事业有成、意气风发的史蒂文•弗瑞林（Craig T. Nelson 饰）带着妻子戴安（JoBeth Williams 饰）和三个孩子搬进了加利福尼亚某郊外社区。但在入住不久，怪事便频繁发生。先是小女儿卡萝（Heather O'Rourke 饰）梦游，对着自动开启漫屏雪花的电视机自言自语。接着便又不明物体从电视机中飘出，莫名的地震，破碎的玻璃杯……如此种种，搅得弗瑞林一家坐卧不定。过了不久，恐怖事件逐渐升级，卡萝最终竟被拉入电视机中…… 本片荣获1983年美国科幻恐怖电影节最佳恐怖片、最佳化装和最佳女配角（Zelda Rubinstein）三个奖项；1983年英国电视与电影协会最佳特效奖。
G.J. Echternkamp tells the story of his relationship with his parents, his mother Cindy (Russo) and his step-father, Frank (Platt). Frank used to be a member of OXO, a band from the '80s whose one hit wonder scored with the song Whirly Girl. Cindy was the ultimate groupie who married Frank and thought life would be glamorous and award shows, but it's not how it turned out.
Following the murder of her family at the hands of her father in the wake of World War I, a young woman is sent to live in a convent. However, her demons follow and manifest themselves in ways which bring the nightmares of her past with her.