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People are drawn to any edge of truth in a story, especially in horror. A film has extra appeal if it’s based on a true story, pulled from long-standing folklore, or boasts a story or set that seems cursed. Our fascination with the macabre on screen easily carries over into a Wikipedia rabbit hole or even lifelong infatuations. This is true on every account for The Amityville Horror. Released in 1979, The Amityville Horror was an instant classic. Based on a novelization of the same name by Jay Anson, the film had not only the dazzle of a pre-existing supernatural occurrence but the spectacle of true crime. Ghosts and demons are not a measurable tragedy, but the murders committed by Ronald DeFeo Jr. certainly are. With countless rumors of demons and curses in the Amityville home, on the set of Amityville related films, or even long into the personal lives of its stars,...

The Amityville Horror, the 2005 horror movie starring Ryan Reynolds, has gotten a free streaming home. Two decades after the film's release in theaters, The Amityville Horror is now streaming on Tubi as of Feb. 1.

Directed by Andrew Douglas and written by Scott Kosar, The Amityville Horror was one of many feature films to be made based on the original novel by Jay Anson. It is also inspired by the original feature film adaptation that was released in 1979. The story is also based on true events, taking inspiration from real-life mass murderer Ronald DeFeo Jr., who killed several family members in an Amityville, New York home. After the killings, married couple George and Kathy Lutz, along with their children, moved in and subsequently made claims that the house was haunted.

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Blink Twice is the latest horror sensation and there are many...

Have you ever wondered why there are so many different horror movies out there with the word "Amityville" in the title? Of course, they're all a callback to the original 1979 film, The Amityville Horror, which itself was based on the Jay Anson book of the same name. Though the accuracy of the supposedly true story has often been questioned, the original film has been considered a horror classic, one that continues to inspire new generations of filmmakers. With over 40 different installments in the greater Amityville franchise, why is it that there are so many of these? Well, the answer may surprise you.

Big-budget action films are commonly associated with the summer, but a few horror films throughout the years have proven the spooky genre is just as in demand during the season. While haunting stories are usually reserved for colder months, especially around Halloween, the needed escape into a chilled theater from the outside heat could be a reason why horror films still find success during the summer. Additionally, a few films, like Freddy vs. Jason and It, were highly anticipated by audiences, making the venture to the theaters a perfect group activity.

The big releases and box office responses to such films might not be entirely possible without the release of what's often credited as the first summer blockbuster. Steven Spielberg's Jaws is recognized as the initiator of this trend, changing the game with its wide release and innovative approach to the horror genre. Since then, many of the most...

The Amityville Horror has become a staple of the horror genre, but there are numerous differences between the original book and the two films it directly inspired. Based on a supposedly true story of a haunting in upstate New York, Jay Anson's book The Amityville Horror became a smash hit when it was released in 1977. This inspired 1979's cinematic adaptation of the same name. Starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder, the success of the film spawned a decade-spanning Amityville Horror franchise. The first film would be remade in 2005, with Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George in the lead roles.

Although both versions of the horror movie are based on the true story from the book and share the same characters, there are some notable differences between the book and the films it inspired. This ranges from the lore surrounding the haunting to the specifics of the event itself. There are...

The supernatural thriller is one of the most prominent sub-genres for horror, and the original The Amityville Horror from 1979 is one of the most talked about films of that niche from its heyday. Directed by Stuart Rosenberg and based on the book of the same name by Jay Anson, this film sparked such imagination in the public that it became a staple in the genre, so much so that it arguably redefined the quintessentially American haunted house story in popular culture. In fact, the movie's presence and impact can still be felt even today. However, does this film really deserve that honor?

After years upon years of sequels, spin-offs, reboots, and bootlegs of notoriously subpar quality, The Amityville Horror leaves a lot to question as to why it remains as a tent pole for supernatural horror. While several horror films far surpassed it in the modern era, it's difficult to...

Slashers spiked in popularity before 2000 but are still enjoyed today, blending genres with light moments and horror themes. Remakes of popular 80s and 90s slashers were prevalent in the 2000s, some improving on the originals while others fell short. Examples like 'Sorority Row' and 'House of Wax' demonstrate how some remakes capture the spirit of the original while adding new elements.

