. T . ▁the ▁Ext ra - T err est rial . ▁Therefore , ▁Ho oper ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁direct ▁based ▁upon ▁his ▁work ▁on ▁The ▁Texas ▁Ch ain ▁S aw ▁Mass acre ▁and ▁The ▁Fun house . ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁first ▁conce ived ▁as ▁a ▁dark ▁horror ▁sequ el ▁to ▁Close ▁Enc oun ters ▁of ▁the ▁Third ▁Kind ▁entitled ▁Night ▁Sk ies . ▁When ▁Spiel berg ▁approached ▁Ho oper ▁to ▁direct , ▁Ho oper ▁was ▁less ▁keen ▁on ▁the ▁sci - fi ▁elements ▁and ▁suggested ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁a ▁g host ▁story . ▁Spiel berg ▁and ▁Ho oper ▁would ▁then ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁collabor ate ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁treatment ▁for ▁the ▁film . ▁ ▁Re leased ▁by ▁Metro - G old w yn - M ayer ▁on ▁June ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁critical ▁and ▁commercial ▁success , ▁becoming ▁the ▁e ighth - high est - g ross ing ▁film ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁Years ▁since ▁its ▁release , ▁the ▁film ▁has ▁been ▁recognized ▁as ▁a ▁classic ▁within ▁the ▁horror ▁genre ▁and ▁has ▁gained ▁a ▁cult ▁following . ▁As ide ▁from ▁being ▁nominated ▁for ▁three ▁Academy ▁Awards , ▁Pol ter ge ist ▁was ▁named ▁by ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Film ▁Crit ics ▁Association ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 0 th - sc ari est ▁film ▁ever ▁made , ▁and ▁the ▁scene ▁of ▁the ▁c low n ▁doll ▁attack ▁was ▁ranked ▁as ▁# 8 0 ▁on ▁Bra vo ' s ▁ 1 0 0