TaryBiggBall
It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.
Humaira Grant
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
buckikris
In 1974, A True Tragedy happened at 112 Ocean Avenue. Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his mother, father, two brothers, and two sisters. He was tried and convicted and serving life in prison.A year later George and Kathy Lutz seem to have found the perfect home for 80,000 dollars. They decide to take it because the price is a steal especially for all that's included. Along with George is Kathy's three kids, Matt( Meeno Peluce), Greg( K.C. Martel), and Amy( Natasha Ryan). As soon as they start to move in strange things begin to happen. The appearance of flies in the dead of winter, strange smells, and sharp temperature drops. An example, when George complains about it feeling 32 degrees when the register shows it's 70 in the house. Due to the murders the previous year the Lutz's talk to their Priest about blessing the house. They have a personal relationship with him, and what the evil gone from their new home. When Father Delaney( Rod Steigler) arrives, he starts upstairs. He seems like he still feels an evil presence in the house. While he is getting prepared, he notices the appearance of flies on the window. When he begins, those flies multiply to about 20. Father Delaney gets up, it suddenly gets silent and a demonic voice yells " GET OUT". The Father starts to get violently ill, and leaves. As the days go by the Lutz's face more horrors. The appearance of black sludge in the toilets, strange accidents, a door blowing off it's hinges from the inside, locked doors with no locks on it, and the appearance of a pig in the upstairs window. One of the most bizarre things that happened was the missing money. Kathy's brother, Jimmy, is getting married. He counts 1500 dollars 3 times because the caterer wants cash. When he goes to check his pocket it's not there. The Lutz's look everywhere, it's gone. It is never explained what happened to it, but later that night George finds one of the money wrap that holds 500 dollars.During The Lutz's time at the house George becomes more withdrawn, hateful, and starts neglecting his business. Kathy decides to do some investigating on her own about the house, and the murders the year before. She finds the house has a very dark past that goes back for 100's of years. When she returns home, she hides the kids from George. George has become more possessed, he starts toward the house yelling Kathy and the kids names. When he finds Kathy and the kids, he grabs her by the neck. All of a sudden he snaps out of it and realizes what he is doing. It is time for them to get out, before the house has complete control of them. The Lutz's escape and survive only 28 days @ 112 Ocean Avenue, never to return.I saw this movie when I was really young about 7 yrs. old. It was very scary then and it still holds that scare factor now. I love the whole vibe of the movie and the book is great. I have the DVD and it is just on that you can watch over and over. The one thing I didn't know back then was the De Feo murders, actually the first part of the movie is true. I don't know how much truth is to The Lutz's story, but it still gives me the CHILLS. This film also includes performances by Murray Hamiliton( JAWS) and Don Stroud ( Father Bolen). I would recommend this film to anyone, it lives up to the hype, and will make your skin crawl.
DansHauntedHouseful
The Amityville Horror certainly isn't the best haunted house film out there, but it's not so bad. In fact I'll say it's "pretty good," so long as "pretty good" stands for slightly less than "good." The establishing shots of the house are excellent. Who can forget those creepy attic windows that look like jack-o-lantern eyes! I love the background music. Now-a-days, creepy music is often replaced by the sounds of electronic jolts and thuds. Who can resist those singing children and their haunting "la la's"? I sure can't! The book is better, but the film stands on its own. The book is able to cover more ground, but that is to be expected since the book has 300 + pages compared to the film's 2 hours of footage. What the film is able to capture with its limited amount of time is done reasonably well. The mood is eerie, the characters are mostly well developed, especially Rod Stieger as Father DeLaney. Katherine Lutz's character could have used a bit more development.For a more comprehensive review of the Amityville Saga, please check my IMDb profile and for the link to my blog - TheBooksofDaniel
Realrockerhalloween
A horror film based on the novel about a house so evil the Luz family had to leave their home in terror.A newly married couple moves into their new home only to experience strange events unfolding every day as the house becomes alive and tries to swallow them whole.What made this truly unique is how it sets a sense of dead from the walks that bleed to the creaky noises in the night until it becomes a whirlwind of frights that don't stop until the credits roll. Kidder and Brolin have excellent chemistry making their marriage feel realistic and full of wild passion.The music was sensational haunting and has contempt for the audience.The themes keep you interested on a human level as you see a family try to fit in a new surrounding, to form a new family and deal with personal demons not covered in marriage counseling. It shares many similarities to Halloween in this regard to characters you root for, a scary house, Mr. Luz being driven crazy until he considers murdering his family.While the story is up for debate on rather it really happened or not and bashed by naysayers as a fake not worth taking seriously it is a tale of horror. A classic to enjoy every Halloween.10/10
kclipper
Based on the book depicting events that took place following the actual case of the 1974 Ronald Defeo murders of the New York suburban town of Amityville. George and Kathy Lutz and family move into their dream home and subsequently fall victim to paranormal forces that seem to be demonic in nature, and aggressive and violent incidents plague the poor family and their psychological well-being. Fans and skeptics doubt the credulity of the Lutz family's claims, but this film sparked an interest in the paranormal that is historically relevant.This was a time (1979) when haunted house films of this nature had a substantial impact on our culture due to a fear of the unknown that has not quite developed into what it is today with countless paranormal reality T.V. shows like "Ghost Hunters" and "The Haunted". Margot Kidder and James Brolin are sympathetic as the unbeknownst couple who must struggle with the past experiences of their home's previous occupants and the angry forces that may continue too inhabit it. Most of the plot devices seem quite clichéd for today's audiences, including bleeding walls, demonic voices crying "get out!!", and an unforgettable scene with priest, Rod Steiger attacked by flies and forced out of the home by the malevolent presence. With all inconsistencies and haunted house clichés aside, this is late 70's horror at its hammy best, with a very creepy musical score and overall unsettling ambient feel that continues to entertain paranormal and demonology enthusiasts to this day. The history of the "true" story behind the Defeo murders is undeniably scary, and the performances are convincing enough. The house with its second story windows looking like animalistic eyes is creepy in itself, and its' suspense is overwhelming. Fans of old school haunted house films will consider this a classic, newer generation ghost story seekers may find it boring and dated. Nevertheless, its a historical film-making experience with a solid cast and a thought-provoking argument between parapsychology, religion and reality.
