Rating: 
Summary: A slightly more subtle horror film
Review: The Amityville Horror, just in time for Halloween on MGM's value-priced DVDs, is a classic "inspired by a true story" haunted house yarn that offers some pretty decent chills in a nice little package in the digital format. This is a film that easily stands the test of time as horror, and although isn't as creepy as other classic (and recent) ghost fare, it does much better than some of the CGI-packed trash that passes as "horror" these days.The Amityville Horror, based on a book of the same name, which was in turn based on a (supposedly) true story (later "proved" false), introduces the audience to the Lutz family, who are buying their first house. When they find a great place on Long Island for an unbelievable price, they jump on it - even though they realize a family of six was murdered there a year ago by a schitzophrenic son. Soon after they move in, strange stuff starts to happen - the parish priest cannot stay in the house long enough to bless it, doors open and shut of their own accord, and the daughter begins to talk to an invisible friend whom she refuses to describe. Amityville Horror is a horror movie that relies on atmosphere to create the tension, and does so with decent results. The music is annoying (it was actually a rejected score to "The Exorcist"), and sounds far too much like "Psycho" for its own good. One of the most commendable aspects of Amityville Horror is that the horror itself isn't revealed physically until the very end of the film, and even then it is only as a fleeting shadow, something that the viewer cannot even be sure he or she saw. That is, if you don't count the eyes, staring out from the dark. Remembering that scene is giving me goosebumps as I type this... The DVD itself is obviously bare-bones; it's a single-layer disc with a mono soundtrack, and no extras to speak of except for the trailer. The audio mix is poor, and voices often change pitch and volume in the same scene (not to mention that sometimes they sound as if they are using entirely different audio tracks in the middle of a scene, which can really detract from the film). The video, though, is nice and crisp, with none of the lines or artifacts associated with poor transfers. The print used was fairly clean as well, and colors show up vibrantly, with very few dust speckles throughout (especially considering this is just a value disc). For the price, it's worth picking up. Don't hold your breath for a special edition, either.
Rating: 
Summary: NOT TRUE DON'T BELIEVE IT
Review: No this is not based on a true story. The Lutzes made up everything and if you do some research, you'll find that many facts are incorrect. (I.E. They're was no huge snowstorm that year, and the Lutzes never called the police to look around) Under oath in the court of law, George Lutz admited the story was MADE UP by Jay Anson. It is not true.
Rating: 
Summary: You've probably already seen it if you're considering buying
Review: So I will refrain from making too many comments on the production, writing, acting and so on and so forth. I will say this: hoax or no hoax, the book still creeps me out. The movie just doesn't do what the book does, but hey- it's a cult classic. You either love it or you hate it. Sure, it's a terrible movie, but it's nostalgia, baby! I was my daughter's age when it first came out. It brings back fond memories. Now for my review. I owned this movie on VHS and the quality was very poor. The colors were off. The sound and video quality was poor. It was as though they stretched the picture out in order to make it fit your screen. The DVD rocks because it gives you the option of watching in letterbox. Whether you thought it was a bad movie or not, you can't argue that they did an excellant job transferring it. The picture is super clean. The colors are where they should be. Watching it on DVD was like watching it for the first time all over again. I would recommend this disc, because if you're considering buying it, you've probably already seen it and feel the same way I do about it. I just wish it had more features, but for the price I payed, I'm just happy to have this movie in my collection.
Rating:
Summary: A Total Fraud
Review: This movie, which did some decent box office when it first came out, is an adaptation of a novel that supposedly recounted the true story of a family terrorized by the restless souls of a family murdered in the house they have just moved into. However, the movie itself was dreadfully dull. I have seen 10 minute long haunted house stories on TV specials that are far more chilling than this slow moving, boring and silly movie. The whole success of the movie depended upon the misleading assertion that it was based upon a true story given that the only reason for watching it was out of curiosity. As it was later revealed, however, the novel, and therefore the movie, are total works of fiction, and rather poor ones at that. This movie is not the type of bad movie a la Ed Wood's Plan 9 From Outer Space that is fun to watch. It is just miserably bad. You might still want to rent the video to see some of the scenes that have since become popular cliches satarized in other movies and TV shows (like the bleeding walls), but otherwise avoid this one. It will just put you to sleep.
