The Amityville Collection

Horror

The Amityville Horror

American International Pictures

United States of America

English

James Brolin

Margot Kidder

Rod Steiger

Don Stroud

Murray Hamilton

John Larch

Natasha Ryan

K.C. Martel

Meeno Peluce

Michael Sacks

Irene Dailey

Helen Shaver

Amy Wright

Marc Vahanian

Elsa Raven

Eddie Barth

Hank Garrett

James Tolkan

Val Avery

Peter Maloney

Charlie Welch

J.R. Miller

Patty Burtt

Michael Hawkins

Richard Hughes

James Dukas

Baxter Harris

Michael Stearns

Jack Krupnick

Jay Anson

Sandor Stern

Samuel Z. Arkoff

Fred J. Koenekamp

Robert Brown

Stuart Rosenberg

Ronald Saland

Lalo Schifrin

Elliot Geisinger

Conrad E. Palmisano

Christine Lee

Stephen Abrums

Kim Swados

Robert R. Benton

William Cruse

Dell Rheaume

Benjamin Rosenberg

Brian Bruderlin

Roger Creed

Gene Stout

Edward E. Vaughan

Rick Seaman

Bruce Paul Barbour

Mike Benson

Russell Saunders

Mike Fenton

Jane Feinberg

Judy Taylor

Edward Morey III

Mary Ann Newfield

Maury Harris

Christopher Ramsey

John Murray

Donald B. Nunley

Ken Hall

Dee D'Orazio

Dennis Galling

Stanley Frazen

John Wilkinson

Robert W. Glass Jr.

Richard Tyler

Aaron Rochin

_**That iconic creepy house on Long Island**_

A newlywed couple moves into a shoreline house on Long Island with their three little kids. The house was the scene of a mass killing a year earlier but the parents (James Brolin & Margot Kidder) didn’t think it mattered and, besides, it enabled them to purchase the homestead at a much reduced price. Then strange things start happening.  

"The Amityville Horror" (1979) was arguably the best haunted house movie up to that point in time and was hugely successful at the box office, inspiring a gazillion sequels, remakes and documentaries. There are similarities to "The Shining" (1980): Both movies were based on books published in 1977, but the film version of "The Amityville Horror" was released a year prior to “The Shining” and was based on the supposedly true story of what happened to the Lutz family whereas Stephen King’s novel was purely fictional.

The 2005 remake with Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George deviates even further from the book and is a brisker, more modern version of the story. Yet this classic version still works as a moody and mysterious drama with horrific touches. Unlike the remake, the movie takes its time to establish and develop the characters and I appreciated this; for instance, Mr. Lutz's employee (Michael Sacks) and his spiritually curious girlfriend (Helen Shaver), as well as the two priests (Rod Steiger and Don Stroud).

Gene Siskel criticized it on the grounds that it wasn’t enjoyable. Seriously? Since when are horror flicks supposed to be enjoyable? This is a realistic drama with some creepy paranormal things thrown on top, based on an allegedly true account. I don’t think the filmmakers were shooting for “enjoyable.” That said, underneath the darkness the picture has a good, warm heart.

Was the actual Lutz’s account true or not? They seemed to have experienced some troubling things at the house during their month-long stay and passed a Polygraph by two top polygraph experts but, assuming their story wasn’t concocted for profit (which many believe was the case), the events were certainly amped-up for the book & movie for the purpose of an entertaining tale. By the way, the large Dutch Colonial house still stands in Amityville, albeit the exterior was remodeled and hence the two distinctive windows appear standard.

The film runs 1 hour, 57 minutes and was mostly shot in New Jersey as follows: Toms River (house), Point Pleasant (church), Georgian Court University in Lakewood (meeting with the hooded priest), Ocean County and Scotch Plains; as well as indoor scenes done at MGM Studios in Culver City, California; plus some shots done in Long Island, Connecticut and Glendale, California.

GRADE: B

Best Movies

The Amityville Horror

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

James Brolin

Margot Kidder

Rod Steiger

Don Stroud

Murray Hamilton

John Larch

Natasha Ryan

K.C. Martel

Meeno Peluce

Michael Sacks

Box office

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