I thought it was just me...

Have you seen the newest DirecTV ad featuring the film Poltergeist and its stars Craig T. Nelson and Heather O'Rourke? (I won't lend to its viewership by posting a link to it - but you can find it on You Tube and other sources if you like.) Well, I am just disgusted by it.

For those who do not know, the young actress who portrays Carol Anne (O'Rourke) in the films, died of septic shock at the age of 12 - shortly before the release of Poltergeist 3. So I thought it was incredibly tasteless to feature her in this ad. I was especially offended that Craig T. Nelson "talks" to her as if she were still living and standing there. I normally think their ads are cute - but this one is just terrible!

Shame on them for exploting a dead child for a buck. I have read some rumors online that her family gave their permission for DirecTV to use her image in the ad - but that still doesn't make it feel right to me. Although she died 20 years ago, and I know dead actors and actresses are used all the time in ads (Marilyn Monroe...James Dean as just 2 examples), the fact that she died so young makes it her an exception to the rule to me.

I remember being very upset when she passed away in 1988. I couldn't say why it affected me so much - but I recall how sad I was when I heard of her passing. Perhaps it was because she was the first child I "knew" that died. All I know is I hope they yank this ad off the air. It is really just too sad. RIP Heather...

DirecTV's 'Poltergeist' ad gives some viewers the creeps

By Anne Glover, Times Staff Writer

In print: Wednesday, October 15, 2008

We're seeing dead people.

And that has some of us up in arms over a DirecTV ad that's running on television right now.
You might have seen it. It's one of those commercials where they take a classic movie scene and use one of the original stars to promote the TV service. Previous ads have featured Sigourney Weaver in a classic Aliens scene and Robert Patrick as the T-1000 from the Terminator 2 helicopter scene.

In this case, it's Poltergeist. Craig T. Nelson, who played the dad in the 1982 movie, is real and alive in the ad. But Heather O'Rourke, who is seen reciting the movie's memorable line, "Theeeyyyy'rre heeerrre" is deceased. She died in 1988 at age 12 of septic shock while undergoing an operation to remove a bowel obstruction.

And that, some blog posters and their readers say, is why this ad really creeps them out.
"Glad I'm not the only one who was a bit taken aback by this ad. I don't begrudge Nelson the dough but couldn't they have figured out a way to not use the dead little girl?" wrote Dan Taylor on Slashfilm.com.

Tiffany on EW's PopWatch blog said: "I had kind of an unsettled feeling when I first saw this, too. Couldn't they find another memorable Craig T. Nelson movie to re-make for the commercial? Oh, I guess not. But really, a dead child should be off limits when shilling something she didn't live long enough to see or experience."

And on AdFreak.com, Jim wrote: "I found it inappropriate. … It's one thing if the actor in question died of natural causes as an adult, but if you're aware of Heather O'Rourke's tragedy, it overwhelms the message. Will Dominique Dunne be in the next spot?" She's the young actor strangled by her former boyfriend right before Poltergeist was released.

Given the reaction out on the Web, seems as if the DirecTV folks would have been better off not disturbing the ghosts on this one.