The Amityville Horror (1979)
The Amityville Horror (1979)
"Jody doesn't like George." -Missy
The Amityville Horror, supposedly based on the true story of the Lutzes, is about George and Kathy Lutz - a young couple who decide to purchase an old colonial home in Amityville, Long Island, New York, despite it's grisly past. A year earlier, Ronald DeFeo murdered his entire family in the home. At first everything seems to be normal, but after a priest comes to bless the house, a demonic voice tells him to "Get out!".
After the priest attempted to bless the house, the family begins to experience a demonic presence in the home. Scratching noises, static phones, apparitions, strange voices, and thick black goo oozing from the walls, toilets, and faucets. And their daughter, Missy begins seeing "Jody", a demon like pig, which I found to be kind of weird but creepy in a sense.
Meanwhile during all this, George is becoming obsessed with his axe, constantly chopping firewood and making sure the house is completely warm. He and Kathy begin to have some fights and she notices that George's behavior has become violent. Eventually, after only twenty eight days, the family flees their home, never to return.
I think the most disturbing part of this movie is that it is claimed to be real. The thought of all of this strange activity and supernatural forces is just creepy. The one thing the film lacks is more information. It cuts out a lot of information from the book that leaves it feeling a bit unfinished. What happened under the house, what was the red room George found, and why was their a well down there? Who was "Jody", and was the pig thing that George saw in the window Jody? What about the red eyes Kathy saw outside the bedroom window? Was that Jody too? The film leaves these questions unanswered. Despite this, the movie does have some really good moments and is overall okay.
Starring: James Brolin and Margot Kidder
Theatrical Release: July 27, 1979
Directed By: Stuart Rosenberg
My rating (out of 5 stars):
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