The Amityville Horror

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The Amityville Horror

R

1979

1h 57m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

32%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

52%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

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 exorcize the evil spirits.

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Critics Consensus

Dull and disappointing, the best that can be said for The Amityville Horror is that it set a low bar for its many sequels and remakes.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

03/20/2019

[The Amityville Horror] begins with the promising premise of a haunted house in the suburbs (poltergeists in the barbecue pit?) and quickly degenerates into a display of pretentious camera angles.

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K.C. Summers

Washington Post

03/20/2019

The Amityville Horror is a horror. What is supposed to be the true story of a young couple driven from their dream house by demons turns out to be nothing more than a rip-off, and a tedious one at that.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

06/26/2017

Its pacing is off, there are too many go-nowhere subplots, & it seems just to come to a clunking halt at the end [but] the film's lack of commitment to any single reading of its narrative architecture is precisely what makes it so uncanny.

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 11

4/5

Some components feel dated all these decades later, but commanding lead performances and an effective embrace of the spookiest parts of the story still make it frightening.

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Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

Jul 25

5/10

The movie ends up being an example of the pitfall of having a lot of plot, and no story. The characters seem one dimensional, and the ending feels unsatisfying.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

02/12/2023

1.5/4

A pack of flies swarm all over Father Delaney --- then again, given Rod Steiger's howling performance as the priest, it could just be that the flies like reeking ham.

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RichardAB

@PoorDearRichard 2d

👻 The Amityville Horror is a chilling, slow-burn paranormal thriller based on the infamous "true story" of the Lutz family and their terrifying experiences inside a Long Island home with a violent past. James Brolin and Margot Kidder bring a grounded, believable presence that makes the haunting feel uncomfortably real. The creaking house, cold spots, and glowing red eyes build dread the old-fashioned way, relying more on atmosphere than flashy effects. I think it’s highly underrated. Maybe because it isn’t as technical or polished as modern horror, but it’s still scary as hell. That steady, creeping tension really gets under your skin, and the whole thing has that gritty ‘70s horror vibe that just sticks with you.

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Dallas H

@FozzieMcFly 4d

There is something truly special about watching a movie from American International Pictures (and its predecessor, American Releasing Corporation). The original Amityville Horror cannot be duplicated or remade without losing the weird charm that makes it one of the few movies based on authentic American folklore.

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Chris C.

@CineMan1978 Oct 13

The Amityville Horror boasts a talented cast including James Brolin and Margot Kidder and while it does offer some creepy moments, this late '70s horror classic is mostly a dull one to get through and when most of the supernatural moments do happen, they are few and far between.

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Eric W.

@Jtuess Aug 13

I read the book/watched movie as a child. Believing it was a true story, it traumatized me to the core. Yes, it could be considered boring for the gamer generation, but the real life slaughter of an entire family that morphs into demonic experiences… that just pushed me in front of the bus.

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Larry K

@Larrymoses39 Jul 23

Pretty scary. Didn't love the ending though

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Harold K.

@bear25rotten Jul 23

A boring house with boring kids with a boring dog. I give it 2 1/2 stars for the score by Schifrin and loving the story in general.

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Stuart Rosenberg

Director

James Brolin

George Lutz

Margot Kidder

Kathy Lutz

Rod Steiger

Father Delaney

Don Stroud

Father Bolen

Natasha Ryan

Amy

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - Flies Attack Father Delaney

3:02

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - I'm Coming Apart!

1:56

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - Window Pain

0:58

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - Axe Man

1:13

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - Amy's Friend, Jody

0:41

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - Bleeding House

3:00

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - Aunt Helena Freaks Out

2:41

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - Carolyn is Possessed

2:12

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - Father Delany's Prayer

2:10

The Amityville Horror: Official Clip - Kathy Sees Jody

1:05

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Synopsis

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 exorcize the evil spirits.

Director: Stuart Rosenberg
Producer: Ronald Saland, Elliot Geisinger
Screenwriter: Sandor Stern
Distributor: American International Pictures
Production Co: American International Pictures (AIP)
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 27, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 31, 2017
Runtime: 1h 57m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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