The Amityville Horror (1979)

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

Director:

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

Sandor Stern (screenplay), Jay Anson (based on the book by)

Stars:

James Brolin, Margot Kidder, Rod Steiger

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Based on a true story that was claimed by writer Jay Anson, The Amityville Horror is about a large house on the coast of Long Island where newlyweds George and Kathy Lutz and their three children move into the house that they hope will be their dream house which ends up in terror. Despite full disclosure by the real estate agent of the house's history, George and Kathy buy the house. George says, "Houses don't have memories," but they turn to their family priest Father Delaney who believes the house is haunted and performs an exorcism on the house. But the evil spirit in the house causes him to become blind and makes him very sick. With the help of another priest Father Bolen and a police detective, George and Kathy face the fears of the house, but not knowing the spirit is planning to possess George and then the children...

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Plot Keywords:

haunted house | real estate agent | bloody knuckles | chopping wood | missing money | 

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Taglines:

Houses don't have memories.

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 July 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amityville, la maison du diable

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,700,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,843,467, 29 July 1979, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$86,432,520

Company Credits

Production Co:

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

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For years rumors have circulated that the movie was to be filmed in the actual house in Amityville, NY, but the production team was too frightened to film inside the house. The reality is the town of Amityville denied American International Pictures permission to film any scenes whatsoever in Amityville in an attempt to distance themselves from any publicity. Therefore, AIP found a two-story Dutch-Colonial home in Toms River, NJ, in which to film the exteriors. A third-floor facade was added, along with the crescent moon windows on both sides of the house. Almost all interior scenes were filmed at MGM studios in Culver City, CA. A few interior scenes were filmed inside the actual Toms River house, including the scene when George returns from the boathouse in the middle of the night, then walks onto the sun porch to light a cigarette. In that scene you can see there's no wallpaper and no door in the living room, whereas on the soundstage the living room has wallpaper and a door near the bookshelf.

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Goofs

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

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Quotes

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

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Crazy Credits

This motion picture is based on the book "The Amityville Horror." Certain characters and events have been changed to heighten dramatic effect.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Kevin Bishop Show: Episode #2.3 (2009)

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Soundtracks

Blue Moon
(uncredited)
Written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart

User Reviews

Who says the Lutz's don't throw wild parties?!

Semi-classic thriller of the 70's, requires some patience from the audience but ultimately becomes a nicely moody film about America's most infamous haunted house.

Couple moves their family into a Long Island house, where the previous owners where murdered, and begins to believe that there are evil forces at work in the new home.

Based upon Jay Anson's novel, which itself is supposedly a true story, The Amityville Horror is a film that largely relies upon it's eerie, unsettling atmosphere to induce chills and it often works well. It also packs the occasional good shock. While some may see this films subtlety and occasional weirdness as a senseless plot, it really helps to create a rattling sense of dread. It plays out well, building tension slowly to a climatic finale and a open conclusion that leaves a great sense of mystery. Kudos also go to a wonderfully chilling musical score.

The cast is fairly good, stars Brolin and Kidder are in top-form.

While it may be bashed by many critics, The Amityville Horror has remained one of the 70's better horror oddities, and has become a cult classic for good reason.

*** out of ****