For more than two years, Joe Lipsett has dissected Amityville Horror films to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”
It’s something of a fool’s errand to try and contain just what an Amityville film is. While part of the goal of this project has been to chart how different entries evolve, expand or detract from the public’s perception of the brand, the reality is that Amityville is no one thing. Particularly not as we close in on entry 60 (!) of these damned films!
Still, it is interesting to explore what happens when certain filmmakers return to play in the sandbox with multiple entries. That’s the case with director Mark Polonia, who returns for a fourth “franchise” entry with Once Upon A Time in Amityville, a period film released in 2024 that he co-wrote with Aaron Drake.
What’s unique about Once…...
It’s something of a fool’s errand to try and contain just what an Amityville film is. While part of the goal of this project has been to chart how different entries evolve, expand or detract from the public’s perception of the brand, the reality is that Amityville is no one thing. Particularly not as we close in on entry 60 (!) of these damned films!
Still, it is interesting to explore what happens when certain filmmakers return to play in the sandbox with multiple entries. That’s the case with director Mark Polonia, who returns for a fourth “franchise” entry with Once Upon A Time in Amityville, a period film released in 2024 that he co-wrote with Aaron Drake.
What’s unique about Once…...
- 5/27/2025
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
Stars: Noyes J. Lawton, Ken Van Sant, Titus Himmelberger, Jeff Kirkendall, Natalie Himmelberge, Mark Polonia | Written by Mark Polonia, Aaron Drake | Directed by Mark Polonia
Director Mark Polonia and co-writer Aaron Drake, the guys who gave us Amityville in Space, are back and taking everyone’s favourite franchise to a new frontier in the western horror hybrid Once Upon a Time in Amityville. It’s 1846 and Mathias Black is putting some distance between himself and the bank he robbed. And he was doing a good job of it until something kills his horse and chases him to the nearest town, a place called Amityville.
That creature isn’t the only thing on Mathias’ trail, however. There’s a pair of bounty hunters, Carson Weaver and Miles Oakley on his trail. And that brings them to Amityville, where despite the sign saying there’s a population of thirty-seven, they can barely find a handful of inhabitants.
Director Mark Polonia and co-writer Aaron Drake, the guys who gave us Amityville in Space, are back and taking everyone’s favourite franchise to a new frontier in the western horror hybrid Once Upon a Time in Amityville. It’s 1846 and Mathias Black is putting some distance between himself and the bank he robbed. And he was doing a good job of it until something kills his horse and chases him to the nearest town, a place called Amityville.
That creature isn’t the only thing on Mathias’ trail, however. There’s a pair of bounty hunters, Carson Weaver and Miles Oakley on his trail. And that brings them to Amityville, where despite the sign saying there’s a population of thirty-seven, they can barely find a handful of inhabitants.
- 11/29/2024
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
From legendary cult director Mark Polonia, Mummy Shark stars Mark Polonia, Jamie Morgan, Jeff Kirkendall and Tim Hatch, and sees the mummified remains of an alien shark are discovered in ancient Egypt.
Deep within the hidden chambers of an ancient Egyptian pyramid, a shocking discovery is made: the mummified remains of an alien shark. Guarding this creature is a vengeful mystic who brings the beast back to life, unleashing it upon a group of unsuspecting researchers.
Mummy Shark will be available on VOD and DVD October 8th from Wild Eye Releasing. Check out the trailer and poster below:...
Deep within the hidden chambers of an ancient Egyptian pyramid, a shocking discovery is made: the mummified remains of an alien shark. Guarding this creature is a vengeful mystic who brings the beast back to life, unleashing it upon a group of unsuspecting researchers.
Mummy Shark will be available on VOD and DVD October 8th from Wild Eye Releasing. Check out the trailer and poster below:...
- 7/29/2024
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Stars: Yolie Canales, Tim Hatch, Michael Korotitsch, Jeff Kirkendall | Written and Directed by Mark Polonia
[Disclaimer: Nerdly’s Managing Editor, Phil, is listed as an Executive Producer on this film. However, that will not, and does not, affect the impartiality of this review]
Teddiscare began life as another Winnie the Pooh horror film, but after “receiving a “cease and desist” from another company who made a killer teddy bear movie based of [sic] a popular character with a copyright that had recently entered public domain, we consulted with an amazing lawyer”. Said lawyer told them a larger company was about to start suing anyone who used the character, so they decided to just change the name. I wonder how brilliant they think that lawyer is now that Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3 is going into production as well as a killer Bambi film and Disney hasn’t unleashed their lawyers?
