A loose prequel of the Amityville Horror with a different family moving in to the house and trying to deal with the awakening evil. Although the family name has changed, the story follows the family whose killing spree was mentioned frequently in the first film. Of course after spending time with these people you would understand why someone would kill them.
Papa (the creepy Burt Young playing his standard sleazy bastard role to perfection), Mama (a whimpering Rutanya Alda) pack up the children and move into the best real estate deal on the Island. Their unusually close older teen children (Jack Magner and Diane Franklin) and their younger siblings try to hide from Dad's wraith (he is a wife beater, child beater and if they had a cat, he would probably kick that too). Unfortunately the spirits see older boy Sonny as a excellent patsy and then try to convince him to sleep with his sister (neither one of them really seems to need much encouragement) and eventually kill his family. After Sonny kills them all he seems to have trouble convincing people that it is not really his fault. It seems no one will believe him, no one that is except for the good priest (James Olson) who breaks him out of jail so he can do battle with the spirit within.
There is very little original about this film but its willingness to embrace the sleazier aspects of the story make this one the most entertaining of the series. The acting is quite good and the directer keeps it moving at a fast clip.
Although widely reviled when first released this film seems to be finding its audience through home video and it definitely deserves its belated success.
Papa (the creepy Burt Young playing his standard sleazy bastard role to perfection), Mama (a whimpering Rutanya Alda) pack up the children and move into the best real estate deal on the Island. Their unusually close older teen children (Jack Magner and Diane Franklin) and their younger siblings try to hide from Dad's wraith (he is a wife beater, child beater and if they had a cat, he would probably kick that too). Unfortunately the spirits see older boy Sonny as a excellent patsy and then try to convince him to sleep with his sister (neither one of them really seems to need much encouragement) and eventually kill his family. After Sonny kills them all he seems to have trouble convincing people that it is not really his fault. It seems no one will believe him, no one that is except for the good priest (James Olson) who breaks him out of jail so he can do battle with the spirit within.
There is very little original about this film but its willingness to embrace the sleazier aspects of the story make this one the most entertaining of the series. The acting is quite good and the directer keeps it moving at a fast clip.
Although widely reviled when first released this film seems to be finding its audience through home video and it definitely deserves its belated success.