Slashers are a special subgenre of horror that became incredibly popular in the 80s and 90s, causing a lot of remakes to pop up in the 2000s. Slashers tend to focus on a group of people who are stalked and typically killed one by one by a killer, usually in a mask and almost always with a knife or other blade that provides the "slasher" name. These movies often blend genres and have lighter moments, or mystery themes alongside the horror.

While these movies spiked...

On November 13, 1974, at 112 Ocean Ave. in Amityville, New York, a young man named Ronald DeFeo woke up in the middle of the night, took up a shotgun, and went from room to room in his home, systematically murdering six members of his family. DeFeo was apprehended by the police. At first, DeFeo claimed the murders were mob-related, but he later confessed to committing the crimes himself. He was sentenced to 25 years to life for his crimes. DeFeo died in prison in 2021. 

DeFeo's murders became notorious with the publication of Jay Anson's nonfiction book "The Amityville Horror" in 1977. After the killings, the Lutz family moved into 112 Ocean Ave., and they claimed to experience a panoply of paranormal phenomena. Flies mobbed the building, and the entire Lutz family reported hearing eerie voices. George Lutz, the family patriarch, claimed to be possessed by a demonic presence that was driving him to kill his family.

The episode of Wtf Happened to This Horror Movie? covering The Amityville Horror (2005) was Written and Narrated by Adam Walton, Edited by Victoria Verduzco, Produced by Andrew Hatfield and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

This may be stating the obvious, but we love horror here at JoBlo towers, and it’s great to see that the genre is currently thriving, with not just the obligatory franchise stalwarts that rely upon jump scares doing well but also new and original movies such as Talk to Me and Ti Wests’ X follow-up Pearl. However, there’s also a trend that won’t go away, and will never go away, of course, for better or worse. Yeah, you know what we’re talking about gore-hounds, the remake. At the time of writing this episode the world is just about to bear witness to the return of a supernatural phenomenon from...

The Amityville Horror franchise has been a cornerstone of horror cinema for decades, weaving tales of terror inspired by the infamous Amityville Horror House. With numerous films in the series, it can be challenging to know where to begin. In this blog post, we’ll provide a clear and concise guide, presenting the best Amityville movies in the order they were released.

Related: 10 Best Horror Movies of All Time, Ranked by Viewers

From the original 1979 classic to the latest bone-chilling installments, we’ll lead you through the evolution of horror in this iconic cinematic universe. Get ready for a journey that delves into the deepest depths of supernatural fear and human dread.

10 ‘Amityville Exorcism’ (2017)

IMDb: 1.8/10 2.1K

Duration: 1h 17m | Genres: Horror | Director: Mark Polonia

Cast: Marie DeLorenzo, Jeff Kirkendall, James Carolus

“Amityville Exorcism,” a 2017 American horror film directed by Mark Polonia, adds a fresh layer of terror to the Amityville Horror franchise.

Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”

We’ve reached the last of the studio Amityville films with writer/director Franck Khalfoun’s Amityville: The Awakening (2017). It’s taken this editorial series a while to reach this milestone because we’re going through the Amityville films chronologically, though anyone familiar with the troubled production history of the film could feasibly argue this should have been covered back among the 2014 films (when the film was originally filmed) or 2016 (when reshoots were done and the film was originally scheduled for release).

In addition to those 2016 reshoots – the results of poor audience scores – the film was derailed due to its ties to the Weinstein/#MeToo movement. It was eventually dumped onto Google Play for free in late 2017.

Putting aside the scheduling challenges,...

The Amityville franchise has seen a wealth of sequels, spinoffs, and remakes, but in what order do the canon films go? The horror franchise was launched in 1979 with the release of The Amityville Horror, drawing its inspiration from the supposed true haunting of the Lutz family as chronicled in the book of the same name by Jay Anson. The original film was such a smash hit that it immediately garnered sequels, and the Amityville story grew increasingly outlandish with each installment. Though many of the claims made in the book have been debunked, the actual true crime case of the DeFeo family murders has continued to spark imaginations.

While the actual canon of The Amityville Horror is extremely tenuous, there are nearly a dozen films that can claim a connection to the source material in some way or another. Conversely, there is also a seemingly unending flood of unofficial Amityville...

Suntup Editions has put up for grabs a signed limited edition of The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson, the latest offering from the prestige company that frequently revives classic horror novels with absolutely gorgeous books to die for. This one is no exception.

