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Written by Larry Clow
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Wednesday, 23 May 2007 |
Chessman Park Productions, 1980
starring: George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Melvyn Douglas and Bernard Behrens
directed by: Peter Medak
the plot: While on a family vacation, composer John Russell (Scott) watches from across the road in horror as an out-of-control tractor trailer strikes the car his wife and daughter are standing near. Months later, still grieving over the death of his family, Russell moves to New York and takes a job offered by his friend, Robert Lingstrong (Behrens). Russell rents an old Victorian mansion and befriends Claire (Van Devere), the president of a historical society in charge of preserving the house. Soon, Russell begins hearing strange noises in the house and has visions of a young boy drowning. During a search of the house, Russell discovers a hidden room that looks as though it belonged to a young boy. Combing through historical records, Claire and Russell learn that the house has a history of unexplained phenomena and untimely deaths. Russell invites a medium to the house and, during a séance, he learns the young boy’s father killed him decades earlier. As Russell investigates further, he finds the murder is connected to the past of Sen. Joseph Carmichael, a powerful figure who yields considerable influence in the city. Russell attempts to give the spirit of the boy closure, but soon finds his efforts thwarted by the senator.
why it’s good: A gripping, chilling old-fashioned ghost story, “The Changeling” is a quality flick that influenced most of the supernatural horror films released in the last few years. Movies like “The Ring,” “The Others” and “What Lies Beneath” all cribbed heavily from “The Changeling,” and it’s easy to see why. A simple, atmospheric thriller, the movie derives much of its power from an excellent performance by George C. Scott and Peter Medak’s assured direction. Medak lets the film unfold at an easy pace, building the suspense slowly and keeping the audience guessing about the ghost’s true intentions. Scott allows his character to be put through the emotional wringer, going from grief and terror to confusion and rage as he tries to help the ghost gain solace in the afterlife. And though there’s nary a spot of gore, “The Changeling” packs in quite a few scares, especially the opening sequence of the film, which shows the terrible accident that killed Russell’s family. It’s a shocking, unflinching scene that throws the viewer off balance right from the start.
why you should own it: “The Changeling” is worth adding to your home library. It’s an excellent ghost story that shines compared to its contemporary imitators. HBO Home Video’s DVD is pretty bare bones, though, so you may want to spring for a cheap copy.
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