First up let’s define what exactly a documentary actual is. Basically it’s a movie examining a real world event where actors are used to recreate scenes from the event for the viewer, where those events don't exist in archives. The approach is used in either of two ways, firstly it can be used to add some interest to the documentary, who has sat through those history documentaries at school where some dry voice is used over static images? Yeah, I had to avoid falling asleep as well on occasion. Secondly it can be used to create scenes that are intrinsic to the documentary, which can only really be acted out, as there doesn’t exist any archive footage of the actual event. Ryan Katzenbach for mine uses the second approach, and in so doing breathes life into a documentary covering the DeFoe murders in 1974.

For anyone who is remotely interested in the Amityville thing, the fact that Ronald “Butch” DeFoe murdered his entire family is common knowledge. In case this is new to the reader Ronnie killed his parents, Ronald DeFeo Sr. (43) and Louise DeFeo (née Brigante, 43); and his four siblings: Dawn (18), Allison (13), Marc (12), and John (9). Ronald DeFoe was eventually found guilty of six counts of second-degree murder and was sentenced to six sentences of 25 years to life. DeFoe would later die in prison in 2021 from undisclosed causes. Common wisdom, legal or otherwise, has been that it is clear cut, DeFoe committed the murders in a drug induced rampage. However, forensic evidence has raised serious questions about the assumptions that have been made regarding the murders, not the least of which are whether Ronnie did actually commit the crimes he was convicted for, and if he did commit the murders was he a lone gunman or did a person or persons unknown help out with murder most foul. Ryan Katzenbach in the first of a three-part extensive examination of the Amityville case explores events leading up to the murders, in the process raising serious questions about what actually transpired on that fateful night in 1974.

Like all good documentaries examining an historic event Katzenbach kicks things off with a brief introduction to the events surrounding the major topic being investigated, in this case the DeFoe murders and the subsequent public hysteria over the supposed demonic haunting of that house with the apparent eyes on the third floor. So if you aren’t up to speed with the Amityville thing Katzenbach goes pedal to metal to get you gainfully informed.  I was particularly taken with the narrator Edward Asner, who brings the right amount of gravitas to the party, as the viewer glances over their shoulder if watching this doco at night.

The writer/director spends considerable time exploring the DeFoe family relationships prior to the murder via his own research and also extensively through the views and research of author Ric Osuna, a noted authority on the murders. In a word, the DeFoe family defined “dysfunctional” before it came into common usage via the efforts of the writers of The Simpsons et al. Television once again bringing out the best of the human race, but back to the documentary. Guess the first point to cover is Ronald DeFeo Sr. put the abuse into abusive, Ryan Katzenbach goes into length to ensure the viewer is well aware that Ronnie Senior isn’t going to be anyone’s nomination for father of the year. Seems Mr DeFeo had a history of wife beating and psychological torture which makes you wonder why Louise didn’t abandon her situation and head on back to her parental safe space. This actually gets explained by a couple of criminal psychologists, who provide the reasons why in terms that even a layman like myself can understand. Should that be “layperson”, sorry digressing once again, back to the meat and three veg. But Ronnie Sr. doesn’t stop there when it comes to the physical abuse, on a number of occasions he laid into Ronnie Jnr, leaving the young adult bruised and bleeding. And just when you think that DeFeo Sr. isn’t an equal opportunity abuser he also targeted his daughters Dawn and Allison. The younger boys also came under psychological abuse, with Marc in particular being forced to play U.S football. In summation Ronald DeFeo Sr. made family life at 112 Ocean Avenue a living hell for his family, naturally tension and anger are on the rise with Ronnie Jr. on at least one occasion pointing a loaded rifle at his father. Director Katzenbach nails the coverage of this aspect of the DeFoe situation via re-enactments with particularly good performances from Lindsey Hager (Dawn DeFoe), Jon Huybrecht (Ronald J. DeFeo Jr.), and Jon Southwell (Ronald DeFeo Sr.). In particular Southwell really brings across a simply hateful character.

