THE AMITYVILLE MURDERS
US, 2018, 97 minutes, Colour.
John Robinson, Chelsea Ricketts, Paul Ben- Victor, Diane Franklin, Noa Brenner, Zane Austin, Rebekah Graf, Lanie Kazan, Burt Young.
Directed by Daniel Farrands.
It is not surprising that there is a polarity of views on this film, yet another film about Amityville, the residence, touches of the supernatural, killings and hauntings. The film was released 40 years after the original The Amityville Horror – which led to so many sequels and variations as well as The Conjuring series with the focus on Ed and Lorraine Warren, professionals in examining haunted houses.
Some bloggers point out the inaccuracies in the portrayals of the characters, especially their ages. Others find it a telling representation of life at the time, violence in families, violent reactions.
The De Feo family lives in the famous house. Diane Franklin, who appeared in the second film, is the mother. Paul Ben- Victor gives an extraordinary vivid performance of a savage and angry father. There are various siblings but the focus is on the 23-year-old Butch (John Robinson) a drug addict, mixing with a similar group of friends, going down into a hidden room in the basement and reading a book from their grandmother which has diabolical overtones. There are strange occurrences, especially with coins.
There is a bonus for filmgoers with Lanie Kazan and Burt Young as the grandparents.
The film focuses on the hard life of the family, the outbursts by the father, his being in secret deals and stashing large amounts of money in his safe.
Butch has serious psychological problems, exacerbated by his father. Erratic reactions, he hears voices coming from the walls. Ultimately, he becomes violent, and kills the whole family except for one sister gone to visit the grandmother.
Final information indicates that he is serving a life sentence in prison.
1. Audience interest in Amityville stories? This story as a prequel to the series?
2. Amityville, Long Island, the atmosphere of the 70s, the activities in the home, the rooms, the basement, the secret room? The relief with the celebration of the party? The musical score?
3. The screenplay based on actual events and characters? How much liberty taken with the events?
4. The portrait of the family, the hard pressed mother and her love for her children, the violent father and his continual outbursts, harshness, physical reactions? The mother expected to stay for the children? The father and his deals, stashing the money in the safe?
5. The children in the family, their characters, daily life? Their parents?
6. Butch, his age, growing up, treatment by his father, his friends, their meetings, addictions and their effect? With his sister, the basement, the grandmother’s book? The mysterious action of the coins? His hearing voices?
7. The grandmother, the book, old traditions? Her grandmotherliness? The grandfather, the gifts of the cars? The sister eventually going to see
her grandmother, the explanations?
8. Butch, his deterioration, taking his father’s money to the basement, hearing voices in the walls? Their commands? His killing his whole family?
9. The credits information about Butch, the murders, in court, his sentences, in prison?
