▁Sc ari est ▁Movie ▁M om ents . ▁The ▁film ▁also ▁appeared ▁at ▁# 8 4 ▁on ▁American ▁Film ▁Institute ' s ▁ 1 0 0 ▁Years ... 1 0 0 ▁Th r ills , ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁America ' s ▁most ▁heart - p ounding ▁mov ies . ▁ ▁The ▁film ' s ▁success ▁helped ▁spawn ▁a ▁franch ise ▁consisting ▁of ▁two ▁sequ els , ▁Pol ter ge ist ▁II : ▁The ▁Other ▁Side ▁( 1 9 8 6 ), ▁Pol ter ge ist ▁III ▁( 1 9 8 8 ), ▁and ▁a ▁re make ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁name ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁Plot ▁Steve ▁and ▁D iane ▁Fre eling ▁live ▁a ▁quiet ▁life ▁in ▁an ▁Orange ▁County , ▁California , ▁planned ▁community ▁called ▁Cu esta ▁Ver de , ▁where ▁Steve ▁is ▁a ▁successful ▁real ▁estate ▁developer ▁and ▁D iane ▁looks ▁after ▁their ▁children ▁D ana , ▁Rob bie , ▁and ▁Carol ▁Anne . ▁Carol ▁Anne ▁aw ak ens ▁one ▁night ▁and ▁begins ▁convers ing ▁with ▁the ▁family ' s ▁television ▁set , ▁which ▁is ▁displaying ▁static ▁following ▁a ▁sign - off . ▁The ▁following ▁night , ▁while ▁the ▁Fre el ings ▁sleep , ▁Carol ▁Anne ▁fix ates ▁on ▁the ▁television ▁set ▁as ▁it ▁transm its ▁static ▁again . ▁Sud den ly , ▁a ▁g host ly ▁white ▁hand ▁emer ges ▁from ▁the ▁television , ▁after ▁which ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁violent ▁earth qu ake . ▁As ▁the ▁sh aking ▁subs ides , ▁Carol ▁Anne ▁announ ces ▁" They