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.
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.
- 2/17/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Take a dip in the murky waters of supernatural horror with Night Swim! Director Bryce McGuire makes a splash in his feature directorial debut, turning a suburban backyard into a supernatural battleground. The film, swimming upstream against the frigid release waters of January, stars Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon as parents grappling with more than just adjusting to a new home, uncovering the aquatic enigma of a potentially haunted pool. For someone like me, who spent childhood summers playing Marco Polo and avoiding sewer gators in the shadowy depths at night, Night Swim hits close to home.
Night Swim introduces us to the Wallers, a family yearning for stability as they settle into a new home, with their patriarch Ray Waller (Wyatt Russell) seeking to stay afloat amidst the challenges of his waning health. The property’s unique feature, a seemingly invigorating pool, becomes a centerpiece of their daily life,...
Night Swim introduces us to the Wallers, a family yearning for stability as they settle into a new home, with their patriarch Ray Waller (Wyatt Russell) seeking to stay afloat amidst the challenges of his waning health. The property’s unique feature, a seemingly invigorating pool, becomes a centerpiece of their daily life,...
- 1/6/2024
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
Expanding a horror short to feature length is tricky work, particularly when the short in question gets straight to the scares. Writer/Director Bryce McGuire’s 2014 short Night Swim, a collaboration with Rod Blackhurst, cut straight to the horror to exploit everyone’s worst fears about swimming pools. Almost a full decade later, McGuire’s feature expansion showcases more ways to mine terror from the aquatic concept, buoyed by a great cast, but a familiar formula and simplified mythology threaten to sink it all.
After a cold open demonstrates the dangers of the film’s haunted location, a seemingly benign anywhere America backyard pool, Night Swim introduces the ill-fated family destined to discover the supernatural treachery awaiting them. The Waller family are at the beginning of a new chapter in their lives; a recent degenerative illness diagnosis cut a professional baseball career short for dad Ray Waller (Wyatt Russell). As...
After a cold open demonstrates the dangers of the film’s haunted location, a seemingly benign anywhere America backyard pool, Night Swim introduces the ill-fated family destined to discover the supernatural treachery awaiting them. The Waller family are at the beginning of a new chapter in their lives; a recent degenerative illness diagnosis cut a professional baseball career short for dad Ray Waller (Wyatt Russell). As...
- 1/4/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
"The Amityville Horror" is one of the definitive haunted house films, a classic tale about paranormal activity terrorizing a suburban family with swarming flies, mysterious voices, and sudden illness. Even the windows resemble ominous eyes peering down on the unsuspecting victims. The movie taps into the religious undertones popularized by other 1970s releases such as "The Exorcist" and "The Omen," suggesting there is a Satanic force at work that must be destroyed.
Eventually, the new owners George and Kathy Lutz discover the horrifying history of their new home: Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family with a rifle one year prior, a Satanic worshipper named John Ketchum once lived on the land, and the house itself was built on a Shinnecock burial ground.
Despite receiving mixed reviews for elements like the cheesy portrayal of a possessed George, "The Amityville Horror" ended up having a significant impact on the horror genre.
Eventually, the new owners George and Kathy Lutz discover the horrifying history of their new home: Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family with a rifle one year prior, a Satanic worshipper named John Ketchum once lived on the land, and the house itself was built on a Shinnecock burial ground.
Despite receiving mixed reviews for elements like the cheesy portrayal of a possessed George, "The Amityville Horror" ended up having a significant impact on the horror genre.
- 11/19/2023
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "Chucky" season 3, episode 3.
Alien vs. Predator. Freddy vs. Jason. Sadako vs. Kayako. Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash."
Throughout horror genre history, there have been numerous examples of characters crossing over into one another's universes, continuity, and canon. While cinematic universes featuring characters from other genres are all the rage these days (especially with regard to action and comic book superheroes), there remains something special about the horror crossover.
For one thing, horror was the first genre to birth a cinematic universe long before it became a buzzworthy term, thanks to Universal Pictures' "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man" in 1943. For another, a horror crossover typically isn't like a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, where heroes from their own separate franchises team up to hang out, crack wise, and eventually take on a doomsday villain. Instead, it's all about the thematic weight of not one, but two...
Alien vs. Predator. Freddy vs. Jason. Sadako vs. Kayako. Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash."
Throughout horror genre history, there have been numerous examples of characters crossing over into one another's universes, continuity, and canon. While cinematic universes featuring characters from other genres are all the rage these days (especially with regard to action and comic book superheroes), there remains something special about the horror crossover.
For one thing, horror was the first genre to birth a cinematic universe long before it became a buzzworthy term, thanks to Universal Pictures' "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man" in 1943. For another, a horror crossover typically isn't like a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, where heroes from their own separate franchises team up to hang out, crack wise, and eventually take on a doomsday villain. Instead, it's all about the thematic weight of not one, but two...
- 10/19/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Previously, the documentary Amityville: An Origin Story featured a strong emphasis on the paranormal investigations taking place within the haunted mansion. In certain ways, the psychics who performed a planchette or whatever within the home felt the presence of an evil spirit there. Following their active participation in the paranormal investigation of the Amityville mansion, Lorraine and Ed Warren gained a lot of attention. Ronnie’s defense attorney, William Weber, was also mentioned, as was his plan to profit off the Amityville horror story. Not only Weber, but nearly everyone engaged in the case, was chasing money. The Lutzes were attempting to advertise their book, “The Amityville Horror True Story,” but it was filled with fabrication rather than what had really happened in that house. Let’s see what conclusion we are going to reach by the end of the final episode of Amityville: An Origin Story Was the Amityville mansion ever inhabited by evil,...
- 5/14/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
The first episode of Amityville: An Origin Story focused mostly on the house the Lutz family relocated to and began experiencing frightening things in. As questions about George Lutz’s spiritual beliefs were addressed, we learned that he had an attraction to the supernatural. However, George eventually conducted some research on the property and discovered that the previous owners, the DeFeos, had been murdered in the house. The revelation that Ronald DeFeo Jr., the family’s eldest son, murdered six members of his family tainted the entire situation. Let us look into the matter of whether there was truly a ghost in the DeFeos’ home or if it was all just a criminal matter.
Spoilers Ahead
The DeFeo Murder Incident
The second episode opens with some of the inhabitants of Amityville describing their neighborhood. Old Town Amityville on Long Island contains many residents who were relocated from Brooklyn. The DeFeos,...
Spoilers Ahead
The DeFeo Murder Incident
The second episode opens with some of the inhabitants of Amityville describing their neighborhood. Old Town Amityville on Long Island contains many residents who were relocated from Brooklyn. The DeFeos,...
