Between September and December 1980, Hammer House of Horror weaved 13 tales of terror that were, indeed, horrible. The brainchild of the Hammer Films producer Roy Skeggs, who had taken over the horror factory after it had gone into receivership the previous year, this was a marked change for the brand.

The windows are often illuminated in the films, giving the appearance of menacing eyes. The first three films were filmed at a house in Toms River, New Jersey which had been converted to look like 112 Ocean Avenue after the authorities in Amityville denied permission for location filming.