This 1979 film is the apparently "true" story of the Lutz family and the nightmare they endured when they moved into what they thought would be their dream home.
I haven't seen the new re-make but the family have distanced themselves from it, saying "it's not our story". They haven't taken too kindly to the change in family set up or the sub-plots and I can't say I blame them. However, even the original film doesn't depict quite what happened.
But on with the film...
Amityville is a real house in Long Island, USA. George (James Brolin), Kathy (Margot Kidder), and their three kids moved into this house. Nobody told them that a year earlier the house had been the scene of some murders or that the place is built on an Indian burial ground.
It's not long before it's obvious something is wrong. The house is clearly haunted. However, even toilets spurting black slime, and flies covering windows and blood pouring from walls doesn't make the family move out. This is rather unbelievable! And it's not surprising really - the real George Lutz said the bloody walls incident never happened!
Anyway, in the story an exorcism is performed on the house and eventually, the family move. I won't go into the last part of the film but it's very scary at the end as the house and its previous occupants finally drive the family out with fear.
The music of course has a large part to play in this film. What's a horror film without a scary tune? The acting is a little lame in places but Margot Kidder isn't as half as annoying here as she is in the "Superman" films. She does quite well.
The most frightening thing for me about this film is the scene with the flies in the bedroom. I don't like insects! But for most people, the film may seem cheesy and a tad daft, even for a horror film. Even for a film from the 1970s, the effects seem weak. Take it with a pinch of salt and it's worth watching.
The DVD is a certificate 15 and it includes a "Horror or Hoax" documentary amongst other things. It costs £20. The video is also certificate 15 and costs £13.
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