- 5/1/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
In the history of homicide and paranormal activity, the Amityville Horror is one of the most scary and gut-wrenching disasters of all time. The four-part MGM+ documentary series Amityville: An Origin Story is a fascinating documentary that revisits the actual account of events that occurred in the haunted mansion of Amityville. The series includes archive material from the 1970s as well as brand-new interviews with those who witnessed the tragedy firsthand. Several books, film franchises, fan fiction, and other media have previously captured the retelling of these terrifying occurrences, the most famous of which is 1979’s The Amityville Horror, which almost everyone is familiar with. Well, listening to real-life victims of those traumatic events is considerably more spine-chilling than the fictional version. Despite being a documentary, Amityville: An Origin Story masterfully depicted that horror for us. Let’s go into the specifics of what transpired at the Amityville residence.
Spoilers...
Spoilers...
- 5/1/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Plot: A four-part docuseries digs into the troubling true stories behind The Amityville Horror.
Review: The Amityville brand has gone completely out of control in recent years. Low budget filmmakers have been taking advantage of the fact that anyone can slap “Amityville” into the title of their movie, flooding the market with titles like Amityville in the Hood, Amityville in Space, Amityville Karen, Amityville Cop, Amityville Vampire, Amityville Shark House, and The Amityville Vibrator. I’m not saying these movies are bad. I haven’t seen them. But it’s clear that the Amityville name has drifted far away from the stories that made us take notice of that name in the first place. So even though we’ve heard the story of George and Kathy Lutz moving into a haunted house and we know the DeFeo family was murdered in that house, it was a smart idea on the part of MGM,...
Review: The Amityville brand has gone completely out of control in recent years. Low budget filmmakers have been taking advantage of the fact that anyone can slap “Amityville” into the title of their movie, flooding the market with titles like Amityville in the Hood, Amityville in Space, Amityville Karen, Amityville Cop, Amityville Vampire, Amityville Shark House, and The Amityville Vibrator. I’m not saying these movies are bad. I haven’t seen them. But it’s clear that the Amityville name has drifted far away from the stories that made us take notice of that name in the first place. So even though we’ve heard the story of George and Kathy Lutz moving into a haunted house and we know the DeFeo family was murdered in that house, it was a smart idea on the part of MGM,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
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.
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.
- 9/1/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
If you’re afraid sticky-fingered children will invade your social distancing to get at your favorite candy, lock the doors and tune into “Ghostober.” Halloween rules again all month long on Travel Channel. Its third annual paranormal programming event takes viewers on “spine-chilling adventures to the other side – where tales of poltergeists, ghostly creatures, demons and even a few legends will keep you company,” according to their press statement.
Travel Channel’s “Ghostober” begins Sept. 27 and runs until Halloween. “Halloween is Travel Channel’s Superbowl, and with more people at home than ever before, we plan to deliver an over-the-top slate of original programming,” Matthew Butler, general manager of Travel Channel, said in a statement.
“Ghostober” has thrills and chills on lockdown. Paranormal programming will be scheduled throughout October, culminating with the top 20 of the world’s spookiest unexplained videos. “7 Nights of Fright” starts on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 9 p.m.
Travel Channel’s “Ghostober” begins Sept. 27 and runs until Halloween. “Halloween is Travel Channel’s Superbowl, and with more people at home than ever before, we plan to deliver an over-the-top slate of original programming,” Matthew Butler, general manager of Travel Channel, said in a statement.
“Ghostober” has thrills and chills on lockdown. Paranormal programming will be scheduled throughout October, culminating with the top 20 of the world’s spookiest unexplained videos. “7 Nights of Fright” starts on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 9 p.m.
- 9/18/2020
- by Chris Longo
- Den of Geek
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.
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.
- 6/17/2019
- by Evan Lewis
- We Got This Covered
“The Conjuring” has led to spin-offs and sequels based on the experiences of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. But what actually “happened” and what was invented for the movies? Here’s a rundown of where real accounts and Hollywood screenwriting meet in “The Conjuring,” the “Annabelle” movies, and ‘The Nun.”
“The Conjuring” is based on a real reported haunting
The first film in the “Conjuring”-verse is mostly an actual, reported event, if you believe in that sort of thing. As demonstrated with photos during the end credits of the movie, the Perron family really did exist, and reported they were being attacked by some kind of entity. The Warrens did, in fact, investigate. Both Lorraine Warren and the Perron family signed off on the movie as well.
The Warrens really do have that museum of creepy things
The Warrens began their research in 1952 and decided to open...
“The Conjuring” is based on a real reported haunting
The first film in the “Conjuring”-verse is mostly an actual, reported event, if you believe in that sort of thing. As demonstrated with photos during the end credits of the movie, the Perron family really did exist, and reported they were being attacked by some kind of entity. The Warrens did, in fact, investigate. Both Lorraine Warren and the Perron family signed off on the movie as well.
The Warrens really do have that museum of creepy things
The Warrens began their research in 1952 and decided to open...
- 4/19/2019
- by Phil Hornshaw
- The Wrap
The Lutz family, whose experiences in the haunted house inspired The Amityville Horror book and motion pictures, is looking to get out of The Weinstein Company’s bankruptcy sale.
The family’s Amityville Enterprises says Dimension Films’ option to develop motion pictures or TV shows based their encounters with paranormal activity in the Long Island home expired on February 8, a month before Weinstein Co. filed for bankruptcy. It has filed legal documents asking the bankruptcy court judge to withdraw the option rights from the court-supervised sale of the company’s assets.
George Lutz said he entered into an agreement with Weinstein’s Dimension Films in 2002 to develop a sequel to the successful 1979 film The Amityville Horror. That initial agreement was modified to contemplate more than one film production or TV series.
Time ultimately ran out on those rights, which reverted to Lutz on October 31, 2009.
The Weinstein Co. entered into a...
The family’s Amityville Enterprises says Dimension Films’ option to develop motion pictures or TV shows based their encounters with paranormal activity in the Long Island home expired on February 8, a month before Weinstein Co. filed for bankruptcy. It has filed legal documents asking the bankruptcy court judge to withdraw the option rights from the court-supervised sale of the company’s assets.
George Lutz said he entered into an agreement with Weinstein’s Dimension Films in 2002 to develop a sequel to the successful 1979 film The Amityville Horror. That initial agreement was modified to contemplate more than one film production or TV series.
Time ultimately ran out on those rights, which reverted to Lutz on October 31, 2009.
The Weinstein Co. entered into a...
