Reviews: The Amityville Horror (1979) Movie Review / Ending Explained / FAQs
Genres: Horror, Drama, Demons
Subgenres: Haunted House, Haunted House - Cursed, Killer Parents, Madness, Religion, Urban Legend
Our take on The Amityville Horror (1979) explores its plot, scares, and horror highlights to help fans decide if it deserves a place on their watchlist.
The Amityville Horror (1979), directed by Stuart Rosenberg, is a landmark entry in the haunted house subgenre that leans heavily on the claim that it’s based on real events. Blending psychological tension, demonic disturbance, and a family’s slow unraveling, the film taps into suburban dread and spiritual fear. Though not without flaws, it remains one of the most talked-about supernatural horror films of its era.
The Amityville Horror (1979) – When Your Dream Home Becomes a Nightmare
Plot, Themes, and Character Development
Set in Amityville, Long Island, the film follows the Lutz family—new homeowners who purchase a stunning Dutch Colonial house with a dark past. Just one year prior, a man named Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family inside the home. Now, newlyweds George and Kathy Lutz move in with Kathy’s three children, hoping for a fresh start. What they get is far from peaceful.
Soon after moving in, the family begins experiencing inexplicable disturbances: freezing temperatures, strange voices, ghostly apparitions, and a creeping sense of dread that begins to change George’s behavior. As the haunting intensifies, George spirals into rage and obsession, echoing the violent legacy left behind in the house.
At its core, The Amityville Horror explores the intersection of spiritual evil and psychological decay. The house itself becomes a character—an entity that corrupts from within. Themes of financial stress, loss of control, and repressed trauma play out under a veil of demonic influence.
While the film doesn’t dive deep into backstory or character motivation, it succeeds in building a slow-burn atmosphere of unease. The sense of isolation becomes increasingly suffocating, especially as the house seems to cut the family off from help, trust, and even each other.
Acting and Cinematography
James Brolin delivers a chilling performance as George Lutz, subtly shifting from affable stepfather to a man consumed by invisible forces. His haunted eyes and physical transformation help sell the growing influence of the house. Margot Kidder, as Kathy, brings emotional warmth and vulnerability to the role, making the audience feel the family’s fear and desperation.
The cinematography emphasizes a sense of claustrophobia. Shadows linger in corners, camera angles tilt at unnatural degrees, and the iconic “eye windows” of the house appear almost alive. The use of low lighting, muted tones, and slow camera movements all serve to amplify the haunted atmosphere.
The infamous red room, bleeding walls, and priest’s torment scenes are standout moments that remain staples in horror history.
Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Stuart Rosenberg builds the tension through patient pacing and an eerie tone rather than jump scares. While this approach worked for some audiences, others found it slow, even dull at times. However, this deliberate method allows dread to seep in gradually, mirroring how fear can evolve in real life.
The strength of The Amityville Horror lies in its atmosphere and commitment to subtle horror. It doesn’t overexplain or rely on visual effects; instead, it lets the house’s history speak through suggestion, mood, and sound design. The film’s iconic score adds to its creeping unease.
That said, the weaknesses are apparent. Some scenes feel repetitive, and the film suffers from a lack of narrative closure. Despite being rooted in the “true story” angle, it offers little resolution, and the pacing may not satisfy modern audiences accustomed to faster storytelling and louder scares.
Strengths:
Chilling atmosphere and slow-burning suspense
Iconic haunted house imagery with effective set design
Strong lead performances, especially from James Brolin
Memorable horror score that adds to tension
Captures the psychological toll of a supernatural haunting
Weaknesses:
Pacing may feel sluggish for some viewers
Underdeveloped supporting characters
Lack of clear explanation or resolution
Some effects feel dated by today’s standards
Relies heavily on the “based on true events” marketing
Final Verdict & Score: 6/10
The Amityville Horror (1979) is a foundational haunted house film that thrives on atmosphere, paranoia, and psychological disturbance. While its pacing and minimal scares may divide viewers, it remains a significant piece of horror history. With iconic visuals and a disturbing premise, it still casts a shadow over the genre decades later.
The Amityville Horror (1979) – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is The Amityville Horror (1979) based on a true story?
Yes—at least in part. The Amityville Horror is marketed as being based on the real-life experiences of the Lutz family, who claimed their home in Amityville, New York, was haunted by demonic forces. The story was further sensationalized by books and films, although many elements have since been debated or debunked. Nonetheless, the "based on true events" claim helped cement its legacy as a classic supernatural horror film.
What happened in the Amityville house before the Lutz family moved in?
Minor Spoiler: Before the Lutzes moved in, the house was the site of a horrific crime. In 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family inside the home. The chilling backstory is central to the film’s mythology and fuels the supernatural tension that follows the new occupants.
What is the red room in The Amityville Horror?
The infamous red room is discovered in the basement of the house. It’s a small, hidden space painted blood red, which radiates an evil presence. Though it’s never fully explained in the film, it’s implied to be a gateway or focal point of the demonic activity, possibly connected to past occult rituals or spiritual unrest beneath the house.
Why does George Lutz change so drastically in the movie?
Minor Spoiler: George, played by James Brolin, begins to exhibit increasingly violent and obsessive behavior after moving into the house. The film suggests he is being possessed or influenced by the evil forces that linger in the home—especially as he becomes eerily similar to Ronald DeFeo Jr., the man who killed his family years before.
Is The Amityville Horror more psychological or supernatural?
While it contains elements of both, the film leans more heavily into supernatural horror. From ghostly apparitions and swarms of flies to walls that ooze blood, the terror in Amityville Horror is driven by a malevolent presence that gradually consumes the family’s sense of safety and sanity.
How scary is The Amityville Horror by today’s standards?
The film may seem slow-paced by modern horror standards, but its creeping dread, eerie atmosphere, and thematic weight still resonate with fans of haunted house horror. While jump scares are minimal, it relies on psychological tension and spiritual decay, making it unnerving rather than outright terrifying.
Is there a remake of The Amityville Horror?
Yes. A remake was released in 2005 starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George, which updated the story with modern visuals and a faster pace. However, the original 1979 film remains the most iconic adaptation of the Lutz family’s experience and continues to influence the haunted house genre.
The Amityville Horror (1979) – Ending Explained
In the film’s climax, the house reaches a fever pitch of supernatural activity. George Lutz becomes increasingly unhinged, nearly harming his family before coming to his senses. As the demonic presence grows stronger—manifesting through bleeding walls, ghostly visions, and uncontrollable fear—the Lutzes realize they can no longer stay.
Minor Spoiler: In a harrowing final sequence, George rescues the family dog, Harry, and the entire family flees the house during a violent thunderstorm. They leave everything behind, escaping into the night. A postscript reveals that the Lutz family never returned to the house, having only lived there for 28 days.
The ending emphasizes a classic haunted house trope: some places are too far gone to be saved or cleansed. The evil is so deeply embedded in the structure of the home that escape is the only option. There’s no exorcism, no ritual, and no heroic showdown—just the pure terror of survival.
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Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- The Amityville Horror Rating Scores
- Our Score: 6/10
- Overall Score: 4.72/10
- IMDB: 6.2/10
- MetaCritic: 2.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 3.1/10
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