What could make a horror movie even more terrifying than it already is? Imagine if the horrors on screen suddenly became real. That is exactly what happened during filming of the 2005 remake ofThe Amityville Horror. As the cast and crew worked to recreate the 1979 horror story, life imitated art in the most chilling ways possible.The Amityville Horroris a modern retelling of the original horror flick, withRyan ReynoldsandMelissa Georgestepping into the roles of George and Kathy Lutz. After purchasing a home at a surprisingly low price,the Lutz family discovers that the former occupant, Ronald DeFeo, murdered his whole family after allegedly being possessed by the devil. At first they brush it off, convinced that there is nothing about the house that can harm them, and get to work making it their dream home. However, when George begins exhibiting violent behavior similar to that of DeFeo, Kathy realizes some evil force in the house is causing it, and she must get her family out of there before it’s too late.
Was There an Actual Death on the Set ofThe Amityville Horror?
Perhaps the most disturbing element to come out of the film was an actual death. While shooting a scene at the home’s boathouse,a dead body washed up near the set.Lead actress Melissa George recalled the discovery in an interview withRadio Free Entertainment: “We were filming at the boathouse, and the police came by. They were on the water there, and they said that they found a dead body that had floated to the surface. We were like, “Awesome! That’s making everything much more comfortable in this movie!”
Ryan Reynolds was also interviewed byRadio Free Entertainment, stating that “This was a densely populated lake area as well. I mean, it wasn’t like a secluded pond, and this mafia member floated up or something. A legitimate accident, I think.” The local sheriff revealed that the body, which had no relation to the set or any of the members, had been floating in the lake. Although details about the body and identity of the victim are sparse, the incident was no doubt a creepy addition to the atmosphere of the film.
Other Eerie Coincidences to Follow the Cast and Crew
In an interview withMovieWeb, Ryan Reynolds revealed that the dead body was not the only strange thing to happen on set. Reynolds shared, “A lot of the crew were waking up at 3:15 in the morningwhich was when all these atrocities in the house took place each time.” This is also when Ryan Reynold’s character repeatedly wakes up during the night in the film.The Amityville Horroris based on the real-life familial slayings committed by Ronald DeFeo in his Long Island home where, armed with a .35-caliber Marlin rifle, he shot and killed his parents, two brothers, and two sisters. He was later found guilty on six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to six consecutive terms of 25 years to life, dying in prison in 2021.
The True Story Behind ‘The Amityville Horror’
‘The Amityville Horror’ has haunted audiences for decades thanks to the real events that inspired the film.
In December of 1975, just one year after the murders, the Lutz family moved into the infamous DeFeo house. After only 28 days, the Lutz family, including their three children and dog, fled their new home, claiming that paranormal entities tormented them. Although some question the credibility of the Lutz’s claims,their story has spawned a franchise of over 25 films, and a large number of books, documentaries and exposés looking to find the truth among the mass of contradictions.
Another tragic coincidence surroundingTheAmityville Horrorremake wasthe death of Kathy Lutz, the actual wife and mother of the Lutz family. In early August of 2004, the first week of filming for the 2005 film, Kathy passed away from complications related to emphysema at the age of 57. While Lutz was dealing with health issues related to her breathing before filming, the timing was all quite strange, especially for the cast and crew. Like other famous horror productions, such asThe Exorcist,The Omenand even the originalAmityville Horror,which hadmysterious fires, injuries, and deaths related to the production,The Amityville Horrorremake was also a victim of these real-life hauntings.These unnerving incidents made the atmosphere on set even more disturbing and chilling than the scenes they were filming, and further convinced some that demonically-themed horror movies attracted the wrong kind of attention from the other side.
The Amityville Horror
The Amityville Horroris available to stream on Hulu and Amazon Prime in the U.S.
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