The Amityville Horror (1979)

Director:

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

Sandor Stern (screenplay)
Jay Anson (book)
(more)

Release Date:

27 July 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

"For God's Sake, Get Out!"

Plot:

Newlyweds move into a house where a murder was committed, and experience strange manifestations which drive them away.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Terror | Evil | Murder | Real Estate Agent

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

James Brolin	...	George Lutz
Margot Kidder	...	Kathy Lutz
Rod Steiger	...	Father Delaney
Don Stroud	...	Father Bolen
Murray Hamilton	...	Father Ryan
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
Irene Dailey	...	Aunt Helena
Marc Vahanian	...	Jimmy
Elsa Raven	...	Mrs. Townsend
Ellen Saland	...	Bride
Eddie Barth	...	Agucci
Hank Garrett	...	Bartender
James Tolkan	...	Coroner
Carmine Foresta	...	Cop at the House
Peter Maloney	...	Newspaper Clerk
Charlie Welch	...	Carpenter
J.R. Miller	...	Boy
Patty Burtt	...	Girl
Michael Hawkins	...	New York State Trooper
Richard Hughes	...	2nd New York State Trooper
James Dukas	...	Neighbor (as Jim Dukas)
Baxter Harris	...	Cop #2 at the House
Michael Stearns	...	Policeman
Jack Krupnick	...	Dead Father

Directed by
Stuart Rosenberg

Writing credits
Sandor Stern		(screenplay)
Jay Anson		(book)
George Lutz		story (uncredited)
Kathy Lutz		story (uncredited)

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer
Elliot Geisinger	....	producer
Ronald Saland	....	producer

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
Fred J. Koenekamp		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Brown		(as Robert Brown Jr.)

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Judy Taylor

Art Direction by
Kim Swados

Set Decoration by
Robert R. Benton		(as Robert Benton)

Makeup Department
Stephen Abrums	....	makeup artist
Christine Lee	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Salvatore Billitteri	....	post-production supervisor
Jere Henshaw	....	executive in charge of production
Russell Saunders	....	unit production manager (as Russ Saunders)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Benjamin Rosenberg	....	second assistant director
Edward E. Vaughan	....	first assistant director (as Ed Vaughan)

Art Department
Donald B. Nunley	....	property master (as Donald Nunley)

Sound Department
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound effects editor
Robert W. Glass Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Robert W. Glass)
Maury Harris	....	sound mixer
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer
Christopher Ramsey	....	boom operator (as Chris Ramsey)
Richard Tyler	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Wilkinson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as John K. Wilkinson)

Special Effects by
Dell Rheaume	....	special effects (as Delwyn Rheaume)

Visual Effects by
William Cruse	....	visual effects
Allen Blaisdell	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt driver
Brian Bruderlin	....	stunt double
Roger Creed	....	stunt coordinator
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt driver
Rick Seaman	....	stunt driver (as Richard D. Seaman)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Benson	....	camera operator (as Michael Benson)
Edward Morey III	....	camera assistant
John Murray	....	key grip (as Johnny Murray)
Gene Stout	....	gaffer (as Eugene Stout)
Hal Trussell	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cynthia Bales	....	wardrobe: women
Richard Butz	....	wardrobe: men

Editorial Department
Bill Berry	....	negative cutter
Dee D'Orazio	....	additional editing (as Etter 'Dee' D'Orazio)
Stanley Frazen	....	associate editor
Dennis Galling	....	assistant editor
Barbara Gandolfo-Frady	....	apprentice editor (as Barbara Gandolfo)

Music Department
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor (as Ken Hall)
Aaron Rochin	....	scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Johnny Dias	....	transportation

Other crew
Susan Anker	....	production secretary
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	presenter
Thomas Bermingham	....	religious supervisor (as Reverend Thomas Bermingham)
Gary Gillingham	....	production controller
Connie Greenwood	....	unit controller
Karl Lewis Miller	....	animal trainer
Mary Ann Newfield	....	script supervisor
Barbara Pieters	....	production coordinator
Steve Warner	....	location auditor

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)
• Cinema 77
• Professional Films

