Long Island. Short Lives.

Welcome to Amityville. This coastal Long Island township offers lush green foliage. The only thing friendlier than the seas are the people. The Gatsby-ian dream flourishes as thriving boutiques, salons, and knick-knack shops line the endless downtown district. Many words come to mind when considering this suburban paradise.

Unfortunately for the Amityvillians, their hometown is famously connected to a less endearing word. Horror.

GET OUT!
This, is like, totally where this phrase came from! If not, it might as well have. The Amityville Horror (both 1979 and 2005) is based on a book of the same name. Based on a true story, the film follows the Lutz family as they experience severe paranormal activity in their new home. Story goes that a man killed his family just a year before. Between that and the state of the market, the Lutz's got quite the real estate discount. Throughout the course of both films, the most common thought ringing in your head will undoubtedly be, "Why don't you just get the fuck out of there?" Because then nobody will die and this is a horror flick, silly!

"You had me at hello."

HITTING 'EM WHERE IT HURTS
Yeah, it's pretty hard to shake today's youth. Blood and shadowy figures just won't cut it anymore. Bela Lugosi's haunting stare will conjure giggles before gasps. The only way to get 'em is to make the audience question itself. Like other films dealing with possession, in this particular case a house rather than a being, religion comes into play. A priest runs from the estate suggesting that god is not present in all places. Some places are too close to hell to be guarded by god. The film questions trust in parental figures as well. If we can't put our faith in a god or parents to protect us, then who? Nobody. Loneliness. Utter abandonment. And that's more terrifying than a guy in a hockey mask. Believe me, I know, I've been single for five years. (check the FB status!)

TURN BACK THE CLOCK...
Next post we'll jump back to the original picture. Expect this pattern from now on. Original - Remake, Remake - Original, Original - Remake, and so on. Next week prep for another trip in the cinematic time machine!