Teddiscare opens with news on the radio about a worker falling into the machinery at a toy factory and bits of his body being stuffed into hundreds of teddy bears.
[Disclaimer: Nerdly’s Managing Editor, Phil, is listed as an Executive Producer on this film. However, that will not, and does not, affect the impartiality of this review]
Teddiscare began life as another Winnie the Pooh horror film, but after “receiving a “cease and desist” from another company who made a killer teddy bear movie based of [sic] a popular character with a copyright that had recently entered public domain, we consulted with an amazing lawyer”. Said lawyer told them a larger company was about to start suing anyone who used the character, so they decided to just change the name. I wonder how brilliant they think that lawyer is now that Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3 is going into production as well as a killer Bambi film and Disney hasn’t unleashed their lawyers?
Teddiscare opens with news on the radio about a worker falling into the machinery at a toy factory and bits of his body being stuffed into hundreds of teddy bears.
- 5/29/2024
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”
The law of horror movie franchises is that eventually, without fail, you go to space.
It’s fitting, then, that the final outing for prolific Amityville writer/director Mark Polonia takes the “franchise” into the furthest reaches of space in the year 3015.
It’s been a few entries since Polonia’s last outing. He’s the creative responsible for Amityville Island, Amityville Exorcism, and Amityville Death House. Of these, Island has some amusingly self-aware bits, Death House has a great spider walk finale, and…well, the less said about Exorcism the better.
Where does Amityville in Space fall? Alas, it skews closer to Exorcism than the others. Not helping matters is that this latest film shares a character – Father Benna (Jeff Kirkendall...
The law of horror movie franchises is that eventually, without fail, you go to space.
It’s fitting, then, that the final outing for prolific Amityville writer/director Mark Polonia takes the “franchise” into the furthest reaches of space in the year 3015.
It’s been a few entries since Polonia’s last outing. He’s the creative responsible for Amityville Island, Amityville Exorcism, and Amityville Death House. Of these, Island has some amusingly self-aware bits, Death House has a great spider walk finale, and…well, the less said about Exorcism the better.
Where does Amityville in Space fall? Alas, it skews closer to Exorcism than the others. Not helping matters is that this latest film shares a character – Father Benna (Jeff Kirkendall...
- 2/20/2024
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
Stars: Jamie Morgan, Jeff Kirkendall, Tim Hatch, Michael Korotitsch | Written by Aaron Drake | Directed by Mark Polonia
What would Christmas be without a Yule Log? To make sure we don’t have to worry about it, Mark Polonia has followed up such wonderful seasonal films as Feeders 2: Slay Bells and Sister Krampus with Yule Log, a festive tale of witchery and vengeance from beyond the grave.
The film begins with a lecture on witches and witch hunting, concluding with the tale of Drucinda of the Woods who was nailed to a tree and left for the ravens. But not before casting an unspecified curse on the woods. In the present, Robin survives a car crash only to have Drucinda cast a spell on her.
Unaware of this, Charles and Roy are about to pick up their buddy Earl. He recently lost his wife and they don’t want him...
What would Christmas be without a Yule Log? To make sure we don’t have to worry about it, Mark Polonia has followed up such wonderful seasonal films as Feeders 2: Slay Bells and Sister Krampus with Yule Log, a festive tale of witchery and vengeance from beyond the grave.
The film begins with a lecture on witches and witch hunting, concluding with the tale of Drucinda of the Woods who was nailed to a tree and left for the ravens. But not before casting an unspecified curse on the woods. In the present, Robin survives a car crash only to have Drucinda cast a spell on her.
Unaware of this, Charles and Roy are about to pick up their buddy Earl. He recently lost his wife and they don’t want him...
- 12/20/2023
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”
It’s time to revisit the Amityville “franchise’s” most prolific director, Mark Polonia. Thus far we’ve experienced his work on Amityville Death House (famed for its bizarre Spider woman climax) and, more recently, Amityville Exorcism.
Which brings us to Polonia’s third title in the “series”: Amityville Island. Oddly enough this film is something of a spiritual sequel to Exorcism, in that it features brief flashbacks of that film’s lead, Melanie (Marie DeLorenzo). The reveal of that character’s fate is quite grim: in between films Melanie shot up a diner as part of a slate of unexplained murders in Amityville.
