‘Amityville Horror’ haunted audiences for decades, the true story behind it

• The Amityville Horror, a 1979 horror extravaganza, is the most well-known horror movie
• This is why the history of the horror genre is replete with films based on real-life incidents.
• The family moved into their new house, but after less than a month, they left everything behind.

The Amityville Horror, a 1979 horror extravaganza, is the most well-known horror movie. The murderer Ed Gein is an unofficial inspiration for the films Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Silence of the Lambs. The stories told by demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren served as the inspiration for the movies The Conjuring and Annabelle. The Amityville Horror, a 1979 horror extravaganza, is the most well-known horror movie based on a true story.

The film was so well-liked that it spawned a series of lackluster prequels and even a remake starring Ryan Reynolds in 2005, but none of them could compare to the impact of the original. The Amityville Horror, which starred James Brolin, Margot Kidder, and Rod Steiger, was a huge box office success because of its “too horrific to be real” plot. It draws inspiration from Jay Anson’s 1977 novel of the same name, which was both very well-liked and highly contentious due to disputes about what was real and what was made up.

So what actually happened in The Amityville Horror? The movie revolves around a guy, his wife, and their children moving into a home where another man murdered his family. They rapidly discover that the house is possessed and that they must flee for their life. While there is room for disagreement on supernatural elements, the trigger event is unquestionable.

It All Starts With the DeFeo Murders

The incident in Amityville, New York, a community on Long Island, gave rise to the movie’s name. On November 13, 1974, a 23-year-old man named Ronald J. DeFeo Jr. shot six members of his family to death in their beds as they slept at night in a home that resembles the infamous one from the film nearly perfectly. Along with his little siblings Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John, his parents Ronald Sr. and Louise were also murdered.

DeFeo initially claimed to have discovered their bodies after the killings and even accused a hitman for the massacre; but, the following day, he finally owned up to his crimes and stated that he was the one who had slain his entire family.

As his explanation evolved over time, the “why” of his crimes was never quite obvious. He first claimed to have heard voices. Later, he claimed that additional family members had assisted him. Many have attempted to solve the problem on their own. Was DeFeo after the money from his father’s life insurance?  had a psychotic episode? Has his past drug use been a factor? Or was it a supernatural or illogical occurrence? It was a story that stuck with people. How was it possible for a guy to murder his entire family in such a manner without anyone noticing, getting out of bed, or rising to defend themselves? DeFeo received a 25-year to a life jail term after being convicted guilty of the killings at trial. He remained there till his passing in 2021.

A Year Later, the Lutz Family Moved In

Although it is addressed in the movie, The Amityville Horror focuses on what happens after that. After a year, George and Kathy Lutz (played by Brolin and Kidder), who were aware of the house’s gruesome past, acquired it on the cheap and moved in with Kathy’s three young children. Father Ralph Pecoraro, a priest who blessed the newlyweds, claimed to have heard a mysterious, deep voice asking him to leave the residence. He claimed that he felt a force slap him at that point, and afterward, blisters appeared on his hands.

The typical haunted house elements started to appear once the Lutz family moved in. Doors automatically banged. Beds shifted. On the carpet, an ooze developed. Unusual odors arrived and disappeared. No matter what they did to heat the house, it remained bitterly cold. Every night, George claimed, he would awaken at around 3:15 a.m., the exact time the killings took place. He claimed that one night, he even awoke to discover Kathy hovering over the bed. The family moved into their new house, but after less than a month, they left everything behind.

Was the Haunting Real or a Lie?

It is accurate to say that the Lutz family only stayed there for 28 days. It is accurate to say that investigators visited the house. However, the paranormal allegations made by the family cannot be validated. Since the bestselling book is based on interviews with the Lutz family, many people have concluded that they made everything up to support their money claim. George Lutz contacted DeFeo’s attorney, William Weber, who was attempting to get a book written on his client before speaking with the eventual book’s author. Lutz was “generating concepts,” according to Weber, who said that Lutz was inebriated while he was delivering his narrative. Weber responded, “Absolutely not, because they were making a business venture,” when asked if he believed Lutz.

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