The Amityville Curse (Blu-ray)

A return to the most dangerous house in the world... After purchasing a property in Amityville, New York, Debbie (stage veteran Dawna Wightman) and her husband (Hangfire's David Stein) invite three of their closest friends to help renovate. Immediately uneasy in her new surroundings, Debbie begins experiencing shockingly vivid nightmares. Vague unease turns to outright terror when the home's inhabitants discover it's brutal past, and a mysterious visitor turns up dead. As the line between nightmare and reality disappears, their focus shifts from renovation to escape, but it's not clear who can be trusted - or who will make it out alive. One of the most overlooked entries in any major horror franchise, The Amityville Curse deviates from series formula, to surprising, amusing, and unsettling effect. Handsomely shot by Rodney Gibbons (My Bloody Valentine) and based on a novel by famed parapsychologist Hans Holzer - who also wrote the source material for Amityville II: The Possession - this inspired oddity is full of memorable horror flourishes and moments of jaw-dropping weirdness. With a lively ensemble that includes Kim Coates (Innocent Blood), Cassandra Gava (Conan the Barbarian), Helen Hughes (The Incubus), and Jan Rubes (Witness), The Amityville Curse is essential Canuxploitation viewing.

Starring: Kim Coates, Dawna Wightman, Helen Hughes, David Stein, Anthony Dean Rubes, Cassandra Gava, Jan Rubes, Norris Domingue, Scott Yaphe, Mark Camacho

Rating: R