Review of Amityville II: The Possession (1982) by Dave W — 10 Oct 2009

I had seen Amityville when I was a young lad in this world, never been exposed to much in the way of scares and gore and it well....bored me. I have yet to revisit it except for the remake which was also a disaster in my opinion but a step above the memory of the ill fated first horror film of my childhood.

After watching Amityville II however, my interest in revisiting the first film again has peaked and now I am looking forward to rewatching it and experiencing it differently than how I remember it. Amityville II is a vintage horror from an era when horror was done well, where scares sprung from your imagination not your eyes.

All the fright was implied and your imagination was aloud to run amok. Nothing is more powerful than the imagination especially in horror. Amityville does just that. It doesn't try to frighten you with alot of in your face blood and gore and it isn't heavily reliant on special effects but rather camera trickery and moody sounds.

Even the old camera stock aids in the feel of the film. Amityville somehow manages to outdo itself in the make-up effects department for it's time. There are often scenes where skin that moves, breaths and pulsates during moments when the evil spirit of the house has taken control of the Lutz's family's eldest son.

For it's day it was a showcase of what could be done in the maek-up department. The performances are for the most part believeable and lend a great deal of tension to the film when you are about to see someone become double barrel fodder.

Overall Amityville II - the Possession is a great Halloween treat for those who enjoy vintage horror that uses your imagination against you. Highly recommended.