Poltergeist II: The Other Side

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Year:	1986
Country of origin:	USA
Director:	Brian Gibson
Genre:	Sequel spookiness
Starring:	JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O'Rourke, Oliver Robins,  Zelda Rubinstein, Will Sampson, Julian Beck
Rating:	4/5
IMDB link:	http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091778/
Tagline:	They're back.
Favourite line:	"They're back."

Surprisingly effective sequel fodder.

The plot:
The Freeling’s are a happy family again.
After the destruction of their family home at the end of part 1, Daddy Freeling has decided on a new business venture as a door to door salesman, and ‘ickle baby Carol-Anne Freeling sees phantoms no more.
After getting lost at the market, Carol-Anne has an encounter with a cadaverous old man, Kane, who scares her, especially when she realises he is a ghost.
Back home, it’s not too long before the restless spirits are on the loose once more and, this time, the whole family will have to journey to The Other Side if they are to be freed from the spectral menace.

Got a shocking reputation this and, have to say, it is wildly undeserved.
Whilst not as innovative as the original, still this is well made, well written, well performed multiplex pleasing ‘family horror’ that seldom pulls its punches With creature designs by none other than H.R. ‘Alien’ Giger, there’s plenty of grisly detail to the monstrosities, one particularly disturbing rotten skeleton-like thing, with vestigial limbs for legs, is particularly affecting, and there’s more besides.
The original, though directed by Tobe ‘Chainsaw Massacre’ Hooper has producer Spielberg’s fingerprints all over it, which perhaps explains why it is considered so far superior and, whilst I get that, this one is lambasted unduly for the lack of Spielbergian association.
Which is a shame.
A short film, barely stretching to the ninety minute mark, it never really flags and builds nicely enough to a finale which, though a bit silly and a bit special effects heavy, is the logical conclusion to the story so far.
Sorry, folks, but I really enjoyed this.
3’s meant to be a turkey, though.
We’ll see……