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Surgeons of Horror

~ Dissecting horror films

Surgeons of Horror

Tag Archives: Amityville Horror

Movie review: The Amityville Murders

07 Sunday Oct 2018

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review

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Amityville Horror, amityville murders, Ronald DeFeo Jr.

Back in November 1974, Amityville was shocked to hear the news of 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr., who murdered his parents and four younger siblings by shooting them in their sleep.

There have been some curiosities surrounding these murders as all victims were killed in the space of 15 minutes with a shotgun around 3am, but no one heard any gunshots and it would appear that none of the family members had responded to any noise at all, having all been found lying in similar positions on their stomach. There was no evidence of drugging either.

The swiftness that DeFeo Jr was able to kill his family led some to suppose that a second shooter was there on that fatefull night. It doesn’t help that DeFeo Jr’s account of that evening has changed so many times, ranging from a Mafia hit to hearing voices that drove him to murder. The latter stuck in the news and lent to the bizarre case. It also fuelled the next chapter of 112 Ocean Avenue where the murders took place when the Lutz moved in the following year, only to leave after 28 days has passed citing strange happenings and paranormal phenomena. It was this incident coupled with Jay Anson’s novel, The Amityville Horror and the subsequent feature released in 1979 that projected this story across the globe and cemented the name Amityville into the horror genre and spawned 21 movies in its name.

The latest venture, The Amityville Murders attempts to go back to the original source and the murders that were commited by DeFeo Jr.

Director Daniel Farrands, who is no stranger to the macabre with numerous documentaries based on real-life and fictional murders on his resume, tries to take his interests in shocking crimes in his first drama feature, but too often it feels like he is dragging the story along by filling in the narrative with some over-saturated and stylised dialogue. It feels a little forced and unnatural, which jars the viewing, throwing you out of the picture. The acting is left wanting and feels a little like made-for-tv movies back in the 70s or 80s before directors knew how to handle the medium with any art or integrity.

It’s only as the drama intensifies and DeFeo Jr becomes more unhinged that this choice of direction starts to slip into place and become unnerving, which is exactly as you hope to feel. Actor John Robinson, who was thrust into the limelight as an actor when he was cast in Gus Van Sant’s Elephant, (a movie based on the Columbine shootings), starts off a little one-note in his performance, but as he taps into DeFeo Jr’s alleged depersonalisation disorder becomes more believable and haunting to watch. In fact, his performance at this stage keeps the viewer watching as everyone is pale and painful in comparison.

Farrands clearly knows his source material well, but he is let down by trying to weave in a dramatic storyline to the facts and feels weak as a result. Let’s hope he learns from his work on The Amityville Murders as his next two films are following a similar path looking at Sharon Tate and Nicole Brown Simpson.

 

The Diagnosis:

Yet another instalment to the Amityville universe… and yet it fails to provide the same impact as the first time these tragic events shocked the world. Once sensationalised and then desensitised with its numerous retellings that its hard to capture that same feeling again and unfortunately director Daniel Farrands fails to administer a blip on the heart monitor. No doubt, more attempts will follow, but I’m not sure if willing to go back there again.

– Saul Muerte

Movie review: Amityville: The Awakening

01 Monday Oct 2018

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review

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Amityville Horror, Amityville: The Awakening, bella thorne, jennifer jason leigh

From all accounts the feedback that I had received about this movie weren’t exactly glowing, so I went into watching this with low expectations. It can’t be that bad, surely?

The Amityville franchise is the curse that keeps on giving. Now with 18 movies in based on the Amityville hauntings and another movie with an imminent release, it now boasts the most movies of a horror movie franchise, so it’s little wonder that the response is lacking as the filmmakers search the bottom of the barrel only to find grease and grim with little hope of any originality or substance.

Starring Bella Thorne as Belle who unwittingly moves into the infamous Amityville house with her mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh), her younger sister, and her twin brother who is brain-dead and on a life support. There are the usual trappings of inner turmoil amongst the family members that has caused a rift and pushed Belle to explore her gothic leanings. Of course once in the cursed abode, strange happenings occur namely around the twin brother James as he is deemed to be a weak vessel for the entity to exhume.

As with these kind of movies, there is a tendency to stick to the usual tropes to scare and delight but director Franck Khalfoun offers nothing new to the fold. The script does try to go “meta” with deliberate acknowledgment to the original movie and the others that have been inspired to go to the Amityville source, this attempt just falls flat on its face. As for the scares, they fail to materalise and as such we are left wallowing with the characters, hoping for something, anything to happen to make the 87 minute running time worth it.

The diagnosis:

This movie was D.O.A. Whilst it tries to resuscitate the Amityville name for a new generation, the offer is weak and boring to watch. At least Jason Leigh’s ring in performance keeps you hanging in there… but even that is a struggle.