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• UGC Distribution (1980) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1981) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Diversión S.A. (1984) (Spain) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Ambassador Film Distributors (Canada) (theatrical)
• Orion Pictures Corporation (198?) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• CEL Home Video (198?) (Australia) (VHS)
• Globo Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• GoodTimes Home Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Canada) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Star Video (198?) (Australia) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (198?) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound re-recording (as Glen Glenn Sound Company)
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Neiman-Tillar Associates  creative sound services (as Neiman-Tillar Assoc.)
• New Jersey Film Commission  producers wish to thank
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  photographic equipment (as Panavision®)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Netherlands:16 | USA:R (No. 25653) | South Korea:12 | Canada:PG (Canadian Home Video rating) | Italy:VM14 (re-rating) | Italy:VM18 (original rating) | Peru:18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Iceland:16 | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:X (original rating) | West Germany:16 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

18 Brooks Road, Toms River, New Jersey, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

The Toms River, New Jersey volunteer Fire Company Number One was used to provide the "rain" during one of the exterior scenes. If you look closely, you can see that it is sunny and not "raining" in the background, the next street over.

Goofs:

Continuity: The ball-shaped finial on the newel post at the bottom of the stairs (which is shown to fall off easily when the Lutz's are first being shown the house) appears, then disappears, then reappears between shots in one sequence.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Cop at the House:Jesus Christ, it gets worse all the time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Modern Things (2003)

The Amityville Horror: An Entertaining Haunted House Effort

Over the years, I have truly enjoyed "The Amityville Horror," a 1979 haunted house flick that has been critically, and unfairly, bashed. Since it's based on a true story, the critics have found that they dislike the movie based on their knowledge of the movie's inspiration. Now, here's my opinion: fiction or non-fiction, Stuart Rosenberg managed to make a fun, campy, and all around creepy horror film that resonates as one of the most famous haunted house movies ever created.

Everyone knows the legend about that house in Amityville, New York, the Dutch Colonial on 112 Ocean Avenue. The movie begins in 1974, when Ronnie DeFeo Jr. murdered his family in the house at 3:15 am, shooting them all in their sleep. A year later, George and Kathy Lutz bought the house and moved in with their three children and their dog, Harry. Aware of the tragedy that occurred in the home, George and his wife planned to fix it up and start a new life after their recent marriage. After all, "houses don't have memories." But then, things went wrong. Horribly wrong. And after 28 days, the family left the house and fled Amityville, never turning back.

Of course, Jay Anson's novel was a bestseller. I've personally read it myself, and it's written well. But there are several different variations on what happened during those 28 days, even with George and Kathy Lutz. So, for those of you who know the story before you watch the movie, it's hard to distinguish what is and isn't true. Some of you may not believe it at all. However, I am one of those people that believe in this account of a suburban haunted house, after watching rather truthful and intelligent interviews with the Lutzes and other paranormal investigators. But aside from that, what matters most about "The Amityville Horror" is how it works as a movie.

First of all, the setting means everything. Filmed in New Jersey, and not actually filmed in Amityville, the house is a particularly creepy abode to look at, especially during night scenes. Those two windows become a character all their own. They stare out into the night, and give the viewer the horrible feeling that they're being watched.

Also, there is definitely enough paranormal activity going on to keep you interested. However, the ghostly phenomenon doesn't start right away. In fact, it builds sporadically, creating a wonderful sense of dread. If you can appreciate a good build-up without much special effects(until the dynamite ending), then you will probably like the movie.

James Brolin and Margot Kidder are a joy to watch as George and Kathy Lutz. They are not perfect performances by far(there are moments when their performances go a little too over the top). But there are great things to see here between Brolin and Kidder. They have sincere moments together as husband and wife. Other times when things get frightening, their shock and fear comes off naturally. Then we are scared for George and Kathy. Basically, Brolin and Kidder give mostly good performances.

We also have Rod Steiger's performance as Father Delaney to judge. Sandor Stern's script has limited this character, and therefore, Steiger is not in the movie too much, but he makes the most with the screen time he has. In fact, he makes the role larger, and we're not just scared for the Lutz family, but for him also.

Obviously, some events in "The Amityville Horror" are slightly exaggerated when you compare them with the book's events or the perspectives of others who have experienced the haunting. But that doesn't make the movie any less entertaining. I look past its flaws, and embrace it for what it is: a cult classic that has gotten some damn good attention over the years. It's not a masterpiece, but I continue to love and believe in "The Amityville Horror."