The edition includes an exclusive new introduction by Laura Didio, the first local reporter to cover the story, featuring her own startling and true account of what she and her crew experienced upon visiting the house after the Lutz’s fled, as well as an exclusive new afterword providing a wealth of historical context by Eric Walter, the director of the documentary, My Amityville Horror. The edition also features seven brand new illustrations by Brad Gray, and floor plans of the house at 112 Ocean Avenue adapted by Maxime Plasse.

The edition is highly limited with a very low print run, and is now available for pre-order.

A...

From Jeffrey Dahmer’s history of murder to the tragic death of Ronald DeFeo Jr., The Exorcist horror franchise has been addressed several times in practically all of these crime stories. According to some, The Exorcist responds erratically in their brains, especially those who infamously grew up to be murderers and serial killers, suggesting that the film served as inspiration for their crimes. The third episode of Amityville: An Origin Story also discusses these cursed movie franchises, like The Exorcist. Previously, issues about the veracity of George and Kathy Lutz’s story had been raised, but in this episode, we got a wide overview of both of these possibilities, whether it may all be a fraud or whether the Lutzes were indeed victims of such horrible occurrences. Let’s see what we can conclude at the end of the episode.

Spoilers Ahead

Who Was William Weber?

Carol opens episode 3 by...

On April 23rd, at 10pm Eastern and Pacific, the four-part horror documentary series Amityville: An Origin Story will be making its premiere on MGM+… and with less than a month to go before that date arrives, we’ve gotten our hands on a teaser trailer for the show. You can check it out in the embed above, but note that it’s geo-blocked, so some of you might not be able to see it. If you can’t, this one might work.

Amityville: An Origin Story tells the story behind the world’s most infamous haunted house tale: the Amityville murders. The project is the first elevated look at every aspect of this wildly layered story about the heinous murder of a family of six that became eclipsed by paranormal controversy. The 1979 blockbuster film, The Amityville Horror, inspired by the book of the same title by Jay Anson spawned an ever-expanding universe of movies,...

The short teaser trailer for MGM+’s Amityville: An Origin Story confirms the documentary series will be delving into the murders of six DeFeo family members in 1974 as well as the paranormal events that supposedly occurred in the home when the Lutz family moved in. The four-part docuseries will premiere on April 23, 2023 at 10pm Et/Pt following the season two debut of From.

MGM+’s trailer release was accompanied by new photos from the docuseries directed by Jack Riccobono (The Seventh Fire). Executive producers include Riccobono, Lesley Chilcott, Blaine Duncan, Brooklyn Hudson, Amanda Raymond, Rhett Bachner, and Brien Meagher.

The first Amityville Horror film, based on Jay Anson’s book, was released in 1979 and starred James Brolin and Margot Kidder. Amityville II: The Possession with Burt Young followed in 1982, and Amityville 3-D starring Tony Roberts and Tess Harper premiered in November 1983. A remake of the original film arrived in 2005 with...

Amityville: An Origin Story tells the story behind the world’s most infamous haunted house tale: the Amityville murders. The project is the first elevated look at every aspect of this wildly layered story about the heinous murder of a family of six that became eclipsed by paranormal controversy. The 1979 blockbuster film, The Amityville Horror, inspired by the book of the same title by Jay Anson spawned an ever-expanding universe of movies, books, supernatural theories, and horror superfans. But the mass murder behind the hauntings—and its alleged ties to organized crime—left a long trail of questions that have never been fully explored. Rooted in the dark cultural undercurrents of the 1970s, the series features firsthand accounts from witnesses, family members, and former investigators appearing on-camera for the first time. Exclusive archival footage, newly unearthed images, and stunning original photography are woven together into the most compelling and...

The MGM+ streaming service will be celebrating “Halfway to Halloween” on April 23 with “From” Season 2 as well as a new Amityville Horror series. Titled Amityville: An Origin Story, the four-part docuseries premieres at 10pm immediately following “From.”

Exclusively watch the trailer for the upcoming docuseries below.

From Director/Executive Producer Jack Riccobono, Amityville: An Origin Story tells the story behind the world’s most infamous haunted house tale: the Amityville murders. The project is the first elevated look at every aspect of this wildly layered story about the heinous murder of a family of six that became eclipsed by paranormal controversy.

The 1979 blockbuster film, The Amityville Horror, inspired by the book of the same title by Jay Anson spawned an ever-expanding universe of movies, books, supernatural theories, and horror superfans. But the mass murder behind the hauntings—and its alleged ties to organized crime—left a long trail of questions...

