10/6/21 – OCTOBER HORROR MOVIE PICK #6 – Poltergeist III.

Here’s an entertaining sequel that’s gotten a bad rap. Is it as good as the original Poltergeist? Of course not. That movie is perfection. But to me, this one is a fun romp with some of the coolest practical mirror effects you’ll ever see. More on that in a minute. First, here’s the brief synopsis from imdb.

Carol Anne is staying with her aunt in a high-rise building, where the supernatural forces haunting her make their return.

Changing the location from the suburbs to an urban high-rise was an inspired idea (same thing was done in the vastly underrated Gremlins 2 and the upcoming Evil Dead Rise.) Futuristic skyscrapers have their own type of menace to them. But then you add in the idea of using mirrors to full effect, and you’ve got some inspired set pieces. I won’t get too deep into it here, but if you’re interested, read about how the practical mirror effects were done in this film. Remember all of this was done without any CGI, and mostly with doubles. As you’re watching, try to think about camera placement and where it would be if there really were mirrors in the room. It will blow your mind. The mirror/reflection effects are far and away the star of this film, and worth the viewing alone. But come on, Tom Skerritt and Lara Flynn Boyle aren’t too shabby either. I won’t lie, there are a few issues with this film, but try to overlook them. My biggest issue was always the crazily-abrupt ending, but then I found out that it was sadly because Heather O’Rourke, Carol Anne herself, died and was unable to do any of the additional ending filming. Terribly sad. Try to overlook some of its flaws, and enjoy yourself a good time of a sequel.

Where to Watch: Streaming on HBO Max.

Food/Drink Pairing: Some liquid nitrogen ice cream.