Anyway, I think I agree with you that my scientific training might possibly make plausibly done supernatural horror just that much more spine tingling, because it seems that much more *wrong*.

For sheer fun, on the other hand, nothing beats a zombie apocalypse.

For me, that just goes to show that a horror author is not necessarily the final authority on what makes a scary film — or book. I think King is spot on about “The Haunting of Hill House”, which is an awesome book in large part for the same reason you like Amityville: the characters are very likable and believable. I’ve always believed that character is the most important part of a good horror story. On the other hand, King apparently approved of the awful tacked-on ending to the movie version of The Mist, which I thought was one of the silliest, dumbest ending to a film that I’ve ever seen.

“It can’t be just the minimal use of special effects and the slow build-up, because I don’t find “Halloween” nearly as scary.”

From what I remember of the original “Amityville”, it is quite a disturbing film. I think, beyond the slow build-up, there’s also a sense of subtlety in the way that the topics are presented. Modern remakes of horror films tend to throw crap in your face, in essence saying “LOOK AT IT! LOOK AT IT! THAT’S SCARY!” The best horror films, however, like to suggest what’s wrong more than actually show you.

Personal taste also plays a role. These days I’m totally desensitized to serial killer type films, because that’s old hat both in film and in reality. (Halloween being the exception for me.) Well-done supernatural films unsettle me because they suggest that the world is not as well-behaved and structured as my scientific training indicates it is.

King says the scariest thing about Amityville is the financial toll all of the scenes take on the young family. He seems to think it is otherwise shallow and formulaic.

The first time I watched it, though, I got real chills, and even watching it again, having gotten an education in horror classics in the intervening five years from my husband, I found myself actually grabbing his hand a little tighter at times.

It can’t be just the religious themes chiming with my Catholic school education, because I didn’t find the Exorcist nearly as scary.

It can’t be just the minimal use of special effects and the slow build-up, because I don’t find “Halloween” nearly as scary.

I think in large part its the likability and believability of the characters as compared to the usual obnoxious teenage slasher victims — pig-tail and legwarmer wearing mom Margot Kidder does her best to protect and comfort her children and stay cheerful and brave… While James Brolin, whose friend tells him he should never have taken on a broad with three kids, after his business can’t make payroll, is slowly being transformed from the hero of the movie into the monster.

I guess that’s probably what gets me. I’m also a sucker for “The Incredible Hulk” TV show and “Flowers for Algernon.” Losing your identity, not being able to stop yourself from hurting the people you love… Scary.

And yet the remake sucked.