How To Watch The Amityville Horror Movies In Order

The 1979 movie “The Amityville Horror” was initially inspired by a case originally probed by the real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, whose work forms the basis of the “Conjuring” universe. This film marked the start of an unnerving collection of stories that, due to its roots in a true news event and a specific geographical location, cannot be legally protected even within the highly litigious realm of U.S. intellectual property law.

In essence, although the first Amityville film was produced by Warner Bros., numerous other movies using the name Amityville have been made. These films, while generally linked in some way to the 1977 book about the purportedly haunted 1925 Dutch Colonial house on Long Island where Ron DeFeo murdered six family members in 1974, encompass a wide range of genres – from witch stories and werewolf films to even sexually explicit content. As Michael Stone of Rotted Reviews humorously pointed out, “I could pass gas for an hour and a half and legally release it as ‘Amityville Gas Chamber’, and no one could sue me.

To fully immerse yourself in the expanded Amityville saga, it’s recommended to first follow the films based on the original story sequentially, then move on to watch the rest of the movies as they were released. While it may seem intricate at first glance, it’s actually quite straightforward. Here’s a suggested viewing order for you:

1. Amityville Horror (1979)
2. Amityville II: The Possession (1982)
3. Amityville 3-D (1983)
4. Amityville Horror (2005)
5. The Amityville Haunting (2011)
6. Amityville Asylum (2013)
7. Amityville: A New Generation (1993)
8. Amityville Dollhouse (1996)
9. The Amityville Legacy (1997)
10. Amityville: It’s About Time (1992)
11. Amityville: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) <- This film is not part of the original story but can be watched if you wish to explore crossovers
12. Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes (1989)
13. Amityville 5: The Amityville Kid (1989)
14. Amityville: A New Beginning (1985)
15. Amityville 3-D (2005) <- This is a remake of the original 1983 film, but can be watched after watching the 1979 version if you prefer to watch the remakes in order of release.

“Amityville II: The Possession” (1982)
“The Amityville Murders” (2018)
“The Amityville Horror” (1979 and 2005)
“Amityville 3-D” (1983)
“Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes” (1989)
“The Amityville Curse” (1990)
“Amityville: It’s About Time” (1992)
“Amityville: A New Generation” (1993)
“Amityville Dollhouse” (1996)
“The Amityville Haunting” (2011)
“Amityville: The Awakening” (2017)
The various Amityville indie films

Amityville II: The Possession (1982)

For many years, a mystery that left both criminologists puzzled and paranormal enthusiasts intrigued has been the grisly murder of Ron “Butch” DeFeo Jr., who at age 23, fatally shot his parents and four younger siblings, aged between nine and 18. While author Ric Osuna later suggested that the family’s abusive father and rumored connections to organized crime might have played a role in their tragic end, speculations about supernatural occurrences from the future homeowners would ultimately overshadow the genuine tragedy in public perception.

Amityville II: The Possession” offers a fictional account based on the actual terrors that gave rise to the chilling tales surrounding 112 Ocean Avenue, with the DeFeos being portrayed as the Montellis, a large Italian-American family. Similar to the real Ron Sr., Anthony (played by Burt Young), the head of the Montelli family, exhibits abusive and unhappy behavior. However, the situation worsens when the haunted house begins to play malicious tricks, causing the family’s bonds to disintegrate at an alarming rate, leading to instances of marital abuse and implied incest.

The movie largely shares the same narrative structure with “The Amityville Horror”, where a family discovers their new home is not just haunted, but also the site of a severe demonic possession, reminiscent of “The Exorcist”. This sets the film apart from regular hauntings and serves as an effective introduction to the “Amityville” series, making “Amityville II: The Possession” an engaging starting point for viewers.

The Amityville Murders (2018)

The movie titled “The Amityville Murders” is essentially a re-telling of “Amityville II: The Possession,” offering a supernatural perspective on the actual events surrounding the DeFeo murders, using the real family’s names. This film, rated 0% by Rotten Tomatoes for its critical reviews, transforms the chilling true crime story into one with a supernatural twist, controversially implying that the DeFeo family’s misfortune was orchestrated by malevolent spirits manipulating Ron Jr.’s mind.

