With a tagline of “For God’s Sake, Get Out!” , how could you resist the mounting curiosity of what the heck is going on with this residence? “The Amityville Horror” (1979) gave us a new reason all of the noises that go ‘bump’ in the night. In this article, you will explore the plot, characters, and a couple of trivia facts concerning this popular horror film centered on the paranormal, ghosts, and spirits.
Plot
The Amityville Horror film is actually based upon a true story, as claimed by the author , Jay Anson. The tale involves a large residence situated on the coast of Long Island where we encounter newlyweds George and Kathy Lutz and their three children, who move into the home , hoping to start their new lives together on the right foot. However, the history of the residence is pretty gruesome , something the real estate agent fails to mention when they are touring the home.
The family priest is convinced that the house is haunted and performs and exorcism. But, there is an evil spirit within the home that causes him to suffer blindness and become rather ill. George and Kathy seek the assistance of another priest and a police detective to help them with the odd happenings associated with their home. Throughout the movie, we see a transformation in George, as the spirit has plans to possess him and then the kids.
In the movie, you witness the talents of James Brolin (as George Lutz), Margot Kidder of Superman fame (as Kathy Lutz), and Rod Steiger as Father Delaney.
“The Amityville Horror” Facts and Trivia
1) The filming of the outdoor scenes did not take place in Amityville, Long Island, but took place at Toms River, New Jersey. When extras were called upon, the local police and ambulance workers in town participated. When it came to one of the exterior scenes, it was the Toms River, New Jersey volunteer Fire Company Number One that provided the “rain.” An astute filmgoer can see that on the next street over, the weather is sunny with no rain in the background.
2) Producers of “The Amityville Horror” movie turned down a screenplay written by Jay Anson , the man who wrote the original book. In the end, the producers sided with Sandor Stern’s take of the plot and eventually hired him for the assignment.
3) At the Academy Awards, the movie and Lalo Schifrin was nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Music, Original Score.
4) The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films nominated Margot Kidder for the Best Actress Award in a Horror Film, but she did not take home a Saturn Award.
5) Lalo Schifrin was nominated once again for Best Original Score for a Motion Picture at the Golden Globe Awards.
Additional trivia concerning “The Amityville Horror” can be found in the second part of this Amityville article series, including the lowdown on how James Brolin became a part of the film and what happened to him afterwards.