The MGM+ streaming service has announced today that they’ll be celebrating “Halfway to Halloween” on April 23 with “From” Season 2 as well as a new Amityville Horror special.

You can also watch the brand new trailer for “From” Season 2 below.

“From” unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest – including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down. In season two, hidden truths about the nature and terrifying origins of the town begin to emerge, even as life for its residents is plunged into chaos by the arrival of mysterious newcomers.

The series stars Harold Perrineau (Lost) leading an ensemble cast which includes Catalina Sandino Moreno, Eion Bailey, Hannah Cheramy, Simon Webster (Strays), Ricky He...

Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions.

At this point, the Amityville “universe” of films is something of a running joke in horror circles. It is borderline ridiculous that there’s so many entries (for those who are curious: 2022 has seen the release of no less than 10 new films!). As Paste editor Jacob Oller explains in his piece “Why Are There So Many Absurd Amityville Horror Movies?”, there appear to be two main reasons why there are so many movies with Amityville in the title.

After the Lutzs lost their suit against The Possession and 3-D producer Dino De Laurentiis, Amityville titles became open season so long as they didn’t skew too closely to the real-life story. As Oller explains: “The nuttier the twist, the less worried anyone has to be about getting sued.

Despite what popular perception might be, a lot of horror fans watch scary movies to get away from life’s harsh realities. So in a way, basing a horror on something that actually happened defeats the point. But the fact is it’s all in the telling. We’ve been quite strict about not including things that were just loosely inspired by a real event, with the majority of the story a fiction. So no Psycho or Texas Chain Saw Massacre (both inspired by Ed Gein) and no The Exorcist (the book was inspired by a real boy) etc.

Without further ado, here are our favourite horrors based on real events.

Dead Ringers (1988)

Arguably the last flat-out masterpiece of David Cronenberg’s exceptional mid-1970s/late-1980s run of films, Dead Ringers also marked a transitional moment for the filmmaker as he ventured beyond the visceral body horror he was...

The Halloween season is upon us and there are a ton of great new physical releases in the horror genre coming our way in the next couple of months. Popular films like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Army of Darkness, and The Fog are all coming to the 4K format, but one of the most underrated horror films of the 20th century was 1979s The Amityville Horror directed by Stuart Rosenberg. Now this classic haunted house thriller based on the horrific true events depicted in Jay Anson’s book of the same name is coming to 4K for the first time thanks to Vinegar Syndrome.

The 1979 horror classic The Amityville Horror has been newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative by Vinegar Syndrome, we’ve learned this afternoon.

Available in a Standard Edition or Limited Slipcover Edition, The Amityville Horror is Now Available on 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome!

“One of the most acclaimed and terrifying horror films of the 1970s, director Stuart Rosenberg‘s (Cool Hand Luke) The Amityville Horror features powerhouse performances from James Brolin (Westworld), genre film icon Margot Kidder, Rod Steiger (In the Heat of the Night), and cult star Don Stroud (Django Unchained).

“With a chilling screenplay by Sandor Stern, based on Jay Anson’s best selling novel, and an unnerving score by Lalo Schifrin (Mission: Impossible), Vinegar Syndrome is proud to present the Uhd debut of The Amityville Horror, stunningly restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative and featuring a comprehensive selection of new and archival interviews.

The Amityville film series is perhaps the most persistent and the most bizarre in the annals of franchise horror. The original "Amityville Horror," based on the 1977 "non-fiction" book by Jay Anson, told the story of the Lutz family who moved into 112 Ocean Ave. in Long Island, NY shortly after Ronald DeFeo had murdered several members of his own family at the same address. DeFeo claimed to hear a demonic presence urging him to kill. The Lutz family claims to have experienced a similar demonic presence after moving in, and were eventually scared out. 

It's since been revealed that the Lutz's story was...

The post Amityville in Space Trailer: It's More Amityville, But This Time, in Space appeared first on /Film.

Obviously, "Stranger Things" isn't exactly worried about factual accuracy, but season four of the hit Netflix show does take inspiration from two major real events. The first volume of "Stranger Things" season four dropped on May 27, and both the story of the Creel House and the town's reaction to the Hawkins murders are clearly inspired by real events from the 1970s and 1980s - the Amityville Horror and the satanic panic.

