Amityville 3-D

An investigative reporter named John Baxter buys the notorious Amityville house to debunk its reputation and to seed his first novel. He moves in with his wife Nancy and treats the place as a controlled experiment rather than a haunted home. Baxter hopes to expose the hoax surrounding the property while pursuing a sensational story that will launch his writing career. At first, the couple conducts careful observations and interviews with neighbors. Soon, unexplained noises, cold spots, and unsettling visions begin to intrude on their routine, testing Baxter's skeptical mindset. The house becomes a battleground between rational analysis and forces that seem intent on breaking down their defenses. The tone stays taut, keeping twists off-screen and letting dread build gradually.

Directed by Richard Fleischer, Amityville 3-D riffs on David Ambrose's story and updates the trilogy with 3-D effects. The cast features Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, Robert Joy, Candy Clark, Leora Dana, and the film was released in 3-D in 1983.

Box office results place Amityville 3-D in the modest earners club, grossing about 6.33 million worldwide against a reported 6 million budget. Its chart position varied by market but overall kept a modest profile, reflecting the era's mixed appetite for 3-D horror and franchise fare.

Released during the height of a 3-D revival, this installment is often seen as a footnote in the Amityville saga, notable mainly for its gimmick rather than lasting influence. Fleischer's approach, coupled with solid performances, helps temper the era's reliance on 3-D shocks and practical effects in horror cinema history.

Critics generally treated Amityville 3-D as competent horror that leans on 3-D shocks rather than depth. Its tension pits rational inquiry against belief, while the couple's pursuit of truth shows how easily skepticism can be reshaped by the uncanny, and poses the question whether truth comes from observation or illusion.