Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

I can’t believe it, I didn’t hate this movie! I watched it just because it was given to me, not because I had any particular interest in it so I went in about as unassuming as possible other than knowing how bad horror movie sequels can be. Yeah, it’s campy, but it held my attention.

I think I’ve seen some of the other Amityville sequels, but it’s been so long I can’t be sure I’m not confusing them with others.  This installment opens in the same house around which #1 centered (not sure if that applies to the other movies, seems like I remember them getting away from the house). At any rate, at definitely looks like the same house from the first movie.

To start this installment a SWAT team of priests is blessing every inch of the place. The head priest, I’m pretty sure, is the same guy from movie 1. One young priest played by Frederick Lane (or Lehne, he goes by both spellings) witnesses the evil escaping into a very unusual looking floor lamp. It also attacks him sending him into a coma.

Flash forward a few days. Now that the place has been exercised the owner is cleaning it out, selling everything in a yard sale. An older woman buys the lamp as a joke for her sister, Alice (Jane Wyatt). About the same time that Alice receives the lamp her daughter Nancy (Patty Duke) and 3 grandchildren come to stay. Nancy’s husband has died recently without insurance which is why she needs to move in suddenly. Alice is not used to having people around, particularly children, and although she loves them it’s a difficult adjustment. If only that were the worst of her problems.

As the evil spirit explores the house (still ultimately confined to the lamp for the time being) strange and gruesome things begin happening: the pet parrot is found dead in the toaster, a garbage disposal turns on with someone’s hand inside, a chainsaw turns on by itself, and it only gets worse from there. The worst thing about it, though, is the way it has seduced the youngest daughter. She thinks it is the spirit of her dead father come back to watch over her. Though not quite possessed she is nevertheless under the spirit’s control.

Father Kibbler regains consciousness and immediately begins trying to find out what happened to the lamp. He’s the only one that knows what is amiss and therefore the only person that can do anything about it. His drive is to keep the evil from hurting anyone so despite his lack of immediate success he is determined to track the lamp and save whomever is being victimized. If he can destroy it he believes it will release the spirit without it being able to attach itself to another object.

A possessed floor lamp sounds pretty stupid doesn’t it? It’s not as bad as all that, and I hope the plot summary has shown you that this is not a completely lame movie. It’s about good people dealing with forces beyond their comprehension. Only their love for each other can keep them alive. I think that’s where I gained a little more appreciation for it than say a Friday the 13th movie. Yes, there is some of the “let’s see how many gruesome ways we can kill people” mentality, but it’s a low body count and is more focused on the family sticking together as well as the bravery of the priest.

In the end it’s not so much iron will or cleverness as it is love that is the evil’s undoing. That is a theme I appreciate since I believe that God is love and is infinitely more powerful than evil. I was also pleased to see a priest portrayed positively for once. Yes, I know that there really are bad priests in the world, but they have become such a cinematic cliché that they often seem to be a jab at organized religion rather than a plot device used to actually enhance the story. I don’t personally know any priests (protestant pastors don’t count), but the encounters I’ve had with them have been positive. They have consistently been among the kindest, most generous, most pleasant people, therefore I get tired of always seeing evil priests in Hollywood productions.

Acting in Amityville has its ups and downs. I’ve been a Fred Lane/Lehne fan ever since his recurring role of young Arthur Dales on X Files. He features prominently in one of my all-time favorite episodes, Travelers (season 5). Unfortunately his credits list is short and list of movies I might want to own even shorter. I was pleased to see him in a major role in a movie which is part of the reason I list him as my favorite performance in Amityville. Patty Duke and Jane Wyatt deliver solid, believable performances which is good because the movie might have been unwatchable if either of them stank. There are several instances where the kids drag scenes down, sometimes just barely saved or later redeemed by the adults. The kids actually seem to get a little better as the movie progresses if that helps any. Their acting is perhaps the biggest weakness of the movie.

I guess I would recommend this to anyone that likes B movies, particularly campy horror and suspense. I rank it above the average slasher flick because of the themes I mentioned, but I doubt it will render you unable to sleep. It’s a good rainy day movie.

Content:
This is a surprisingly clean movie. There are a couple of bloody scenes and a few odd deaths, but I’ve seen worse on TV detective shows. There is very little language and no nudity or sexuality. The demonic scenes are probably too much for kids, but I could see it being an appropriate movie for a teen sleepover.

DVD:
Considering you’re probably not going to spend more than $5 on this movie it’s pretty good. Audio and video quality is fine, nothing impressive but as good or better than VHS. I think this was made for TV so the 1.33 full-frame ratio is the original format. The interface is simple with a great picture of the house as the background.

What I really like about the DVD is the essay about the real legend of the house. It’s not doctored up to make it back the movie. As a matter of fact, it reveals the hoax involved. I love educational extras with my movies so I give this one an enthusiastic thumbs up.

There is a short bio on Patty Duke with a partial filmography. I guess it’s OK if you have any interest in the actress (which I don’t). I might have been more impressed if there were bios for Jane and Fred as well.

The final feature is a list of trivia tidbits. I thought it would be about the movie production or the story, but it’s only about the two main actresses, mostly about their various awards. I found it rather boring.

Final Thoughts:
It’s a decent movie with a little bit of effort in the DVD. While a rental should be sufficient for your enjoyment, the purchase cost makes it a cheap addition to your collection. I’m sure it would be worth it if you collect other Amityville or B-horror movies. While enjoyable, it’s certainly not outstanding in any way. Therefore it gets 3* as well as a positive recommendation.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older