Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)

Four years after the terror at their other house, the Freeling's have moved into a new home which is owned by a family member named Gramma Jess (Geraldine Fitgerald) the mother of Dianne (Jo Beth Williams). Not only that, the family is cold broke with bills up to their eyeballs.
The family doesn't allow a TV as both Steve and his son Robbie (Oliver Robins) are both wild about sports so they listen to the radio.
Gramma Jess suddenly dies in her sleep and then a strange man in a preacher suit named Kane (Julian Beck) seems to take an interest in little Carol Anne as he happens to be the demon leader of the dead spirits and will stop at nothing determined to try and get to her since they connect her to her toy phone during a stormy night since they have no television so they can go to the other side with her help.
They are protected by a native indian named Taylor (Will Sampson) who has all sorts of legendary medicine magic plus they go back to the aid of Tangina Barrons (Zelda Rubinstein) as Kane unleashes his hellish fury to get to Carol Anne once again.

This sequel was nowhere effective like in the first one but again most sequels never really are. However, it is nice to see what's behind these poltergeists and the reason for having little Carol Anne to draw to their attention too.
The picture quality is very 3D like and not a big budget like the first one. Still it looks good.
However, many fans from the original one may be disappointed with this one as it's nowhere as scary.
It's nice to see a native indian doing some magic and to draw the spirits away as well as the look at where the family's house used to be and what lies there now.

The acting is still quite good but not as good as the first one. Jo Beth Williams really did well with her emotions and personality with plenty of energy to her role. She still pulled her character off like in the first one.
Craig T. Nelson showed great aggressions to his role especially when he's possessed as he was brilliant by portraying someone else but his acting was not as effective like in the first film.
Heather O'Rourke does a great job and is a bit older so she has more to do and say which I thought was cool. She was a classy child star. Bless her soul.
Zelda Rubinstein still got it as the one chasing away spirits and still has her terrific attitude on all of this.
Will Sampson really steals the show with his performace as the magical indian and has a great aura for his role and terrific seriousness too.
Julian Beck just looked creepy as the head poltergeist as he had a perfect skeletal firgure to his part.
Geraldine Fitzgerald didn't have a big part in the film but she did a wonderful performance as a caring lady in the family and was totally realistic. A gifted actress indeed.

Brian Gibson doesn't make his direction as effective like Tobe Hooper did in the first one but it's hard to meet up with original flicks.
He still makes it look entertaining but a little too much as it seems less serious than the first one.
There's a good scene between Will Sampson and bit part actor John P. Whitecloud doing an indian chant with a good picture of a storm cloud rolling over.
We have a good setting between Sampson talking to Zelda Rubinstein at the location where the house was torn apart from the previous film and going underground to do some researching as there's lots of good takes on this.
There's a good dialogue between Craig T. Nelson and Oliver Robins listening to a football game on the radio and a discussion about getting a TV which was effective proving that this is a sequel to the first.
We also have a nice dialogue between Geraldine Fitzgerald and Heather O'Rourke as grandmother and granddaughter while O'Rourke is drawing an evil picture.
We have a good effective dialogue between JoBeth Williams and Nelson showing their frustrations on the bills they're getting from their former house.
We have another effective dialogue between Fitzgerald towards Williams trying to understand what happened at their last house as Fitzgerald shows some good emotions as well as a good camera close up shot on her looking intense after thinking about what happened.
There's a good shot on Fitzgerald lying in bed sleeping with O'Rourke coming in and giving her a kiss. Then there's a nice peaceful moment that's directed with the toy phone ringing and O'Rourke answering it with a nice gentle voice.
There's a good shot on Williams sobbing and Nelson embracing her then telling the children their grandmother died in her sleep which looked realistic.
We have a nice dark shot on supporting actor Julian Beck walking towards O'Rourke looking ghostly with O'Rourke panicking and running away. Then there's a good creepy moment with him talking to her and singing to her.
A nice shot on the house with thunderclouds rolling in.
A perfect shot on a dreamsequence with Williams being pulled into the ground by some corpses.
There's a good shot on raindrops falling from the roof and landing on the toy phone hearing a ringing sound and O'Rourke looking nervous by answering it and getting spooked. There's a good shot on O'Rourke saying "They're baaack". Next, we have great effects with the toys and other objects coming to life and then wind blowing everywhere with them O'Rourke and Robins screaming along with good reactions on Nelson and Williams panicking and tryinf to save them.
There's a nice shot on Nelson opening the front of the house door with Sampson standing on the front step which almost makes you jump.
We have a good setting at a diner with bit part actress Hellen Boll having Fitzgerald's spiritual voice coming up to Williams at her table about the poltergeists following them and to be brave. Williams shows a great emotional look and calls her mother's name. Then suddenly Boll is back to herself and acts nutty which was the character she portrayed which was nicely done.
A good dialogue between Sampson and Nelson when a car doesn't start discussing that the car is angry which looked humoress.
There's a nice shot with the cast staring at the window in amazement along with Sampson bringing some butterflies to life.
There's a good shot on Beck again walking along the sidewalk singing and then O'Rourke playing with her doll on the front lawn staring at him.
There are great camera shots on both Beck trying to insist towards Nelson on letting him in the house and they are in danger as there's good close up shots on Nelson acting scared and speechless along with Beck pleading.
There's a good shot on Robins looking at his braces in the bathroom mirror and then the metal of his braces tangle him up as it looked totally suspenseful.
A good shot on Sampson holding O'Rourke crying and trying to protect her.
Nelson does a great job shouting to the spirits to leave them alone and then a great force throwing him to the ground.
We have a perfect moment with Williams greeting Rubinstein when she knocks on their door as the dialogue looked very pleasant.
Rubinstein did a great job with her words and perfect stares about the spirits in their house and then acting stern with Williams getting emotional.
There's a great setting between Nelson and Sampson at the deserted rocky area near a bonfire.
We spot a nice scene between Williams and O'Rourke having a bath together and O'Rourke crying and telling her mother on why these ghosts are here.
We have a good shot on Nelson swigging back some liquor and a ghostly worm in the bottle being swallowed up. Nelson does great chocking and coughing then suddnely being possessed and acting like Kane which was well done especially with his expressions.
Nelson does a good job by being nasty and forceful towards Williams and pinning her to the ground with a great pale looking expression on Nelson.
We've got some good battle scene's with Williams and Nelson against the creature and good illusions too surrounding the house.
There's suspenseful shots on wires attacking Williams, Nelson and Robins in a garage trying to get to their car as well as other shots on a chainsaw attacking and a chain holding the fender of the car.
A perfect greeting by Rubenstein at the old propert towards the family as well as good shots on them climbing into the tunnel alley from the underground pool.
A nice crying emiton on Williams after discovering that there were corpses once people crying for help.
Great effects on the family flying in a strange dimension with Sampson on the outside world trying to help them by tossing them a speare and other things which looked fantastic.

