The Changeling
Tags: suspenseful, gothic, murder, paranormal, cult, horror, haunting, flashback, atmospheric, revenge

Plot synopsis:
John Russell (George C. Scott), a composer living in New York, New York, moves cross-country to Washington state following the deaths of his wife and daughter in a traffic accident while on a winter vacation in upstate New York. In suburban Seattle, John rents a large, old and eerie Victorian-era mansion and begins piecing his life back together.
However, John soon discovers that he has unexpected and unwelcome company in his new home. The presence makes its existence felt by various phenomena such as shattering windows, abruptly opening and shutting doors, and manifesting itself dramatically during a seance. John investigates the house and its previous tenants and finds that the mystery is linked to a powerful local family, the heir of which is a wealthy United States senator, Joseph Carmichael.
John subsequently discovers that the real Joseph Carmichael (who was born in 1900) was murdered in 1906 by his father, Richard. Joseph was a crippled, sickly child, and in the event of his death before his 21st birthday, the family fortune (which in 1905, he inherited from his late maternal grandfather) would pass to charity. Desperate to keep control of the fortune, Joseph's father drowned young Joseph in the bathtub, secretly replaced him with a healthy orphan, and took the orphan to Europe in the guise of seeking a treatment or cure. He returned several years later with the impostor, now grown and "cured" of his illness, and continued as if nothing had happened.
Now, the ghost of the real Joseph haunts the house, making great efforts to persuade John to investigate his murder, and give him some form of justice. John's investigation leads him to a property that was once owned by the Carmichael family, and after convincing Mrs. Gray (the owner of the property and whose daughter has seen Joseph's ghost), John discovers the skeletal remains of Joseph in a well underneath the house, as well as his birth medal.
After taking the medal without handing it over to the police, John attempts to speak to Senator Carmichael as he is about to depart by plane but is restrained by police. It is then revealed that the Senator has an identical medal to the one John found. The Senator then sends a detective, Captain DeWitt, to John's home in an attempt to retrieve the medal. John refuses, and when DeWitt leaves to obtain a search warrant, his vehicle "mysteriously" crashes, killing him.
After hearing of DeWitt's death, the Senator finally agrees to listen to John's story and meets with him. John reveals the entire story to the Senator, that his father murdered his natural son and replaced him with a changeling, which is the Senator. The Senator refuses to believe the story and angrily berates John for accusing his father (whom he claims was a "loving man") of murder. John then leaves the real Joseph's medal, files and the only copy of the seance recording and apologizes. The Senator threatens John that there will be consequences if he has told anyone else of his story.
Meanwhile, John's realtor and friend, Claire, goes to the house alone in an attempt to find John and is chased by Joseph's wheelchair until she falls down the stairs. Meanwhile, the house begins to shake and rumble. John arrives, and escorts Claire outside, and then goes back inside to try and stop the ghost of Joseph. A strong wind causes John to fall from the second story, but he survives. Joseph then lights the house on fire.
Meanwhile, back at the Senator's home, he is observing the two birth medallions, and throws his duplicate medal away, placing Joseph's medal on a portrait of his father. Suddenly, the picture and the desk start shaking violently and an illusion of the Senator is transported to the house and begins to climb the stairs which then crumble. John sees the Senator's illusion walking up the main staircase, and narrowly escapes being crushed by a chandelier. Meanwhile, the Senator's illusion then climbs the stairs to Joseph's attic room where he witnesses how his father murdered the real Joseph by drowning him. Meanwhile, back at the mansion, the Senator himself suffers a heart attack and dies as Joseph's attic room explodes. John and Claire arrive and see the Senator's body being hoisted away. The ambulance then passes the Carmichael mansion, which is now completely engulfed in flames.
The next morning, Joseph's burnt wheelchair sits upright amid the ruins of the mansion. His music box opens and begins playing a lullaby.

Review: Very few actors could have pulled it off better then Scott.The supporting cast is headed by Melvyn Douglas (in one of his last roles) and Scott's wife, Trish Van Devere who projects a look of total terror as well as anyone I have seen.Two moments that stand out are the séance scene which is eerie and the unexpected arrival of a child's toy ball.
This film is skillfully directed by Peter Medak who gets more that even he probably bargained from a solid cast of actors, a wonderful script, and one great-looking eerie old house.
Doors creak, balls mysteriously bounce, water runs, windows break in the old house trying to tell Scott about the secret of a young child that once lived there.
Medak doesn't have a huge budget to work with here, but this movie beats out newer haunted house films like the remake of The Haunting by leaps and bounds.
