The Amityville Horror (1979, Stuart Rosenberg)

Personally, I don’t think ghostly appearances were responsible for the enormous success of The Amytiville Horror at the box office. In my opinion, viewers simply connected with the implicit message of the story. What could be scarier than using all your life’s savings to buy a lemon? The scariest ghoul in the film is the unscrupulous Realtor who sells a house with a bad foundation to unsuspecting hard-working folks. Talk about the dark side of the American dream! Seriously, I’ve read Jay Anson’s (allegedly) true account of what occurred in the infamous Long Island house and I think only a miniseries could have done justice to the book. But writer Sandor Stern did a good in condensing the story into a two-hour film. The production lacks a much-needed touch of “art” though. But while I admit it is not perfect, I like many things about the movie.

Bless Rod Steiger, wherever he may be. I love the fervent way in which he molests every role he played, and his clergyman fighting an evil entity is no exception. Steiger’s section is by the far the most interesting aspect of the film. The priest argues that his secular education makes him more apt to recognize the demonic manifestation – I think this kind of argument that could be considered controversial nowadays. James Brolin has a tendency to overact (who he thinks he is, Rod Steiger?) but Margot Kidder gives a realistic performance as the wife (it doesn’t hurt that she looks great in 70s tight jeans). Best of all is Lalo Schifrin’s chilling music score. Fred J. Koenekamp’s lushly photography is good too. It’s spooky, and lots of fun if you don’t expect another classic like The Innocents or The Haunting (1963).

~ by gelpi2008 on Wednesday, October 22, 2008.