- 5/2/2018
- by Dawn C. Chmielewski
- Deadline Film + TV
Dan Farrands is the perfect person to bring us a new Amityville film given his close relationship with George Lutz and his in-depth knowledge of the DeFeo murders. That’s just one reason we’re so stoked for his new film, The… Continue Reading →
The post Afm 2017: The Amityville Murders: A Haunting on Long Island Sales Art; Exclusive Image Gallery and Casting News appeared first on Dread Central.
The post Afm 2017: The Amityville Murders: A Haunting on Long Island Sales Art; Exclusive Image Gallery and Casting News appeared first on Dread Central.
- 11/2/2017
- by Steve Barton
- DreadCentral.com
Stars: Becca Hirani, Andrew Hollingworth, Faye Goodwin, Lorena Andrea, Tara MacGowran, Oliver Ebsworth, Tony Manders, Kate Lush | Written by Shannon Holiday | Directed by James Klass
House on Elm Lake opens with a terrified mother and young son bound and gagged while their knife-wielding patriarch paces and rants. The terror and confusion beams across loud and clear. Whatever is wrong with the husband, no amount of pleading from his wife or his child will change their fate. The scene is tense, the scene is harrowing, and because this is a horror movie, the scene is full of stabbing. Cut to years later and a new family, Haley, Eric, and their daughter Penny, movie into the quaint, lakeside home.
What the script lacks in originality, it certainly makes up for in competent scares. The haunted house genre may be well-worn territory, but it’s been a horror staple over several decades for a good reason.
House on Elm Lake opens with a terrified mother and young son bound and gagged while their knife-wielding patriarch paces and rants. The terror and confusion beams across loud and clear. Whatever is wrong with the husband, no amount of pleading from his wife or his child will change their fate. The scene is tense, the scene is harrowing, and because this is a horror movie, the scene is full of stabbing. Cut to years later and a new family, Haley, Eric, and their daughter Penny, movie into the quaint, lakeside home.
What the script lacks in originality, it certainly makes up for in competent scares. The haunted house genre may be well-worn territory, but it’s been a horror staple over several decades for a good reason.
- 8/15/2017
- by Nik Holman
- Nerdly
Author: Zehra Phelan
It comes as no surprise that some of our most heinous historical world events have become the subject of a cinematic depiction. As audiences wanting their thirst for great cinema and intrigue in world issues grow we have had, in the naughties alone, Roman Polanski deliver The Pianist in 2002 and more recently László Nemes’ Son of Saul to quench our desire. Even this week, we have the release of Terry George’s The Promise which tells the story of the Armenian Genocide in the final years of the Ottoman Empire with Oscar Isaac, Charlotte LeBon and Christian Bale hitting our cinemas.
Whether these events are genocides, horrific murders, acts of terrorism or even demonic paranormal activities, our quest for knowledge, understanding and feeling has inspired filmmakers for years. Their films set out to shine a light on the atrocities and suffering of man, and act to empower...
It comes as no surprise that some of our most heinous historical world events have become the subject of a cinematic depiction. As audiences wanting their thirst for great cinema and intrigue in world issues grow we have had, in the naughties alone, Roman Polanski deliver The Pianist in 2002 and more recently László Nemes’ Son of Saul to quench our desire. Even this week, we have the release of Terry George’s The Promise which tells the story of the Armenian Genocide in the final years of the Ottoman Empire with Oscar Isaac, Charlotte LeBon and Christian Bale hitting our cinemas.
Whether these events are genocides, horrific murders, acts of terrorism or even demonic paranormal activities, our quest for knowledge, understanding and feeling has inspired filmmakers for years. Their films set out to shine a light on the atrocities and suffering of man, and act to empower...
- 4/27/2017
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
It's Father's Day, meaning it's time to celebrate the man who gave you everything. Or maybe he didn't! Maybe he took off before you were even born. Maybe he was always away on business. Or maybe he just didn't love you enough. Hopefully none of those were true for you, but if they were: I am so sorry. Let's be real: Father's Day isn't fun and games for everybody. But even if your dad fell short, look at the bright side: at least he didn't try to kill you (I hope!). To afford some perspective, below I've listed five murderous movie dads who will make you immediately run out and buy a card saying "Thanks for always being there, Dad" or "You're the greatest, Dad" or "Thanks for not trying to cut me up into little pieces with an ax, Dad." That last one you're probably going to have to make yourself,...
- 6/20/2015
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
The latest haunted house horror to burst onto the big screen is 2 Bedroom 1 Bath (review), named so for the typical, banal listing description of an apartment.
It tells the story of Rachel (Michelle Hicks) and Kevin Foster (Andrew W. Walker), a couple who have finally found the ideal home where they can build a future and raise their children. They are hoping it’s a fresh start for their troubled marriage, but as they begin to settle into their new digs, their plans are interrupted by strange occurrences.
As it so happens, director Stanley Yung was inspired by true events when he embarked on this, his first foray into full-on horror. We got a chance to catch up with him at the special event premiere screening of the film, and here’s what he had to say about making a scary movie.
Dread Central: You have such a great cast...
It tells the story of Rachel (Michelle Hicks) and Kevin Foster (Andrew W. Walker), a couple who have finally found the ideal home where they can build a future and raise their children. They are hoping it’s a fresh start for their troubled marriage, but as they begin to settle into their new digs, their plans are interrupted by strange occurrences.
As it so happens, director Stanley Yung was inspired by true events when he embarked on this, his first foray into full-on horror. We got a chance to catch up with him at the special event premiere screening of the film, and here’s what he had to say about making a scary movie.
Dread Central: You have such a great cast...
- 9/9/2014
- by Staci Layne Wilson
- DreadCentral.com
We frequently disagree with mainstream critics on their critiques of horror films. It seems as though the majority of entertainment journalists are not able to accept horror films for what they are intended to do: scare the audience and entertain. Not every horror film is meant to be taken seriously or to make a profound statement and we think that’s ok.
We are left wondering if mainstream film critics dismiss horror films as a lesser art form and perhaps tend to view them as not worth their time. In light of that, FEARnet has been running a recurring a piece exploring good horror movies that received ‘rotten’ reviews on the aggregate film rating site Rotten Tomatoes. Since the series has proved popular, we are bringing you a third installment.
If you missed Round I or Round II check them out now.
Saw 48%
Some of the installments that followed the...
We are left wondering if mainstream film critics dismiss horror films as a lesser art form and perhaps tend to view them as not worth their time. In light of that, FEARnet has been running a recurring a piece exploring good horror movies that received ‘rotten’ reviews on the aggregate film rating site Rotten Tomatoes. Since the series has proved popular, we are bringing you a third installment.
If you missed Round I or Round II check them out now.
Saw 48%
Some of the installments that followed the...
- 11/6/2013
- by Tyler Doupe
- FEARnet
This week: A party at James Franco's house rages on as the Apocalypse gets it on outside in the outrageous horror comedy "This Is the End," starring Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robertson and featuring cameos from numerous celebrities.
