Amityville: The Evil Escapes is a 1989 horror film in which demonic forces in the original house transfer to an ancient lamp, which finds its way to a remote California mansion where the evil manipulates a little girl by manifesting itself in the form of her dead father.
Written and directed by Sandor Stern (Pin) loosely adapted from a novel by John G. Jones. Stern previously wrote the supernatural possessed house TV movie The Strange and Deadly Occurrence (1974) and the original Amityville Horror film (1979) that began the series.
The NBC made-for-television production is also known as The Amityville Horror: The Evil Escapes and Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes.
The movie stars Patty Duke (Night Gallery: “The Diary”; She Waits; Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby; The Swarm), Jane Wyatt, Fredric Lehne, Lou Hancock and Brandy Gold.
Plot:
A stormy night at the infamous Amityville house: Six priests, led by Father Manfred (Norman Lloyd) start to exorcise it. Father Dennis Kibbler (Fredric Lehne) is in an upstairs bedroom and begins to bless it when he sees a glowing brass floor lamp.
A burst of energy emerges from the outlet, through the cord, and into the lamp sending the priest flying.
A demonic face appears in the large round bulb…
A few days later, Father Manfred believes that the evil spirits are finally left the house and the real estate agency decides to have a yard sale. Helen Royce (Peggy McCay) comes across the lamp and buys it for $100. She sends it to her sister as a birthday present, explaining that ugly gifts are a running joke. While checking the lamp, Helen cuts her finger. As the day goes on, Helen’s finger begins to get infected and discoloured.
A week later, the lamp arrives at Helen’s sister, Alice Leacock’s (Jane Wyatt) house, in a small California town called Dancott…
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Reviews:
“… Jane Wyatt’s household is terrorized by all the horror clichés from the previous Amityville entries. Patty Duke looks totally lost as she joins with priest Frederic Lehne to fight the wicked lamp.” John Stanley, Creature Features
“What’s most interesting here is that… well… this TV Movie doesn’t suck NEARLY as much as it could (and possibly should) have. Let’s face it, in spite of its name-recognition and longevity, the Amityville Series isn’t exactly a saga packed with great films. It’s hard to believe that the fourth in the series (and a made-for-TV-movie at that) would be more logical and better-made than the theatrical releases that preceded it.” World’s Greatest Critic
“Many of the scares have to do with other appliances – such as tea kettles to chainsaws and disposals – that turn themselves on. Stars Patty Duke and Jane Wyatt are spared the most embarrassing moments.” Mike Mayo, Videohound’s Horror Show
“But it’s not too boring, which I had feared, since the Amityville films aren’t known for their body counts (and, as I mentioned, the villain is a friggin lamp). Stern (or novelist John G. Jones) at least had the good sense to add a whole bunch of peripheral characters to the movie, since Duke and her 3 adolescent children certainly wouldn’t be killed (Wyatt was fair game though).” Horror Movie a Day
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YouTube reviews:
Trailer:
Release:
In the US, the film was released on home video by Vidmark Entertainment, then released on DVD twice by Allumination Filmworks in 2003 and 2007.
Cast and characters:
Patty Duke as Nancy Evans
Jane Wyatt as Alice Leacock
Fredric Lehne as Father Kibbler
Lou Hancock as Peggy
Brandy Gold as Jessica Evans
Zoe Trilling as Amanda Evans
Aron Eisenberg as Brian Evans
Norman Lloyd as Father Manfred
Robert Alan Browne as Donald McTear
Gloria Cromwell as Rhona
James Stern as Danny Read
Peggy McCay as Helen Royce
