Amityville II: The Possession
Eager to start afresh, the unsuspecting couple of Anthony and Dolores Montelli, along with their four children, move into their dream house in Amityville. However, right from the very first night, strange paranormal experiences shatter the Montellis' fantasy, as the restless spirits of the dead and the new home's dark secrets open the unfathomable black portal of hell. Now, the family's older child, Sonny, has become the perfect vessel of destruction, as the invisible demonic forces claim his soul. Can Father Frank Adamsky cleanse the infernal Amityville House?
Despite its small-scale budget of $5.0M, Amityville II: The Possession became a box office success, earning $12.5M worldwide—a 151% return.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Amityville II: The Possession (1982) showcases deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Damiano Damiani's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 44 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.6, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Sonny Montelli
Father Adamsky
Patricia Montelli
Anthony Montelli
Dolores Montelli
Father Tom
Main Cast & Characters
Sonny Montelli
Played by Jack Magner
Teenage son who becomes possessed by demonic forces and commits horrific acts against his family.
Father Adamsky
Played by James Olson
Young priest who attempts to save the Montelli family from demonic possession and confronts evil directly.
Patricia Montelli
Played by Diane Franklin
Teenage daughter who becomes victim of her possessed brother's advances and struggles with the family's darkness.
Anthony Montelli
Played by Burt Young
Abusive father and patriarch whose violent behavior creates a toxic home environment vulnerable to evil.
Dolores Montelli
Played by Rutanya Alda
Suffering mother who endures her husband's abuse while trying to hold her family together.
Father Tom
Played by Andrew Prine
Senior priest and mentor who advises Father Adamsky but remains skeptical of supernatural explanations.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The Montelli family arrives at their new home at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville. The large, dilapidated house looms ominously as the family unpacks, showing a dysfunctional family dynamic with an abusive father.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Sonny discovers a mysterious room in the basement containing occult artifacts and a portal-like opening. He is immediately drawn to it, and demonic forces begin to attach themselves to him, marking the supernatural invasion of the family.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Sonny is fully possessed by the demon. His eyes turn yellow, his personality completely transforms, and he becomes a vessel for malevolent forces. He actively chooses to embrace the dark power rather than resist it, crossing the point of no return., moving from reaction to action.
At 51 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Sonny, under full demonic control, brutally murders his entire family with a shotgun in the middle of the night. This false defeat raises the stakes to maximum - the demon has won, the family is destroyed, and only Sonny remains alive as a prisoner in his own possessed body., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 78 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Father Adamsky's request for permission to perform an exorcism is denied by the Church. His superior forbids it and threatens to defrock him. This is the "whiff of death" - the last hope for Sonny's soul appears lost, and the institutional faith that should help has abandoned them., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 83 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Father Adamsky defies the Church and decides to perform the exorcism alone. Armed with faith, ritual knowledge, and Patricia's spiritual guidance, he returns to confront the demon. This synthesis of institutional religion and personal faith gives him the strength to act., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Amityville II: The Possession's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Amityville II: The Possession against these established plot points, we can identify how Damiano Damiani utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Amityville II: The Possession within the horror genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional horror films include Lake Placid, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Cat's Eye.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The Montelli family arrives at their new home at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville. The large, dilapidated house looms ominously as the family unpacks, showing a dysfunctional family dynamic with an abusive father.
Theme
Mother Dolores tells the priest, "We need all the help we can get" when discussing blessing the house. This establishes the theme of faith versus evil, and whether spiritual intervention can save a family already broken from within.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the Montelli family members: abusive father Anthony, long-suffering mother Dolores, eldest son Sonny, daughter Patricia, and younger children. The house is explored, revealing its eerie basement and strange atmosphere. Father Adamsky attempts to bless the house but is violently repelled by an unseen force.
Disruption
Sonny discovers a mysterious room in the basement containing occult artifacts and a portal-like opening. He is immediately drawn to it, and demonic forces begin to attach themselves to him, marking the supernatural invasion of the family.
Resistance
Strange phenomena escalate: objects move on their own, Sonny experiences nightmares and personality changes, and the family experiences increasing dysfunction. Father Adamsky investigates the house's history while Sonny resists the growing demonic influence, becoming increasingly violent and withdrawn.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Sonny is fully possessed by the demon. His eyes turn yellow, his personality completely transforms, and he becomes a vessel for malevolent forces. He actively chooses to embrace the dark power rather than resist it, crossing the point of no return.
Mirror World
The relationship between Sonny and his sister Patricia becomes central. The demon manipulates Sonny into an incestuous encounter with Patricia, representing the ultimate corruption of familial love and innocence, the thematic opposite of the redemptive faith Father Adamsky represents.
Premise
The "promise of the premise" - full-scale demonic possession horror. Possessed Sonny torments the family with supernatural displays: levitation, inhuman strength, and psychological manipulation. The entity uses Sonny to exploit every family weakness, turning their home into hell while Father Adamsky researches exorcism.
Midpoint
Sonny, under full demonic control, brutally murders his entire family with a shotgun in the middle of the night. This false defeat raises the stakes to maximum - the demon has won, the family is destroyed, and only Sonny remains alive as a prisoner in his own possessed body.
Opposition
Aftermath of the murders: Sonny is arrested and institutionalized. Patricia's spirit reaches out to Father Adamsky, revealing the truth about the demonic possession. The priest faces opposition from the Church hierarchy who refuse to believe in possession, while the demon's hold on Sonny strengthens in his jail cell.
Collapse
Father Adamsky's request for permission to perform an exorcism is denied by the Church. His superior forbids it and threatens to defrock him. This is the "whiff of death" - the last hope for Sonny's soul appears lost, and the institutional faith that should help has abandoned them.
Crisis
Father Adamsky wrestles with his conscience in dark night of the soul. He must choose between obedience to Church authority and his moral obligation to save Sonny. He visits Sonny in jail and witnesses the full horror of the possession, confirming what he must do.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Father Adamsky defies the Church and decides to perform the exorcism alone. Armed with faith, ritual knowledge, and Patricia's spiritual guidance, he returns to confront the demon. This synthesis of institutional religion and personal faith gives him the strength to act.
Synthesis
The exorcism battle. Father Adamsky performs the ritual in Sonny's cell, facing the demon's full power: levitation, supernatural attacks, psychological torment, and blasphemous manifestations. The demon fights back viciously, but the priest perseveres through the violent confrontation.
Transformation
The demon is cast out of Sonny but enters Father Adamsky instead. The priest, now possessed, walks out into the night with glowing eyes. Sonny is free but his family is dead, and evil has merely changed hosts - a tragic ending showing that this battle may be won but the war continues.