  • Saul Muerte

A look ahead at horror in 2017

05 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by surgeons of horror in Uncategorized

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A Cure For Wellness, Alien, Alien Covenant, Amityville Horror, Annabelle 2, Chucky 7, Flatliners, Friday the 13th, Get Out, Horror movies, Insidious 4, The Belko Experiment, The Bye Bye Man, The Dark Tower

2016 PROVED TO BE quite a big year for Horror films with the successes of Don’t Breathe, The Conjuring 2, and The Witch to name but a few.

But can this year prove to be as fruitful in delighting our senses and twisting our minds?

Let’s take a look at the movies that lie ahead…

Alien: Covenant

Release Date: 18 May
Is it me or is there more hype around this movie than Prometheus?
It might have something to do with the return of our beloved xenonorph and its predatorial instincts that once again see humans in a fight for survival.
Prediction: With Michael Fassbender reprising his role as the ‘synthetic’ David, along with a strong cast, this looks and feels like the Alien franchise is back on form.

Amityville: the Awakening

Release Date: 30 Jun tbc
This marks the 18th entry into the Amityville franchise, which by my reckoning makes this the most in a  series.
This time the story focuses on Belle and her twin siblings, one of whom is comatose until strange paranormal occurrences awaken him.
Prediction: With the movie changing hands through the selling of Miramax plus poor preview screenings have seen this movie delayed on several occasions.
If this movie does see the light of day, I expect that it will be yet another poor addition to the franchise posing the question why bother returning to it at all.

Annabelle 2

Release Date: 10 Aug
The sequel to The Conjuring spin-off that sees the possessed doll wreak havoc on an orphanage.
Prediction: Another weak entry. The plot line seems farcical.

The Belko Experiment

Release Date: 17 Mar
Think of this as Battle Royale set in a high-rise building as 80 participants are told by an unknown voice that they must play a game of kill or be killed.
Prediction: Brought to the screens by the visionary mind of Australia’s Greg McLean (Wolf Creek, The Darkness) this could be a pleasant surprise albeit using familiar territory. Expect a gruesome battle of survival to occur.

The Bye Bye Man

Release Date: 13 Jan tbc
The concept behind this movie sees three college students find themselves stalked by an entity that can take control of your mind simply if you think or say his name.
Prediction: Sounds like a shit version of The Candyman.
Shitty title, shitty premise doesn’t bold well in my opinion, but hey, I’m happy to be proven wrong.

Chucky 7

Release Date: Dec
Not much is known about this movie yet other than writer of the all six instalments and director of the last two, Don Mancini has resurrected the killer doll for another on-screen outing.
Prediction: If this heralds the right kind of comedy this could be the best version since Bride of Chucky.

A Cure For Wellness

Release Date: 16 Mar
When a young executive goes to retrieve his CEO from a wellness centre, he finds himself spiralling into a world of secrets where his own sanity is tested.
Prediction: Director Gore Verbinski can be a bit hit be miss and if we’re honest more miss of late.
Judging by the trailer though, this could well be a return to form and perhaps one of the better horror movies of 2017.

The Dark Tower

Release Date: 27 Jul
The science fantasy western horror book series from the mind of Stephen King gets the movie treatment.
The film in this instance has been described as a ‘quasi-sequel’ to the books.
Prediction: With a lot of big names producing this movie and the likes of Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey taking the leads there is a lot of high expectations on this being a success.
I for one feel that they won’t be disappointed.
A hit that will likely bring more from the universe in further outings.

Flatliners

Release Date: 28 Sep
Again not much has been announced around the details of this movie other than it being a sequel to the 90’s classic with Kiefer Sutherland set to reprise his role of Dr Nelson Wright.
Prediction: This movie sits on the precipice of success or failure.
With Ellen Page attached I have a feeling this could be better than your average flick and could take this franchise into bold new territory and reawaken a tinge of nostalgia. “Today’s a great day to die.”

Friday the 13th

Release Date: 13 Oct
Another reboot is on the horizon marking this as the 13th instalment.
Not much else has been announced other than it being delayed til later in the year.
Prediction: This needs to be delivered with the right blend of humour and horror in order for Jason to truly terrorise the screens again.
I so want this to be a success but I feel like this might be the final nail in Jason’s coffin.

Get Out

Release Date: 24 Feb
A horror satire from the insatiably brilliant mind if Jordan Peele sees Chris, an African-American man, try to escape from an estate where its black residents go missing.
Prediction: The comedy horror hit of the year.

Insidious: The Last Key

Release Date: 30 Oct
The latest chapter of supernatural horror franchise continues this time with James Wan’s previous partner in horror, Leigh Whannel at the helm.
Prediction: Better than the previous outing but not a par on the original.

Horror Movies in 2017 pt.2

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