeps most of the effects sequences. Tellingly, Spielberg€™s name is listed in the credits (for supplying the original story), but Hooper€™s is not.