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Poster for The Amityville Horror

The Amityville Horror

Seen it?

1979 | 118 min | Horror

Weeknight Watch

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

It made about 18 times its budget, but just 30% on Rotten Tomatoes and a lukewarm 6.3 out of 10 from audiences held it back. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for horror fans. If you loved The Others or The Conjuring, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood
Scary.
The pace
Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 58 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated R: meant for adults.
  • Made in 1979: an older pace and style.

George Lutz, his wife Kathy, and their three children have just moved into a beautiful, and improbably cheap, Victorian mansion nestled in the sleepy coastal town of Amityville, Long Island. However, their dream home is concealing a horrific past and soon each member of the Lutz family is plagued with increasingly strange and violent visions and impulses.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsWeak

    30% on Rotten Tomatoes, 28 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesBelow par

    6.3 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Nominated for 1 Oscar and 1 Golden Globe.. Plus: Nominated for 3 Razzies, the "worst of the year" awards.

  • Box office & staying powerStrong

    $86 million worldwide on a $5 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 212K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Stuart Rosenberg

  • James BrolinGeorge Lutz
  • Margot KidderKathy Lutz
  • Rod SteigerFather Delaney
  • Don StroudFather Richard Bolen
  • Murray HamiltonFather Ryan
  • John LarchFather Nuncio
  • Natasha RyanAmy
  • K.C. MartelGreg
  • Meeno PeluceMatt
  • Michael SacksJeff