The Amityville Horror (2005)

Director:

Andrew Douglas

Writers (WGA):

Scott Kosar (screenplay)
Jay Anson (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

15 April 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Based on the true story.

Plot:

A family is terrorized by demonic forces after moving into a home that was the site of a grisly mass-murder.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Priest | Ghost | Haunted House | Nightmare

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Ryan Reynolds	...	George Lutz
Melissa George	...	Kathy Lutz
Jesse James	...	Billy Lutz
Jimmy Bennett	...	Michael Lutz
Chloe Moretz	...	Chelsea Lutz (as Chloë Grace Moretz)
Rachel Nichols	...	Lisa
Philip Baker Hall	...	Father Callaway
Isabel Conner	...	Jodie Defeo
Brendan Donaldson	...	Ronald Defeo
Annabel Armour	...	Realtor
Rich Komenich	...	Chief of Police
David Gee	...	ER Doctor
Danny McCarthy	...	Officer Greguski
Nancy Lollar	...	Librarian
José Taitano	...	Stitch
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorian Kingi	...	Scary Leashed Indian (uncredited)
Marie Lynn	...	Store patron (uncredited)
Jenny Strubin	...	Grocery Cashier (uncredited)
Lenore Thomas	...	Nurse Fuller (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Douglas

Writing credits (WGA)
Scott Kosar		(screenplay)
Jay Anson		(novel)
Sandor Stern		(earlier screenplay)
George Lutz		(material) and
Kathy Lutz		(material) (as Kathleen Lutz)

Produced by
Michael Bay	....	producer
Matthew Cohan	....	associate producer
David Crockett	....	executive producer
Randall Emmett	....	co-executive producer
Ted Field	....	executive producer
Andrew Form	....	producer
Bradley Fuller	....	producer (as Brad Fuller)
George Furla	....	co-executive producer
Paul Mason	....	co-executive producer
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	associate producer
Steve Whitney	....	co-executive producer (as Steven Whitney)

Original Music by
Steve Jablonsky

Cinematography by
Peter Lyons Collister

Film Editing by
Roger Barton
Christian Wagner

Casting by
Lisa Fields

Production Design by
Jennifer Williams

Art Direction by
Marco Rubeo

Set Decoration by
Daniel B. Clancy

Costume Design by
David C. Robinson

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects artist
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects designer and creator
Jake Garber	....	special makeup effects on-set supervisor
Grady Holder	....	special makeup effects artist: K.N.B. EFX Group
Dominic Mango	....	key hair stylist
Helen Marchfield	....	makeup artist
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects artist
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects designer and creator (as Greg Nicotero)
Douglas Noe	....	prosthetics makeup artist
Suzi Ostos	....	key makeup artist
Andy Schoneberg	....	special makeup effects artist: additional photography

Production Management
David Crockett	....	production manager
Wileen Dragovan	....	assistant production manager
Tim Pedegana	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Thomas Coe	....	assistant director
Vince Duque	....	dayplayer second second assistant director
Mark Palansky	....	second unit director
Craig A. Pinckes	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Thomas J. Cabela	....	assistant to production designer
Kevin Cross	....	set designer
Frank D. Dambra	....	lead painter
Craig Denham	....	graphic designer
Matthew Ferreira	....	set dresser
Jonathan Gesinski	....	storyboard artist
Michael D. Gianneschi	....	assistant property master
Stephanie Gilliam	....	set designer
Gary Happ	....	construction foreman
Ashley Eden Kessler	....	buyer
Jonas Kirk	....	construction coordinator: additional photography
Ellen Lampl	....	graphic designer
Nathan Mack	....	carpenter
Matt McKinney	....	art department production assistant
James P. Meehan	....	assistant property master
Mike Monckton	....	painter
Jon Nicholson	....	on-set dresser
Tyler Osman	....	construction coordinator
Kerry Sanders	....	set designer
Timothy W. Tiedje	....	property master
Scott Troha	....	leadman
Guillaume DeLouche	....	property master: additional photography (uncredited)
Phil Ellman	....	greensman (uncredited)
Jorge Paris	....	graphics (uncredited)
Clint Schultz	....	graphic designer: additional photography (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Althoff	....	sound recordist
Steve Bartkowicz	....	re-recording engineer
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist
Kerry Ann Carmean	....	sound effects editor
Daniel S. Irwin	....	dialogue & adr editor
Kenneth L. Johnson	....	sound editor
Michael Kamper	....	sound effects editor
Bob Myers	....	sound technician
Robert Bruce Myers	....	utility sound
Kelly Oxford	....	supervising sound editor
Alan Rankin	....	supervising sound editor
Blair Scheller	....	boom operator
Pieter A. Schlosser	....	assistant: Steve Jablonsky
Brad Sherman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Unsun Song	....	sound re-recordist
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Jim Stuebe	....	production sound mixer
Lucy Sustar	....	foley mixer
Jon Taylor	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist
Karen Vassar	....	sound effects editor
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
Michael Ahasay	....	special effects foreman
Jay Appleberry	....	special effects foreman
David J. Barker	....	special effects
David J. Chamerski	....	special effects technician
Ryan Evans	....	special effects
Steve Koch	....	designer: KNB EFX Group
John D. Milinac	....	special effects director
Steven Munson	....	mold/technical department: K.N.B. EFX Group
Dirk Rogers	....	special effects technician: K.N.B. Effects Group
Patricia Urias	....	special effects: foam department
Lindsay Vivian	....	special effects runner
Jenny Wallace	....	special effects buyer
Chip Williams	....	special effects technician: casting/fabrication