The Amityville Horror and "Stranger Things"

You might be most familiar with the story of the Amityville Horror from the series of films it spawned. But originally, the story was told in a 1977 book by Jay Anson called "The Amityville Horror: A True Story." The book tells the story of George and Kathleen Lutz, a recently married couple who moved with Kathleen's children into a house in Amityville on New York's Long Island. The relocation was meant to be...

Jay Anson's original non-fiction book "The Amityville Horror" was first published in 1977 and it quickly took the world by storm. "The Amity Horror" was based on the true crime story of Ronald DeFeo who, in November of 1973 (claiming to be under the influence of demons) prowled from room to room in his home at 112 Ocean Ave., and murdered six members of his own family. The eeriest thing about the slayings is that they were committed by shotgun, but no one seems to have left their beds, and the neighbors reported hearing nothing. After DeFeo had been apprehended and jailed, the Lutz...

The post The Amityville Murders Marked The Return of an Old-School Franchise Star appeared first on /Film.

Hot damn, it's finally happened. After a mind-boggling 32 feature explorations and offshoots of the infamous American haunting, the Amityville murder house is going to space. Stuart Rosenberg's 1979 hit "The Amityville Horror," based on Jay Anson's 1977 book of the same name, purports the claims of the Lutz family, who assert that a supernatural presence drove them out of their Dutch colonial home after only one month of occupancy. The story's veracity has since been cast in doubt, but the grim true story behind the house itself is still a subject of fascination. Now, the deadly dwelling is taking its mayhem...

The post Horror Fans Rejoice: Amityville is Finally Going to Space, Whatever That Means appeared first on /Film.

Jay Anson's 1977 book "The Amityville Horror" has yielded over 30 theatrical and direct-to-video films since it was first published, starting with the original 1979 feature starring James Brolin, Margot Kidder, and Rod Steiger. That's not even counting "The Conjuring" movie series, which centers on fictionalized versions of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the real-life paranormal investigators and married couple who gained recognition through their involvement in the Amityville case (as seen at the beginning of "The Conjuring 2").

While the facts of the alleged Amityville hauntings have been disputed and attributed to a hoax conceived over wine, the supernatural stories that arose out of...

The post The True Story Behind the Amityville Murders to Be Explored in Epix Docuseries appeared first on /Film.

Ronald DeFeo Jr., the Long Island man serving a life sentence for slaughtering his parents and four siblings in a 1974 crime that would inspire The Amityville Horror book and movie franchise, died March 12 at the Albany Medical Center in New York. He was 69.

His death was announced yesterday by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. A ruling on cause of death is pending an autopsy.

DeFeo had been transferred to the hospital on February 2 from the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, N.Y., where he had been imprisoned since 1975 after confessing to six counts of second-degree murder.

DeFeo was 23 when, in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 1974, he shot and killed his father Ronald DeFeo Sr., his mother Louise, and younger siblings Dawn, Allison, Mark and John Matthew. The bodies were found in the bedrooms of the family home in the village of Amityville, Long Island.

Ronald DeFeo, the convicted murderer who killed six family members and inspired the ever-growing “Amityville horror” franchise, died Friday, March 12th, The New York Times reports. He was 69.

DeFeo died in a hospital in Albany, New York, the New York State Department of Correction and Community Supervision confirmed. He had been serving a sentence of 25-years-to-life at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York, and had been taken to the hospital on February 2nd. A cause of death has not yet been announced, but will be determined by the Albany County coroner.

Ronald DeFeo Jr., the infamous mass murderer convicted of slaying his family in 1974 and inspiring The Amityville Horror, has passed away. DeFeo, who had been serving a 25 years-to-life sentence for the murders at Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, died last week according to New York State officials. He was 69 years old.

An official cause of death hasn't yet been determined, pending the results of the Albany County Medical Examiner's Office. Per officials, Ronald DeFeo Jr. had been transferred to Albany Medical Center to be treated for undisclosed ailments, where he was later pronounced dead on the evening of March 12. A spokesperson speaking on behalf of the State Department Corrections and Community Supervision said she cannot yet comment on the incident.

DeFeo, known to guards and other inmates as "Butch," was convicted on Nov. 21, 1975, and he was sentenced to six sentences of 25 years-to-life at the time. Had he not passed away,...

