Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Amityville Horror 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 18, 2022

When one recalls the cinematic successes of the 1979 film year, different titles come to mind. There’s “Alien,” “Apocalypse Now,” “The Jerk,” and even “The Muppet Movie.” These were hit features that inspired big crowds at theaters, and many have stood the test of time, becoming classics. And then there’s “The Amityville Horror,” a tiny indie release with an apparently powerful marketing campaign, managing to topple most of the competition to become the second highest-grossing picture of the year, only bested by the Academy Award-winning “Kramer vs. Kramer.” The financial triumph of “The Amityville Horror” is shocking, definitely more so than the endeavor itself, which provides an unusually inert viewing experience, especially for a chiller. For two hours, the effort drags along, offering a mild haunted house tale that’s in no hurry to unnerve viewers.

“The Amityville Horror” is an adaptation of Jay Anson’s 1977 book, which explored the story of George and Kathy Lutz, who moved into a home previously the site of a horrific murder. The Lutz Family was searching for domestic bliss, but they were subjected to a terrifying haunting, facing a malevolent dwelling that didn’t want them around. Of course, this is all nonsense, and the book was eventually debunked, providing the vague outline of a hoax meant to generate some monetary reward for the family and Anson. This doesn’t exactly pertain to the screen version of the tale, with screenwriter Sandor Stern and director Stuart Rosenberg simply out to generate genre entertainment with the tale, eschewing hard analysis of the Lutz claims to deal directly with things that go bump in the night. Eventually. “The Amityville Horror” isn’t sharply paced, endeavoring to be more of a creeper, going slow-burn with the gradual psychological melt of George and Kathy, who endure a few bizarre events in their dwelling, eventually reaching the conclusion that the house isn’t well long after viewers come to this realization.

For additional information and analysis, please read:

The 2008 Blu-ray review by Michael Reuben.

The 2013 Blu-ray review by Jeffrey Kauffman.

The Amityville Horror 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray.

Vinegar Syndrome brings the thrills(?) and chills(?) of "The Amityville Horror" to UHD, with the 4K presentation sourced from a 35mm original camera negative. Detail is strong, exploring deep skin particulars on increasingly agitated characters, along with a range of costumes, including soiled activewear and sheer bedroom outfits. House tours are wonderfully textured, exploring age and growing disrepair, and evil actions bring goopier muck to the living space. Exteriors are dimensional. Colors are tastefully refreshed, bringing out bright primaries around the dwelling, and reds are defined on brick and blood. Earth tones are equally appreciable, and blacks are deep, dealing with evening encounters and religious outfits. Greenery is alert. Highlights are refined, with excellent brightness. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good condition.

The Amityville Horror 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Two mix options are presented for "The Amityville Horror," offering 5.1 DTS-HD MA and 2.0 DTS-HD MA tracks. This is purely a listener choice situation, as both mixes manage to come through with ideal clarity and power, though the 5.1 does provide a slightly warmer, deeper listening experience with obvious circular benefits for the fright film. Dialogue exchanges are clear, managing wild extremes of hushed concerns and bellowed pleas to God. Scoring supports with definition, delivering compelling instrumentation and delicate choir additions. Low-end offers some heft. Atmospherics are active, managing house and weather events.

The Amityville Horror 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features author Dr. Hans Holzer.

• "My Amityville Diaries" (21:03, HD) is a memory piece featuring interviews with screenwriter Sandor Stern, and actors Meeno Peluce, Don Stroud, Marc Vahanian, and Amy Wright. This isn't a full making-of featurette, but an offering of anecdotes, with the interviewees sharing their feelings about "The Amityville Horror," including some BTS tidbits, analysis, and shock that the picture has maintained such popularity.

• "Brolin Thunder" (16:00, HD) is a 2017 interview with actor James Brolin, who details his early interest in film direction, eventually pushed into acting. Career growth is charted, with Brolin working with Marlon Brando before moving to television and collecting an Emmy, which turned him into a star. For "The Amityville Horror," Brolin wasn't offered a screenplay, but a copy of the book, which was creepy enough to interest him in the project. Respect for director Stuart Rosenberg also helped the cause, and the interviewee shares his opinions and memories of co- stars, including Margot Kidder, who was battling drug addiction at the time. Needing a stunt double for goopier scenese, Brolin talked his brother into the job, and he shares his memories of the movie's release, recognizing how different production elements contribute to the final product.

• "Child's Play" (16:38, HD) is a 2017 interview with actor Meeno Peluce, who was a working child actor in the 1970s, getting a chance to show his stuff with "The Amityville Horror." The acting opportunity brought him to New Jersey, presenting the California kid with different surroundings, and he discusses working with the house. Co-stars are recalled, with a special anecdote concerning Margot Kidder and her inability to lock her trailer door while dressing. Memories are hazy for Peluce, but he does recall time with his fellow child actors, and discusses the premiere of "The Amityville Horror" at the Chinese Theater.

• "The Devil in the Music" (14:04, HD) is a 2017 interview with composer Lalo Schifrin, who explores his upbringing, developing a profound love for music, including jazz. While parental influence pushed him into a stable career, Schifrin found his way to Dizzy Gillespie, joining his band. Time in Hollywood soon followed, with the interviewee discussing some of his career highlights. For "The Amityville Horror," Schifrin highlights the creation of themes, bringing his own Catholicism into the work.

• "Haunted Melodies" (9:56, HD) offers more time with composer Lalo Schifrin.

• "Amityville Scribe" (16:26, HD) is an interview with screenwriter Sandor Stern, who discusses his career path, talked into attending medical school while working on his dream of writing professionally. Stern explores the development of "The Amityville Horror," which was originally intended to be a television movie before switching to a theatrical release, and highlights his adaptation challenges.

• "For God's Sake, Get Out" (21:34, SD) is a DVD-era making of featuring interviews with actors James Brolin and Margot Kidder (who passed away in 2018). The pair discusses the development of their careers and their journey to "The Amityville Horror." Most interesting is time spent on the Lutz Family and their well-rehearsed story of a haunting.

• Introduction (1:20, SD) features Dr. Hans Holzer.

• Still Gallery (5:32) collects poster art, publicity shots, and film stills.

• T.V. Spot (1:02, HD) is offered.

• Radio Spots (3:43) present seven commercials for "The Amityville Horror."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:29, HD) is included.

The Amityville Horror 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Amityville Horror" occasionally gets worked up over small things, and there are a few jump scares to keep viewers engaged. The material isn't interested in crafting a shocker, trying to generate scares from gradually disturbed characters coming into contact with the spirit of the house. This includes friends, family, and Catholic Church officials (including Rod Steiger, offering operatic overacting that triggers laughs, not awe), but such a journey isn't chock full of incident. Instead, there are occasional disruptions and plenty of lengthy shots of unnerved people looking at things. Certainly this should've been a shorter picture with a more direct understanding of its own fear factor, but in 1979, it was everything to moviegoers, establishing a brand name with such copyright flexibility, it carries on to this day (there's another installment coming next year). Heck, I've personally reviewed six spin-offs on this very site. There's no stopping "The Amityville Horror," but it's interesting to note that the original endeavor was hardly a nerve- shredding event, going very soft and stale with its vision for a real estate nightmare.