You Left the Bodies but You Only Moved the Headstones!

Click on the pic for a clip.

Poltergeist. The classic from 1982, not the remake. You know my disdain for remakes, right?

I feel that it's still one of the creepiest, most atmospheric movies ever made. At the very least it's in the top twenty, even though a couple of the practical effects look a little cheesy when compared to modern CGI. But overall, the movie and its effects still hold up.

As an aside, it's interesting to see the difference in storytelling style from then to now. Poltergeist is still frightening and creepy, relying on the masterful buildup of tension rather than cheap startle scares. Stephen Speilberg, Michael Grais and Mark Victor took time to tell the story, to develop the closeness of the family before the crazy paranormal events changed everything for them, to see the sweetness and innocence of little Carol Anne before she was spirited away to the Other Side.

What was interesting in terms of the story is that they waited until nearly halfway through the movie to introduce a major influencer in the story: the riveting Tangina, a talented clairvoyant brought in by the paranormal investigative team who are helping the Freelings get to the bottom of their terrifying problems.

Click for Tangina's captivating monologue.

She's the very definition of small but mighty, showing courage in the face of what is, quite literally, all Hell breaking loose.

What floors me is that I now work for the guy who worked on the visual effects for this film.

This film, which is a large part of why I love horror and haunting!

Life is a funny old thing, isn't it?


Be sure to take time to watch Poltergeist this month, to set the creepy mood for you and a few of your closest friends!