Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
For the first time in 35 years, Daniel Lutz recounts his version of the infamous Amityville haunting that terrified his family in 1975. George and Kathleen Lutz's story went on to inspire a best-selling novel and the subsequent films have continued to fascinate audiences today. This documentary reveals the horror behind growing up as part of a world-famous haunting and while Daniel's facts may be others' fiction, the psychological scars he carries are indisputable. Documentary filmmaker Eric Walter has combined years of independent research into the Amityville case along with the perspectives of past investigative reporters and eyewitnesses, giving way to the most personal testimony of the subject to date.
My Amityville Horror offers a moderately interesting angle by centering Daniel Lutz's firsthand testimony, giving the notorious case a more personal psychological dimension rarely explored before. However, the documentary's execution is uneven — the plot meanders without strong narrative discipline, and as a talking-head-heavy production, cinematography is functional at best. Daniel Lutz himself is a compelling if unreliable subject, but the film struggles to push past the inherent limitations of his testimony. The ending resolves little, which feels both honest and unsatisfying. Its novelty comes primarily from Daniel's unique position as a direct participant finally speaking out, distinguishing it somewhat from the many Amityville retreads.