Also new this week is the based-on-a-true-story thriller "The Frozen Ground," "The Amityville Horror" Trilogy on Blu-ray, and "The Wizard of Oz" 75th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray 3D.
'This Is the End'
Box Office: $101 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% Fresh
Storyline: This end-of-the-world comedy follows six celebrities — James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson — as they're trapped in Franco's house in the Hollywood Hills at the beginning of the Apocalypse. After cabin fever sits in, they are eventually forced to leave the house and face their fate ... and discover the true meaning of friendship.
Extras!: Both the DVD...
Also new this week is the based-on-a-true-story thriller "The Frozen Ground," "The Amityville Horror" Trilogy on Blu-ray, and "The Wizard of Oz" 75th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray 3D.
'This Is the End'
Box Office: $101 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% Fresh
Storyline: This end-of-the-world comedy follows six celebrities — James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson — as they're trapped in Franco's house in the Hollywood Hills at the beginning of the Apocalypse. After cabin fever sits in, they are eventually forced to leave the house and face their fate ... and discover the true meaning of friendship.
Extras!: Both the DVD...
- 9/30/2013
- by Robert DeSalvo
- NextMovie
Reviewed by Jesse Miller, MoreHorror.com
38 years after the world first learnt about a possible haunting in Amityville, now known as “The Amityville Horror”, Writer / Director Eric Walter and his band of film-makers approach Daniel Lutz for any more bits of information involving his family and the paranormal forces they may or may not faced during the 28 days they lived in that house.
The audience sits down to talk with Daniel about his life before and after the event and along for the ride are various journalists that covered the original news articles, parapsychologists that have probably been studying the situation for years, psychologists that examine Daniel’s mental state and friends of the family that have some stuff of their own to say.
What you’ve got here then is a documentary that explores the possibility of a supernatural force but also takes a step back and examines Daniel...
38 years after the world first learnt about a possible haunting in Amityville, now known as “The Amityville Horror”, Writer / Director Eric Walter and his band of film-makers approach Daniel Lutz for any more bits of information involving his family and the paranormal forces they may or may not faced during the 28 days they lived in that house.
The audience sits down to talk with Daniel about his life before and after the event and along for the ride are various journalists that covered the original news articles, parapsychologists that have probably been studying the situation for years, psychologists that examine Daniel’s mental state and friends of the family that have some stuff of their own to say.
What you’ve got here then is a documentary that explores the possibility of a supernatural force but also takes a step back and examines Daniel...
- 6/7/2013
- by admin
- MoreHorror
My Amityville Horror is a documentary making the rounds on the VOD circuit, and is out in limited release around the country. You can find our review of the film here, but recently we had the opportunity to talk with director Eric Walter about the project.
Before we got started, Eric Walter made it clear that he was a huge Famous Monsters fan, that he’s been one ever since he was a kid, and his dad collected the magazine. Perhaps he still does. Now, he’s come full circle, talking with us about his first feature film, a documentary entitled My Amityville Horror, that delves into the infamous hauntings that took place at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY that tore the Lutz family apart and made them household names for decades, as the specter of what did or didn’t happen loomed over the rest of their lives, including one Daniel Lutz,...
Before we got started, Eric Walter made it clear that he was a huge Famous Monsters fan, that he’s been one ever since he was a kid, and his dad collected the magazine. Perhaps he still does. Now, he’s come full circle, talking with us about his first feature film, a documentary entitled My Amityville Horror, that delves into the infamous hauntings that took place at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY that tore the Lutz family apart and made them household names for decades, as the specter of what did or didn’t happen loomed over the rest of their lives, including one Daniel Lutz,...
- 4/1/2013
- by Andy Greene
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
To watch The Amityville Horror and be terrified is one thing, but what about hearing the actual ghost story that inspired Jay Anson’s original book? Yes, the movie is all based on stories recalled by the Lutz family while living in one of the most fabled houses in Long Island history, although there’s much controversy over the actual details – and that’s where documentary filmmaker Eric Walter comes in with his brand new film My Amityville Horror. Yup, this young truth-seeker was able to have George and Kathy Lutz’s son Daniel open up about the experiences he had in the house, unleashing all the horrifying details in an attempt to let viewers decide what to believe.
Being the horror nerd I am, there’s no way a chance to speak with Walter about his experience was slipping by me. Check out my exclusive interview with Eric as...
Being the horror nerd I am, there’s no way a chance to speak with Walter about his experience was slipping by me. Check out my exclusive interview with Eric as...
- 3/23/2013
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
“Based on a true story” is a method applied to ground a film with a sense of reality. How much truth within the adapted work is usually the real question? The infamous Long Island haunted house, dissected and routinely tailored in literature and the media, isn’t the key focus of My Amityville Horror. Instead, the film centers on the reality encountered by Daniel Lutz, the eldest son of the tormented family portrayed in classic The Amityville Horror.
What transpires in this documentary is a slow burning, revealing examination of a man afflicted by the life long distress associated with a broken home life, but also the questioning stigma associated with living in the most infamous of all American haunted houses.
28 Days. That’s the length of time the Lutz family spent in the colonial house on 112 Ocean Avenue before supernatural forces supposedly forced them out. The spectacle that transpired...
What transpires in this documentary is a slow burning, revealing examination of a man afflicted by the life long distress associated with a broken home life, but also the questioning stigma associated with living in the most infamous of all American haunted houses.
28 Days. That’s the length of time the Lutz family spent in the colonial house on 112 Ocean Avenue before supernatural forces supposedly forced them out. The spectacle that transpired...
- 3/14/2013
- by Monte Yazzie
- DailyDead
Dysfunction Junction: Walter Revisits Source of Classic Horror Film with Mixed Results
Thanks to Stuart Rosenberg’s 1979 film adaptation of Jay Anson’s infamous novel, “The Amityville Horror”, along with its various sequels, not to mention that high profile 2005 remake with Ryan Reynolds, the spooky tale of a family plagued by a series of chilling paranormal activities has long been cemented in the pop cultural psyche. For his documentary debut, filmmaker Eric Walter revisits this notorious case with My Amityville Horror, scoring an exclusive interview with Daniel Lutz, the eldest child of the Amityville family, given the chance to share his side of the story nearly thirty-five years later. The resulting documentary is, at times, unnerving, but more often a subjective exercise that reveals one of America’s most famous hauntings to be an overblown façade, and Daniel Lutz to be an intriguing case study as a victim of psychological (and not preternatural) abuse.
