The Amityville Horror(2005).George and Kathy Lutz and their three children move into a house that was the site of a horrific murder a year before. They decide to keep the house and try to keep the horror in the past. This is until, George starts to behave weirdly and their daughter, Chelsea starts to see people. What now follows is 28 days of sheer terror for the family. Written byFilm_Fan... Synopsis The Amityville Horror(2005)
Movie Title: The Amityville Horror(2005)
Run Time: 90 min
Rating: 5.8 / 10
Genres: Drama |Horror |Mystery |Thriller
Release Date: 15 April 2005 (USA)
Director: Andrew Douglas
Writer: Scott Kosar ,Jay Anson (novel), ... and other credits
Actor: Ryan Reynolds,Melissa George,Jimmy Bennett
When it comes to making a film in Hollywood these days it would appear that they are running out of original material. Any film that is over 10 years old has the chance of being remade but the real question is which will be better. This is a film that breaks the normal mold of being awful compared to its predecessor. I actually really enjoyed this remake and found myself more scared in this one than the original. Was this film Better? No. But it holds its own on its own merits. Having read the book, this one is a little more true to the story and for that I applaud the film makers. The film was very good and I rate it in my Horror Hall of Fame.
In this particular version of the film it could be said that it was more accurate to the original book. And for those who consider this to be a hoax there has never been any proof either way. It is quite interesting to hear people who think they are authorities on the matter. Most people probably have not even read the book. There have been more than one book written about what happened in the house and the house the stood on the same location prior to the incident with the Lutz family. This film represents more than just the book the Amityville Horror. It takes its cues from the different novels that have been written about the event and the location.
This movie is very scary, and has lots of good jumps in it. The director of the film was obviously very interested in not making a film that came across as a remake but one that could stand on its own merits and not those of its previous incarnation. When I go to a film I judge it by several different criteria since I used to be a movie critic for a reputable newspaper. These criteria are the following. 1. How did the movie effect the audience in general? 2. Storyline cohesion. 3. Special Effects (ie. did they detract from the movie, overpower the movie, or just assist in the telling of the movie) 4. Can it stand on its own if its a Prequel, Sequel or Remake. 5. When I left the movie did I feel like I had been part of it (ie Suspension of Disbelief)
When I look at the Amityville Horror it scored highly in all of these categories, especially the last which in my opinion is the most important of the 5. When you walk out from a film and you were ready to leave because the movie was good enough to make you feel as if you were part of it, it was just a good movie. Most people have preconceived ideas about what a movie should be like when they go into it. I on the other hand go in as blank slate as possible so I can take the movie for its own worth and nothing else. It is a suggestion that I would give to all movie goers, don't go in prejudging a film because of the movies prequels, or predecessors. This movie is a prime example of trying to compare it to the original. The two movies were very different takes on the story and should be viewed as such.
