The Changeling, directed by Peter Medak, is a well-executed haunted house horror film with a solid plot and effective jump scares, all anchored by George Scott’s stellar lead performance.
After the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter while on vacation in the snowy mountains, a grief-stricken music composer, John Russell (George Scott), relocates to Seattle to teach music at a local university. John leases a mansion from Claire Norman (Trish Van Devere), a member of the historical society, who informs him that the property has been vacant for the last 12 years. Shortly after settling into the estate, John begins to sense a supernatural presence within the house. As a result, he holds a séance and discovers that the ghost haunting him is that of a young child named Joseph Carmichael. When John and Claire delve deeply into Joseph’s life, they uncover some dark secrets related to the influential senator, the founder of the historical society.
The Changeling follows the standard template of a haunted house film, which has been done numerous times before (for example, in The Conjuring series, The Amityville Horror (1979), and countless others). In these films, the protagonists move into a house and begin to experience supernatural existence. As a result, they set out to discover who or what is haunting the house and troubling them and figure out why. Typically, the spirits of the dead who haunt the home are wandering souls seeking closure, whether through revenge, redemption, or other means.
However, The Changeling’s haunted house history and Joseph Carmichael’s story distinguish it from other films in the genre and contribute significantly to its longevity, even 44 years after its release. The film takes off in the second act when John and Claire begin their investigation into the Carmichael family following the seance scene, which reveals that the ghostly presence in the house is Joseph’s, not a girl, as John had previously assumed. The film takes a procedural turn as John’s investigation leads him to various locations, including an orphanage and a house that used to be a ranch with a well. The well is located beneath the little girl’s bedroom, and after digging the room, he discovers a skeleton and Joseph’s baptism medal. The shocking and intriguing revelations that follow lead into a surprising tale of greed, betrayal, and murder, making for an exciting watch. In addition, John’s grief is skillfully channeled, allowing him to put all of the puzzle pieces together and figure out Joseph’s complicated history and the reason for the boy’s ghostly presence in the house.
The Changeling also benefits from the skillful execution of jump scares and the eerie atmosphere that Peter Medak and his cinematographer, John Coquillon, create throughout the film, whether it’s the climactic sequence, the seance scene, the scene where a floating corpse appears in a young girl’s nightmare, or the scene where John first discovers Joseph’s secret room. Additionally, the precise use of low and high angles at the appropriate moments amplifies and intensifies the jump scares. I wouldn’t be surprised if this film’s jump scare design strongly influenced James Wan’s horror films; they feel remarkably similar.
The Changeling belongs to George Scott, whose powerful and restrained performance creates an engaging viewing experience. Scott makes the audience feel the anguish and sorrow his character feels at the loss of his family through his eyes alone, and his ability to keep it cool and not overact in the scenes—especially when ghosts haunt him—is refreshing compared to other films in the genre. As a result, his performance feels grounded and natural rather than forced or rushed. The Changeling certainly ranks among the finest haunted house films ever made.
The Changeling movie links: Wikipedia, Letterboxd
For more movie reviews and recommendations, visit our homepage
1970s 2023 Action Adventure alfred hitchcock black and white Buddy Comedy classic movies Crime criterion collection denzel washington Drama free movies on youtube French movies Gangster Giallo great films Horror indian movies John Flynn lucio fulci Mystery Neo noir netflix netflix movies new movies new releases Noir Paul Verhoeven Period Drama police procedural Psychological thriller Revenge reviews ridley scott Sci-Fi Slasher Spy movies supernatural suspense Thriller toshiro mifune war Western whodunit