By YASMINA KETITA
When it comes to ranking the Amityville franchise, many horror aficionados praise Amityville II: The Possession, which I believe is better than its predecessor. Yes, the original is a classic, and I have fond memories of being scared shitless watching it at a sleepover, but when it comes to grotesque demonic makeup, the sequel does it better. People also adore Amityville: It’s About Time, as it’s directed by Hellbound: Hellraiser II and Ticks director Tony Randel, so it has superb special effects. I’ve watched The Amityville Curse but couldn’t tell you what it’s about; the only thing I remember from Amityville 3-D is an adorable monster emerging from a boiling hole, and Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes is only worth watching for Aron Eisenberg (if you’re a Trekkie that is). However, my two favourites are rarely brought up: Amityville: A New Generation and AMITYVILLE DOLLHOUSE. A New Generation has that early ‘90s horror vibe, making it a cozy rewatch for me. Dollhouse is the last in the franchise before the 2005 remake. For better or worse (mostly worse), there have been numerous indie micro-budget films made since the Amityville name became public domain. DOLLHOUSE is often overlooked, so I’m here to tell you about some of its great qualities and why this entry should not be brushed under the haunted rug.
AMITYVILLE DOLLHOUSE is the story of newlyweds Bill (Robin Thomas) and Claire (Starr Andreef), who move into their new home with their children from prior marriages, Todd (Allen Cutler), Jimmy (Jarrett Lennon) and Jessica (Rachel Duncan). The home, built by Bill, is located in the secluded California desert, far from Amityville. When Bill searches the shed behind his home, he hears mysterious whispers, gets a nosebleed, and then finds a dollhouse that’s a replica of 112 Ocean Avenue. He also finds newspaper clippings – articles about a tragic house fire that happened many years earlier. (This never gets brought up again.) He disregards them and brings the dollhouse into the family home so he can fix it as a birthday gift for Jessica. {Included in the dollhouse is a box of voodoo dolls and a self-igniting fireplace. Great gift for a child!) As soon as the dollhouse is in Jessica’s bedroom, she begins communicating with it, much like Amy speaking with her imaginary friend, Jody, in the first film. The presence of the dollhouse in their home is the catalyst for the hauntings to come.
Bill’s teenage son Todd decides to play a trick on Claire’s awkward young son Jimmy, who has severe arachnophobia, at Jessica’s birthday party. The prank involves a fake spider, but of course, Amityville’s evil turns it into a real spider and chaos ensues. Later, Bill’s spiritually tuned-in sister, Marla (Lenore Kasdorf), and her biker husband, Tobias (Franc Ross), get bad vibes from the dollhouse and ask Jessica to document the odd events that occur surrounding it in her journal.
Whenever something happens in the dollhouse, it happens in their home. When the fireplace ignites, the temperature in the house rises. Jimmy’s pet mouse wanders into the dollhouse, and a massive rat’s tail is seen under Jessica’s bed. While I do love the cheesiness of these types of horror films, there’s one scene that’s actually terrifying. In the middle of the night, Bill gets up to adjust the thermostat, looks down to the main floor and sees feet at the bottom of the steps. It is genuinely so creepy. I’d have an anxiety attack if I saw that. There’s another incident with the dollhouse’s fireplace and the fireplace in the home that results in a harrowing demise for Todd’s lascivious girlfriend Dana, played by the late Lisa Robin Kelly.
The film’s ‘90s horror charm especially comes through when Jimmy sees his deceased father. Clayton Murray’s portrayal as the zombie dad is wonderfully frightening. His calm demeanour and unblinking stare are eerie, and he becomes more emaciated and decayed with each visit.
Then the film ups the ante with some incest. Yes, that’s right, folks, this movie goes there! While Bill and Claire are having sex, Claire looks over at a framed picture of Todd. She continues with this incestuous sexual tension about her stepson and exhibits hostile jealousy towards Dana.
Meanwhile, Bill begins having nightmares, and as in the original, everyone’s on edge. The family’s internal relations begin to strain.
One of my favourite parts is when Jessica puts her hand through the dollhouse fireplace, and it comes out the attic door. The climactic finale is where the movie really shines. When Bill, Tobias and Jessica enter the attic, we are graced with a trio of demons and fantastic creature designs. The lead figure is a red-winged devil, and the other two are his gruesome henchmonsters, one wielding a scythe and the other an insane looking medieval battle axe. I applaud the makeup and special effects teams that brought this monstrous trio to the screen.
Fire and insects are recurring motifs in the film, and there are some upside-down crosses sprinkled in to tie it to the franchise. The only thing this movie has in common with the original is the newlywed couple moving into a new home with kids from previous marriages and a young daughter speaking telepathically with ghosts. The music could be more intense to heighten some scenes, as the dialogue is sometimes drab, and even though there’s no explanation for the Amityville evil connection, that’s okay because The Rewind Zone still appreciates it and the special effects more than make up for these shortcomings.
AMITYVILLE DOLLHOUSE didn’t need to ride the Amityville franchise coat tails. It could’ve been a standalone film about a creepy dollhouse. Sometimes, a small cast and remote filming location are all that’s needed to make a great horror movie.
Also, give Amityville: A New Generation a watch. It has a great cast including David Naughton, Terry O’Quinn, Lin Shaye, and Shaft himself, Richard Roundtree!
AMITYVILLE DOLLHOUSE is available on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.
