Poltergeist



Here you have Steven Spielberg’s foray into the genre of horror. He didn’t direct this film, but it’s his story and screenplay. Granted, because this is a Spielberg film, the horror isn’t quite as intense as some other filmmaker might have done, but it’s still incredibly effective. This is the movie that gave us that line, uttered by cute little Heather O’Rourke: “They’re here.” And, as with all the movies of that era, it’s the little touches that really add to the story. The mom (JoBeth Williams) sings a TV commercial jingle as she cleans the kitchen; and the dad (Craig T. Nelson) has a “remote control duel” with the neighbour.

As little things start to happen, the tension level rises. The son, Robbie (Oliver Robins), has a clown doll in his room that is downright terrifying when seen in the dark of night! During a thunderstorm, the tree next to his room literally reaches in the window and grabs him. Things get crazier from that point. Little Carol Anne (Heather) gets pulled into another dimension, and the family can communicate with her through the TV.

Enter the paranormal experts with their equipment. They study the house, and a collection of personal items fall through a hole in space! Tangina (played to perfection by Zelda Rubinstein) comes in to help them recover Carol Anne. The scene is pure Spielberg: exciting and terrifying with a touch of comedy at just the right moments.

Of course, this being a ghost story, we know it’s not over yet. All seems calm, all seems quiet, and then the spirits attack (the clown doll too!) in full force. Be prepared for the “pool scene.” It’ll scare your socks off. The only weakness: poor Dominique Dunne; her talents are wasted on Dana, the teenage daughter.

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