Taking a look at Tobe Hooper's next film, and wow. In the early 80's if you told me the guy behind the Texas Chainsaw Massacre would do a film with the guy behind E.T., I would have called you crazy. Of course, if one goes by the scuttlebutt around this film, Hooper didn't do anything more taxing than making sure the cameras were turned on and pointed at the actors. After watching it, I'm inclined to believe it.
The Freelings are your typical wholesome Spielberg-ish family. Father Steven (Craig T. Nelson) works in real estate. Mother Diane (JoBeth Williams) seems to be a housewife overseeing their three children: 16 year old Dana (Dominique Dunne), 8 year old Robbie (Oliver Robbins) and 5 year old Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke).
They live in the scenic Cuesta Verde, a typical suburban sprawl recently put down. Steven was such a good office drone for his boss Mr. Teague (James Karen) that he was allowed to move into the very first house in the neighborhood. Things are perfect and they're only looking up.
There are some problems with the house, of course. Lights flair up for some reason, a few cold spots, but generally just a house settling. Carol Anne is spending a bit too much time in front of the TV, but she's not watching some thirty minute ad or offerings from public television. No, she's watching static and apparently having a conversation with the set.
When she declares that "they're here", no one thinks much of it, at least until the chairs start moving on their own. Things get weirder, capping off with what seems to be a tornado that destroys the tree in their backyard (and only their yard). While the family is freaking out, a vortex opens up in Carol Anne's closest, sucking her in.
Sending the kids off as fast as possible, Steven and Diane try to figure out what to do. They finally contact parapsychologists Dr. Lesh (Beatrice Straight) and her aides Marty (Martin Cassella) and Ryan (Richard Lawson). Lesh is a professional with plenty of experience. Marty once recorded a toy car moving on its own across a table you know.
Steven and Diane open up Carol Anne's room, which is now a whirlwind of moving objects and flashing lights. Shaken but moving on, they set up some cameras and record empty rooms. Instead of the usual blank footage with maybe some static, they see ghostly figures walking around, food moving on its own, and Marty tearing his face off. He's ok, but Dr. Lesh is down to one assistant. The doc might be in over her head.
Putting the call out to an old friend Tangina Barrows (Zelda Rubenstein), who seems to be more in touch with things of these sort. Tangina quickly figures that Carol Anne is being held captive by a particularly angry spirit, who might be holding her to try and pass on to the other side. With time running out, everyone tries to rescue Carol Anne, but there are other forces at work...
Uneven is one way to put it. We have goofy shots of a record playing itself followed by a guy tearing his face off. There also seems to be a lack of rules. No one says what ghosts can or can't do, so I guess that's why they do everything.
Hooper is too hindered here. Honestly, Spielberg probably should have just directed it himself and let Hooper do his own thing.
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