The Amityville Horror Remake Was Even More Cursed Than the Original

The Amityville Horror Remake Was Even More Cursed Than the Original

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  • The Curses of the Original Amityville Horror and Remake
  • The Amityville Horror Curse Follows a Trend

As someone who has spent countless hours delving into the eerie and mysterious world of horror movies, I must say that stories like the one surrounding the remake of The Amityville Horror are truly intriguing. Having watched my fair share of films that deal with the supernatural, I can’t help but feel a certain sense of unease when these types of events unfold on set.


It seems that everyone enjoys a thrilling horror film, doesn’t it? These movies are especially appealing during this season, and we all know that the terrifying elements are just make-believe. However, what if the line between fiction and reality becomes blurred? Over time, there have been numerous accounts of truly inexplicable incidents happening on the sets of horror films. Although most of these occurrences probably have a rational explanation, some can be quite challenging to dismiss.

The Omen, The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Conjuring are just a few iconic titles that reportedly suffered from these so-called paranormal incidents. But one franchise was unlucky enough to seemingly have both its original and remake movie cursed. While the original 1979 The Amityville Horror had a few creepy incidents, the 2005 Ryan Reynolds-led remake turned it up a few notches. Dead bodies, unexplained presences, and mysterious middle-of-the-night awakenings all plagued the set of this movie. But are these just strange coincidences, or was something unseen at work? And why do we typically only hear about these haunting events plaguing terror flicks? Let’s look at what went down on the set of 2005’s The Amityville Horror remake and if the unsettling true subject matter may have had an influence.

The Amityville Horror True Story and Franchise

In 1979 and 2005, two film adaptations were made, each drawing inspiration from the real-life events surrounding Ronald DeFeo Jr. On November 13, 1974, DeFeo tragically took the lives of his parents and four siblings at their Amityville, New York residence. Despite attempting to plead insanity, he was given a life sentence in prison. A year later, following the horrific events, the Lutz family occupied the DeFeos’ former dwelling. After only a month inside, they reportedly fled due to alleged supernatural harassment.

The story told in this account served as the basis for Jay Anson’s 1977 book titled “The Amityville Horror.” However, the book was criticized for exaggerating certain aspects of the tale, and the original film also amplified supernatural elements. Despite these controversies, it became a hit, leading to eight sequels and a 2005 remake. To capitalize on its popularity, a series of 25 low-budget films were produced directly for video starting in 2011. It’s clear that this franchise is not shy about exploring different ideas, as evidenced by recent titles like “Amityville Karen,” “Amityville Bigfoot,” “Amityville Shark House,” and even “Amityville in Space.

The Curses of the Original Amityville Horror and Remake

The Amityville Horror Remake Was Even More Cursed Than the OriginalThe Amityville Horror Remake Was Even More Cursed Than the OriginalThe Amityville Horror Remake Was Even More Cursed Than the Original

During the filming of “The Amityville Horror” in 1979, there were several strange occurrences that weren’t as widely publicized as some other curses. Compared to what would transpire later, the initial production was relatively uneventful. An intriguing incident involving James Brolin, the film’s lead actor, occurred when he was considering a role in the movie. As he read Anson Merrill’s “Amityville Horror” book, a pair of pants hanging on his door suddenly fell to the floor while he was reading a particularly chilling section. Whether this was a paranormal event or not is debatable, but it startled and intrigued Brolin so much that he decided to accept the role immediately.

In the Amityville case, there’s ongoing discussion about the supernatural aspects, but during the film remake’s production, some genuinely eerie occurrences took place. Actor Ryan Reynolds stated that he and other team members frequently woke up at 3:15 a.m, which might not seem odd until you realize that’s the same time when the 1974 murders were committed in the Amityville house. It’s interesting to note that Kathy Lutz, the real-life counterpart of one of the characters, was involved with the film’s production. Sadly, she passed away during the initial week of filming. Moreover, an unfortunate incident occurred at a boathouse during filming when police discovered a body floating in the lake. This death wasn’t related to the movie, and Ryan Reynolds briefly mentioned it in an interview with Radio Free Entertainment.

Indeed, that incident was truly unfortunate. To clarify, we were completely unaware of the details, and we certainly didn’t take it lightly given the circumstances. It’s important to note that the lake where this occurred was a densely populated area, not a secluded pond. So, it wasn’t a remote location like a hidden pond. As far as I can tell, it seems like a genuine accident that this mafia member surfaced or was found there.

On the set, Reynolds’ fellow actor Melissa George, along with various cast and team members, expressed feelings of discomfort. There were instances where lights would mysteriously switch on and off, and some even claimed to sense a ghostly presence when no one else was around. However, Reynolds generally played down these strange occurrences, asserting that nothing clearly supernatural took place.

The Amityville Horror Curse Follows a Trend

The Amityville Horror Remake Was Even More Cursed Than the OriginalThe Amityville Horror Remake Was Even More Cursed Than the OriginalThe Amityville Horror Remake Was Even More Cursed Than the Original

Was it fair to say that the remake of The Amityville Horror was under some kind of strange curse? Well, while many events during production were peculiar, they can largely be attributed to coincidence or explainable circumstances. The body found in the lake had nothing to do with the film crew, and Kathy Lutz’s death was simply a tragic accident. However, the recurring 3:15 a.m. wake-ups… that’s something hard to dismiss as mere chance.

It’s intriguing to ponder why such “curses” seem to be prevalent only in horror movie sets, like the Poltergeist series. It’s likely due to the nature of the films themselves. If the plot is intensely scary, the actors and crew might already be on edge. In this heightened state of awareness, ordinary occurrences could easily be perceived as supernatural. For instance, a lightbulb flickering in a comedy set wouldn’t raise any eyebrows, but in a horror movie where ghostly spirits haunt a haunted house? That same flicker might suddenly seem much more eerie. The “Amityville Horror” curse could very well be the result of a stressed cast and crew overreacting to incidents. Maybe the real curse lies in the conception of movies like Amityville Shark House. By the way, if you’re interested, you can stream The Amityville Horror (2005) on Prime Video with the Cinemax add-on.

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2024-10-19 21:31