Unsurprisingly for these films, Melanie’s actions have very little bearing on Island. There’s a reporter,...
It’s time to revisit the Amityville “franchise’s” most prolific director, Mark Polonia. Thus far we’ve experienced his work on Amityville Death House (famed for its bizarre Spider woman climax) and, more recently, Amityville Exorcism.
Which brings us to Polonia’s third title in the “series”: Amityville Island. Oddly enough this film is something of a spiritual sequel to Exorcism, in that it features brief flashbacks of that film’s lead, Melanie (Marie DeLorenzo). The reveal of that character’s fate is quite grim: in between films Melanie shot up a diner as part of a slate of unexplained murders in Amityville.
Unsurprisingly for these films, Melanie’s actions have very little bearing on Island. There’s a reporter,...
- 9/12/2023
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
Stars: Jeff Kirkendall, Titus Himmelberger, Michael Korotitsch, Tim Hatch | Written by Mark Polonia, Aaron Drake | Directed by Mark Polonia
Somehow I managed to miss Amityville in Space when it was released earlier this year. Doubly odd as it’s not only an Amityville film, it was directed by Mark Polonia who co-wrote it with Aaron Drake. This is Polonia’s fourth trip to Amityville after Amityville Exorcism, Amityville Death House and most recently Amityville Island. Practice makes perfect, right?
Father Benna walks through a flurry of CGI snow toward 112 Ocean Avenue. He tells the reporters he’s here for the ultimate showdown between good and evil. He also suggests they leave immediately. This proves to be good advice as his attempt at exorcising the demon goes wrong and the house is propelled into space.
Flash forward to the year 3015 and the deep space cruiser Wyoming is on a mission to...
Somehow I managed to miss Amityville in Space when it was released earlier this year. Doubly odd as it’s not only an Amityville film, it was directed by Mark Polonia who co-wrote it with Aaron Drake. This is Polonia’s fourth trip to Amityville after Amityville Exorcism, Amityville Death House and most recently Amityville Island. Practice makes perfect, right?
Father Benna walks through a flurry of CGI snow toward 112 Ocean Avenue. He tells the reporters he’s here for the ultimate showdown between good and evil. He also suggests they leave immediately. This proves to be good advice as his attempt at exorcising the demon goes wrong and the house is propelled into space.
Flash forward to the year 3015 and the deep space cruiser Wyoming is on a mission to...
- 12/21/2022
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
"A giant black hole, a strange craft, and a derelict humanoid in suspended animation?" Wild Eye Releasing has unveiled one more "final" trailer for the wacky new horror sci-fi film Amityville in Space, which yes is a real thing. The Amityville name is now in public domain and filmmakers ahve been slapping onto every junk Amityville creation they can come up with, so inevitably it would one day lead to "in Space" and, now, here it is. From the same filmmaker that recently brought us Sharkula, if you want an idea of how bad this is going to look. So here's the pitch: the ultimate battle against the Amityville curse begins after the infamous murder house is exorcised from Earth and reappears in outer space in Amityville in Space Starring Titus Himmelberger, Cassandra Hayes, Tim Hatch, Ryan Dalton, and Jeff Kirkendall. This one looks absolutely terrible in a, maybe it's fun to watch,...
- 6/2/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Wild Eye Releasing, known for distributing some of the wildest low-budget genre films, have announced two more crazy-sounding titles from their catalogue – Freak, from writer/director Lucky Cerruti; and Amityville in Space, yes you read that right, from director Mark Polonia. Check out the details on both films below:
Freak
Jason Voorhees isn’t the only monster lurking in the woods. From writer-director Lucky Cerruti, and starring Jameson Batt, Dorran Boucher and Lucky Cerruti, comes the crafty practical-effects doused horror romp Freak, from Wild Eye Releasing, which stalks campers this May.
A bloody legend becomes all too real for a group of kids heading out for a weekend of camping and partying. Will they survive what waits for them in the woods?
Amityville In Space
From Wild Eye Releasing, pack your bags for a frightening intergalactic stay at Amityville…. coming this July!
The ultimate battle against the Amityville curse begins...
Freak
Jason Voorhees isn’t the only monster lurking in the woods. From writer-director Lucky Cerruti, and starring Jameson Batt, Dorran Boucher and Lucky Cerruti, comes the crafty practical-effects doused horror romp Freak, from Wild Eye Releasing, which stalks campers this May.
A bloody legend becomes all too real for a group of kids heading out for a weekend of camping and partying. Will they survive what waits for them in the woods?