Dark, spooky stairways draped with dusty cobwebs, a boarded up room with a terrible secret, a shadowy seance scene, ghostly voices and frightening noises that echo through the huge house, political intrigue and a very solid looking ghost who scares the absolute hell out of anyone he shows himself to.
Never seen the late George C Scott in a film like this before,but i think he just about got away with it.Before you watch it make sure you can watch it without interuptions,prefarbly when its dark,that way you'll get more involved.The film is about a ageing music composer who,after a car accident in which is family are killed,buys a mansion,all is well to start with but soon there is loud banging at night and soon we see a medium being called in to find the ghost of a young boy called Joseph who was murdered in the house 70 years ago,Mr. Scott then trundles through the film trying to find the reason he was killed and by who.A totally enjoyable super natural movie that as a few twists and turns,a few scenes will make the hair on your arms stand up,having said all this the ending was a little predictable..
Scott is a solid presence in this film as the man bewildered by this huge old home, with Scott's wife, the elegant Trish Van Devere, cast as a member of the local historical society instrumental in having secured him this house.
There's a seance scene that is genuinely eerie, as Medak's camera returns to that small room and then starts to glide down the stairs towards the seance participants trying to communicate with the spirit.Some ghost films are all special effects and over-the-top performances of terror.
I love a good old fashioned creaky haunted house story, and HBO's The Changeling is one of the best, and most under appreciated spooky tales out there.
It has no blood/guts, gore or cussing yet it's an incredibly frightening movie!:)Memorable scenes:The wheelchair The bouncing ball The Seances The House!
Watch it only alone or with others who really like quieter,spooky haunted house type movies.I literally wore out my VHS copy and got it on DVD.
All played out to some lush unholy musical arrangements from Ken Wannberg (the music box theme composed by Howard Blake).Setting it apart from conventional haunted house movies is that it has a most intriguing story to tell.
But although the scares have gone, the intelligent story has come full circle and the film closes down triumphantly without copping out or having resorted to unimaginative formula.An essential viewing for those who like haunted house movies; especially if you like slow build and genuine mystery as well.
the ghost shows John how and reveals why he was murdered and demands vengeance even at the cost of John's life.The Changeling is that rare instance of a horror movie so full of suspense and fear.
Who knew a rental would come with so much baggage.Most importantly, the story is solid, the acting is first-rate and those little moments or terror and fear have a lot of impact.If you love horror, especially ghost stories, do not pass this one up.
Effective horror movie about a strange house located in Seattle that causes creepy goings-on in a new tenant .
After the death of his beloved wife (Jean Marsh) and daughter, a man named John Russell (George C Scott) hires an impressive house to a landlady named Claire Norman (Trish Van Devere , in real life married George C.
The original ¨Exorcist¨ film (by William Friedkin) spawned a wave of demonic possession movies that continues unabated today as this ¨Changeling¨ (by Peter Medak), ¨Amytiville ¨(by Stuart Rosemberg) are two further examples of this sub-genre and following a great number of clumsy, stupid sequels .The motion picture won best picture in the Canadian Film Awards and was well directed by Peter Medak , but before he was given the job, two British directors were considered; Tony Richardson declined due to creative differences .
The picture has had a great influence of wide range , for example , Spanish filmmaker Alejandro Amenábar has claimed in several interviews that this is one of his all-time favorite Horror movies, up to the point of inspiring several scenes of ¨Tesis¨ and ¨The others¨ ..
The music was very effective, the acting very nice (I especially liked Melvyn Douglas' performance during the confrontation scene with Scott) and the story was just plain creepy.
It's nice to see where those films grabbed their influences from.While the film plays out slowly and may turn some people off, I was surprisingly hooked from start to finish and was honestly nervous during certain scenes that were spooky as hell.Even after watching the recent Changeling from Eastwood, I still did not know what it meant, thank you George C Scott for clearing things up.
i don't usually get scared in the movies, but "the changeling" is the only film to give me nightmares since i first saw it when i was seven years old.i love how there's no special effects, leaving a lot to the viewer's imagination, unlike recent horror movies that have failed miserably, like "the grudge." i love how the camera angle gives the ghost a perspective.
And I feel compelled to mention the stairway scene with the ball is a legend in horror films and was even parodied in Scary Movie 2 if anyone would like to know.
Scott, Trish Van Devere, and Melvyn Douglas turn in excellent performances, and director Peter Medak maintains an austere tone throughout the film's nearly two-hour running time.
