The Amityville Horror (1979)

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There is a simple rule that follows any haunted house film. The number one rule for any director is to establish the house itself as one of the most important characters in your film. The house is to be a living breathing entity. The use of personification is the key ingredient to any man vs. supernatural tale and The Amityville Horror is an amazing example of how a single house can become something so alive...it's downright scary.

So your ordinary family is moving into the house in Amityville. This is really your basic run of the mill haunted house scenario. A wonderful family unpacks their things in a "bad" house where murder once took place and a spirit, often times vengeful, is not at rest. You might be asking how Amityville Horror is so different and how to became the classic (in moderation) that it is today. The answer does not rest in the films characters and actors, it's not the interwoven plot, and it's certainly not known for its' justifiable representation of Jay Anson's novel. Its main impact rests in Stuart Rosenberg's ability to transform the house into a living breathing character. The house bleeds, it has a distinct voice (literally), and it can get very very angry!

Back in '79, Amityville scared the shit out of its audience. The film is a bit slow at times but there are more than a couple scenes that still make even today's audiences quiver in their seats. The famous "GET OUT" scene when the priest has entered the house, the discovery of the spirit that rests within the walls of the basement, and the incredible finale that left every audience members jaw dropped for the past three decades, are all certainly memorable moments. As George, played by James Brolin, starts to slowly go mad from merely being in the houses presents, the audience can't help but feel for his worried family. Nonetheless, the impact of the characters (as ...

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