Lorraine Warren has seen true evil at the start of The Conjuring 2 and wants to call it quits — at least for a while — but when the Hodgson family finds itself under siege by a terrible haunting, the paranormal investigators have no choice but to help. Set in the late ’70s in the London Borough of Enfield, The Conjuring 2 ticks off many of the same boxes as the original: haunted house, demonic possession, and a relentless pace full of jump scares that doesn’t let up until the Warrens are back in their spooky museum, locking away their latest ghostly trinket just before the credits roll.

And like the first movie, which is based on the real-life investigations of demonologist Ed Warren and the clairvoyant Lorraine, The Conjuring 2 is heavily inspired by a true story, one that captured the attention of British tabloids — and even the BBC — just...

Jay Anson released The Amityville Horror in 1977, which was based on the alleged paranormal experiences of the Lutz family after they moved into a house that had recently suffered a real-world tragedy when Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. shot and killed his parents and four siblings after he claimed to have heard demonic voices from the house.

Related: 10 Real-Life Haunted Places That Inspired Movies

The book led to a hugely successful film adaptation that kicked off a surprising amount of movie sequels set in the possessed house (or sometimes not anywhere near it) that have further explored the unique family home on Ocean Avenue on Long Island. However, the name has been used for so many less than stellar films over the years that fans might have to settle for the best of the worst.

Stuart Rosenberg's 1979 horror classic The Amityville Horror celebrated its 40th-anniversary last year. Based on the true account written by Jay Anson, the film follows George and Kathy Lutz (James Brolin and Margot Kidder), a typical American couple who are tormented by a series of terrifying supernatural events upon purchasing a new house where grisly murders took place one year prior.

Related: 10 Underrated 1970s Horror Movies You Can Stream Today On Amazon Prime

Released in theaters in July 1979, The Amityville Horror became a massive box-office hit, turning a $4.7 million budget into a whopping $86 million domestic grosser. As a result, the film spawned 10 sequels and counting. Here's how they all stack up with one another.

Image Source: Everett Collection

Based on a well-documented story of paranormal hauntings, the 1979 film The Amityville Horror instantly became a cult classic, despite its poor critical reception. It's no surprise, though, because the movie took root in a terrifying and sensationalized real case. The actual house in Amityville might just be the epitome of a haunted house. The story starts as many a ghost story does, with a family moving into a creepy new abode with a horrifying history. In 1975, George and Kathleen Lutz brought their three children to a lovely Dutch Colonial home on 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, Long Island. But just a year before the family moved in, six people had been brutally murdered in the house. Now the residence is an iconic haunt - which may or may not be a total hoax.

What Is the House's Origin Story?

Let's rewind to November 13, 1974. 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr.

In November 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr shot all six members of his family in a killing spree that became the backstory to author Jay Anson's 1977 bestseller The Amityville Horror. Earlier this year we saw the release of the movie called The Amityville Murders, which covered the real-life backstory of the infamous Amityville Horror and the murders that seemingly kicked off the titular "horror." And today we have word that another film is headed our way from Get Out producer Shaun Redick and Tag producer Todd Garner which will be covering the Defeo murders. This time it's called Amityville 1974 and The Wonderfilm Media Corporation announced today that this new movie will begin principal photography in November.

Amityville 1974 is all set to be directed by The Remaining filmmaker Casey La Scala from a screenplay he wrote which will shift the focus of its horror back to the DeFeo murders. La Scala said in a statement.

The legendary haunted house in Amityville is getting a new film project. There have been a lot of movies based on what went on in this house, and now there’s a prequel coming called Amityville 1974.

The project is being produced by Wonderfilm Media Corporation and the film will tell the story of the “real-life rampage murders” that would become the background in Jay Anson’s 1977 book The Amityville Horror and all the films that followed.

The film will be directed by Casey La Scala (The Remaining) from a script that he wrote. “The focus shifts back to the traumatic murders that reputedly set the supernatural stage for the nation’s most notorious haunted-house legend. In November 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot all six members of his family in a spree killing that took on even more horrific hues a year later when a family bought the notorious property and lived...

There have been more than 20 movies inspired by the supposedly haunted house at 112 Ocean Avenue over the past four decades, and now longtime producer Casey La Scala (who also directed Grind and The Remaining) is adding his creative vision to the Amityville franchise with Amityville 1974, a new movie from Wonderfilm Media Corporation that will focus on the DeFeo family and will start filming this November:

Press Release: Beverly Hills, CA -- The Wonderfilm Media Corporation announced today that it has green lit the horror film “Amityville 1974” to begin principal photography in November of this year.

