Trivia

When attempting to obtain permission to shoot at the main house used in the movie, the filmmakers were initially turned down. The woman who owned the house had previously allowed another movie to shoot there and been quite upset when the crew trampled her rose gardens. She ultimately allowed her house to be used with production designer Kandy Stern's promise the roses would be carefully avoided. However, producer Barry Bernardi, who had also produced the prior film shot there, was not allowed on location so as not to upset the homeowner.

The main house in the film is supposed to be at the top of an ocean bluff, but the house they actually filmed at was simply on top of a hill. The shots showing the house from behind on top of the bluff were actually filmed at a seaside trailer park with a specially-constructed house facade.

While the credits suggest the film is based on John G. Jones' book of the same name, the book is actually a collection of short stories, and none of the stories were adapted for the film. Instead, a new story with similar elements to those in the book was created.

The film opens with a yard sale. George Lutz, the owner of the real house who abandoned it after 28 days, has said that friends eventually disposed of his family's belongings left in the house by holding a yard sale.

Director Sandor Stern penned the script for the original The Amityville Horror (1979).