Poltergeist gets reimagined by Sam Raimi on 22nd May, a story that starts with a child who senses the ghosts through the TV as they enter the house. Children have a lot to answer for when it comes to horror, and there are some pretty scary ones that have made us think twice about trusting those innocent little faces…
Poltergeist
The 1982 Poltergeist introduced us to Carol, a child who seems to attract demons – an interior design nightmare. Spielberg’s surprising film delves into the other side. What will Sam Raimi do with his version?
Carrie
https://youtu.be/ZbnPMl_nggA
Ah puberty, a time which puts the heebie jeebies up even the most resilient of teenagers. No wonder the corridors of high school made Carrie crack, yet it is a thrilling revenge for anyone who’s ever been a victim of bullying.
The Addams Family
Wednesday Addams puts her hat in the ring when dressed normally at a fancy dress party when she declares “I’m a homicidal maniac – they look just like everyone else.” A delicious debut for Christina Ricci in classic goody goody pigtails (perhaps influenced by another evil child Rhoda Penmark in 1956’s The Bad Seed).
The Shining
It’s a fun winter for a kid to be locked up with his stir-crazy father and high-pitched mother at a hotel closed for the winter. However rather than find kid Danny’s telepathy unnerving, the kids that put the heebie jeebies up you are the Grady twins, seen by Danny side by side in a hotel corridor. Pioneering work with a Steadicam allows us to follow Danny as he trundles on his scooter around the hotel to find them. “Come and play with us Danny.” Personally, i’m rather a fan of the trailer above, which cuts it into a far less scary romantic comedy! :D
The Sixth Sense
The second highest grossing film of 1999 held twists and turns all the way following Haley Joe Osmond and Bruce Willis dealing with the boy’s problem – “I see dead people”. A young Mischa Barton (The O.C.) appears as ghost Kyra as Osmond tries to face his terrifying talent.
The Exorcist
A film that really challenged the zeitgeist on release, with Linda Blair creating an astounding performance of a child possessed by a demon. William Friedkin’s challenging direction style often resulted in genuine screams and injuries for the actors. Famously the set of Regan’s bedroom was refrigerated to create the actor’s clouds of breath.
The Ring
https://youtu.be/TuH5FaUpFm4
Hollywood’s version of The Ring was a remake of the equally terrifying Japanese version. Naomi Watt’s follows the story around a death curse left by a video tape. The tape sees a series of disturbing images including a girl climbing out of the well. The viewer is hit by a death curse and the finale sees her walk towards the camera and climb eerily out of the TV to claim her final victim. The eerie walking towards the camera was created by filming the actress walking backwards towards the well and playing it in reverse.
The Omen
The Exorcist led to a resurgence of horror in the ‘seventies, none more devilish than The Omen. Carefully, one of director Richard Donner’s requests was that nothing hugely supernatural was in the movie so there would always be doubt about the narrative and if Gregory Peck’s character Thorn was losing his mind about his son being the devil. The film’s success led to TV director Richard Donner making Superman two years later.
The Village of the Damned
See… Not in the slightest bit creepy…
A cracking English film where a village of Aryan children threatens our very existence! George Sanders leads the attempt to fight the control the alien controlled white-eyed children who are trying to exert over the globe. It was even released in 3D.
Pet Sematery
Miko Hughes – Pet Sematery
Miko Hughes Now
Yes that is spelt correctly – a film so traumatic, it even effected the spelling! After young Gage gets killed by a truck, his grief stricken father buries him in the Pet Sematary despite warnings otherwise.
A back-to-life Gage becomes a homicidal zombie on a killing spree with only his father to stop him. Miko Hughes, the actor playing the terrifying little boy zombie went on to appear in Kindergarten Cop, Apollo 13, Mercury Rising, and has also got into directing horror himself…
To book tickets for Poltergeist visit http://www.empirecinemas.co.uk/synopsis/poltergeist/f4527
For further ticketing information visit www.EmpireCinemas.co.uk or call 08714 714 714.
