The Amityville Horror
Of all the horror movies in the 70’s that revolved around demonic possession and Satanic influence, this is certainly one of them.
The acting is a little campy, but it’s never bad. And it does have some genuine cool moments, like the use of flies, the blood coming out of the walls, and the way James Brolin deteriorates into madness.
But it’s also terribly paced and scripted in an awkward and unbelievable manner. Brolin is already full Jack Nicholson in the Shining 15 minutes in. On at least a couple occasions, a number of crazy things without explanation happen, and the family … stays there. The direction is also weird, as it LOVES to remind you of the existence of the exterior of the upstairs windows. Lots of editing that seems ignorant of where people and things are in relation to one another. And the continuity errors are hilarious; in the early love scene, Margot Kidder wears three different shirts and somehow gets wrapped in a sheet while in the middle of sex.
It’s not a bad movie, but it’s definitely a lesser movie than its peers. Watchable without regret, but also skippable without regret.
Mini Review: Of all the horror movies in the 70’s that revolved around demonic possession and Satanic influence, this is certainly one of them.
The acting is a little campy, but it’s never bad. And it does have some genuine cool moments, like the use of flies, the blood coming out of the walls, and the way James Brolin deteriorates into madness.
But it’s also terribly paced and scripted in an awkward and unbelievable manner. Brolin is already full Jack Nicholson in the Shining 15 minutes in. On at l...
