imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078767/
can be downloaded from:
http://rapidshare.com/files/175681418/01TAmHorror.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/175702641/01TAmHorror.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/175728348/01TAmHorror.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/175758276/01TAmHorror.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/175790654/01TAmHorror.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/175825740/01TAmHorror.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/175858837/01TAmHorror.part7.rar
Decent at best, but even the book was much better., 26 August 2008
Verdict: A slow-moving haunted house film that ain't the classic other say it is, but has its moments.
It wasn't long before people realize that it was The Amityville Hoax, not The Amityville Horror, that has 'terrorized' audiences and readers of the story of the Lutzes flee from their seemingly harmless and perfect home at the coast of Long Island. But whether I believed it or not, fact or fake may it be, I both read the 'autobiographical' book by Jay Anson and saw the 1979 film adaptation based on the novel. Actually, I saw the film first, then by chance of curiosity, I purchased the novel of which the film was based on.
The novel wasn't the finest piece of literature, and neither was it great or impressive on a technical level, but it was a decent page-turner trying to tell a story. I was thinking that reading the book may widen my appeal and understanding of the film (same thing I did with THE EXORCIST), which was muddled, pretty dull and mostly weak when it came to actually tell the story. It did, quite, make a few things clearer after reading the book. I bet it probably pays to read the print source first, since the movie, creepy and eerie it might have been (as a pure 70's film), doesn't really lay the point down. There's the story, but we got a little lost on the telling.
Considered a classic, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR has severely dated, maybe because it wasn't exactly high-quality film-making when it was made back during the 70's. While it had a large hype upon its release, earning it a couple of bucks or so to make it a hit, the film is nothing different from a B-grade horror flick William Castle dreams up overnight. Cheap scare tactics and not-so-special effects are all tied up for one tame night at the horror drive-in. Not to mention the over-the-top to totally sub-par performances (Rod Steiger should be at least proud of himself, considering that the other performers were much worse than he was). But despite its datedness, there's a certain charm that drew me in THE AMITYVILLE HORROR, therefore it ain't that bad a film (even if, by today's standards, this is bad movie). The film is not without its redeeming qualities.
But even in comparison, the novel was actually better. Other than a few changes with the character names (not that the names of "those involved" are already changed), the film is a short departure from the novel. The cheap scare tactics are there, only the book adding a sense of chill the film sorrily lacked (even if you see it back then or now). The characters were weak in the novel, hence nothing has much changed in the film. I slightly recommend THE AMITYVILLE HORROR for some revisiting, but I guess reading the novel first may prove to be a better excursion.
Rating: *** out of 5.
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