Poltergiest (Road to Halloween)

I have been a fan of horror for as long as I can remember, and one of my most lucid memories is being terrified of the film "Poltergeist". Written by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper, this horror classic has survived the test of time. The names involved would have meant nothing to me back then, but now when I read those names it is just a precursor to the genius that you are about to watch.

"Poltergeist" is about a family living on a newly built housing estate. The father, played by Craig T. Nelson is a sales person for the homes. He lives with his wife, two daughters and son. One day the youngest daughter starts to talk about the TV people. One night she is drawn to the TV and something comes out of it and causes a tremor. When the family wake up and look to her, she utters one of the most famous lines in horror movie history: "They're here!" The family are upset by the goings on in the house; moving furniture, flickering lights. Soon after this in one terrible scene, the son is attacked by a tree that rips him from his room, and the youngest daughter disappears into the closet. The family then begin a mission to try and find their daughter by any means necessary. They have paranormal investigators live in the house with them to document the goings on, and eventually a spirit medium is added to the mix to find their missing daughter.

Everything about this film is wonderful. The script is written in a way that is not only scary, but portrays the characters in a realistic light by adding subtle undertones of humor into the dialog. It is this blend of humor and horror, that makes the film highly original. It is never so strong as to detract from the overall horror of the situation, but it does add a lot. The star of the film, no doubt has to be the youngest daughter; Carol Anne. Her screams will leave you shaking at the core, her sometimes eerie tone of voice will creep you out and her unbelievable cuteness will have you begging for her safety.

One thing which certainly adds to the scariness of the film is the things that befell the cast after filming. After finishing the trilogy of Poltergeist films, young Heather O'Rourke who played Carol Anne died of a cardiac arrest. She was only twelve years old. The eldest daughter; Dana, played by Dominique Dunne, was strangled in her front garden by her psychotic ex-boyfriend at the age of 22! Very creepy circumstances surround these films and they are sometimes referred to as cursed.

Tragedy aside, if you want to sample a classic piece of horror cinema, then this is a must. This gem of a film is near perfect and is better every time you watch it. So do yourself a favor this Halloween and watch "Poltergeist". It will scare the pants off you.

Rating 5 out of 5

See it if you liked:
1408
The Haunting in Connecticut
The Frighteners

What does IMDB say?

Review by Stephen King