Visual Effects by
Andy Barrios	....	Inferno artist: Asylum
Judith Bell	....	rotoscoper
Elissa Bello	....	lead rotoscoper
Kevin Bouchez	....	compositor
Timothy Clark	....	matte painter
Brandon Criswell	....	rotoscoper
Kevin Culhane	....	3D tracking
Brian Cuscino	....	I/O
Amit Dhawal	....	rotoscoper
Sean Andrew Faden	....	visual effects supervisor
Adam Frazier	....	I/O
Roger Guyett	....	visual effects supervisor: ILM
Matthew Hackett	....	animator
Steven Hawkins	....	I/O
Jen Hutchinson	....	controller
Joni Jacobson	....	compositor
Kim Jorgensen	....	visual effects producer
Zach Justman	....	assistant visual effects editor
Joe Ken	....	Inferno artist: Asylum
Bill Laverty	....	chief engineer
James Do Young Lee	....	rotoscoper
Janet Lewin	....	visual effects producer
Michael Lori	....	3D tracking
Cornelia Magas	....	rotoscoper
Emma McGuinness	....	visual effects executive producer
Nathan McGuinness	....	senior visual effects supervisor
Tony Meister	....	digital artist
Ryan Meredith	....	visual effects coordinator
Derek Milner	....	assistant color timer
Sébastien Moreau	....	Inferno compositor: ILM
Steve Muangman	....	compositor
Perri Pecora	....	compositor
Gerald Ragland	....	digital intermediate assistant
Kosta Saric	....	visual effects editor: Asylum Visual Effects
John Scheer	....	digital effects artist
Hilary Sperling	....	compositor
Marty Taylor	....	compositor
Jessica Teach	....	visual effects coordinator
Zachary Tucker	....	animator
Aaron Vest	....	modeler
Steve Vojkovic	....	digital opticals
Jeff Werner	....	CG producer
Yuichiro Yamashita	....	animator
Tonia Young	....	rotoscoper
Beth D'Amato	....	digital paint and roto artist (uncredited)
Claas Henke	....	compositor: Asylum (uncredited)