The film is based on the real life tragedy that spawned The Amityville Horror novel and subsequent films when Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot all six members of his family on a fateful November night. This tragedy was seared into the minds of the public consciousness by writer Jay Anson, whose book “The Amityville Horror” recounted...

The horrors that took place at the infamously haunted Long Island home will once again be explored in Wonderfilm’s upcoming project Amityville 1974. This time, however, the movie will go back to the originations of how the house became so sinister. The eerie film has been given the green light to begin principal photography this November as it chronicles the events leading up to the real-life murders that became the inspiration for Jay Anson’s 1977 bestseller The Amityville Horror.

A prequel has been rumored in Hollywood for years, but now finally appears to be in the works with the backing of a major studio. This comes after a reimagining of the original 1979 blockbuster hit theaters two years ago, just twelve years after yet another remake of the same movie frightened audiences in 2005. Over the years, countless other television films and direct-to-video projects evoked the shoreline village’s name to draw in the horror crowd.

The Wonderfilm Media Corporation announced today that Amityville 1974 has been given the green light to begin principal photography in November with its story of the real-life rampage murders that would became the background story for author Jay Anson’s 1977 bestseller The Amityville Horror and the numerous films that have invoked it in name or premise.

The Anson novel was adapted to the screen in a namesake feature film that became a cultural sensation in the summer of 1979 and one of the most lucrative hits in Hollywood history with its tale of hostile supernatural forces at work in a home in a Long Island, N.Y., shoreline village called Amityville. The 1979 hit was “re-imagined” twice in theatrically released films but over the years 20-plus other productions (either direct-to-video or for television) have used the real-life village...

The Amityville Murders trailer has dropped and it's horrific and dark. The upcoming movie is a prequel to the 1979 horror classic The Amityville Horror, and it centers on 23-year-old Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. There have been a number of Amityville movies over the years, but the first one is still the best, so going in to make a prequel is a pretty bold move, though from the looks of the trailer, director and writer Daniel Farrands seems to have pulled off something pretty special with The Amityville Murders.

In 1974, Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family with a high-powered rifle while they were sleeping. During the court case, DeFeo Jr. claimed that he heard voices in his head that told him to commit the gruesome act. He was later convicted on six counts of second-degree murder. This is the story that the The Amityville Murders will tackle and the...

Long delayed horror movie Amityville: The Awakening finally opened this past weekend, and the wait wasn't worth it. The movie failed miserably, bringing in just $742 from ten locations during it's one day release on Saturday. The movie is the first from The Weinstein Company to hit theater screens following the wake of a huge sex scandal involving co-founder Harvey Weinstein. Even though the movie only played for one day, this is a monumentally bad take. It's not helped by the fact that Google Play debuted the movie two weeks ago, streaming it for subscribers.

Amityville: The Awakening has a pretty great cast for a horror sequel. Bella Thorne, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jennifer Morrison, and Cameron Monaghan headline the thriller. It was directed by Franck Khalfoun from his own screenplay and produced by TWC's Dimension alongside Blumhouse, who seldom experience this kind of flop, and have two of the most profitable...

Every house may have a history, but when it comes to 112 Ocean Avenue, it’s imbued with horror and hearsay.

We are, of course, referring to Amityville, New York’s most famous haunted house first depicted in Jay Anson’s 1977 book of the same name. Fast forward 40 years and 112 Ocean Avenue continues to be a point of fixation for Hollywood suits, given Amityville: The Awakening is all set to become the 19th (!) film based on the horror saga and the first to see a theatrical release since 2005, so there’s quite a lot riding on The Awakening.

Directed by Franck Khalfoun, Amityville: The Awakening keeps things on the straight and narrow by centering on a young woman, Belle (Bella Thorne), who takes up residence in a new home only to find that it’s haunted by a strange, inexplicable phenomenon. Cue the jump-scares and shrill music.

But with a late...

What I’m about to write is probably going to catch a lot of flack, but here it goes – in terms of creating a horror movie experience, I actually prefer The Amityville Horror (2005) to the 1979 movie. While director Stuart Rosenberg’s original is well-made and features strong performances from its leads, I’ve never really been a fan of it, and thus, have found over the last decade or so a true admiration for what Amityville (2005) was able to bring to the table.