Based on its lack of sensitivity, the reviews for this film are, unfortunately, quite poor and there’s more to it than just a questionable plot. The pacing is sluggish, the costumes and sets seem to fall short of historical accuracy, and the writing is subpar, to say the least. One IMDb reviewer put it succinctly: “The acting was ‘meh’, watching the mother struggle with her cigarette in the kitchen was excruciating. Modern fixtures like doorknobs, electrical outlets, and LED candles were noticeable.” In essence, despite its attempt to portray the real-life DeFeo family murders, “The Amityville Murders” might have been better off as a Netflix documentary.

The Amityville Horror (1979 and 2005)

While it’s beneficial for any enthusiast of the Amityville saga to watch both the 1979 original “The Amityville Horror” and its 2005 remake consecutively to make comparisons, the order in which you start doesn’t significantly matter. What truly counts is that contemporary viewers of the initial movie should contemplate it from the perspective of Stephen King’s concept of “economic horror”, as detailed in his 1981 non-fiction book “Danse Macabre”. In this work, King suggested that the film could essentially be titled “The Horror of the Shrinking Bank Account” due to its underlying theme of financial devastation. Essentially, beneath the ghost story facade, “The Amityville Horror” is a high-speed race towards financial ruin.

In both movies, the Lutz family purchases their Amityville house at an incredibly low price, barely within their budget, even though they seem unfazed by its grisly past. However, the deal begins to unravel as they move in. Odd occurrences like a door locking a child in the attic, a priest unable to bless the home, and a visiting nun falling ill, among other terrifying events, haunt the family. Yet, the most chilling aspect is the gradual deterioration of their mental well-being and emotional stability, leading to violent outbursts. Despite Ryan Reynolds’ impressive performance in the remake and its improved production quality, the original film featuring Margot Kidder, James Brolin, and Rod Steiger is generally considered superior.

Amityville 3-D (1983)

In the sequence after “The Amityville Horror,” the movie “Amityville 3-D” deviates from the standard haunted house narrative by introducing a confirmed skeptic into the Amityville world. This film, part of a brief 3D trend that emerged when film executives grew apprehensive about the surge in VCRs, is rich with realistic effects and excessive use of 3D. Notable instances include a red Frisbee moving slowly towards the audience at one point, and a monster reminiscent of Large Marge, with each 3D scene growing increasingly absurd yet entertaining.

Peel off those 3D spectacles and draw nearer, and you’ll discover a rather compelling movie lurking beneath the trickery. This tale centers around John Baxter (Tony Roberts), a science-loving skeptic journalist, who, amidst a contentious divorce, shifts into the Amityville house. Accompanied by his daughter Susan (Lori Loughlin prior to “Full House” and her subsequent string of garage sale Hallmark flicks) and Susan’s pal Lisa (Meg Ryan in an under-the-radar cinematic performance), they start experiencing unexplainable supernatural occurrences. Once they uncover that the dwelling stands on a Native American burial ground, as well as a gateway to Hell for added measure, things start making a tad more sense.

Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes (1989)

If “Amityville 3D” marks a shift in the Amityville series towards the unusual, the goofy, Patty Duke-led made-for-TV sequel “The Evil Escapes” takes us even further down the rabbit hole. After all the discussions about demonic forces and gates to hell in the initial films, the entity haunting the Amityville house actually manages to escape before it can be exorcised by a team of six priests. During the exorcism, the demon playfully hides in a unique floor lamp as if playing hide-and-seek (apparently, Latin doesn’t work through light bulbs). A real estate agent holds an open house a few days later and, as a joke, gives the lamp away for $100. The lamp is then transported to California.

Immediately after its purchase, bizarre and concerning events begin unfolding around the lamp. The new owner sustains a cut on it, leading to a fatal case of tetanus; pets display erratic behavior near it; and one family member is inexplicably drawn to it. Before long, the tale spirals into the absurd — a plumber meets an untimely death in sewage, an electrician suffers a gruesome accident with a garbage disposal, and the family pet winds up inside a toaster. It’s a ludicrous, zany, early-1990s romp that strips down the mythos of the franchise to a self-aware lamp and offers little in terms of substance. If you enjoy horror films with a touch of humor and can appreciate a ‘so bad it’s good’ flick, you’ll find it delightful.