Thanks to Stuart Rosenberg’s 1979 film adaptation of Jay Anson’s infamous novel, “The Amityville Horror”, along with its various sequels, not to mention that high profile 2005 remake with Ryan Reynolds, the spooky tale of a family plagued by a series of chilling paranormal activities has long been cemented in the pop cultural psyche. For his documentary debut, filmmaker Eric Walter revisits this notorious case with My Amityville Horror, scoring an exclusive interview with Daniel Lutz, the eldest child of the Amityville family, given the chance to share his side of the story nearly thirty-five years later. The resulting documentary is, at times, unnerving, but more often a subjective exercise that reveals one of America’s most famous hauntings to be an overblown façade, and Daniel Lutz to be an intriguing case study as a victim of psychological (and not preternatural) abuse.
- 3/13/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Written/directed by: Eric Walter
Featuring: Daniel Lutz, Laura Didio
Survival is a common theme in horror films. The notion of outwitting the bad guy in any given film is the motor of a standard plot. But what if the events in question are supposedly real and someone who lived through it decides to come forward and give their side of the story decades later? The audience would be expecting something groundbreaking and chilling. Unfortunately, in the case of director Eric Walter's My Amityville Horror, the titular story comes off as a tepid and unsubstantial vision of something that is potentially much darker.
The storyteller for the majority of the film is Daniel Lutz, Kathy Lutz's oldest son and the adopted child of George Lutz. He maintains throughout the film that he must tell this story as he lived it, but he is also terrified to do so.
Featuring: Daniel Lutz, Laura Didio
Survival is a common theme in horror films. The notion of outwitting the bad guy in any given film is the motor of a standard plot. But what if the events in question are supposedly real and someone who lived through it decides to come forward and give their side of the story decades later? The audience would be expecting something groundbreaking and chilling. Unfortunately, in the case of director Eric Walter's My Amityville Horror, the titular story comes off as a tepid and unsubstantial vision of something that is potentially much darker.
The storyteller for the majority of the film is Daniel Lutz, Kathy Lutz's oldest son and the adopted child of George Lutz. He maintains throughout the film that he must tell this story as he lived it, but he is also terrified to do so.
- 3/6/2013
- by Alexandra West
- Planet Fury
There's been a lot of complete fiction published about what went on in the Amityville house made famous in the book and movie of the the 1970s, but here's what we know for sure: in 1974, a young man killed his entire family in their Long Island home, and then a year later a family by the name of Lutz moved into the house. By all reports, the Lutz family vacated their new home in less than a month. Forget haunted houses, glowing red eyes, and creepy voices that grumble "get out." That's all fiction. The facts that are tied, very loosely, to The Amityville Horror are shocking, sobering, and tragic -- so it only makes sense that someone would eventually want to produce a documentary about the actual truth behind one of America's most "beloved" haunted houses. Unfortunately the new documentary entitled My Amityville Horror provides only one small fragment of the Lutz story,...
- 10/9/2012
- by Scott Weinberg
- FEARnet
While we can prepare ourselves for the found footage The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes, there’s more Amityville Horror to be had. Here’s the press release on a prequel happening, courtesy of Styd:
Tony DeRosa-Grund, Executive Chairman of Evergreen Media Group announced today the company has acquired the found footage of famous March 6, 1976 séance conducted by Wnew TV news in the Amityville house in addition to their previously acquired life rights of former Wnew-tv reporters Laura Didio and Marvin Scott to complete the rights package for their true Amityville prequel.
With exclusive new disclosures from the Catholic Church, Evergreen’s Amityville prequel will connect the demonic evil in the Amityville Horror house to the murders of the DeFeo family in the same house two years earlier.
“While the actual story itself is being kept under tight wraps, this will be first time ever that the true prequel...
Tony DeRosa-Grund, Executive Chairman of Evergreen Media Group announced today the company has acquired the found footage of famous March 6, 1976 séance conducted by Wnew TV news in the Amityville house in addition to their previously acquired life rights of former Wnew-tv reporters Laura Didio and Marvin Scott to complete the rights package for their true Amityville prequel.
With exclusive new disclosures from the Catholic Church, Evergreen’s Amityville prequel will connect the demonic evil in the Amityville Horror house to the murders of the DeFeo family in the same house two years earlier.
“While the actual story itself is being kept under tight wraps, this will be first time ever that the true prequel...
- 8/12/2012
- by Andy Greene
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Ten films apparently aren’t enough for the franchise, as The Amityville Horror prepares to cash in on the ‘found footage’ craze.
The Amityville Horror first shot into the spotlight in 1977 in Jay Anson’s book, The Amityville Horror: A True Story, which tells the story of Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdering six members of his family in 1974, and the paranormal activities experienced by George Lutz and his family, who moved into the house a year later. The ghostly activity was so intense the family left the house after just 28 days in the house.
Horror was on Hollywood’s mind so the little house in Amityville made it to the big screen for the first time in 1979. After a few sequels, the original movie got the reboot treatment by Michael Bay in 2005. Now, the haunted house is returning, this time with a ‘found footage’ angle.
I guess it was bound...
The Amityville Horror first shot into the spotlight in 1977 in Jay Anson’s book, The Amityville Horror: A True Story, which tells the story of Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdering six members of his family in 1974, and the paranormal activities experienced by George Lutz and his family, who moved into the house a year later. The ghostly activity was so intense the family left the house after just 28 days in the house.
Horror was on Hollywood’s mind so the little house in Amityville made it to the big screen for the first time in 1979. After a few sequels, the original movie got the reboot treatment by Michael Bay in 2005. Now, the haunted house is returning, this time with a ‘found footage’ angle.
I guess it was bound...
- 8/10/2012
- by Marty Shaw
- Movie Cultists
Evergreen Media Group is looking into a new cinematic take on the famous "Amityville Horror" incident reports Bloody Disgusting.
The infamous house saw Ronald DeFeo, Jr. murder six members of his family in 1974. However it was a year later when the house's new tenants, George Lutz and his family, claim to have encountered paranormal horrors that forced them to abandon the property after less than a month.
Said case became the Jay Anson’s 1977 book which has lead to ten movies based on the incident. This take will be based on the experiences of two reporters Laura Didio and Marvin Scott, who investigated the incidents in the Long Island community for New York TV station Wnew.
Didio and Scott were part of a séance that was held in the house on March 6, 1976 for a news report. Didio secured George Lutz’s permission to visit the house and the resulting news report purportedly revealed ghostly presences.
The infamous house saw Ronald DeFeo, Jr. murder six members of his family in 1974. However it was a year later when the house's new tenants, George Lutz and his family, claim to have encountered paranormal horrors that forced them to abandon the property after less than a month.
