MovieChat Forums > Poltergeist (1982) Discussion > What ghosts were doing what?

What ghosts were doing what?

posted 4 years ago by spurtle467 (1498)
2 replies | jump to latest

It's explained in the film by Tangina that there is a dark and evil presence in the house, or "The Beast" as she refers to him, and also many souls simply lost on the way to their next destination. Who is doing what as far as the haunting antics go?

I think it's safe to say all the malicious stuff in trying to capture Carol Anne, such as the giant head that comes out of the closet and the creature that guards the bedroom door, is The Beast itself, but what about some of the other instances? The stacked chairs and chair moving from one side of the kitchen to the other...is that the other ghosts, or The Beast as well sort of lulling them into a false sense of security by acting friendly? The toys moving about in the bedroom and the man's face peeling off? Can we assume the ghosts in general are all contributing to the bad goings on, as they are unhappy the cemetery has been dug up?

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 4 years ago

The Beast was very deceptive, appearing as a child to Carol Anne and using her to prevent the souls from crossing over. It kept control over all the spirits, so most likely it assigned various duties to them.

Tangina explained it, "These souls, who for whatever reason are not at rest, are also not aware that they have passed on. They're not part of consciousness as we know it. They linger in a perpetual dream state, a nightmare from which they can not awake. Inside the spectral light is salvation, a window to the next plane. They must pass through this membrane where friends are waiting to guide them to new destinies. Carol Anne must help them cross over, and she will only hear her mother's voice. Now... hold on to yourselves. There's one more thing.
A terrible presence is in there with her. So much rage, so much betrayal, I've never sensed anything like it. I don't know what hovers over this house, but it was strong enough to punch a hole into this world and take your daughter away from you. It keeps Carol Anne very close to it and away from the spectral light. It *lies* to her, it tells her things only a child could understand. It has been using her to restrain the others. To her, it simply *is* another child. To us, it is the Beast."

[–] April-151-CT (10210) 4 years ago

I've always been under the impression that it's all The Beast. Tangina makes it clear that the lost souls just basically linger around. It's the evil one controlling everything.