The Amityville Curse (1990)

1990 saw the release of “The Amityville Curse,” a movie that takes place 12 years after the original Amityville murders, as depicted in the novel of the same name by Hans Holzer. This novel was penned by a real-life parapsychologist and ghost hunter with over a hundred books on the supernatural to his credit. The plot of this film is somewhat complex and only loosely connected to the initial Amityville story. Following the DeFeo family murders, a priest was fatally shot in a confessional booth, which eventually found its way into the clergy house. This booth was later purchased by a psychologist named Marvin (played by David Stein) and his wife Debbie (portrayed by Dawna Wightman).

It’s not surprising that the confession box is haunted, causing chaos, sorrow, and death within the household. As the number of deaths increases, it becomes clear that the priest plays a significant role in these events. However, this plot has little to do with the original Amityville story or the book it’s supposed to be based on. The connection is only through setting and loose references. Furthermore, when viewed from the 2020s perspective, the issues uncovered behind the haunted confessional box seem even more problematic.

Amityville: It’s About Time (1992)

In a direct-to-video sequel titled “Amityville: It’s About Time,” the film embraces bold 90s fashion and interior design trends, making it surprisingly enjoyable compared to the last two installments in the series. The narrative takes an unexpected twist as it revisits the Amityville-to-California demon relocation, this time through a storyline involving sentient second-hand goods. The plot unfolds when suburban architect Jacob Sterling (Stephen Macht) and his family experience turmoil after Jacob returns home from Amityville, where he’d been scouting for new housing developments. While there, he stumbled upon an extraordinary clock that seemed perfect for their mantelpiece back home.

Not long after Jacob places his salvaged item in his Pottery Barn living room, events take a sinister turn, starting with a vicious dog bite and escalating rapidly to involve hallucinations, hate crimes, oozing black substance, a zombie from the bathtub, and, as expected, murders. At one stage, a teenager’s boyfriend liquefies into the floor, and the special effects are quite impressive for that time. Despite being largely based on the lamp incident, this tale has a hint of the Tom Hanks comedy horror “The Burbs,” with a nostalgic atmosphere and an overall eccentricity that makes it one of the more entertaining entries in the series.

Amityville: A New Generation (1993)

In the ongoing exploration of the haunted objects within the Amityville universe, “Amityville: A New Generation” focuses on a seemingly enchanting yet potentially cursed mirror that originated from the infamous Amityville murder house. The narrative unfolds with a glimpse into the past, several years prior to the DeFeo family’s occupation of the malevolent residence at 112 Ocean Avenue. It is revealed that the DeFeos are not the only victims of the house’s tragic history; in 1966, Franklin Bronner, battling severe mental illness, tragically took his family’s lives during Thanksgiving and was subsequently institutionalized. After this incident, he went on to murder his wife in front of their child.

In the movie titled “A New Generation”, we follow the story of a young boy named Keyes who transforms into an urban photographer residing in an artistic community. His life takes a dramatic turn when his long-lost, dangerous father, a homeless man named Jack Orend, reappears. This man presents Keyes with a mirror that’s possessed by evil spirits which soon begins to eliminate his fellow artists. Terry O’Quinn, famously known for playing John Lock in “Lost”, plays a detective in this film, and Richard Roundtree from the “Shaft” series is also part of the cast.

Amityville Dollhouse (1996)

Amityville Dollhouse,” much like “It’s About Time,” is crafted by the same creators. This new production takes us back to the iconic Ocean Avenue, which has been refurbished following a fire that destroyed everything. The narrative revolves around the Martin family, comprising newlyweds Claire (Starr Andreeff) and Bill (Robin Thomas), along with their combined brood. During their move-in, Bill discovers a dollhouse remarkably similar to the original Amityville house hidden in the shed.

This finding sets the stage for more supernatural oddities, which are often imitations and toned-down versions of the terrors portrayed in the early movies. Imagery of gruesome accidents, domestic animal issues, and inappropriate romantic entanglements are common themes. Add a voodoo doll or two, another zombie, some disturbing fly scenes, and a few Wiccan family members battling demons, and you have another peculiar Amityville sequel that left many viewers unimpressed.

The movie incorporates unique shrinking/enlarging features with a dollhouse, but it primarily blends elements typical of cursed object and haunted house narratives. Apart from the visually appealing dollhouse design and the shared address with earlier installments, there seems to be no direct link to the series.