Stunts
Tommy Bacini	....	stunts
Kenny Bates	....	action coordinator
Kurt Bryant	....	stunt coordinator
Stacey Carino	....	stunts
Brian Christensen	....	stunts
Laura Dash	....	stunts
Tobiasz Daszkiewicz	....	stunts (as Tobias Daszkiewicz)
Shauna Douglas	....	stunts
Shauna Duggins	....	stunt double
Richard Epper	....	stunt rigger
Richard Epper	....	stunts
Mark Harper	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunt coordinator (as Rick LeFevour)
Tom Lowell	....	stunts
James R. Mammoser	....	stunts (as James Mammoser)
Larry Nicholas	....	stunts
Carl Paoli	....	stunt double: Ryan Reynolds
Linda Perlin	....	stunts
Jodi Starnes	....	stunts
Tom Vicini	....	stunt double: Billy
Tom Vicini	....	stunts (as Gaetano Vicini)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Alessi	....	rigging key grip
Faires Anderson	....	Steadicam operator
Cortland Boyd	....	key grip
Kevin Boyd	....	key video assist operator
Fernando M. Briones	....	dolly grip
Robert C. Carlson	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Mark Castelaz	....	gaffer: second unit
Christopher M. Collar Jr.	....	grip (as Chris Collar)
Flor Collins	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Dawn Copeland	....	electrician
Erik Curtis	....	first assistant camera: water unit
Chris Dame	....	remote head technician
Jaime Dawkins	....	additional grip
Darrin DeLoach	....	first assistant camera: additional photography
Rachel Donofrie	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Christopher Duskin	....	additional cinematography
Chris Freres	....	rigging best boy grip
Joe Gajewski	....	additional grip
Gregg Gannett	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Chris Glomp	....	best boy electric
Joseph Guerino	....	electrician
Joseph Guerino	....	rigging gaffer
Peter Iovino	....	still photographer
Timothy Jipping	....	grip
Matt Johnson	....	additional electrician
Shane D. Kelly	....	chief lighting technician
Dennis J. Leahy	....	generator operator
Matthew LeCrone	....	additional electrician
Rashaad Lewis	....	grip
Ken Little Jr.	....	assistant camera
Helmut Luchs	....	grip: second unit
Anthony J. Lullo	....	electrician
Anthony J. Lullo	....	gaffer: second unit
Joseph M. Lyons	....	electrician (as Joe Lyons)
Blake E. Matthys	....	grip
Bradley T. Matthys	....	grip
Mark E. Matthys	....	best boy grip
Steven Matthys	....	best boy grip: second unit
Peter Mercurio	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Chris Mulsoff	....	best boy electric: second unit
Wilson Mylander	....	electrician
Ray Patrick	....	super technocrane operator
Mark Pickens	....	second key grip
Keith Pokorski	....	crane operator: Technocrane
Stephanie Power	....	electrician
Christopher Rejano	....	additional electrician
Chris Ryerson	....	dolly grip
Chris Ryerson	....	key grip: second unit
David Schmalz	....	video assist operator
Andrew Shulkind	....	operator: libra head
Dean M. Simmon	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Andy Smith	....	playback operator
Andy Smith	....	video assist operator
Kurt E. Soderling	....	director of aerial photography
Scott Thiele	....	grip
Rick Thomas	....	gaffer
Dan Urbain	....	film loader
Billy Wauer	....	additional electrician
Kevin Wisor	....	additional electrician
Mark N. Woods	....	crane operator: Technocrane
Joe Carpita	....	camera intern (uncredited)
Kyle Holden	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Danielle Aufiero	....	casting assistant
Meagan Lewis	....	casting assistant
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	adr voice casting
Matt Miller	....	casting associate
Mickie Paskal	....	casting: Chicago
Marisa Ross	....	casting associate
Danny Roth	....	casting: New York
Jennifer Rudnicke	....	casting: Chicago

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Patrick Caulfield	....	set costumer
Miriam Hoffman-Durand	....	seamstress (as Miriam Hoffman)
Jonathan Kinnas	....	wardrobe assistant
Gina Panno	....	costume supervisor
Heather Pollock	....	additional set costumer
Ellen Ryba	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Rob Doolittle	....	digital on-line editor
Leigh Folsom	....	first assistant editor
Nicholas Hasson	....	digital intermediate editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Jackie Lee	....	digital intermediate producer
Missy Papageorge	....	digital intermediate producer
Chris Regan	....	color timer
Erik Rogers	....	digital intermediate producer
John Scheer	....	digital intermediate on-line editor
Craig W. Smith	....	apprentice editor
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	colorist
Fulvio Valsangiacomo	....	assistant editor
Salvatore Catanzaro	....	digital intermediate assist (uncredited)
Mike Chiado	....	digital intermediate technologist (uncredited)
Mark T. Osborne	....	additional colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Robb Boyd	....	music editor: temp
James Dooley	....	additional music programmer (as James Michael Dooley)
James Dooley	....	composer: additional music (as James Michael Dooley)
Clay Duncan	....	additional music programmer
Clay Duncan	....	composer: additional music
Jonathan Flood	....	additional music programmer
Jonathan Flood	....	composer: additional music
Bruce Fowler	....	score orchestrator
Alan Meyerson	....	music scoring mixer
Pieter A. Schlosser	....	technical score advisor
Tom Trafalski	....	music editor
Booker White	....	music preparation

Transportation Department
Joey Freitas	....	transportation
Brian McQuery	....	transportation production assistant