Rating:
Summary: Would give 0 if possible...
Review: Bad acting, bad cinematography, bad effects, bad editing, incoherent storyline, completely devoid of anything terrifying, and an anticlimactic ending. What else is there to say. See The Changeling instead if you actually want to be freaked out since this movie is nothing but a freakishly bad waste of time.
Rating:
Summary: This movie bites
Review: The Amityville Horror is torture to watch. It is soooo boring and the acting is so lame that I almost puked. The "scares" are few and far between and when there is a "scary" part - it's boring! The special effects are really cheesy as well. The whole ending is ridiculous with the man saving his dog and all that. Do not rent this film, buy it or watch it if it comes on T.V.
Rating: 
Summary: What's Up Here?
Review: Definitely a great movie to watch. I have also read the book and it is highly recommendable. The main concern that I have with this DVD is the fact that it has been released MONTHS ago and it is now being listed as not released until July 7, 2001. I have the EXACT copy of this DVD at home, all the technical info is the same. Just thought this would be of interest to someone. Enjoy the flick!
Rating:
Summary: Fine
Review: This film isn't the best in acting but when the characters are scared then they play those scenes pretty well but other times are not the best.If these events are a hoax then why would the family leave their home and never reclaim their stuff?The film was a hit in the time of its release it made more money than Alien did since they came out about the same time Amityville grossed in at about 86 million dollars domestic now that tells you that the people liked it pretty much and the film even earned an Academy Award nomination for best original score by Lalo Schifrin. This is the kind of film to watch on a rainy night.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Horror 70s-Style
Review: Certainly, this movie deserves a place in the collection of all horror lovers, but it is far from epitomizing the best of the genre. I am sure it proved much scarier for original audiences back in 1979 than it does for we blood-and-gore inured veterans of such macabre moviemaking today, especially since an air of "truth" surrounded the events back then. As a modern viewer, I can't help but be somewhat put off by the fact that this whole story proved to be a fabrication; as a believer in supernatural phenomena, Amityville immediately conveys to my mind a sense of shame and frustration--this story being revealed as untrue is the kind of thing that makes the pursuit of the reality of ghosts seem ludicrous to so many people. You all probably know the story. A family is murdered, a young family decides to buy the house in spite of its recent violent history, frights and general freakiness ensue, and a final escape is finally made. There's not much gore here--a few sweeping shots of murdered children, nothing that would scare most six-year-olds today. I really expected more physical manifestations to be presented; the bleeding walls is just about it in terms of special effects. In some respects, I have to ask myself why the family, especially the mother, became convinced that something evil was taking place; the evidence she was presented with did not seem to be enough to make a normal person jump so quickly to the conclusion that the place was haunted or possessed. Then again, I have to ask myself why these people, once they figured out what was seemingly going on, waited so long to leave the house. I know--if they had fled earlier, the movie would have been too short, but I am trying to examine this in terms of my prerequisite suspended disbelief. Frankly, the most horrifying part of the movie for my eyes was the totally unnecessary sight of James Brolin approaching the camera in his underwear (three times, in fact). As a second aside, this film offers one of the most impressive examples of overacting I have ever seen in the person of the tuned-in, vibe-feeling associate who feels compelled to walk right into the house and commence taking an axe to a basement wall. All in all, it's a pretty good movie. I wouldn't rush out and buy it on DVD, but, if you happen to spot the tape on sale for five bucks (as I did), I would recommend picking it up. There are many worse ways to spend two hours of your time.
Rating: 
Summary: OH PLEASE!
Review: This movie is soo humm... what can I said? When I watched them, it does nto make any sense at all. I have a lot of questions that are unanswered. I am sorry to say that but they are not what you think they are. The house is about to blow up? YEA RIGHT! This movie not soo thrilled at all and it left us wondered if that s true ? Tell you what? They are totally hoax!
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