The Amityville Haunting (2011)

Made by The Asylum, a production company renowned for horror films like the “Sharknado” series and “Z Nation,” which have a dedicated fanbase, comes “The Amityville Haunting.” This film offers a fresh take on the story from “The Amityville Horror,” presented as a found-footage movie with the tagline “The family did not survive. But the recordings did.” Since the movie is set in 2008, it either can’t fit into the same narrative universe as “Dollhouse” or exists in an alternate timeline—we won’t dwell on those details for now.

With their children Melanie (Gracie Largent), Tyler (Devin Clark), and Lori (Nadine Crocker), Douglas (Jason Williams) and Virginia Benson (Amy Van Horne) decided to move into the Amityville house, despite its notorious past. They were aware of its dark history, but found their real estate agent deceased on the property grounds. Good real estate opportunities are hard to find, so they went ahead with the purchase. Luckily for them, Tyler had set up extensive CCTV and video cameras throughout the house, which captured everything when things took a turn for the worse. However, this story is not a unique or exceptional addition to the Amityville saga, and it falls short of the best productions from The Asylum.

Amityville: The Awakening (2017)

Fans of horror movies should appreciate Blumhouse for concluding the main Amityville series on a relatively strong note with what’s considered one of the most intricate films in the primary storyline. The 2017 film “Amityville: The Awakening” features a talented cast including Bella Thorne, Jennifer Morrison, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurtwood Smith, and Cameron Monaghan. In this movie, the DeFeo murders are acknowledged as real events, but “The Amityville Horror” is depicted as a work of fiction. The Walker family, who move into 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville due to a housing shortage and also because they need to be near a neurologist since one of their children has locked-in syndrome, are fully aware of both the real-life events and the fictional account.

As a gamer, I’d put it this way: “Amityville: The Awakening” might seem like more of the same haunted house tale, but there’s an intriguing twist about one character’s intentions that makes you question if housewife demonic possession could be a unique aspect instead of just a recurring theme. Critics gave it mixed reviews, but it stands out as one of the better Amityville films, with IGN calling it “periodically shocking” and Slant describing it as an “elegant addition” to the series. It’s not going to break any records, but if you’re a fan of the Amityville franchise, you could do a lot worse. It’s a decent finale to your Amityville movie marathon.

Watch the long list of wild Amityville indie films in any order

Currently, we’re moving on to an assortment of eccentric, offbeat, and downright peculiar indie films. These range from alleged money-makers based on the Amityville series, to unintended comedy gold that borders on self-parody. There’s no set sequence in which you should watch them.

Group projects:

In the movie titled “Amityville: The Last Chapter” (2015), a team of ghost investigators and an individual who alleges a beast was responsible for his babysitter’s demise, are involved.
“Witches of Amityville Academy” (2020): Amityville meets “Horror Story: Coven.”

Cursed objects:

“The Amityville Legacy” (2016): Cursed toy monkey
“Amityville: Evil Never Dies” (2017): A sequel to “Legacy” with clowns
“The Amityville Exorcism” (2017): Cursed scrap lumber
“Amityville Vibrator” (2020): Exactly what it sounds like

Haunted Houses:

“The Amityville Terror” (2016): Cheap rent, possessed house
“The Amityville Harvest” (2020): Documentary crew, deteriorating manor
“An Amityville Poltergeist” (2020): Housesitting horror story

Other Haunted Locations:

“The Amityville Asylum” (2013): Haunted psychiatric hospital
“The Amityville Playhouse” (2015): High school kids camping at an abandoned theater
“Amityville: Vanishing Point” (2016): Haunted boarding house
“Amityville Island” (2020): Genetic experiments on an island
“Against the Night” (2017): Haunted prison

Found Footage:

“Amityville: Mt. Misery Road” (2018): “The Blair Witch Project” with a wealthy couple
“Amityville: No Escape” (2016): Found footage drama across two timelines

Monsters:

“Amityville Death House” (2015): Vengeful warlock and a half-spider woman

“The Amityville Moon” (2021): Just add werewolves
“Amityville Cop” (2021): Revenge-seeking demon policeman

2025-04-12 23:33