When it comes to sheer scares this ranks up there with such classics as "The Exorcist", "The Omen" and "Poltergeist".If you're anything like me, the first time I see a horror film - if I see it on the small screen - I have to see it alone.
There are however times when I regret this self-induced terror, such as the time when I was 16 and rented "Candyman" and ended up turning the lights on (to this day I still can't look into a mirror and say his name five times), or when I finally saw Hideo Nakata's "Ringu" and actually started hyperventilating when you-know-who came crawling out of you-know-what."The Changeling" is another one of these wonderful experiences of unspeakable horror when I found myself wanting to turn back the clock and wish I in stead was watching something a little more harmless, like "The Amityville Horror".
Scott when it comes to scary movies, as he starred in "The Exorcist III: Legion", one of the most underrated horror films in modern history (that scene when the nurse gets it in that hospital corridor really sent my popcorn flying).
You name every haunted house cliché you can come up with and "The Changeling" has it, but it's the fact that it does it so much better than any other that makes the end result so memorable.It is also worth noticing that the movie includes a scene with a well that almost certainly must have inspired the Japanese (above mentioned) modern horror classic "Ringu" (1998).
I'm not going to tell you anything about the plot, because you'll enjoy it more without knowing too much...just know that it's a haunted house movie, and leave it at that.With no gore and limited special effects, The Changeling focuses on creating fear through sound, music, and identification with the characters.
I can only say that about precious few horror movies.I would call The Changeling a Mystery mixed with a chilling Haunted House story...combined for the ultimate creepy Horror Movie.
Scott is amazing as usual, Trish Van Devere and Melvyn Douglas also do a great job.Watch this masterpiece alone, with the lights turned off!.
Effectively creepy and suspenseful, it is one of the best haunted house movies I have ever seen..
Taut, unrelenting and extremely suspenseful ghost story movie about a old Victorian house haunted by the ghost of children.
Though I think some of the praise is a little too lofty, this film certainly compares with some of the best ghost/haunted house stories of all time.
Peter Medak's "The Changeling" is a highly entertaining horror film that truly creeps and this is not an easy thing to do.George C.Scott plays a widower,who moves into an antique Washington mansion.Unfortunately his new home hides a deadly secret that refuses to remain buried..."The Changeling" is easily one of the best haunted-house movies ever made.It mixes horror elements with mystery without relying on explicit gore.The acting is nothing short of perfect,the music is involving and curiously film-noirish and the frights are plentiful and effective.So if you like classy ghosts stories like "The Legend of Hell House" or "The Woman in Black" give this one a look.Highly recommended.8 out of 10..
Van Devere is also extremely good in her supporting role as is Melvyn Douglas in his few scenes.THE CHANGELING really is one of the best ghost movies ever made with several extremely creepy moments..
This movies deserves to be considered a classic in the genre, I first heard of it in a list of the scariest horror movies ever, I saw the picture of George C Scott staring up a burning staircase and new I wanted to watch it.
It's a film that deserves far more praise than it gets.Scott stars as John Russell, a successful musical composer who lost his wife and young daughter in a tragic car-wreck some months ago.
The fact Scott and Van Devere were husband and wife behind the scenes also lends some much needed levity and chemistry to the proceedings that I appreciated.I was also very taken with director Medak's keen use of slow-burn atmosphere building throughout the entire run-time of the film.
Though a few scares might be a bit misjudged and I do think Medak tips his hat too much when setting up story-beats and characters that will be important later on, his handling of the film is never anything less than completely inspired, and it's a real shame he hasn't done more work along these lines in some time.I do have some minor squabbles with the film, however, and they do hold it just shy of perfection in my opinion.
It's no secret that a great deal of the film is focused on Scott's Russell trying to solve the mystery of the spirit that is haunting his new home, and it is genuinely fascinating to watch it unfold.
Written by Russell Hunter and directed by Peter Medak, it presents a tale of mystery, horror, tragedy, revenge from beyond the grave and in the process, becomes the epitome of what ghost films should be.Our story begins with composer John Russell (George C.
Director Peter Medak deserves to be placed with the likes of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, and William Friedkin for creating what has to be one of the creepiest films of all time, as does writer Russell Hunter who reportedly based this story on a personal experience.
Unlike modern movies that rely on gore and cheap scares to entertain their audiences, the changeling showcases how an emphasis on psychological scares can be far more terrifying for the viewer.As well as being a disturbing horror, the changeling is a clever mystery film with George C.
Scott) takes residence in a brooding mansion haunted by the spirit of a little boy who was murdered for political reasons in the 1920's.Peter Medak's elegant chiller ranks alongside THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (1941) and PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (1948) as one of the most accomplished ghost stories ever filmed.