Said case became the Jay Anson’s 1977 book which has lead to ten movies based on the incident. This take will be based on the experiences of two reporters Laura Didio and Marvin Scott, who investigated the incidents in the Long Island community for New York TV station Wnew.
Didio and Scott were part of a séance that was held in the house on March 6, 1976 for a news report. Didio secured George Lutz’s permission to visit the house and the resulting news report purportedly revealed ghostly presences.
- 8/10/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Honestly, we've lost track of just how many projects there are in various stages of production based upon the tragedy that happened in a Long Island home and the subsequent and largely sensationalized haunting the followed. Either way, great ready to add another one to the fire.
THR reports that producer Tony DeRosa-Grund, executive chairman of the Evergreen Media Group, is looking to mount a new film based on the experiences of two reporters, Laura Didio and Marvin Scott, who investigated the incidents for New York TV station Wnew.
DeRosa-Grund has acquired rights to Didio and Scott’s account of a séance that was held in the house on March 6, 1976, for a news report. As he tells it, Didio was a 19-year-old cub reporter at the time, who tracked down the Lutzes through property records after they fled the house and secured George Lutz’s permission to visit the house.
THR reports that producer Tony DeRosa-Grund, executive chairman of the Evergreen Media Group, is looking to mount a new film based on the experiences of two reporters, Laura Didio and Marvin Scott, who investigated the incidents for New York TV station Wnew.
DeRosa-Grund has acquired rights to Didio and Scott’s account of a séance that was held in the house on March 6, 1976, for a news report. As he tells it, Didio was a 19-year-old cub reporter at the time, who tracked down the Lutzes through property records after they fled the house and secured George Lutz’s permission to visit the house.
- 8/9/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Thanks to that crazy haunted house house that resides in Amityville, N.Y. we've seen ten films based on the house, and now this latest addition to the Amityville collection that will supposedly be the "first time ever that the true prequel to the Amityville horror will be told.”
Just a little refresher course... Amityville is home to the infamous house in which Ronald DeFeo, Jr. murdered six members of his family in 1974. George Lutz and his family moved into the house a year later. They were forced to move out of the house 28 days later due to a series of terrifying hauntings they encountered. The case became the subject of Jay Anson’s 1977 book The Amityville Horror: A True Story.
This latest project comes from producer Tony DeRosa-Grund, and it will be based on the experiences of two reporters who investigated the incidents for New York TV station Wnew,...
Just a little refresher course... Amityville is home to the infamous house in which Ronald DeFeo, Jr. murdered six members of his family in 1974. George Lutz and his family moved into the house a year later. They were forced to move out of the house 28 days later due to a series of terrifying hauntings they encountered. The case became the subject of Jay Anson’s 1977 book The Amityville Horror: A True Story.
This latest project comes from producer Tony DeRosa-Grund, and it will be based on the experiences of two reporters who investigated the incidents for New York TV station Wnew,...
- 8/9/2012
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
When it comes to horror movies, Amityville is the town that keeps on giving. The Long Island community is home to the infamous house in which Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered six members of his family in 1974, and George Lutz and his family, who moved into the house a year later, claim to have encountered paranormal horrors that forced them to abandon the property after just 28 days. The case became the subject of Jay Anson’s 1977 book The Amityville Horror: A True Story and 10 movies, beginning with 1979’s The Amityville Horror. Now producer Tony DeRosa-Grund, executive chairman
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- 8/9/2012
- by Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
My Amityville Horror made its world premiere at Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival, and those who were expecting a glossy mockumentary disguised as a real documentary recalling horrific events were pleasantly surprised to see that it's a real film instead of bundled hyperbole.
This was because up-and-coming documentarian Eric Walter was more interested in examining Daniel Lutz, one of the Lutz children who lived in and fled from the now infamous Amityville house in New York decades ago, than exploiting the hauntings themselves.
While watching the documentary unfold, more questions are asked than answered after it becomes apparent that the focal point of the story is not about the famous Amityville haunting, but rather Daniel's disturbing past, his abusive relationship with his late stepfather, George Lutz, and if Daniel's memories of the events that happened in the house are directly influenced from how Hollywood depicted them on the big screen.
Luckily,...
This was because up-and-coming documentarian Eric Walter was more interested in examining Daniel Lutz, one of the Lutz children who lived in and fled from the now infamous Amityville house in New York decades ago, than exploiting the hauntings themselves.
While watching the documentary unfold, more questions are asked than answered after it becomes apparent that the focal point of the story is not about the famous Amityville haunting, but rather Daniel's disturbing past, his abusive relationship with his late stepfather, George Lutz, and if Daniel's memories of the events that happened in the house are directly influenced from how Hollywood depicted them on the big screen.
Luckily,...
- 7/26/2012
- by Serena Whitney
- DreadCentral.com
By Jesse Miller, MoreHorror.com
The point of this new little series will be to watch and examine the original film and its remake back to back and deconstruct them a bit, rambling about both the good and the bad of each film.
Comparing an original against a remake might seem a bit odd because more often than not, the original might always be the better film in nearly every aspect.
However, a decent remake is definitely not a rarity – sometimes it might prove to be just as good or, hell, even surpass the original.
So, without further ado, I bring you the first instalment to the series:
The Original: The Amityville Horror (1979)
“Houses don’t have memories” George Lutz says to his wife Kathy when asked how he feels about moving into a house which recently saw a family of six brutally murdered in their a sleep by fellow family member Ronald DeFeo,...
The point of this new little series will be to watch and examine the original film and its remake back to back and deconstruct them a bit, rambling about both the good and the bad of each film.
Comparing an original against a remake might seem a bit odd because more often than not, the original might always be the better film in nearly every aspect.
However, a decent remake is definitely not a rarity – sometimes it might prove to be just as good or, hell, even surpass the original.
So, without further ado, I bring you the first instalment to the series:
The Original: The Amityville Horror (1979)
“Houses don’t have memories” George Lutz says to his wife Kathy when asked how he feels about moving into a house which recently saw a family of six brutally murdered in their a sleep by fellow family member Ronald DeFeo,...
- 4/12/2012
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Maybe it's because the Halloween season is right around the corner, or maybe it's because we just can't get over our fascination with what really happened in that little house at 112 Ocean Ave. in Amityville, New York, but one thing is for sure ... The Amityville Horror has never been hotter. And now comes a really interesting addition to the ongoing saga that's left us kind of speechless.
Christopher Quaratino, one of Kathy Lutz's two boys and stepson of George Lutz, dropped us a line today to let us know about his newest website, The Amityville Horror Challenge.
Dig on the press release below, and for more information check out the official Amityville Horror Challenge Facebook page, and scratch your head along with the rest of us.
