Late one night, 10-year-old Carol Anne Freeling (O’Rourke) hears a voice coming from inside the television set … At first, the spirits that invade the Freeling’s home seem like playful children. But then they turn angry. And when Carol Anne is pulled from this world into another, Steve (Nelson) and Diane Freeling (Williams) turn to an exorcist (Rubinstein) for help.
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When thinking classic horror movies, there are several that come to mind: the Universal Monsters, Carrie – and Poltergeist. A lot has been said about this film (and its sequels), but it being the month for spooks and thrills, it seemed to be a good time to go back and watch this classic. Would it stand up today, or had time ravaged this film, like it has so many others?
While Heather O’Rourke may have been the breakout star from Poltergeist, it’s her mom, JoBeth Williams, who is very much front and center in this film. As the mother and wife, she’s the center of this household, and when spooky things start happening, she’s right in the thick of it. It’s a solid performance, as she’s both acting and reacting, rather than just cowering in fear like most of the rest of her family. Craig T. Nelson (forever known for his lead role in Coach (TV) to some), is actually shunted to a secondary role (along with the rest of the fam), leaving JoBeth Williams to carry the film (with some assistance from young Heather O’Rourke, who does a good job in the time she has).
The storyline is your typical haunting that viewers are, by now, very familiar with, thanks to films like The Amityville Horror, among others. In the case of Poltergeist though, the viewer is quickly drawn in by the strange occurrences (and the young Carol Anne (O’Rourke) famously talking to a snowy TV screen and turning to say “They’re heeere”), and are anxious to see what happens after Carol Anne goes missing. Will they get her back? How will they deal in the meantime? These questions will keep the viewer tuned in throughout the duration of the film.
The special effects, although quite dated by this point, have (mostly) withstood the test of time. A sequence of a face peeling is reminiscent of the self-surgery sequence from The Terminator – and neither have stood up well at all. The rest, however, are remarkably still intact. Since the afore-mentioned sequence isn’t crucial to the plot at all –it’s a delusion (and easily could have – and should have – been removed), it doesn’t hurt the film that much. And, when it counts, Poltergeist delivers, even now.
With a strong female lead, and a breakthrough performance by a young Heather O’Rourke, there’s a reason this film is a classic. Toss in a ton of special effects that are still effective (with only a few exceptions), and Poltergeist is still easily worth your time.
