POLTERGEIST (1982) Cert 15
Craig T Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Beatrice Straight. Directed by Tobe Hooper.

Our Halloween movie this year is the fantastic Poltergeist. It may have Tobe Hooper listed as director, but this is every inch the work of Steven Spielberg, also co-writer and producer. The suburban Californian setting, the happy family dynamics, the jokey humour of the first half of the movie, all designed to lull you into a false sense of security... In fact, Poltergeist is effectively the dark twin to E.T., which Spielberg began shooting only a few weeks later. Here, though, the family have to contend not with a friendly little extraterrestrial but some exceptionally unfriendly demons. Steve and Diane and their three kids have just moved into their new home, but their little daughter Carol Ann discovers that they are sharing the property with what seem at first to be playful spirits. But then the ghosts turn unexpectedly nasty... Several of the film's setpieces might remind you of the early Indiana Jones movies, but here they're turbo-charged for maximum jump-scare impact. One in particular – the clown doll – makes every list of the most terrifying movie moments of all time. Cleverly the scary bits also exploit those familiar everyday fears we all share: Who took my child? What's under the bed? What's that on my face...? The result is an absolute rollercoaster ride of terror that will have you alternately laughing and screaming. "They're here..."