Horribly dated and ineffective.

Normally I enjoy classic horror movies because of their inventiveness and their predisposition to be quite terrifying at times. The Amityville Horror strives to be original and scary, but at every opportunity it fails quite astonishingly. The film contains none of the elements that make a good horror movie. Instead of being gripping and scary it's contrived and spurious.

A newly wedded couple named George (Brolin) and Kathy (Kidder) Lutz move into a spacious Long Island house that they believe to be their dream home. Many years ago a mass murder was committed within the walls of the house and as a result the house is haunted with satanic spirits. A local priest (Steiger) feels the presence of pure evil in the house but is powerless to drive it away. The satanic spirits eventually compel him to blindness as he tries to convince George and Kathy to leave the house before it is too late.

The Amityville Horror is a good concept that was loosely based on a true story (and a novel by Jay Anson). Prior to watching it I had anticipated something a lot more terrifying and exciting. However, I was instead left watching this lifeless excremental horror movie that couldn't be scary even when it tried to be. Not to mention the fact that the whole thing is highly farfetched, hence further annihilating every opportunity it had to shock the audience.

James Brolin at least brought some style to his role. Unfortunately he couldn't bring much intensity to his character, but it was obvious that he at least tried to bring some life into the picture. Margot Kidder was occasionally quite whiny and annoying. You could at least feel her character's motivations. She presented us with a very credible interpretation of a house wife. Rod Steiger plays a moderately minor role here. Notwithstanding small screen time he is still one of the only actors to actually inculcate a sense of tension during the scenes of horror that still failed nonetheless. He was perceptibly determined. He just couldn't accomplish much with such a dull screenplay.

The direction is unfortunately an aspect that is sorely deficient here. The director couldn't make the film at all scary, which could probably also be attributed to the screenwriter as well. The music built up some suspense, but was ultimately let down by the feeble visual images and dreadful ideas.

The Amityville Horror had a very good concept. Unfortunately that's one of the only compliments I can grant the film: it ultimately wrote a cheque it couldn't cash. I expected something much less than this austere, dull horror film with a flimsy script that was executed dreadfully. Honestly, the film is dated and ineffective not to mention stupid and contrived. The Amityville Horror scores as a horror film you can honestly afford to miss. Remade in 2005.