Boxoffice-August.13.1979

475
18 BOXOFFICE/AUGUST 1 3, 1 979
THE AMITYVILLE HORROR
( \S[
George Lutz
James Brolm
Kathleen Lutz
Margot Kidder
lather Delaney
Rod Steiger
Father Bolen
Don Siroud
b'otlwr Ryan
Murray Hamilton
Amy Natasha Ryan
CREDITS
L xecuth e /'milliter Samuel Z. Arkoff
Producers Ronald Saland. Elliot Geisinger
Director Sluart Rosenberg
Screenpla)
Sandor Stern
Based on the book b)
.Jay Anson
An American International release, rated R.
Murrnr Suspense, II7 min., mm in release. Aspect
ratio, I.X5. Movielab Color. Release *7«04.
Margot Kidder, as Kathleen Lutz, is a bit
shaken by the thought of a mass muder in the
lovely old home she and her husband James
Brolm are about to buy. To console her. Brolm
says. "Houses don't have memories."
"The Amity ville Horror." based on a supposedly
true story, is ripe with all the special
effects of a good, of fashioned haunted house
story. And a house thai blows icy draughts
and foul smells, and makes members of the
clergy dizzily nausealed. must have plenty of
memories—bad memories.
turns out, the house's original owner
As it
had connections with Ihe Salem wiich trials
and executions. And then in 1 974. a young
man killed his parents and four brothers and
sisters in the house. (The R rating is traceable
more to ihe bloody recreation of the shotgun
murders than to the gentle lovemaking scene
between Brolm and Kidder.
In 1
the Lutzes move into the serene
looking Dutch-style house in an affluent long
island village near the water Within 2S days.
the live member family lied with only ihe
clothes on then hacks and a pel dog. Thej had
about all they could stand, what with swarms
of flies that came and went, doors and win
dows with minds ol then own and a black red
slime that seeped from the walls and sums
The film's subplot revolves around the ef
Ions ol Rod Steiger as a priest who tries to
alert his skeptical colleagues of the cloth (Mur
ray Hamilton. Don Siroud and John Larchl ol
the devil's presence at the bouse Everj lime
he tries to call the Lutzes. the phone hums his
hand and the line fills with sialic.
Aside from Steiger, who is struck blind
presumably bv the force. Brolm is the most
devasiaied by the horror. His temper shortens,
he slops bathing and he becomes obsessed
with keeping his ax perfectly sharpened
Brolm and Kidder are quite convincing in
their parts, although Sleiger could have lurried
in a less overwrought performance. Michael
Sacks and Helen Shaver are very good as the
Lutzes' friends, and Shaver is an asset to a
bone-chilling scene near ihe end when they
uncover the horror in ihe basement.
It's nol really imporlanl whether audiences
will lurn out because of the house ol -horrors
thrills or because they read Jay Anson's best
selling book The point is. "Horror" opened
stronger than Al's previous hit "Love at First
Bite." and it stands a good chance of drawing
steady business from summer fright
fans—Jim Robbins.
Rod Steiger plays Father Delaney, a Catholic priest who tries to help the deviled Lutz family, in
"The Amitwille Horror."
MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI
CAST
A Universal release, rated PC Comedy- Drama, 1 1
min., mm in release. Aspic! ratio, 1.85. 35mm
Dolby stereo with Surround. Panavision,
Technicolor, Release #7913.
%
If audiences can grasp the structure of
"More American Graffiti." they should enjoy
it. But whether they are willing to make the effort
is
Steve Bolander
Ron Howard
another question, because they
Laurie Bolander
Cindy Williams
customarily prefer movies that have ordinary
John Milner
Paul Le Mat beginnings, middles and ends. This should be
especially true for audiences expecting a normal
sequel to the simple, universal "American
Debbie Dunham
Candy Clark
Terry the Toad Charles Martin Smith
Graffiti."