Not only does the remake give us deeper characters to invest in, better scares, and made the act of chopping wood absolutely one of the most horrifying things ever, but it also does what all good cinematic retellings should do – respect its roots but also steps out and does something different. So when it comes to all the Platinum Dunes remakes, I do think The Amityville Horror...

Full disclosure: The Amityville Horror films do not make up my favorite franchise. And it has nothing to do with the central “haunted house” premise, but rather the execution of the series thus far, from the serviceable ground zero template, The Amityville Horror (1979) through the (as yet unseen) upcoming Amityville: The Awakening, with some stops in between at DTVville (not to mention the Ryan Reynolds remake; but I said not to mention, so not mention I shall). The name is so shopworn now that “Amityville” has become synonymous with “poopy”.

But, but, But…let’s rewind to a time when a follow up to the kind-of goofy James Brolin (and his glorious perm) starrer was actually anticipated. That film was a smash success at the box office, and the powers that be wanted to revisit the village of Amityville to see what other demons they could find in the basement.

Sarah looks back at the Amityville films, and finds a lot of scary things, not all of which were intentional…

112 Ocean Avenue, Long Island is probably the most famous haunted house in the world. Not that you’ll necessarily recognise the address – it’s far better known as the Amityville Horror house. Back in 1975, George and Kathy Lutz moved their family into the house… and then 28 days later, they moved back out, claiming to have been driven out by supernatural forces. Their story made the news, was turned into a book, and then made into a movie, in 1979.

It’s hard to imagine now that a family claiming to have encountered the devil in their basement could cause such a massive fuss, but I’m not here to interrogate the truth of their statement. What I am here to do, though, is to watch all of the Amityville Horror movies made to date,...

New Line Cinema

There’s one title card you’ll see, without fail, on any schlocky, bad horror film produced in the last couple of decades. No, not the Platinum Dunes name – well, yes, that, but that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about the staggering amount of horror films that claim to be “based on a true story” or, at the very least, “inspired by actual events.” It’s something that seems to have begun in the seventies with The Amityville Horror, the classic ghost story that was indeed adapted from the “non-fiction” book by Jay Anson. The story of the Lutz family, who were terrorized by paranormal phenomena in their Dutch Colonial house, was a publishing sensation when it was released, and even more so when the film version was released.

Never mind that it turned out to be a heaping helping of bullsh...

Has any real-life story spawned more TV shows and feature films than the one behind The Amityville Horror? Jay Anson's book recounting the story of a family that moves into a house previously occupied by a man who murdered his own family has directly led to 13 feature films, including the documentary My Amityville Horror featuring the real Daniel Lutz who lived in the house as a child. It's been referenced all over TV, from The Simpsons to American Horror Story, and its theatrical influence can be felt from 1980's The Changeling to 2012's Sinister. And as if that weren't enough, now the story has evolved once again for a new generation in the form of Amityville: The Awakening. Directed by Franck Khalfoun (Maniac, P2), this new version stars...

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Of all the horror franchises, one of the most bafflingly resilient is "The Amityville Horror." And the trailer for the latest film has just debuted and will probably send a chill or two down your spine.

The original film came out in 1979, starred Margot Kidder and James Brolin and was based on the controversial 1977 nonfiction best-seller by Jay Anson, who moved into 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, and immediately claimed to be terrorized by otherworldly visitations. (These supernatural situations were supposedly connected to a mass murder that happened in the house in December 1975, when Ronalde DeFeo shot and killed six of his family members while they slept.) From that one, admittedly cheesy film (slime? Has slime ever been scary?), there were seven (!) sequels and a fairly straight-faced remake in 2005 that starred Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George. (There were even a couple of sequels after that; this new film is...

There's something more chilling about movies based on true events. Knowing that at least some version of what you're seeing on the screen actually happened in real life makes the movie more powerful. With the upcoming release of The Quiet Ones, we decided to reminisce about other movies based on horrific real life events.

The Quiet Ones is inspired by a true story of a university experiment done on a young girl that goes horribly, horribly wrong, so we focused on movies based on claims of supernatural true events.

There is a huge list of honorable mentions in this category. We could even break it down into sub-categories, like movies based on the antics of Ed Gein: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Silence of the Lambs, Psycho and Deranged. True crime reenactments: In Cold Blood, Helter Skelter and Zodiac just to name a few of the best. Even real...