Poltergeist (1982)

Poltergeist follows the Freeling family, whose comfortable suburban life is shattered when strange, playful happenings in their home — moving furniture, broken dishes, TV static — quickly turn malevolent. What begins as harmless poltergeist pranks escalates into full-blown terror when their youngest daughter, Carol Anne, vanishes into another realm and can only be contacted through the white noise on the television. As the haunting intensifies with iconic, nightmarish set pieces (an animated tree, murderous dolls, doors slamming, walls that close in), the Freelings call in parapsychologists and ultimately a psychic, Tangina, to confront forces far darker than anyone imagined. Watching Poltergeist, you’ll experience a steady build of creeping dread and sudden shocks: moments of eerie, uncanny whimsy give way to escalating suspense and vividly unsettling visuals. The film balances family drama and emotional stakes — parents frantic to save their child — with tense, imaginative supernatural horror. Expect atmospheric sound design (notably the TV white noise), memorable practical effects, and a tone that shifts from domestic warmth to outright nightmare. If you watch it, prepare to be unnerved and emotionally invested: it’s a classic ’80s supernatural thriller that plays on ordinary domestic spaces turning hostile and on parental fear, delivering both jump scares and lingering, haunting images.

Actors: JoBeth Williams, Heather O'Rourke, Craig T. Nelson

Director: Tobe Hooper

Runtime: 114 min

Genres: Horror, Thriller

6.8 /10 79 /100 7.3 /10 7.3 /10