The Amityville Horror is a 1979 American supernatural horror film directed by Stuart Rosenberg, and starring James Brolin, Margot Kidder, and Rod Steiger. The film follows young couple George and Kathy Lutz who purchase a home haunted by combative supernatural forces. It is based on Jay Anson's 1977 book of the same name, which documented the alleged paranormal experiences of the Lutz family who briefly resided in the Amityville, New York home where Ronald DeFeo Jr. committed the mass murder of his family in 1974. It is the first entry in the long-running Amityville Horror film series, and was remade in 2005.
Executive producer Samuel Z. Arkoff originated the project after purchasing the rights to Anson's book, and it was initially conceived as a television film, which Anson adapted himself. When Arkoff rejected the teleplay, it was reworked by screenwriter Sandor Stern as a feature film. The producers intended to shoot the film in the actual DeFeo residence, but its owners denied them permission. Filming instead began on location in Toms River, New Jersey in October 1978, followed by interior shoots occurring at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer sound stages in Los Angeles, which were completed just before the Christmas holiday.
The Amityville Horror had its world premiere at the Museum of Modern Art on July 24, 1979, before receiving a wide theatrical release three days later. The film was a major commercial success and one of the most profitable films released by its distributor, American International Pictures. It went on to gross over $80 million in North America, becoming one of the highest-grossing independent films of all time, as well as one of the highest-grossing horror films in cinema history. Though met with largely unfavorable critical reviews at the time of its release, composer Lalo Schifrin's musical score earned the film Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations, while Kidder received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actress.
Some contemporary film scholars have considered the film a classic of the horror genre, and it is widely regarded as a seminal entry in the sub-genre of the contemporary haunted house film. In his 1981 non-fiction book, Danse Macabre, horror author Stephen King interprets the film as a parable on the anxieties of homeownership and financial ruin, citing the economic crisis of the 1970s and the film's frequent references to financial matters, a reading which has been similarly assessed by other film scholars.
Lalo Schifrin was hired to compose the original score for The Amityville Horror. When beginning the composition of the main theme, he was given the static image of the home which plays over the film's opening credits sequence. Recalling his inspiration, Schifrin said: "Since a family with three kids was about to move into the mansion, ignoring its past, I got the idea to write a haunting and distorted lullaby for three children's voices."
In addition to the vocal accompaniment, Schifrin composed the film's score using a harp, celeste, violins, and violas, aspiring to create a "chilling" contrast between the voices and orchestral arrangements. To incorporate more "menacing sounds," he utilized low-pitched string arrangements, a bass clarinet, a brass-muted French horn, and a waterphone.
It is sometimes alleged that Schifrin's score was the one rejected in 1973 for The Exorcist, but Schifrin has denied this in interviews.
Schifrin's score earned the film a nomination an Academy Award for Best Original Score, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination in the same category.
Tracklist:
Disc 1: The Film Score (Mono)
- Main Title 1:48
- Rumble / The Killer 0:42
- One Year Later 0:47
- Real State 0:39
- Flies / Father Delaney / Get Out! 3:15
- The Hand 0:24
- The Mirror 0:34
- Cold / The Ghost 2:56
- Bedroom Scene 1:18
- Rocking Chair / The Window / Unknown Force 1:53
- Father Bolen 1:05
- The Staircase 0:29
- The Clock / The Black Coat / Missing Money 1:49
- The Windshield 2:27
- The Babysitter 1:34
- The Closet / Under The Sofa / The Scream 1:45
- Chill / Front Door / Sergeant Vito 2:03
- Town Hall / The Phone 2:12
- The Motorcycle 0:32
- Pig’s Eyes / Carolyn 1:23
- The Wall / The Dog 2:54
- The Crucifix 2:24
- The Statues 2:22
- Kathy’s Dream / Upper Floor Level 0:45
- At The Park / Motionless 2:17
- The Wind 2:01
- The Axe 3:29
- Bleeding Walls / Postludium 5:53
- End Credits 2:23
Disc 2: Surviving Stereo Tracks
- Main Title 1:48
- One Year Later 0:47
- Real State 0:39
- Father Delaney 1:14
- The Hand 0:24
- Cold / The Ghost 2:56
- Bedroom Scene 1:18
- The Clock / The Black Coat 1:24
- The Windshield 2:27
- The Babysitter 1:34
- Chill 0:56
- Town Hall / The Phone 2:12
- Pig’s Eyes / Carolyn 1:23
- The Crucifix 2:24
- The Statues 2:22
- At The Park 1:52
- The Wind 2:01
- The Axe 3:29
- Bleeding Walls / Postludium 5:53
- End Titles 2:23
Bonus Tracks
- Amityville Frenzy 4:56
- Juke Box 3:05
- Concerto No. 5 For Harpsichord And Strings 3:45
- Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto (Excerpt) 3:12
- Concerto No. 5 For Harpsichord And Strings – Alternate 3:34
- Main Title (Extended Version) 2:23
- String Rumble Nº1 0:35
- String Rumble Nº2 0:34
- Lalo Schifrin’s SFX Session 4:55
- Trailer 0:45
Limited edition of 1000 copies.
CD 1 Total Disc Time: 54:14
CD 2 Total Disc Time: 67:31
Includes 20-page full-color package.
Track 2-21 "Amityville Frenzy" recorded at The Sound Factory.
Analog to digital transferred at Precision Audiosonics