Amityville In Space
From Wild Eye Releasing, pack your bags for a frightening intergalactic stay at Amityville…. coming this July!
The ultimate battle against the Amityville curse begins...
- 3/3/2022
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
With so many Amityville movies, there was only one obvious choice for where to take this idea next.... space! Coming this July from Wild Eye Releasing, here's the trailer for Amityville in Space:
"From Wild Eye Releasing, pack your bags for a frightening intergalactic stay at Amityville.
The ultimate battle against the Amityville curse begins after the infamous murder house is exorcised from Earth and reappears in outer space in Amityville In Space - coming this July!
From director Mark Polonia (Sharkula), and starring Titus Himmelberger, Cassandra Hayes, Tim Hatch, Ryan Dalton and Jeff Kirkendall, Amityville In Space is set to remind you that screams go unheard in space."
The post Watch the Trailer for Amityville In Space appeared first on Daily Dead.
"From Wild Eye Releasing, pack your bags for a frightening intergalactic stay at Amityville.
The ultimate battle against the Amityville curse begins after the infamous murder house is exorcised from Earth and reappears in outer space in Amityville In Space - coming this July!
From director Mark Polonia (Sharkula), and starring Titus Himmelberger, Cassandra Hayes, Tim Hatch, Ryan Dalton and Jeff Kirkendall, Amityville In Space is set to remind you that screams go unheard in space."
The post Watch the Trailer for Amityville In Space appeared first on Daily Dead.
- 3/3/2022
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Wild Eye Releasing has just chummed the waters for their upcoming horror film Noah's Shark. You heard me right! From the makers of The VelociPastor andTsunambee (This is gonna sting a little..), Noah's Shark is swimming your way! It's your standard Ark tale: A fame-seeking televangelist and his film crew team set out to find the fabled Noah's Ark, but discover it is guarded by both an ancient curse and a prehistoric great white shark. Take a bite out of this trailer, you know you wanna!
The film was directed by independent horror filmmaker Mark Polonia and stars Jeff Kirkendall, Tim Hatch, Jamie Morgan, Samantha Coolidge (Children of Camp Blood), and Ryan Dalton (Dune World).
Twins Mark and brother John Polonia (who passed at age 39) have made a cornucopia of independent horror movies beginning in their teens. At nineteen years old, they made names for themselves with 1987's shot-on-video Splatter Farm.
The film was directed by independent horror filmmaker Mark Polonia and stars Jeff Kirkendall, Tim Hatch, Jamie Morgan, Samantha Coolidge (Children of Camp Blood), and Ryan Dalton (Dune World).
Twins Mark and brother John Polonia (who passed at age 39) have made a cornucopia of independent horror movies beginning in their teens. At nineteen years old, they made names for themselves with 1987's shot-on-video Splatter Farm.
- 8/14/2021
- by Brandy Lynn Sebren
- MovieWeb
Stars: Jeff Kirkendall, Danielle Donahue, Melissa Heflin, Marie DeLorenzo, James Kelly, Ken Van Sant, Tim Hatch, James Carolus, Niko Bryant | Written by Jeff Kirkendall | Directed by Mark Polonia, Jeff Kirkendall
Thirty years after the infamous ‘Death Farm’ murders in rural Pennsylvania, serial killing is in season once more. A young woman and her friends descend upon the farm to party after discovering that she has inherited the land. But soon after, the strange occurrences and brutal murders begin again…
Who would have thought that over thirty years after the shot-on-video original debuted – made by a group of teenagers out to totally shock and gross out the audience – that we’d be seeing a direct sequel, made with the involvement of one of Splatter Farm‘s original directors? I didn’t. But I’m certainly glad we have!
Penned by frequent Polonia collaborator Jeff Kirkendall, who also appears in the recently...
Thirty years after the infamous ‘Death Farm’ murders in rural Pennsylvania, serial killing is in season once more. A young woman and her friends descend upon the farm to party after discovering that she has inherited the land. But soon after, the strange occurrences and brutal murders begin again…
Who would have thought that over thirty years after the shot-on-video original debuted – made by a group of teenagers out to totally shock and gross out the audience – that we’d be seeing a direct sequel, made with the involvement of one of Splatter Farm‘s original directors? I didn’t. But I’m certainly glad we have!
Penned by frequent Polonia collaborator Jeff Kirkendall, who also appears in the recently...
- 11/10/2020
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
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