There's good classical violin playing and marvellous chanting when the poltergeists start to attack all compsed by Jerry Goldsmith as he did the music for the first film too. Of course we have the theme song from the original playing during the closing credits which gives it the perfect touch.

Robbie Freeling: Why can't we get a TV, like everybody else.
Steve: NO! No we can't get a TV.
Robbie Freeling: GREAT! I'll just have to grow up retarded!
Steve: COME ON ROB! Kids don't grow up RETARDO! because of lack of television.

Diane: Steven, we are almost broke.
Steve Freeling: Okay, we're, we're broke, but we're not, we're not starving!
Diane: Okay. But I don't happen to like having to live off my mother, and I think that we deserve a house of our own again someday.
Steve Freeling: Aw, honey, geez... see, that's the difference between you and me, Diane, I am into downward mobility. I'm not settling for it, I'm *into* it, I - I like getting out there in the streets and meetin' those people; I like selling vacuums, I like carrying the pipes and the apparatus in my little demo case.
[snaps his fingers]
Steve Freeling: Let's get the kids up and we'll, we'll paint the car different colors, kind of day-glo, like we used to do when were kind of *freaky,* you know - the *Freaky Freelings,* on the road again! The family whose house disappeared! Watch them find it, Diane! I'm not gonna get upset about this but I'll tell you something, I'm writing them back, and when I sign that letter I'm signing *Mr. President!*

Kane: Are you lost, sweetheart? Are you 'fraid, honey? Well then, why don't you come with me?
Carol Anne Freeling: No!
Kane: Alright then! I'll sing you a song... until your mom comes back!
[sings]
Kane: God is in His Holy Temple! Earthly thoughts be silent now!

Carol Anne: Hi, Grandma. Do you have wings now? My ballerina costume does. Grandma? Who are you? No, uh-ah. I don't remember. What?
Toy robot: Hello, little one. I am your friend. We want the angel.
Robbie Freeling: Carol Anne, what is going on? Carol Anne, what are you doing? Carol Anne, come on. What are you doing?

Carol Ann: They're back.

Grandma Jess in another person's body: Listen, children. You can't run from this thing. It has made contact and it will stop at nothing. You've got to fight it head-on. Stay together. Be loving. Be brave.

Old Indian: Car's still angry, eh?
Steve Freeling: Angry? That car's pissed!

Kane: You're gonna die in hell! All of you! You are gonna die!

Steve: Taylor! Taylor, where the hell were you? We're not safe here anymore. My son almost died and you just sit here.
Taylor: I was protecting Carol Anne. It's her he's after, not Robbie, not you or Diane.

Steve: Why the hell won't you LEAVE US ALONE!
Kane: You can't keep her, I AM NOT DEAD!

Carol Anne: So, after Alice fell down the hole, why'd she drink from that bottle?
Diane: Because it said, 'Drink me' on it.
Carol Anne: Oh. Were they gonna capture her... and take her someplace bad?
Diane: Yes, but Alice gets home alright, remember?
Carol Anne: Did she know why they wanted to hurt her?
Diane: I don't think so, honey.
Carol Anne: 'Cause I know.
Diane: You know what?
Carol Anne: Why they're here.
Diane: Why, baby? Why are they here?
Carol Anne: (near tears) 'Cause they don't know where else to go!