From the Press Release
U.S. Army veteran and Amityville haunting survivor Christopher John Quaratino is taking a stand. Quaratino is formerly known as (fka) Christopher Lutz,...
Christopher Quaratino, one of Kathy Lutz's two boys and stepson of George Lutz, dropped us a line today to let us know about his newest website, The Amityville Horror Challenge.
Dig on the press release below, and for more information check out the official Amityville Horror Challenge Facebook page, and scratch your head along with the rest of us.
From the Press Release
U.S. Army veteran and Amityville haunting survivor Christopher John Quaratino is taking a stand. Quaratino is formerly known as (fka) Christopher Lutz,...
- 8/27/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Dimension Films has partnered with their former production company Miramax to produce a new Amityville Horror movie, Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes.
News of the co-venture was announced at Cannes Sunday where they acquired rights to a new screenplay for the film by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands. Farrands and La Scala are also set to direct the film which is set to start production this summer with a release date scheduled for January 27, 2012.
The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes showcases the events after the time of the original The Amityville Horror book and movie through found footage dating back to 1976. The Amityville Horror stories are based on events in the life of George Lutz.
An ambitious female television news intern, on the verge of breaking the most famous haunted house case in
Read more...
News of the co-venture was announced at Cannes Sunday where they acquired rights to a new screenplay for the film by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands. Farrands and La Scala are also set to direct the film which is set to start production this summer with a release date scheduled for January 27, 2012.
The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes showcases the events after the time of the original The Amityville Horror book and movie through found footage dating back to 1976. The Amityville Horror stories are based on events in the life of George Lutz.
An ambitious female television news intern, on the verge of breaking the most famous haunted house case in
Read more...
- 5/17/2011
- CineMovie
The Weinstein Company, Dimension Films and Miramax are teaming up to bring us yet another movie based on the Amityville Horror. The movie is called The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes and it's based on a script written by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands, who will also direct the film that will shoot this summer for release Jan. 27, 2012.
And yes, "The Lost Tapes" implies that this movie will be follow the popular found footage genre. The story will tap into the mythology of the book that the original movie was based on, which dates back to 1976, when George Lutz moves his family into and out of a house where the previous tenants were murdered by their son, Ronald DeFeo, who claimed he was possessed.
The story will follow on an ambitious female television news intern, who is on the verge of breaking the most famous haunted house case in the world.
And yes, "The Lost Tapes" implies that this movie will be follow the popular found footage genre. The story will tap into the mythology of the book that the original movie was based on, which dates back to 1976, when George Lutz moves his family into and out of a house where the previous tenants were murdered by their son, Ronald DeFeo, who claimed he was possessed.
The story will follow on an ambitious female television news intern, who is on the verge of breaking the most famous haunted house case in the world.
- 5/16/2011
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
In light of the announcement of Amivtyville: The Legacy 3D (here), another Amityville film is coming, unrelated to that production, called The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes. Check out the press release (via Dread Central):
Dimension Films and Miramax today announced the production of The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes. This is the first film to be produced under the agreement between Miramax and The Weinstein Company to create sequels to some of Miramax’s best-known properties.
Dimension also announced that it has acquired the rights to a new screenplay for the film by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands. Farrands and La Scala are also set to direct the film. Production will commence this summer with a release date scheduled for January 27, 2012. The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company (TWC), and Mike Lang, CEO of Miramax.
The Amityville Horror:...
Dimension Films and Miramax today announced the production of The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes. This is the first film to be produced under the agreement between Miramax and The Weinstein Company to create sequels to some of Miramax’s best-known properties.
Dimension also announced that it has acquired the rights to a new screenplay for the film by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands. Farrands and La Scala are also set to direct the film. Production will commence this summer with a release date scheduled for January 27, 2012. The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company (TWC), and Mike Lang, CEO of Miramax.
The Amityville Horror:...
- 5/16/2011
- by Jon Peters
- Killer Films
Filed under: Movie News
'The Amityville Horror' is being revisited once again in 'The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes,' in which a team of investigators first break the story about the hauntings at the infamous murder site.
It'll be the first of several co-productions between the Weinstein Company and Miramax, the formerly battling studios who have now called a truce as they team to produce sequels to several Dimension properties. As the former heads of Miramax, Bob and Harvey Weinstein held certain rights to their original franchises, and without their cooperation, this sequel likely could not happen.
The new take on 'Amityville' will use "found footage" to tell the story of real-life murderer Ronald DeFeo, who claimed he was possessed when he shot and killed his family, and the subsequent hauntings when George Lutz moves his family into the house in 1976.
The Lutz story was...
'The Amityville Horror' is being revisited once again in 'The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes,' in which a team of investigators first break the story about the hauntings at the infamous murder site.
It'll be the first of several co-productions between the Weinstein Company and Miramax, the formerly battling studios who have now called a truce as they team to produce sequels to several Dimension properties. As the former heads of Miramax, Bob and Harvey Weinstein held certain rights to their original franchises, and without their cooperation, this sequel likely could not happen.
The new take on 'Amityville' will use "found footage" to tell the story of real-life murderer Ronald DeFeo, who claimed he was possessed when he shot and killed his family, and the subsequent hauntings when George Lutz moves his family into the house in 1976.
The Lutz story was...
- 5/16/2011
- by Sharon Knolle
- Moviefone
Classic scary movie The Amityville Horror is set for a sequel, thanks to a new production deal between moguls at Miramax and Dimension Films.
The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes will chronicle the efforts of an ambitious TV news intern to expose spooky information about the famous haunted house after uncovering secrets not covered in the book that inspired the 1979 film, starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder.
Dimension Films boss Bob Weinstein says, "We are thrilled to return to the mythology of the Amityville Horror with a new and terrifying vision that will satisfy our existing fans and also introduce an entirely new audience to this popular haunting phenomenon."
Screenwriters Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands, who are expected to direct the project this summer, will co-produce the sequel with Paranormal Activity mastermind Jason Blum.
The Amityville Horror stories are based on events in the life of George Lutz. The Amityville Horror project is one of several sequel or development projects that Miramax and Dimension Films are currently collaborating on.
The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes will chronicle the efforts of an ambitious TV news intern to expose spooky information about the famous haunted house after uncovering secrets not covered in the book that inspired the 1979 film, starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder.
Dimension Films boss Bob Weinstein says, "We are thrilled to return to the mythology of the Amityville Horror with a new and terrifying vision that will satisfy our existing fans and also introduce an entirely new audience to this popular haunting phenomenon."
Screenwriters Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands, who are expected to direct the project this summer, will co-produce the sequel with Paranormal Activity mastermind Jason Blum.
The Amityville Horror stories are based on events in the life of George Lutz. The Amityville Horror project is one of several sequel or development projects that Miramax and Dimension Films are currently collaborating on.
