Yeah, it's way up there for me, cuz clowns are already evil. But I also have to agree with Matt that it's not necessarily the scariest scene in the movie.
Buffista Movies 7: Brides for 7 Samurai
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The scene with the dude in the mirror is what flips me out. Body horror FTW.
I remember reading the novelization, and the mirror scene as filmed was WAY less horrible than it could have been.
The thing in the pool with the skeletons always freaked me out, but just in an "Ewwww!" way. Also the guy in the mirror.
My favorite not-scary scene is still JoBeth Williams showing Craig T. Ferguson the chair moving in the kitchen.
Nelson, Amy. Craig Ferguson hosts a late night talk show, and used to be on Drew Carey. Craig T. Nelson was Coach, and in the Poltergeist movies.
Oh no! They got Sean!
My crush on Craig Ferguson outs itself! Yes, Craig T. Nelson. Oops.
I give it a 6/7. It's a "gotcha" and it confirms what we already know about clowns, spooky dolls, and things under the bed. So it's a Kid Nightmare Trifecta.
But many other parts of the movie are scarier, and lasting scares, and scares that you can carry with you into your actual life later.
Reading this thread has me kind of thankful I've never seen Poltergeist.
I haven't either. Yes, even though Mom and I consider "Serpico" a girlie bonding flick. I'm kind of gutless when it comes to supernatural horror, though.