Poltergeist 2: The Other Side

One of the more effectively spooky and financially successful horror films of the '80s got an inevitable sequel with this effects-heavy installment. The Freeling family is trying to grapple with the devastation wrought by the ghosts and ghouls that destroyed their lives. The insurance company ...more

The original Poltergeist mixed visceral scares and sympathetic characters in a way that really personalized the plight of the Freelings, making audiences suspend disbelief so totally, only the lights coming on in the theater convinced them the family was out of danger. So it's a bit nauseating watching Poltergeist II: The Other Side knowing that life and art really did cross over, that the actress who played eldest daughter Dana (Dominique Dunne) was strangled to death by her boyfriend. The ...more