- 5/16/2011
- WENN
Co-chairman of The Weinstein Company, Bob Weinstein, and Miramax CEO Mike Lang announced at Cannes on Sunday that Dimension Films and Miramax are joining forces to produce The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes. Production will start this summer with a projected release date of January 27, 2012 .
Dimension also announced Sunday it has acquired rights to a screenplay for the film by the writing team of Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands, who will direct and produce, with Jason Blum set to produce.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Bob to reinvent one of the all-time great horror franchises, and I think this new installment will really hit home with a new generation of moviegoers,” Blum said.
TWC and Miramax noted that Blum has previous experience with found footage films having produced both “Paranormal Activity” films, which have grossed close to $400 million worldwide. Jay Anson’s book “The Amityville Horror...
Dimension also announced Sunday it has acquired rights to a screenplay for the film by the writing team of Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands, who will direct and produce, with Jason Blum set to produce.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Bob to reinvent one of the all-time great horror franchises, and I think this new installment will really hit home with a new generation of moviegoers,” Blum said.
TWC and Miramax noted that Blum has previous experience with found footage films having produced both “Paranormal Activity” films, which have grossed close to $400 million worldwide. Jay Anson’s book “The Amityville Horror...
- 5/16/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Dimension Films and Miramax announced the companies will produce “The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes.” The film will showcase events after the original “The Amityville Horror” with found footage dating back to 1976. Here is a brief synopsis: An ambitious female television news intern, on the verge of breaking the most famous haunted house case in the world, leads a team of journalists, clergymen and paranormal researchers into an investigation of the bizarre events that will come to be known as The Amityville Horror…only to unwittingly open a door to the unreal that she may never be able to close. “We are thrilled to return to the mythology of the Amityville Horror with a new and terrifying vision that will satisfy our existing fans and also introduce an entirely new audience to this popular haunting phenomenon,” said Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Co. “The Amityville Horror: The...
- 5/15/2011
- LRMonline.com
Dimension Films (aka The Weinstein Company) and the new Miramax are pushing ahead with their previously announced partnership on a new take on a popular horror franchise, "The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes." The latest film about George Lutz's supernatural experiences will be released on Jan. 27, 2012. The companies announced the new project in Cannes today and that "Paranormal Activity" producer Jason Blum is on board to shepherd the project. Casey La Scala ("Grind") and Daniel Farrands ("The Haunting in Connecticut" are also producing the "found footage" project which is in the same vein of the first two "Paranormal Activity"...
- 5/15/2011
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
HollywoodNews.com: Dimension Films and Miramax today announced the production of The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes. This is the first film to be produced under the agreement between Miramax and The Weinstein Company to create sequels to some of Miramax’s best-known properties.
Dimension also announced that it has acquired the rights to a new screenplay for the film by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands. Farrands and La Scala are also set to direct the film. Production will commence this summer with a release date scheduled for January 27, 2012. The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company (TWC), and Mike Lang, CEO of Miramax.
The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes showcases the events after the time of the original The Amityville Horror book and movie through found footage dating back to 1976. An ambitious female television news intern, on the verge of breaking...
Dimension also announced that it has acquired the rights to a new screenplay for the film by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands. Farrands and La Scala are also set to direct the film. Production will commence this summer with a release date scheduled for January 27, 2012. The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company (TWC), and Mike Lang, CEO of Miramax.
The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes showcases the events after the time of the original The Amityville Horror book and movie through found footage dating back to 1976. An ambitious female television news intern, on the verge of breaking...
- 5/15/2011
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
In the first of what will be multiple co-productions between The Weinstein Company and Miramax on sequels of films that the Weinsteins produced at their old haunt, Dimension Films and Miramax are teaming on the production of The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes. The film is based on a script by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands, who will direct a film that will shoot this summer for release Jan. 27, 2012. The deal was announced today by TWC co-chairman Bob Weinstein and Miramax CEO Mike Lang. The pic uses the genre staple of "found footage" to tap into the mythology of the book that informed the original haunted house movie, which dates back to 1976, when George Lutz moves his family into and out of a house where the previous tenants were murdered by their son, Ronald DeFeo, who claimed he was possessed. "An ambitious female television news intern, on the...
- 5/15/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
A new film is gearing up that promises to show you an entirely different side of the world's most notorious and controversial paranormal phenomenon - The Amityville Horror. Read on for all the details concerning why it just may be time for you to stock up on Bibles (hey, it couldn't hurt) and nightlights.
From the Press Release
Dimension Films and Miramax today announced the production of The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes. This is the first film to be produced under the agreement between Miramax and The Weinstein Company to create sequels to some of Miramax's best-known properties.
Dimension also announced that it has acquired the rights to a new screenplay for the film by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands. Farrands and La Scala are also set to direct the film. Production will commence this summer with a release date scheduled for January 27, 2012. The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein,...
From the Press Release
Dimension Films and Miramax today announced the production of The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes. This is the first film to be produced under the agreement between Miramax and The Weinstein Company to create sequels to some of Miramax's best-known properties.
Dimension also announced that it has acquired the rights to a new screenplay for the film by Casey La Scala and Daniel Farrands. Farrands and La Scala are also set to direct the film. Production will commence this summer with a release date scheduled for January 27, 2012. The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein,...
- 5/15/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
All of these competing Amityville Horror projects have me extremely confused. From what I understand, there are rights to the book and rights to the actual story as told by George Lutz. Therefore, it's hard for me to understand who actually controls these rights, especially since there's already The Amityville Tapes stuck at MGM and the documentary My Amityville Horror in production. Adding to that list is Hannibal Classics' Amityville: The Legacy 3D, which is a feature film based on the book "Amityville: The Evil Escapes" (also the title of the 1989 made-for-tv movie) by John G. Jones. My guess is Hannibal owns the rights to this book specifically? Adapted by Andrew Helm and Steve B. Harris, the film is said to be going into production this coming September, even though a director has yet to be attached.
- 5/10/2011
- bloody-disgusting.com
Bloody Disgusting member Jadama stumbled across something pretty awesome on Facebook that's right up all of our alleys. From Film Regions International, Inc. comes My Amityville Horror, Eric Walter's documentary about the infamous "Amityville Murders" that will "set the record straight" with the help of Daniel Lutz, the eldest son of George and Kathleen Lutz. While Bloody-Disgusting's encounter with the late George Lutz back in 2005 led us to believe everything was fabricated, maybe this new documentary will introduce opposing evidence? Inside you'll find a synopsis, links and an official teaser trailer with first footage. Watch this spot for more soon!
- 3/7/2011
- bloody-disgusting.com
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