POLTERGEIST 2: THE OTHER SIDE

US, 1986, 91 minutes, Colour.
Jo Beth Williams, Craig T.Nelson, Heather O'Rourke, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Will Sampson.
Directed by Brian Gibson.

Poltergeist 2: The Other Side has the popular haunted family pursued by a monstrous ghost with more special effects, some shocks. They cope via a bit of Indian ritual, psychic grandmother (Geraldine Fitzgerald) and the bonds of family love. The film has 'quotes' from many horror and terror films with touches of Alien, The Jonestown Deaths etc. Jo Beth Williams and Craig T. Nelson go through their paces once again and Heather O'Rourke is the beleaguered child. Will Sampson provides the Indian background. Not everyone likes nightmare stories but this one is good for scares and shocks. The director is Brian Gibson - the former film being directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg.

1. Impact of the film? Enjoyable horror? Terror? The value of a sequel: continuation from the original, reprising in images some of the original?

2. Panavision photography, suburban California, the desert and the Indian ritual locations? Editing? Shocks and scares? Stunt work? Special effects, creatures? Atmospheric score?

3. The plausibility of the plot? How credible? The explanations given: the tomb of the religious group, a gate of Hell, the leader possessing others, the dead wanting the life force from the living girl, their poltergeist activity, the religious leader and the motivation for the deaths, the visualising of the ghosts, the connection with Indian lore, the monstrous possession, the exorcism? The belief in family love and the bond of peace? Gramma Jessie and her returning Carole Ann to the family?

4. The prologue and the Indian context, the ritual, the smoke, the exploration of the tomb? The Indian's story? Steve and his going with Taylor to participate in the Indian ritual, his initial scepticism and jokes, his absorbing the smoke? The final rituals, chant and war paint? The finale in the cemetery and Taylor's bringing the family back? The 19th century background of the pioneers and the Indians?

5. The portrait of-the family, ordinary background, the jokes about no television set? Steve and his work, beliefs,-lack of money? The disappearance of the house? Diane and her support? Their living with Gramma Jessie, her contact with Carole Ann and the discussion about psychic knowledge? The finally having escaped the disaster, the beginning of persecution again? The eerie atmosphere, Jessie and her telepathy, her death?

6. The sequence in the mall, the man and his walking through people, the story of his religious leadership, the deaths of his followers? The ghost, his wanting Carole-Ann's life force? Tanzina, and her visit, the photos? Diane's psychic power? The worm in the whiskey? The eye? Steve swallowing it? His being possessed? The personality of the leader and the threatening of Carole-Ann? The reappearance of the monster? Its chasing the family through the house? their assembling outside the house? The ritual in the cemetery? The defeat of the religious leader?

7. The poltergeist activity: Robbie and the wires in his teeth and their meshing, Diane's dreams and the monster's dragging her down, the worm in the whiskey, Steve and his vomiting the monster, its growing and chasing them through the house, the house being shaken, the garage, the destruction of the car, the saw?

8. Their having to cope, fear and terror? Diane and her care? Steve and his being possessed? His going with Taylor? Carole- Ann as the focus of the attempts? Her being kept safe by Taylor? The house, the car, returning to their original home site? The end, the loss of Carole Ann, her return?

9. Taylor and his goodwill, Indian background, ritual with Steve, his final help? Taking the car?

10. Tanzina and her help?

11. Jessie, psychic, her death, her final angelic returning of Carole-Ann?

12. The seriousness and the frights? The humour (Tanzina unseen at the door) the end and the car? Haunted house, mystery? Ancient evil? The family coping? Family love?