The Amityville Horror (Exclusive Series) (HBO Max) (1979)

Initial release date: July 27, 1979

Studio: American International Pictures

Tagline: The terrifying truth behind a real-life haunted house.

From the bestseller that made millions believe in the unbelievable.

Plot: Chiller about a family who is terrorized by supernatural forces when they move into a new house in New York State which was the scene of a recent mass killing and the home of an 18th century satanist. When swarms of flies appear from nowhere and the pipes and walls begin to ooze slime and blood, they call on a local priest to exorcise the evil spirits.

Cast

James Brodin (Netflix’s Sweet Tooth) - George Lutz

Margot Kidder (Rob Zombie’s Halloween II) - Kathy Lutz

Rod Steiger (End of Days) - Father Delaney

Don Stroud (Django Unchained) - Father Bolen

Murray Hamilton (Brubaker; Jaws 2) - Father Ryan

John Larch - Father Nuncio

Natasha Ryan - Amy

K.C. Martel (E.T) - Greg

Meeno Peluce - Matt

Michael Sacks - Jeff

Helen Shaver (The Craft) - Carolyn

Amy Wright - Jackie

Val Avery - Sgt. Gionfriddo

Writer: Sandor Stern

Jay Anson (based on the book by)

Director: Stuart Rosenberg (Brubaker; Voyage of the Damned)

Rated R (117 minutes)

The stories about the most infamous hauntings of Amityville have been the most notorious ever. Even though over the years many people have claimed that the hauntings were a hoax, the stories are still very creepy and terrifying.

On that note, since it’s the creepy time of year, I’m going to be taking a look at one of the creepiest horror classics ever released - 1979s ‘The Amityville Horror.’

This 1979 classic is definitely a must see for the Halloween season. There are quite a few scares and chills that will get you to jump a little. ‘Amityville’ also gives you a truly creepy vibe and lots of the scares are really effective. The final moments of the movie are really insane and heart-pounding.

Sure, there are a few parts that can be predictable and generic for these supernatural films. Like the scene where the priest is trying to convince the Church there’s something wrong with the house and they don’t believe him. That kind of scene is in several haunted house movies.

It’s hard to believe that this spine-tingling classic didn’t get the best reviews during its initial theatrical run. So, if you’re looking for a terrifying haunted house horror classic, make sure to check out this 1979 classic!

‘The Amityville Horror’ and its 2005 remake are available to stream on the HBO Max streaming service.

FYI - ‘The Amityville Horror’ is 42 years old!!

Here are quite a few interesting tidbits about the 1979 classic ‘The Amityville Horror’:

• Due to all the unwanted fame the book and film had caught upon the real house in Amityville, the current owners have replaced the “evil eyes” windows with normal rectangle-shaped windows.

• Because the movie was made on a relatively modest budget, Brolin took less money up front but with a promise of 10% of the gross sales after its release. After the movie became an unexpected blockbuster (at that time, it was in the top ten of all time), he eventually received about $17 million. If adjusted for inflation that would be equivalent to a little over $55 million in 2014 dollars.

• Both Brolin and Kidder were in doubt about Lutz’s story.

• At the time of its release, the film was one of the highest grossing independent films of all time.

• Producer Samuel Z. Arkoff purchased the rights to the novel by Jay Anson, which was a commercial success upon its publication in 1977.

• Initially, the film had been conceived as a made for TV movie.

• The film shoot was widely publicized in national media when the studio attempted to concoct stories of “unusual” occurrences on set (not dissimilar from what was claimed to have occurred during the filming of ‘The Exorcist’).

• ‘The Amityville Horror’ premiered in the US on July 27, 1979. It was one of the most successful films produced by an indie studio and was the most profitable American International Pictures (AIP) release since 1968s ‘The Born Losers.’

• The film grossed a total of $89.4 million at the US and Canada box office, making it the second highest grossing film of 1979.

• ‘The Amityville Horror’ is a book by American author Jay Anson, published in September 1977. It’s also the basis of a series of films released from 1979 onward. The book is claimed to be based on the paranormal experiences of the Lutz family, but led to controversy and lawsuits over its truthfulness.

• Historical basis ------> On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot and killed six members of his family at 112 Ocean Avenue, a large Dutch Colonial house situated in a suburban neighborhood in Amityville, on the south shore of Long Island, New York. He was convicted and second degree murder in November 1975 and sentenced to six sentences of 25 years to life in prison. DeFeo would go on to die in custody in March 2021.

• In December 1975, George and Kathy Lutz and their three children moved into the house. After 28 days, the Lutzes fled the house, claiming to have been terrorized by paranormal phenomena while living there.

https://youtu.be/6CC5IjKBtFY