'The Amityville Horror' Revisited

I am hoping to do more articles like this in the future in which I revisit books I read in my teens and early 20s, looking at whether my opinion of them has changed. I would like to look at the descriptions, the build of the story and how the book has come to change some of my literary tastes and whether that is entirely true. Of course, this won't be as structured and academic as 'Why It's a Masterpiece', but I will want to delve into a little bit about the book. So instead of it being every week, this might be a little bit more sporadic.

"The Amityville Horror" Revisited

I first read Amityville when I was around 18, and I know that because it was the summer before I went to university. I read it a few times after that but I do still have some notes from when I first read it. Admittedly, I have been bad - I read the book after watching the original movie but thankfully before watching the god awful Ryan Reynolds version. Amityville is perhaps one of the most iconic horror novels of all time and I wanted to share some of my thoughts about what has changed about my perception of it over the years.

1) Plot

It's a true-crime plot with a horror twist so I'm alright with it as it does not completely define its genre. When I was eighteen it looked like I found the plot far more interesting than I find it now. Now, as I near thirty, I look at it with slightly more cynicism but it doesn't take away from the fun of the overall plot. I'm all for possessions and hauntings and though the family-side of the plot is not as interesting, I think I found the possession and haunting plots just as fun as they are today.

2) Themes

One of the main themes of "The Amityville Horror" by Jay Anson is the impact of supernatural forces on a family. When I was eighteen, it looked like I found the theme far more intriguing than I find it now. The idea of a family being tormented by malevolent spirits was riveting back then. Now, as I near thirty, I look at it with slightly more cynicism, recognising some of the sensationalism that might have been at play.

But this doesn't take away from the fun of the overall plot. I'm all for possessions and hauntings, and though the family-side of the plot is not as compelling to me now, I still find the possession and haunting elements just as thrilling today as I did back then. The blend of true-crime and horror in how the supernatural forces disrupt the family's life adds an interesting layer to the story that keeps it engaging despite any reservations I might have grown into over the years.

3) Horror

This book is probably the blueprint for the horror where we usually see the 'based on a true story' subtitle. To be honest, even in my teens I was cynical about how much of this stuff was actually true and how much of it was simply mass hysteria or seeing what you want to see. Be that as it may, I still enjoyed how atmospheric the book is. Set in the bleak midwinter, the family move into a new home that was on the market for a bargain mainly because in was the household in which a horrific murder was committed.

This kind of reminds me of a 'Hands of Orlac' situaion in which the people are haunted by the people before them. I have no idea whether this is a good thing but I did love 'The Hands of Orlac' but most of that was the acting. 'The Amityville Horror' has some adaptations that are less than savoury now that I really come to think of it.

Conclusion:

I think that re-reading 'The Amityville Horror" has made me dislike it a little bit more than I would like to and yet, it has made me delve deeper into the themes and symbolism the book contains. I have always loved the build up and yet, the horror is a little bit underwhelming the more you read the book. However, that doesn't mean it isn't a blueprint for modern 'based on a true story' horror.