‘For God’s sake, get out!’
The Amityville Horror is a 1979 American supernatural horror feature film directed by Stuart Rosenberg from a screenplay by Sandor Stern, based on Jay Anson’s 1977 book of the same name. The movie stars James Brolin, Margot Kidder, Rod Steiger, Don Stroud and Murray Hamilton.
The film’s soundtrack score was provided by Lalo Schifrin (Tales of Halloween; Abominable; The Manitou; Eye of the Cat; et al)
The Amityville Horror was remade in 2005.
George and Kathy Lutz move into their dream home, snapped up at a bargain price on the basis of it being the scene of a multiple murder some time previously. Soon, strange things are happening – the walls are bleeding, there’s an infestation of flies that attack a priest, money goes missing and George begins acting very strangely. It turns out that this is less a haunted house and more a gateway to Hell, with a demonic presence that possesses people and makes them want to kill…
Review:
When it was originally released in 1979, The Amityville Horror was widely dismissed by critics and horror fans as low-rent tat based on a risible ‘true story’. Nevertheless, it made a fortune and spawned numerous sequels, prequels, remakes and imitators. Not having seen the film since the early 1980s, my memory of it was that the critics were right – this was a plodding affair that felt like an overblown TV movie, and not the sort of thing to be the final film bearing the American International Pictures name. Yet time has been kind to The Amityville Horror. Obviously, it’s not an undiscovered masterpiece, but it’s certainly a decent paranormal phenomenon film, and one who’s influence can clearly be seen even now.
While the story that this (and Jay Anson’s original novel) is based on is almost certainly nonsense, the film does a good job of playing things very straight, and Stuart Rosenberg’s direction brings a certain tension to what could easily be ridiculous material. It certainly borrows from earlier movies like The Omen, with its set-piece horrors, but it also sets up several genre tropes that filmmakers like Lucio Fulci would play on over the next few years, and which remain horror staples – the idea of a house being home to an ancient evil rather than mere ghosts was fairly new at the time. I’d still bristle at the notion that the original The Amityville Horror is any sort of classic. However, it’s a great deal better than it probably should be.
David Flint, HORRORPEDIA
Other reviews:
“Ultimately this first entry manages to be effective but just not that good. Which I know sounds weird, but the film succeeds in creating scares and getting in your head, but when it’s all said and done nothing ever really happens. It just sort of toys with you the entire time, which makes it a fun watch late night with the lights turned out, but nothing more.” Chris Coffel, Bloody Disgusting
“When the film isn’t tormenting Steiger, it’s concentrating on George going crazy. Unfortunately, as played by James Brolin, George seems to be in a permanently cranky mood even before he and Kathy move into their new home. Once the Lutz’s movie into the house you find yourself wondering if George is possessed or if he’s just a jerk? Sometimes, it’s hard to tell.” Lisa Marie Bowman, Horror Critic
“Though undeniably spooky in spots, mainly due to the atmospheric direction of Stuart Rosenberg, The Amityville Horror simply can’t escape the overall silliness of its plot. Luckily, the earnest efforts of its solid cast keep the potential for unintentional humour at a minimum, with exception of Steiger’s usual over-the-top histrionics.” James J. Mulay (editor), The Horror Film, Cinebooks, 1989
“Director Rosenberg and an excellent cast (apart from Steiger’s over-acting) create an atmosphere of claustrophobic horror and, while the movie does not attempt to offer explanations, the result is a first rate haunted house chiller.” Alan Frank, The Horror Film Handbook, Batsford, 1982
“If one follows King’s lead, it’s easy to contextualize The Amityville Horror as a financial nightmare… Similarly, the movie’s dialogue constantly references financial matters. “Bills have to be paid,” says one character. “The IRS is calling,” warns another. ‘They’ll nickel and dime you to death” is a mantra not just about the bill collectors, perhaps, but a warning about the demons in the house.” John Kenneth Muir, Horror Films FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About Slashers, Vampires, Zombies, Aliens, and More, Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2013
“Director Stuart Rosenberg crafted an effective horror movie that succeeds largely because the performers take the over-the-top material seriously… The film is taut, tense, and filled with the bizarre, unsettling events chronicled in the book.” James F. Broderick, Now a Terrifying Motion Picture!: Twenty-Five Classic Works of Horror Adapted from Book to Film, McFarland, 2012
” …this is a one-stop shop for all things supernatural horror, if you’re into that kind of thing. However, apart from a few stellar moments, this one doesn’t deserve its longstanding appeal…” Really Awful Movies
“In order to be a horror movie, a horror movie needs a real Horror. The creature in Alien was truly gruesome. The case of possession in The Exorcist was profoundly frightening. The problem with The Amityville Horror is that, in a very real sense, there’s nothing there. We watch two hours of people being frightened and dismayed.” Roger Ebert, January 1, 1979
“Tautly directed, but the thin material, and a dreadfully hammy priest by Steiger, effectively wreck what little suspense remains.” Geoff Andrew, Time Out (London)
“The film works best when it implies rather than shows. Of course we have to take in to account that the film is now nearly forty years old but dated special effects aside, it feels that it loses some of its strength as soon as it starts to try and depict red eyed demons and gateways to hell.” Sinead Beverland, UK Horror Scene
“The plot is standard haunted house stuff with a weak ending and Rod Steiger on hand to chew the scenery as a priest. On the plus side, the house has a feeling of reality to it.” Mike Mayo, Videohound’s Horror Show,Visible Ink Press, 1998
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Cast and characters:
- James Brolin … George Lutz – The Car
- Margot Kidder … Kathleen “Kathy” Lutz
- Rod Steiger … Father Delaney – Mars Attacks!; American Gothic; The Kindred
- Don Stroud … Father Bolen
- Murray Hamilton … Father Ryan – Too Scared to Scream; Jaws; Jaws 2; The Boston Strangler; Seconds
- John Larch … Father Nuncio
- Natasha Ryan … Amy
- K. C. Martel … Greg
- Meeno Peluce … Matt
- Michael Sacks … Jeff
- Helen Shaver … Carolyn
- Amy Wright … Jackie
- Val Avery … Sgt. Gionfriddo
- Elsa Raven … Mrs. Townsend
- Irene Dailey … Aunt Helena
- Marc Vahanian … Jimmy
- Ellen Saland … Jimmy’s wife
- Eddie Barth … Agucci
- James Tolkan … Coroner
Filming locations:
Tom’s River and Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey (authorities in Amityville denied permission for filming at 112 Ocean Avenue). Interiors were filmed at the MGM studio lot in Los Angeles, California.
Release and Box office:
The Amityville Horror premiered in the United States on July 27, 1979 and took a massive $86,432,000 on its domestic release making it one of the most successful independent productions at the time.
Trivia:
Jay Anson wrote a screenplay based on his work, but the script was rejected by producer Samuel Z. Arkoff
Image credits: Wrong Side of the Art! | VHS Collector
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