“Cross over, children. All are welcome. All welcome. Go into the light.” Haunted by a host of ghosts, an ordinary suburban family’s home suddenly becomes a house of horrors. The vivid and extraordinary special effects, terrific performances, and eerie Jerry Goldsmith score make this marvelously creepy film a must for fans of the genre. Although he’s not credited as director, the enduring qualities of this spectacular and satirical ghost story owe much to the talents of its co-writer and producer, Steven Spielberg, who was directing E.T. simultaneous to Poltergeist’s filming. Both films were released one week apart 40 years ago this summer.
