The Amityville Horror (2005)

Director:

Andrew Douglas

Writers (WGA):

Scott Kosar (screenplay)
Jay Anson (novel)

Release Date:

15 April 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Based on the true story.

Plot:

A family is terrorized by demonic forces after moving into a home that was the site of a grisly mass-murder.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Priest | Ghost | Haunted House | Nightmare

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Ryan Reynolds	...	George Lutz
Melissa George	...	Kathy Lutz
Jesse James	...	Billy Lutz
Jimmy Bennett	...	Michael Lutz
Chloe Moretz	...	Chelsea Lutz (as Chloë Grace Moretz)
Rachel Nichols	...	Lisa
Philip Baker Hall	...	Father Callaway
Isabel Conner	...	Jodie Defeo
Brendan Donaldson	...	Ronald Defeo
Annabel Armour	...	Realtor
Rich Komenich	...	Chief of Police
David Gee	...	ER Doctor
Danny McCarthy	...	Officer Greguski
Nancy Lollar	...	Librarian
José Taitano	...	Stitch

Also Known As:

La morada del miedo (Spain) (Spain: Castilian title) [es]
Terror en Amityville (Argentina) (Peru) [es]
3:15 zemres (Czech Republic) [cs]
Amityville (France) [fr]
Amityville - La maison du diable (Canada: French title) [fr]
Amityville Horror (Italy) [it]
Amityville Horror - Eine wahre Geschichte (Germany) [de]
Amityville horor (Croatia) [hr]
Amityville'i õudus (Estonia) [et]
Dehset sokagi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
El terror En Amityville (Venezuela) [es]
Horror Em Amityville (Brazil) [pt]
The Amityville Horror (Finland) [fi]
Tromos sto Amityville (Greece) [el]

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, disturbing images, language, brief sexuality and drug use. (edited for re-rating)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:16 | Peru:14 | Argentina:16 | Taiwan:R-12 | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:16 | Malaysia:18PL | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Germany:16 | Ireland:15A | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #41520) | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

1500 Busch Pky., Buffalo Grove, Illinois, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

This was the last picture Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) released as an independent company. On 8 April 2005, the studio was acquired by several companies, including Sony, in the middle of the promotion for this movie. Several other films, including Into the Blue (2005) and The Pink Panther (2006), were already produced and set for release by MGM at the time of the buyout, and were later released by Sony Pictures.

Goofs:

Continuity: When George is chopping wood and Billy is holding the second log, George swings the axe back, and when he's swinging the axe at the log, that Billy is holding, he doesn't have the axe on his hands. The axe reappears when he chops the log.

Quotes:

[first lines]
The House: Catch them! Kill them!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (2005) (V)

Ryan Reynold's bod sure saved this flick

Don't have high expectations for the 2005 remake of The Amityville Horror directed by Andrew Douglas and you just might enjoy it. If you have already seen the 1979 classic, it may already be too late for you.

The nightmare begins when the Lutz family decides to purchase a gorgeous new home with a price that is too good to be true. They are informed by the Realtor of tragedy that occurred in the home, but decide to go through with purchase anyway – big mistake.

Soon after moving in, strange occurrences begin to take place. Chelsea Lutz (Chloe Moretz) befriends the ghost of Jodie Defeo (Isabel Conner) while her step dad George Lutz, played by the very sexy Ryan Reynolds, begins to go a little nutty. All the while the family slowly begins to unravel and fall apart as the spirits of the previous tenants haunt and possess the current occupants.

Throughout the movie there are a few scary scenes and creepy moments, but for the most part the remake of the 1979 classic is just silly. The most ridiculous scene would have to be with the scantily-clad babysitter, Lisa (Rachel Nichols). Lisa who appears to be 17 or 18 years old asks Billy Lutz (Jesse James) who appears to be no older than 12-years-old "if he's ever Frenched before… you know like French kissed" during a bedroom scene. I mean come on – was this part really even necessary? However, the one great aspect of the movie – listen up ladies – is the numerous scenes with Ryan Reynolds half naked. In fact, according to the Internet Movie Database Web site, females gave The Amityville Horror a higher rating then men – gee, I wonder why.

Despite the ridiculousness of the movie, it is still worth watching – especially so close to Halloween.

Overall The Amityville Horror receives two and one half out of four stars. I would have given it only two stars, but Ryan Reynolds really does have a great body.