Poltergeist

Well, here it is, the conclusion of my October Horror Film Binge. Also late, but I think if you've been following you've come to expect that. Thanks to those of you who came along for the ride with me, it was a lot of fun and sometimes oddly tough in the commitment it demanded. Tomorrow I'll have a post-thoughts post on the whole experience. But for now, my final film...

10/31: For my last horror film of the month I watched Tobe Hooper's "Poltergeist." I'm sure everyone knows the premise but in case you don't a family is tormented by an evil spirit that reeks chaos and steals their daughter, holding her captive inside a television. I had oddly enough never seen the film before and I had high expectations going into it after the countless reproductions and parodies the film has received; it's a cultural and horror milestone. After watching I wouldn't say I'm disappointed but I really wasn't all that impressed either. The film often undermines itself by not being able to decide what kind of film it want's to be. Is it a horror-comedy? A ghost film? A monster movie? The mood constantly changes and doesn't allow itself to be clear on what it is. On one hand this is interesting but it often times feels more jumbled. Am I supposed to be scared or laughing? The score doesn't help much either as it does not often fit what is happening on screen. That being said, though, the film has many horrifying scenes and great, over the top special effects that sometimes almost reach Carpenter or Cronenberg levels (but never quite) and I think it is for this reason that the film holds it's place in history. Not a bad film by any means but ultimately it feels unsure of itself.

7.5/10

And that'll be all folks.