Tag: Craig T. Nelson

Beyond the Curse: About Heather O’Rourke. She Was Here, Then and Now

Rather than lean into the urban legend behind the Poltergeist trilogy, She Was Here-The Heather O’Rourke Story honours the life, promise, and spirit of a child actor gone far too soon.

She Was Here - The Heather O'Rourke Story Poster
Available on Prime Video, Apple TV, Vimeo On Demand, Fandango at Home, and home video.

When Steven Spielberg and Tobe Hooper saw something in Heather O’Rourke during casting for Poltergeist, although nobody knew it as the time, a star was born. All she had to say was, “They’re here,” in Poltergeist. All those details are well explored in She Was Here – The Heather O’Rourke Story.

She went on to play the adorable Heather Pfister in Happy Days, along with a handful of other roles, before she suddenly passed away. Medical professionals at the time couldn’t pinpoint exactly which condition precipitated the eventual cardiac arrest, and to call it a result of the film’s paranormal origins is urban legend rather than fact.

What’s presented here is less about the curse and more about how a star is born. For anyone unfamiliar with the trilogy, a bit of history: four people connected to the franchise died before, during or after the release of each film.

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How Can The Incredibles 2 Be Topped?

The Incredibles 2By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

  • Spoiler Alert!

Brad Bird‘s The Incredibles is a perfect send-up to many a past superhero comic. Not only does it explore familial issues (the core of what this franchise is about) but also it continues to examine the public perception of what kind of purpose do these Supers serve. The subplots introduced in the first film get further analysis, and the resolutions are far from being complete.

This second chapter does not get too deep with the whole “Gods and Monsters” aspect which defines many a DC film. To stay light-hearted needed this filmmaker’s magic touch. PIXAR’s mantra focuses on matters of the heart and togetherness instead of the difficult choices heroes have to make: Is it possible to save everyone from harm?

In the first movie, Mr. Incredible aka Bob Parr (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) yearned for those bygone days of simply saving the day. He has an ego the size of his heart. To do good is tough, and he’s not out to showboat. He wants to protect the little guy, but not everyone agrees to his method. The public despises superheroes because they can potentially cause more harm than good (somebody has to clean up the mess they leave behind), and only a handful of folks support them. He gets recruited to do good deeds but little did he know the peoples involved have their own agenda. The sequel flips the situation around by having Elastigirl / Helen (Holly Hunter) getting the adventure and seeing Bob at home, dealing with raising a nuclear family. The plot is a retread and it works well enough to highlight reversed gender roles. Bob gets to clean the dishes at home and Molly gets to be Mrs. Fantastic.

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