Friend of the Gutter Sara Century looks at the Amityville franchise at Manor Vellum. “The Amityville Horror may not be especially unique at its root when viewed through the eyes of modern audiences. After all, today’s genre fans have seen similar stories in countless films, including, but not limited to, The Conjuring (2013), Paranormal Activity (2007) Poltergeist (1982), Insidious (2010), and countless sequels thereof. Yet, it is still a disturbing story, and very much in tune with other movies of its era that showed a sort of funhouse mirror’s version of the idealized fathers of days past. Combined with its real-world spectacle, it was a recipe for commercial success.”