The Amityville Horror (1979)

This is the classic version about the infamous Amityville house with lots of screams and weird deeds in which a family falls into supernatural terror . The story starts with a grisly mass murder ; years later , a family moves to Long Island where is purchased a Victorian home , their house of dreams but they find only devilish horror and full of nightmares . Longtime ago, there occurred a grisly mass killing based on an allegedly real life occurrence in Amityville that turns out to be a haven for demonic forces . And now a possessed father (James Brolin) is plunged by demonic forces into supernatural attitude driving him to mistreat and beat the kiddies . The wife (Margot Kidder) begins experiencing frightening and vivid dreams of killings . Meantime ,the father is attempting to find out the bottom of events by ways of the cellar . While , an exorcist priest (a hysteric Rod Steiger who steals the show as scene-chewing ) tries praying to vanquish the malignant spirit , staggering from room to room with the doors mysteriously slam . And soon the poltergeists make their nasty appearance originating a lot of unusual rattles and creaks before deciding to utilize its powers to possess the father and attack the family .

The film contains restless terror and great loads of gore and blood and usual poltergeists phenomenon caused by the curse and the usual ghastly shenanigans result to be the cracking pipelines , wall ooze icky stuff, flies swarm manifest as attackers, and doors suddenly slam , among others . It is produced with acceptable budget by Samuel Z Arkoff (AIP)and well recreated with high grade special effects that are frightening and horrifying to spectator . It's actually halfway decent terror movie that achieved big success at the box office and it will appeal to ghostly and eerie events fonds. The picture packs a colorful cinematography by Fred Koenekamp and eerie musical score by Lalo Schifrin that will be used in the innumerable sequels . The original ¨Exorcist¨ film (by Friedkin) spawned a wave of demonic possession movies that continues unabated today as ¨Changeling¨ (by Peter Medak), ¨Amytiville ¨(by Stuart Rosemberg) are two further examples of this sub-genre . Following a great number of clumsy, stupid sequels directed by Damiano Damiani , Richard Fleischer ,Sandor Stern ( screenwriter of Amityville), Anthony Hitchcock.. And the bad followings just go on and on attempting to cash in on the success of the first movie . However , recently is made a good new adaptation by Andrew Douglas with Ryan Reynolds (James Brolin role ) , Melissa George ( Margot Kidder character) and Philip Baker Hall (Rod Steiger), though this is a new take on from previous film, it's one of the highest earning horror movie of the last years and like the¨ Amityville ¨ original became a box office biggie . Rating : Aceeptable and passable .

Fmovies: 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 ****

After moving into a new house together, a woman grows increasingly concerned about her husband's new behavior around and comes to believe their new house is haunted forcing her to find a way of stopping it from continuing.

On the whole this is one of the more overrated efforts in the genre. There's not a whole lot here that works, and nearly all of that is tied in with the different supernatural antics on display which are only mildly suspenseful and thrilling. As the most notorious scene here for a reason, the encounter in the room with the flies manages to work incredibly well as the progressing swarm around his face and the louder buzzing get great suspense built up within here which naturally sets up the booming evil whispers which really comes off as creepy and chilling as possible. Elsewhere, other scenes here that come of nicely are all in the finale, from the howling voices and demented workload trying to get out of the basement as the growing pit and spackled wall coming down are off-set with the realization of the creepy back-story and the action to get away which is pretty much all that works here, along with the overall look and appearance of the house for the film's positives. There's a few flaws here that makes this one very troubling, most of which is tied in the film's insistence that his activities are chilling when they're really not. From his constant complaining about being cold, to constantly chopping firewood, snapping angrily at her, the kids, family or anyone around him and turning everything around him into the biggest deal doesn't come off as scary despite being set-up as the main scares here, as well as being boring and quite unimpressive at building an interesting story. This carries into the rest of the scare attempts here which are just as bland and boring by focusing on utterly non- threatening scare attempts as everyone here claims something's off about the house but nothing is done to ensure that these are creepy since everyone simply mentions something but is never paid off. Others are brought up and simply ignored, which makes them questionable inclusions as well, all furthering the fact that there's absolutely nothing that should keep the family in the house as long as what happens here and should've forced them out sooner regardless of how effective they are as scares. These here are what hold this down.

Rated R: Graphic Violence, Brief Nudity, a long but very mild sex scene, and Adult Language.

The Amityville Horror fmovies. 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 event

Excited about the remake I decided to go out and just but the original Amityville Horror. Being a huge horror buff, I just had to and besides I had only seen some of it's absurd sequels. hearing mixed reviews from friends and critics from terrifying to hilarious I turned it on with my boyfriend at the time and prepared myself for something scary. I must say that I was quite impressed. And although slightly disappointed in some of the films scenes ultimately I must say this is one old fashioned scary flick! I can hugely recognize the appeal it had in it's it's hey day. With the exception of Texas chainsaw Massacre, Evil Dead, the Omen and some others I rarely see what people did in their horror classics nowadays. Like The Exorcist, pretty damn boring and funny in my opinion. But getting back to this film. It builds a creeping mood filled with fright inducing suspense. The effects are simple but effective and the performances are somewhat over the top but necessarily wacky. The film's overall lasting appeal has little to do with the film's apparent campiness. it has more to do with the real terror inducing legend that inspired it. Like the Chainsaw remake the new ones looks to amp up the horror and intensity which would be greatly welcomed. Although a great horror classic Amityville's finale is somewhat anti climactic and after a long and impressively scary build-up it fails to deliver the end goods. But whoa some of the scenes from the imaginary friend Jody flying out the window, to the visitor at the door, to the voice in the house and just everything in the basement this film is all about delivering some authentic chills. 8/10

I was but a timid lad of 14 when taken to a drive-in theater to see this incredibly effective horror film.There is no better monster to create a film around than the Devil himself.When Rod Steiger's character,Father Delaney is in the process of blessing the house,and was greeted by a resounding shout of "Get Out!",I almost took it literally,it was that effective.The Devil is indeed one unwelcome houseguest that is very hard to kick out,as you will see when you watch this film.James Brolin and Margo Kidder head a young family who are the new inhabitants of a home where brutal murders had taken place years before.Soon,strange happenings begin to haunt the family,as the house has trouble letting go of what had happened there.This movie is definitely in my top 10 horror films that I have seen,and if you enjoy being scared out of your wits,this film will do it for you.Give it a look!