Other crew
Olivier Agostini	....	production assistant
Robert Amico	....	stand-in: Phillip Baker Hall, re-shoots
Jeremy Beiermann	....	assistant production office coordinator
Allison Bergstrand	....	assistant: Mr. Field
Melissa Bickerton	....	adr loop group
Senica Billingsley	....	production assistant
Adam Boor	....	office production assistant
Kevin Boyd	....	video coordinator
Brady Breen	....	location manager
Dru Anne Carlson	....	script supervisor
Jeffrey Caruso	....	assistant production coordinator
Beth Casey	....	animal trainer
Bill Casey	....	animal trainer
Rosie Charbonneau	....	assistant: Randall Emmett and George Furla
Jason Cosgrove	....	business and legal affairs
Patrick Cunningham	....	key on-set production assistant
Joli Eberhart	....	assistant: Michael Bay
Liam Ford	....	data manager: CO3
Ira Gerber	....	production assistant
Carrie Goodman	....	location scout
P.J. Haines	....	chef
Virgil E. Hammond III	....	executive specialist: Cinecoach Production Systems
Sheryl L. Hammond	....	executive specialist: Cinecoach Production Systems
Clayton Hauck	....	additional production assistant
Rosa Yang Kato	....	assistant location manager (as Rosa Yang Kato)
Bradley Kettlety	....	assistant: Mr. Douglas
Perry M. Kimura	....	digital film scanning and recording
Sara Nudelman	....	office production assistant
Disha Patel	....	production assistant
Diane Perry	....	on-set masseuse
John M. Pisani	....	publicist
Martha Provenzano	....	assistant: Mr. Form and Mr. Fuller
Katie Pruitt	....	production assistant
James Reem	....	first aid
Robert Rizzolo	....	set production assistant: re-shoots
Marco A. Rodriguez	....	remote head technician
Sandy Sfeir	....	first assistant accountant
Jenny Siff	....	production staff: additional photography
Michele Soefer	....	assistant: Mr. Form and Mr. Fuller
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	executive producer: Company 3
Andy Spellman	....	additional production assistant
Helen Stergiou	....	payroll accountant
Laura Torrance	....	studio teacher
Jeff Valeri	....	production coordinator
Kenneth Yoder	....	production assistant
Edward Albolote	....	assistant: Michael Bay (uncredited)
Graham Geraghty	....	assistant: Michael Bay (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Dimension Films
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• United Artists
• Platinum Dunes
• Radar Pictures

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Spain (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Entertainment (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2005) (Finland) (theatrical)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Veronica (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group (special makeup effects)
• Asylum VFX (visual effects)
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• American Roadshow Motion Picture And Television Catering  catering
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Sessions Payroll Management  extras payroll services
• Transportation Resources  transportation equipment (Los Angeles)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, disturbing images, language, brief sexuality and drug use. (edited for re-rating)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:16 | Peru:14 | Argentina:16 | Taiwan:R-12 | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:16 | Malaysia:18PL | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Germany:16 | Ireland:15A | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #41520) | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

1500 Busch Pky., Buffalo Grove, Illinois, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

This movie was not screened for the critics.

Goofs:

Continuity: When George is chopping wood and Billy is holding the second log, George swings the axe back, and when he's swinging the axe at the log, that Billy is holding, he doesn't have the axe on his hands. The axe reappears when he chops the log.

Quotes:

[first lines]
The House: Catch them! Kill them!

Movie Connections:

Featured in 2006 MTV Movie Awards (2006) (TV)

Better than the Original?

When it comes to making a film in Hollywood these days it would appear that they are running out of original material. Any film that is over 10 years old has the chance of being remade but the real question is which will be better. This is a film that breaks the normal mold of being awful compared to its predecessor. I actually really enjoyed this remake and found myself more scared in this one than the original. Was this film Better? No. But it holds its own on its own merits. Having read the book, this one is a little more true to the story and for that I applaud the film makers. The film was very good and I rate it in my Horror Hall of Fame.

In this particular version of the film it could be said that it was more accurate to the original book. And for those who consider this to be a hoax there has never been any proof either way. It is quite interesting to hear people who think they are authorities on the matter. Most people probably have not even read the book. There have been more than one book written about what happened in the house and the house the stood on the same location prior to the incident with the Lutz family. This film represents more than just the book the Amityville Horror. It takes its cues from the different novels that have been written about the event and the location.

This movie is very scary, and has lots of good jumps in it. The director of the film was obviously very interested in not making a film that came across as a remake but one that could stand on its own merits and not those of its previous incarnation. When I go to a film I judge it by several different criteria since I used to be a movie critic for a reputable newspaper. These criteria are the following. 1. How did the movie effect the audience in general? 2. Storyline cohesion. 3. Special Effects (ie. did they detract from the movie, overpower the movie, or just assist in the telling of the movie) 4. Can it stand on its own if its a Prequel, Sequel or Remake. 5. When I left the movie did I feel like I had been part of it (ie Suspension of Disbelief)

When I look at the Amityville Horror it scored highly in all of these categories, especially the last which in my opinion is the most important of the 5. When you walk out from a film and you were ready to leave because the movie was good enough to make you feel as if you were part of it, it was just a good movie. Most people have preconceived ideas about what a movie should be like when they go into it. I on the other hand go in as blank slate as possible so I can take the movie for its own worth and nothing else. It is a suggestion that I would give to all movie goers, don't go in prejudging a film because of the movies prequels, or predecessors. This movie is a prime example of trying to compare it to the original. The two movies were very different takes on the story and should be viewed as such.