Tobe Hooper will always be known for injecting a shot of fear into viewers after he released The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Fans also remember him for The Funhouse (1981) and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2 (1986), but he still managed those projects himself. What was probably more surprising was when he decided to collaborate with Steven Spielberg on a movie between those entries. While Spielberg did make his own horror film with Jaws (1975), the director was known for more wonder and adventure type themes going on in his stories. So to have an actual horror director work with him may have seemed like a mismatch. Turns out though many enjoyed this film, however it's not as scary as some may say; especially those who have seen much darker stories.
The story is about an average family who ends up being visited by some spirits and capture their youngest child into their dimension. Then they bring in some paranormal specialists to investigate and help recover their lost child. With Hooper directing, Spielberg, Michael Grais and Mark Victor wrote the screenplay. The cast of actors playing the family is Steve (Craig T. Nelson), Dianne (JoBeth Williams), Robbie (Oliver Robins), Dana (Dominique Dunne) and Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke). The paranormal investigators are Dr. Lesh (Beatrice Straight), Marty (Martin Casella), Ryan (Richard Lawson) and Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein). The unfortunate thing is, while the use of these actors was a strategic choice, they're just not that interesting as characters. Craig T. Nelson is just a grab, now that people know him from Pixar's The Incredibles (2004).
The character that is interesting to watch is Tangina. In a way, the story feels like what James Wan's Insidious (2010) drew inspiration from. Tangina is the know all of spiritual infestations. What probably makes the viewer pay attention is Zelda Rubinstein's voice alone; it's so light in pitch. However, that's it for characters. She may provide more exposition to the story, but at least she provides context in a captivating way. Not even the understanding of how Carol Anne communicates with the specters is explained in much detail. Yet, she's constantly quoted as the staple of the franchise. What the script does do correctly is not following the usual clichés horror films contain in terms of death. That's a nice change. Sadly, this doesn't help with how the viewer will perceive the horror on screen.
While the horror elements on screen would be scary to anyone in real life, the way they're used here is half and half. The real disturbing imagery doesn't really come about until later in the film. Initially, the "scary" activities start very mild and do very little. The moments are more eyebrow raising than anything else. The real scary thing is that this franchise has its own curse. Both Dominique Dunne and Heather O'Rourke would not live long after this film was made. For an improperly rated PG film though, there are moments of blood and gore. Martin Casella would have one of the most shocking scenes in the entire franchise, which would also be parodied in other media. The practical effects used are well done, considering the film crew used actual skeletons on the set without telling their cast. Talk about something that makes your skin crawl.
Adding to the visuals is the camerawork provided by Matthew F. Leonetti. The shots captured are dynamic enough to show different portions of the house and the creepy spooks that end up terrorizing the Freeling family. One of the best shots featured was of the cemetery located on top of the valley, it is a gorgeous view. Leonetti also filmed for Raise the Titanic (1980), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Commando (1985), Hard to Kill (1990), Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997) directed by his brother John R. Leonetti, Rush Hour 2 (2001), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and Dawn of the Dead (2004). Lastly the film score composed by Jerry Goldsmith was entertaining to listen to. Carol Anne's theme is the most recognizable using a children's choir but there are other tracks that work. One thing that never made sense was the US national anthem....why was that a thing?
This film is liked by numerous people, but for those who don't, it's apparent why. The scares are not really there, things are left unanswered about one of the main characters and the rest except one are just there. That doesn't take away the music, camerawork and practical effects looking good though. It just slightly above average.
Points Earned --> 6:10
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