Amityvilleville

The episode begins with a brief introduction to the Ear Hustle podcast, highlighting its focus on prison life stories that are raw, humorous, and untragic. The hosts promote Ear Hustle's live shows in the Northeast U.S., providing a tour link. Following this, Alex introduces his new podcast, Amityvilleville, which reviews all 92 movies in the Amityville franchise, including interviews and exploration of the true case.

The hosts discuss the plot and production of 'Amityville 3-D,' noting that it was shot without 3D effects due to limitations. They comment on the exterior of the infamous house, noting it looks nicer now, and describe the film's opening scene with exaggerated trees and parallax effects to emphasize the 3D gimmick. The hosts compare this film to others in the franchise, praising its acting and storytelling, and note its departure from religious themes, leaning more into supernatural and outdoor horror elements.

The episode provides a detailed walkthrough of the movie's plot, beginning with the introduction of characters doing seances and opening with a hurricane-force wind. The hosts describe the characters' interactions with haunted house elements, such as fake spirits, physical assaults by flies, and supernatural occurrences like doors locking. They discuss the characters' motivations, especially the curious and flirtatious behavior of Meg Ryan and Lori Laughlin's characters, alongside the main storyline involving possessions, a fiery car accident, and the house's explosive finale. The hosts also analyze the poorly rendered effects, such as flying flies, and notable scenes like the hot tub well and Nancy's ghostly encounters.

This section explores recurring themes like outdoor hauntings, the house's supernatural authority, and the lack of Catholic or demonic influences compared to earlier films. The hosts note how different forms of physical and environmental manifestations—flies, cold air blasts, and explosions—drive the horror. They discuss the film's portrayal of a sinister entity with ambiguous motives, and compare the film's approach to terror, emphasizing its emphasis on chaos, violence, and destruction rather than spiritual warfare.

The hosts reveal that 'Amityville 3-D' was directed by Richard Fleischer, with references to the real house’s changing exterior due to public visitation. They delve into the story of Stephen Kaplan, who investigated the Amityville case as a skeptic and authored conspiracy books; his bizarre interest in vampires, documented through strange PDFs and interviews. The episode also discusses the house's filming locations—exterior shots in the actual Amityville house, interior scenes shot in Mexico—and the cultural context of the early 1980s horror scene, with parallels to other supernatural films.