Sidelined on its original release by a glut of low budget shockers dominating US theaters at the time, the movie has since been rediscovered on TV and home video, where viewers have responded with enthusiasm to its stylish visuals and classy production values.Like the mansion in which its horrors unfold, THE CHANGELING is a grand and stately affair which forsakes all-out supernatural mayhem for quiet, creepy details (a door creaking open of its own accord in broad daylight; a cluttered attic room festooned with cobwebs where a child's wheelchair betrays evidence of a guilty secret, etc.), culminating in one of the most frightening scenes of the entire movie, in which Scott replays an audio recording of an especially memorable seance and hears...
I saw it again two years later and managed to watch it all the way through but it still remains the only film that has genuinely frightened me, and I've seen all the so-called scary films such as The Exorcist, The Omen, etc.
Most horror films I know take a while for the 'frightening' scenes to happen, but The Changeling runs for only ten minutes before the ghostly occurrences begin.
this really is a spooky scary whatever you wanna call it movie,i wish they would re release this movie and show the new kids what a ghost story should be like,i.e the grudge witch is OK but nowhere near as scary as this,please if you can get your hands on this movie,!!!GET IT!!you will not be disappointed!!!its an oldy but a goodie!!the ball coming down those stairs is enough fer mee!!!!!!!!i cant look at stairs in the dark through this movie,honest!!and I'm 44!!!u have bin warned!!!also the late george c scot is areal gem in this one,he comes across as the kinda guy who will not be pushed about yet has a real want to understand whats going on,,he was also great in exorcist 3,,another truly scary film,,lots of quiet and bang!!major heart jolt!!!go get this movie!!NOW!!!!!!!!!!.
For me, it really is, and it's influenced many movies that came after it, including "The Others."Like Robert Wise's "The Haunting," this film's ethereal manifestations are largely auditory: unidentifiable, rhythmic booming sounds coming from deep within the house, etc.; and in this case there is an amazing stereo mix that exploits 3D effects and pulls you into the scenes.
George C scott played very well in this film and the rest of the cast did there job well and i thought Amityville 2 was scary this is much more with high atmosphere.
You could say its a 'ghost story' or 'haunted house movie' but those terms wouldn't give this film justice.
Scott, an exceptional music score, and enough chills to appease any horror/thriller movie fan.
I saw this film when I was about eighteen years of age, and I have never forgotten it, that's how spooky it is!!Basically, George C Scott is being haunted by a child who died in tragic circumstances, so there is no blood or gore, but very haunted house type scenes of objects moving by themselves etc, that start off quite chilling but get more so as George C Scott gets closer to the reason why the child is in so much pain and cannot rest in peace.An old film, but definitely worth watching..
The horror of this scary film is actually psychological and shows no gore, but really frightens a lot with the suspenseful atmosphere tied in a great screenplay.
Maybe if I was like 8 years old, this movie would have been a little scarier, but at the ripe age of 29, and with hundreds of GOOD horror movies watched, I have to rate this film with a 4 out of 10.
In this twenty years no one has ever made an horror movie as good as this.A true haunting movie.If you´re not afraid of ghosts, after watching this you will..
The only other that comes close is Dark Night of the Scarecrow which is very hard to find...I find that most movies today classified within the horror genre are just blood and gore...I can go to the local butcher shop for that.....I couldn't sleep after seeing the Changeling as I found it unnerving..and creepy...It is probably the last of the great horror films that accomplish an atmosphere of horror through suggestion of imminent danger with only sound,minimal chilling visuals and acting....actual acting, not the histrionics of individuals qualifying for anger management therapy.
The movie is very scary for it's time period and is just as spooky as any modern ghost movie out today.I re-watched The Changeling not that long ago after a period of long-time-no-see and found myself engrossed in a thrilling mystery of what happened to the boy in the chair.Yes The Changeling is a spine-tingling horror film and a must see for those interested in ghosts and haunted houses.9/10.
Now I know the third best ghost-story movie in the world: it's "The Changeling".
This movie have no gore, no profanity, no nudity -- just genuinely frightening scenes that would give small children nightmares.As an adamant horror fan, there are few films that are truly scary and almost unbearable to watch because of nerve-racking tension, dark mood and dreadful atmosphere.
If you like scary movies this film will really do its job.
When discussing great ghost movies, very few people I talk to have seen or even heard of this film.
I haven't seen this movie in like 5 years, and while just thinking about it, I'm scared to walk to the next room of my house.