Poltergeist

The Poltergeist movie was released in early June 1982, about a week apart from ET.  Both movies involved Steven Spielberg, this one was produced and co written by Stephen and it was directed and co written by Tobe Hooper.  In fact this fact is controversial as it appears most people say that Spielberg was the de facto director and was only not credited as such due to a clause in the contract for ET that prevented him directing two movies at once.

The basic plot of the movie is that a young girl called Carol Anne is kidnapped by a poltergeist that communicates with the girl through the TV set.  It emerges the house had been built on the site of a cemetery (isn't this always the problem in horror movies!) and in fact there are a number of poltergeists at work, but a dominant one called The Beast has taken Carol Anne to try to control the rest and to feed off her life force.

The family call in the services of a medium called Tangina Barrons and Carol Anne is freed.  Not surprisingly the family decide to move (if it were me it would have been after 2 mins of rescuing her!) but The Beast has a second attempt at kidnapping Carol Anne, before the family escapes and the house disappears into another dimension.

I thought the movie was scary when I first saw it and still do now.  Something about children being taken probably and the scenes with the tree coming alive. There are some lighter points in the movie and a few Spielberg trademarks, such as the bicycle scene near the start, when the kids make the guy on his bike drop his beer.  That looked like it was filmed on the same streets as used in ET!

This is the famous "They're here" scene

And this is the scene where Carol Anne is taken.

There were two sequels and number 2 was OK.  I hear a remake is being planned but would ask why?!

Even after 30 years, this movie still holds up completely and is worthy of a look. 

The music was by Jerry Goldsmith and really helped to add to the atmosphere of the movie, especially the creepy song used here.

I'll finish with a trailer and a reminder to TURN OFF THE TV SET.  I know I will!