After embracing more traditional orchestral and choral elements for 1982's original Poltergeist, composer Jerry Goldsmith attacks its 1986 sequel from the opposite direction, employing cutting-edge electronics that greatly enhance the film's otherworldly terror. Owing much to Goldsmith's landmark work on The Omen, the music favors atmosphere over action, building genuine mystery and suspense by creating unfamiliar sounds from familiar instruments. Few Goldsmith scores are so rigorously disconcerting, and whatever the faults of the film itself, the score is palpably intense. Intrada's 54-minute limited-edition release greatly expands upon Varèse Sarabande's original 1986 disc, which clocked in at just over half an hour. Varèse's subsequent 2003 re-release features even more material, and is thus recommended to consumers seeking to approximate the score as Goldsmith originally envisioned it. ~ Jason Ankeny
