The Amityville Murders  ★★½

IT’S HARD to believe there have been 16 films about the events that occurred in the 1970s at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, Long Island, New York.

The latest, released in 2018, has the startlingly original title of The Amityville Murders but, contrary to expectations, it’s not too bad.

The good thing about the latest film is that it focuses on the original murders in 1974 rather than the more debatable supernatural occurrences in 1976.

A quick refresher – in ’74 Ronald (‘Butch’) De Freo Jr murdered his family, parents and siblings. At his trial he claimed voices told him to do it (that old chestnut)

In late ’76 another family, the Lutz’s, bought the house for a steal (funny that) but fled early in ’77 claiming they had been driven out by supernatural forces, including being constantly awakened every night at 3:15am, the exact same time Butch had allegedly started his killing spree two years earlier.

The publication of best-seller The Amityville Horror was a sensation at the time and spawned a successful film and then series that has survived until now.

The Amityville Murders is better than anticipated because it successfully presents both real and imagined scenarios that could legitimately have influenced Butch’s state of mind, rather than just give us a collection of jump scares.

The film portrays Butch as shy and reserved, struggling to understand where he fits into both a family unit and life in general. His situation is made infintely worse by his home life that is dominated by a father who uses threats, intimidation, emotional abuse and ultimately physical violence to belittle and subjugate.

Butch and his sister Dawn are incredibly close, even to the extent of sharing an interest, verging on obsession, with the occult that may also have impacted Butch’s mental state, probably already prone to depression and/or psychosis, his sense of reality and moral judgement.

The film doesn’t explore these aspects to any significant depth, but does so in a manner that maintains interest throughout.

John Robinson, who generally slots into supporting roles in independent dramas like Elephant and Lords of Dogtown, is intense and believable as Butch while veteran Paul Ben is very impactful as the vicious father Ronnie.

For fans of true crime stories.