What I found very interesting, and what should have had alarm bells ringing in Amityville investigator circles, was the work situation both Ronnie Lutz Snr. and Ronnie Lutz Jnr found themselves in. Big Ronnie worked in management at his father in law’s car dealership while Butch was something of a roustabout. Ryan Katzenbach points out that at the time the New York Mafia was heavily involved in the industry, one assumes to launder money from more legally iffy sources. We learn that Ronnie Snr was embezzling money from the company, and by extension the mob, while Butch was under suspicion after claiming he was held up and robbed of a day’s takings he was tasked with delivering to a bank. Put two and two together folks, the Mafia were not all together forgiving at the best of times. The writer/director also points out that Big Ronnie was suspicious of Butch’s relationship with his grandfather, and may well have cut the break line in Ronnie’s car. Another amazing example of parenthood, no wonder 112 Ocean Avenue was a ticking time bomb.

The documentary spends some time with Dawn DeFoe, who’s definitely interesting in terms of reasons different individuals might want to see Big Ronnie six feet under. Seems Dawn found love with a new boyfriend William Davidge, but as ever love isn’t going to be easy with Davidge moving with his family to Florida, guess they liked the pork sandwiches. Anyways Dawn, who seems to be quite the planner, concocted a plot to get $5k from her Grandfather through a couple of her friends claiming she had been kidnapped, this didn’t work out quite as planned with the whole plot unravelling faster than a Donald Trump election rally. Not to be deterred Dawn went on to write a song with Butch’s new girlfriend, more on her next paragraph, titled “The Night the DeFeos Died”, set to The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace, Dawn’s favourite tune of the time. If this was a documentary, we’d have dramatic music kicking in right about now. There is evidence that Dawn was at least pressurising Butch into taking some action against the family, which should have raised doubts at the time of the criminal investigation about whether or not Butch was a lone gunman.

Director Ryan Katzenbach also raises a facet of the case that gets slim coverage in more biased views. Ronald DeFoe Jnr actually got married prior to the events on the fateful evening to Geraldine Rullo-Romondoe, a singer he had run across in a New York bar. Naturally he left the family home and moved in with his new bride and her two daughters via a previous marriage. Naturally this didn’t sit well with Big Ronnie, who basically dragged Butch back to the family home, and enforced his son to spend a number of nights per week in Amityville. You can almost see the screws tightening, as Ronald Snr has by this stage disappeared into some macho Italian nightmare world. Geraldine for her part did her best to dissuade Butch from becoming further enmeshed in the current DeFoe shenanigans and even tried to convince Butch not to set out for the family home to help quell the latest outrages on the evening of November 13, 1974. Katzenbach extensively uses interviews with Geraldine DeFoe to shed light on the DeFoe family situation and dynamics, once again dysfunctional doesn’t being to describe the sheer chaos in the Amityville house.

For any exploration of the Amityville case you really need to start with the DeFoe murders, and what was the root cause of events on the night of November 13th, 1974. Current wisdom, both legally and otherwise, has it that Ronald “Butch” DeFoe Jnr acted alone, and massacred his entire family due to the voices he was hearing which may have been demonic but which may also have been due to a claimed large intake of drugs. Katzenbach at least asks the audience to review the assumptions being made; various DeFoes had purloined, or tried to, cash from a Mafia controlled business, that nearly always ends well. Then here was the whole Dawn DeFoe and her future hit song “The Night the DeFoes Died”, my foot is already tapping folks. Which definitely should have the viewer wondering if the local Constabulary didn’t perhaps rush their investigation. Got to say this docudrama really shed a whole lot of light onto what I had assumed to be the clear and cut nature of the DeFoe massacre, Katzenbach has made us really think about events surrounding the prelude to the whole Lutz thing. Full recommendation, and you know what the really cool thing is, we have two more movie length instalments in the series to come. Ryan Katzenbach has made one of the great investigations into Amityville, and you know what, I learnt a whole bunch of new details. We’ll be right across the next instalment in the series real soon now, what new details are coming our way I can only speculate on.