1982's Poltergeist is a fascinating film to examine. It's a Steven Spielberg horror production that also wasn't, a movie with what was essentially a 'shadow director,' allowing Spielberg to navigate around contractual issues with ET, which he (also) directed, and which came to theaters at nearly the same time. But production curiosities aside, Poltergeist is akin to the collision of two Spielberg pictures -- Jaws and The Goonies -- a sometimes dire and scary while at other times upbeat and even funny adventure about a house built on an old graveyard... and the consequences therein. Is the house clean? Well, not exactly. Yet, the TV beckons... and so does this episode of KnockBack.

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