CarolRainbow Mackenzie Phillips
Little Joe
Bo Hopkins
CREDITS
"More American Graffiti" intercuts among
Producer
Howard Kazanjian
four stories that take place on successive New
Director B. W. L Norton
Year's Eves from 1964 to 1967. It begins with
Screenplay B. W. L. Norton about five minutes of Paul Le Mat's story in
1964. As John Milner. he is still racing hot
rods, but he's now competing on professional
dragstrips intead of Main Street.
The film then skips ahead one year to
Charles Martin Smith's story. Terry the Toad
Terry (Charles Martin Smith) and Debbie (Candy Clark) laugh it up before he leaves for Vietnam
in "More American Graffiti."
is now in Vietnam trying desperately to find a
way to get home, even if it involves a selfinflicted
wound. After several minutes it is obvious
that he's the same bumbler as before, if a
little wiser, and we skip ahead to the next
story which is unfolding on New Year's Eve
1966.
In (his story Candy Clark, as Debbie, is involved
with the hippie culture of San Francisco.
She is making a living as a topless dancer
to support her boyfriend, a loser of a rock
musician.
The fourth story, which takes place on New
Year's Eve 1967. involves the domestic quarrels
of Steve and Laurie, played by Ron
Howard and Cindy Williams. They are having
the same arguments they had in high school,
but now the arguments involve their marriage,
home, children and careers. After a few
minutes with Steve and Laurie, the story
jumps back lo 1964 for a few minutes with
John Milner on Ihe drag strips.
It is at this poinl thai the confusion sets in.
and audiences will probably start scratching
their heads and wondering who mixed up the
reels. The confusion is heightened by the appearance
in the 1964 story of Cindy Williams,
who is pregnant with the twins we had just
seen as 3-year-olds in the preceding scene, and
Charles Martin Smith, who talks about leaving
for Vietnam, where we had just seen him
three scenes before.
A few minutes later ihe story changes to
Vietnam and then to Candy Clark in San
Francisco, and so on. It finally becomes ap
parent that the rest of the film is going to be
like this and lhal one might as well give in.
On top of all that, there are constant
references to occurrences that have happened
in ihe past when considered in ihe context of
each particular story, bul haven't happened
yet within the actual movie. And each story
filmed in the style (hat is appropriate for its
setting, just as the original "American
Graffiti" was filmed in the style of a low
budget American International drive-in
feature.
is
For example, the Vietnam segmenis are
filmed in a grainy, television documentary
style and presented on a square. TV-shaped
screen. And the San Francisco scenes are
presented in split-screen and multiple images
that move back and forth and around the
screen, a frantic, experimental approach (hat
was popular for a time in the late '60s.
But it's still a good, enjoyable movie, once
the shock of realizing it's nol going to be nor
mal wears off. It's just as funny and
understated as the original film, and it's not as
depressing as the closing biographical sketches
from the original movie would lead one to expect.
Throughout the film, the character lhat
shows the most growth is Terry. Charles Martin
Smuh plays (he boy who has gone from (he
wimpy, perpetual follower to a cynical leader,
of sorts. We see. through him. the disillusion
mem of a nation faced with what many considered
a "greal adventure" that wasn't really
so great after all. and certainly wasn't an
adventure.
Bui if (he movie belongs lo anyone, i('s probably
Cindy Williams, who demonsira(es a
fine comic talent by merely reacting to whal
goes on around her. Her portrayal of the conservative
housewife, whose low-key panic
grows as she accidentally becomes involved in
her younger brother's college riot, could
almost be a complete movie of its own Bui
ihen lhat's probably also true of at least iwo of
the other stories.
All ihe major characters are back, including
Mackenzie Phillips. Bo Hopkins and Harrison
Ford, who returns in an uncrediied. brief per
formance as Bud Falfa. now a traffic cop in
San Francisco. Everyone is present except
Richard Dreyfuss. who is dismissed with a
quick "He's in Canada" from Ron Howard.
It's a very funny, enjoyable movie that even
manages lo be optimistic despite its subject
matter. But whether the chances taken with
the format will be worthwhile remains to be
seen. It all depends upon the audiences' patience
and willingness to accept something out
of the ordinary.—Jimmy Summers.