"The Conjuring" prequel movie "Annabelle," about a possessed doll, has an Oct. 3 release date. Latin Post spoke with one of the stars, Tony Amendola.

Have you ever experienced that strange feeling that there's an energy or spirit in the room? Well you don't have to be in an old, creaky haunted house; it can happen in one of the busiest places on earth -- Times Square in New York City.

On Sept. 23, the Jekyll & Hyde Club, a place known for its spooky décor and hauntingly touristy vibe, got a little "spookier" than normal with the unveiling of Annabelle, the evil, possessed doll who is making her way to the big screen in the highly anticipated prequel to "The Conjuring" in "Annabelle," due out in theaters Oct. 3.

Also, in attendance was a "Curandero "(a Hispanic Shaman or spiritualist), Salvador Gata, who blessed the crowd with an interesting ritual that involved smoke from a cigar, rum and prayers.

While it might sound silly or cliché given that it was in a tourist attraction, during the introduction and unveiling of Annabelle, the crystals in the middle of the chandelier above her were moving. You can blame it on the air conditioning or vents, or the great sense of humor of the "Jekyll & Hyde" staff, but I am leaving it open to interpretation.

Someone who wouldn't dismiss this possibility and the power of evil spirits is longtime actor Tony Amendola, who plays Father Perez in "Annabelle." Known for his roles in "Stargate SG-1," "The Mask of Zoro," "Blow," "Lone Star," "Dexter," among others, Amendola shared his experiences filming the movie and some interesting revelations he had while shooting the film.

"I want to invite you all to see 'Annabelle,' a terrifyingly entertaining film that operates on many levels. On one hand, like I said, it's sort of entertainment. On the other hand, it's a great story. It's a chapter in an ongoing chapter in the battle of good and evil," Amendola said.

"Annabelle" is based on an actual doll that is locked up in the Warren Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, founded by Ed and Lorraine Warren in 1952, and is visited only by a priest who blesses her twice a month.

Connecticut is Amendola's home state. "It's a little bit of a homecoming for me," Amendola said about being back on the East Coast.

"I play Father Perez, who is an ordinary priest in his parish. A young couple comes in who asks him to administer to them. He thinks they have a problem, he thinks it's psychological. The church doesn't jump to a belief in demons ... Only later, does he realize that the problem may be a demon. Then he makes the mistakes of trying to intervene and comes in between Annabelle and his helper," Amendola explained.

"It's sort of this sort of wonderful film because if you know anything about the beliefs of demons, they operate, essentially on three levels -- the first level is a kind of infestation, the arrival for whatever reason. The second is the impression, which is basically things are moving and all hell breaks loose in your house and you can't explain it. The third one is the attack, the actual attempt of a kind of a possession," he said.

In New Line Cinema's supernatural thriller, "Annabelle," John Form (Ward Horton, "The Wolf of Wall Street") gives his expectant wife, Mia (Annabelle Harris, "X-Men: First Class") -- a beautiful, rare vintage doll in a pure white wedding dress. But Mia's affection for Annabelle doesn't last long.

On one ill-fated night, their home is invaded by members of a satanic cult, who violently attack the couple. While they survive the brutal attack, the cultists have conjured a wicked entity, a "sinister conduit," Annabelle.

"For me it was a wonderful way to get back and sort of open my mind and re-introduce myself to other beliefs and other ways of thinking," Amendola added. "It's great as an actor because you are always asked to put on a hat. Some people know me from 'Stargate,' other people who know me as the man who killed 'Dexter's' mother, who made him what he is ... everyone seems to love that! Also from "Blow,' 'The Legend of Zoro,'" he said. "My point is, as an actor you are asked to fill a blank page. This week I am playing a priest, but next week I could be playing an atheist, but it was really engaging to play this priest because it gave me the chance to read the book about the Warrens who are essentially a pair of paranormal investigators ... It's a fascinating story."

Amendola even felt compelled to research further into the role and went back to his own priest and ask him about it. "You know, Tony, to deny evil is to empower it," his priest told him.

"And that's all I needed, I was sort of off and running and very happy for a key into this world," Amendola added.

In addition to Amendola, Wallis and Horton, "Annabelle" stars Oscar nominee Alfre Woodard ("Cross Creek," "Twelve Years a Slave") who plays Evelyn, a calming presence and neighbor who owns a bookstore and is familiar with the occult.

Other members of the cast include: Kerry O'Malley (TV's "Those Who Kill") and Brian Howe ("Devil's Knot") as neighbors Sharon and Pete Higgins and Eric Ladin (TV's "Boardwalk Empire,") as Detective Clarkin.

"Annabelle" reunites the filmmakers behind 2013's hugely successful supernatural thriller "The Conjuring." James Wan, the director of "The Conjuring," produced "Annabelle" with Peter Safran. John R. Leonetti, "The Conjuring's" cinematographer, took the reins this time to direct "Annabelle."

Check out the official trailer for "Annabelle," which hits theaters this Friday, Oct. 3.