The Changeling

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The Changeling

R

Released Mar 28, 1980

1h 47m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

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26 Reviews

79%

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10,000+ Ratings

Composer John Russell (George C. Scott) is vacationing with his family when a car accident kills his wife and daughter. Distraught with grief, Russell leaves his home in New York City for a giant, secluded house near Seattle. Soon Russell starts to feel the presence of a ghost, a boy who drowned in the bathtub there. Russell seeks the assistance of Claire Norman (Trish Van Devere), who led him to the house initially, in uncovering the secrets of the boy's death.

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Critics Consensus

George C. Scott's somber performance gives this haunted house horror a moving soul to go along with its harrowing scares.

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Variety Staff

Variety

The Changeling is a superior haunted house thriller.

Mar 26, 2009

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Fiona Ferguson

Time Out

The leaps made by Scott's agile mind in identifying both victim and usurper leave logic and credence on the starting block.

Jun 24, 2006

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

If it only took craftsmanship to make a haunted house movie, The Changeling would be a great one.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Michael J. Casey

Boulder Weekly

It’s spooky without being schlocky, terror with hardly a drop of blood. And as effective as the haunted house device is, the real mystery driving the haunting is so cold-blooded and practical that you won’t even think twice about its motivation.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 31, 2024

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Brian Bisesi

Horror Movie Club Podcast

While the film’s mystery becomes increasingly outlandish as it unfolds, The Changeling brings subtle yet effective chills and pacing that keeps the viewer engaged from start to finish.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 3, 2024

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John Brosnan

Starburst

The movie is basically old and familiar territory revisited but Medak is a good enough film maker to make you feel the visit has been worth-while.

Jul 26, 2022

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Michael B

A Real Masterpice Ghost Story.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/08/24

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Jonathan O

The changeling is really thrilling supernatural ghost film and George C. Scott performance is really powerful his character feels heartbroken sad and you can feel the emotional of Scott's performance and really terrific cinematography and great sound effects and editing and really outstanding directing and writing to make this the scariest ghost film of all time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/15/24

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Daphne C

I’ve been recommending this movie since I worked as a teen at blockbuster video. The Changeling is a great example of psychological unease and trauma leading to a spiritual event - contact with a tormented ghost. Scott who won best actor for ‘Patton’ is excellent; his scene at night in bed crying his heart out over the loss of his family…naked grief. Scott cannot escape his trauma which opens his empathy to the ghost.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/28/24

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Audience Member

A pure classic and one of the best. George C. Scott may seem like an odd choice, but he is positively sublime in this engrossing haunted house psychological horror film. It is based on supposed true events that happened to writer Russell Hunter while he was living in the Henry Treat Roger Mansion in Denver, Colorado. The movie seems to take all of the tropes of the classic ghost stories and make them spooky again. It's kind of like you've gotten into a haunted house ride at the fair, full of creepiness but there is a really good underlying mystery story at its sinister center. Creaks in the walls, hidden rooms, intense séances -it's all there, spine-tingling and gratifying. Definitely underrated, overwhelmingly appropriate for the season.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/24/24

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Jared E

I really loved this movie it has a strong cast a strong plot and character build, it's eerie but not too scary no chop em up.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/02/24

Full Review

Alejandro E

The horror genre, as far as old, abandoned houses are concerned, this film addresses it as best as possible without imitating what has already been seen before, allowing the viewer to be on tenterhooks, and it does it well, which is what matters.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/01/24

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Peter Medak

Director

George C. Scott

John Russell

Trish Van Devere

Claire Norman

Melvyn Douglas

Senator Joe Carmichael

John Colicos

Captain DeWitt

Jean Marsh

Joanna Russell

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Synopsis

Composer John Russell (George C. Scott) is vacationing with his family when a car accident kills his wife and daughter. Distraught with grief, Russell leaves his home in New York City for a giant, secluded house near Seattle. Soon Russell starts to feel the presence of a ghost, a boy who drowned in the bathtub there. Russell seeks the assistance of Claire Norman (Trish Van Devere), who led him to the house initially, in uncovering the secrets of the boy's death.

Director: Peter Medak
Screenwriter: Russell Hunter, William Gray
Distributor: Associated Film Distribution
Production Co: Chessman Park Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 28, 1980, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2018
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: Surround

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