Writers: Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais and Mark Victor
Released: 1982
Labels: Chiller|Supernatural|1980's
Poltergiest is an exciting and somewhat comedic romp about a family terrorized by an incredibly active haunting. The haunting occurs because the family live in a house built over the top of an old graveyard. The ghostly activity focuses its attention on the youngest member of the Freeling family, five year-old Carol Ann who, soon after announcing ''they're here'', gets ''kidnapped'' by the disgruntled spirit. Reluctantly (it's ALWAYS reluctantly) the father, Steven, agrees to call in a team of parapsychologists, the spirits taunt and unsettle the team and they decide to get help of their own in the (diminuative) form of spiritual medium Tangina Barron.
The family, under Tangina's instruction, set about rescuing Carol Ann by entering a whirling portal guarded by a demonic Beast that seems to be the orchestrator of the mayhem. The plan seems to work and Carol-Ann is freed, Tangina announces that ''this house is clean'', and the family relax in their spirit-free home. Not for long though as they have understandably decided to move on and not a moment to soon as, on their last night in the house, it becomes obvious that the Beast is not done with them yet and it makes a new bid to capture Carol Ann. The house positively erupts in a frenzy of activity and the mother, Diane, must battle the demon to save her kids.....
The family, under Tangina's instruction, set about rescuing Carol Ann by entering a whirling portal guarded by a demonic Beast that seems to be the orchestrator of the mayhem. The plan seems to work and Carol-Ann is freed, Tangina announces that ''this house is clean'', and the family relax in their spirit-free home. Not for long though as they have understandably decided to move on and not a moment to soon as, on their last night in the house, it becomes obvious that the Beast is not done with them yet and it makes a new bid to capture Carol Ann. The house positively erupts in a frenzy of activity and the mother, Diane, must battle the demon to save her kids.....
Although ''directed'' by Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), it is certainly arguable that most of the decision-making about the feel and look of Poltergeist comes from producer Speilberg himself. You are constantly reminded of films such as E.T. (which Spielberg made back-to-back with Poltergeist) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, with the small town setting for other-worldly events, the way the haunting is introduced slowly at first, how it is treated by the family with some amusement and how it escalates rapidly into full-on action. Also the inevitable ''everything seems ok now, oh, no it isn't'' plot twist is classic Spielberg.
Considering this was released in 1982, the visual effects are varied and sophisticated, there are animated ghosts, stuff moving (and/or flying) on its own, rotting corpses, gore and goo. The plot on the other hand, isn't particularly sophisticated and the reasons for the haunting focusing on this house in particular are never satisfactorily explained but, as an entertaining, well-acted, exciting visual treat, Poltergeist really does come up with the goods.
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