Comments on: The Changeling (1980)

By: dee

dee — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 05:20:27 +0000

With so much gore, blood and guts and excessive special effects in most “horror” movies, increasing with each new generation of viewers, “The Changeling” is truly an enjoyable watch, since it doesn’t depend on gimmicks, rather, on mood, mystery, some fascinating sleuthing, and great acting to convey the eerie tale, which I read is based on the actual experiences of writer Russell Hunter, as he stayed in the “Henry Treat Rogers Mansion” located in Denver CO.
Does anyone out there know if The Changeling was ever committed to a novel?
Thanks!
Dee

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:48:39 +0000

I have found this movie The Changeling eminently spine chilling and watchable as the years go by. Also, reading other comments about the film, many others agree. George C.Scott is his usual charismatic self and the fact that the film was made before the visual effects that bombard the audience in movies today, the simple, yet effective style of direction by Peter Medak, leaves The Changeling indelibly printed in the film goer’s memory.

By: pat

pat — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 06:19:19 +0000

Hey Mark I got that you enjoyed the movie although you did not find it all that scary and I did find the critics of your review pretty harsh on you I believe that I myself being a huge George C. Scott fan and a major fan of this movie was like the others very protective of its excellence. The long and the short here is that Your review is a perfectly valid subjective point of view Like saying I did not find the “Blair Witch” scary or the “Omen” scary I gotta tell you I think that you have hit on the head of great debates about film types In just don’t find this a mystery I find it a horror but can see how you could say mystery suspense… Oh By the way I just listened to a Hitchcock interview about his view of mystery vs suspense everyone’s arguing over terms… But I digress.

By: Mark Pellegrini

Mark Pellegrini — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 02:38:38 +0000

Hrmmm… Although I’ve since parted ways with the company who hosts this site, I feel compelled to respond to the critics of my critique posting responses.

First of all, those of you playing the “true fan” card amuse me, as though you truly believe that you are vested with the authority to determine who is and who isn’t a “true fan” of anything. So if someone does not share in your every opinion then they must not be a “true fan”? If that is what you genuinely believe then I suppose you are beyond being reasoned with, so I suppose you might as well stop reading my rebuttle now.

Yes, I DID enjoy “Poltergeist”. If that somehow means I’m not a “true fan” of horror by your standards, then I’m afraid I must apologize.

Additionally, for all those of you who adored this movie, perhaps you might benefit from giving my review another read through or simply reading it through for a *first* time and not simply gathering what you *think* my review was about based on the responses to it.

I was almost entirely positive in my reaction to the film, praising the cast, the story and the set design.

Indeed, it seems that the only thing I truly noted as disappointing, and what you “Changeling” enthusiasts seemed to have latched onto so venomously, is that I simply did not find the film “scary”.

I apologize if my constitution is made of sterner material than yours, those of you who found this film nightmare-enducing and bone-chilling. I suppose I’ve moved past the age in which a motion picture can actually “frighten” me. Perhaps desensitization caused by the shear volumn of horror films I have ingested over the decades? But then, of course, by the standards of the folks responding to this review, I am not a “true fan”, so I’m at a loss.

Fact of the matter is, just because the film didn’t “scare” me, does not mean I didn’t enjoy it or respect it for all its merits. As a matter of fact, I gave it a positive grade and called out its many, many admirable qualities.

However, it seems that simply by virtue of not finding the film “scary” or not agreeing that it was the “greatest film ever made”, I have gained a reputation as having hated it or despised it or what have you, when fact of the matter is, had some of you put forth the same effort into reading my *review* as you have into reading the *responses* to it, you’d discover that I very much enjoyed it and found it a good film.

Anyhow, I suppose I’m done here. Thank you for taking the time to read my review, those of you who actually took the time to read it. I enjoyed “The Changeling” and very much consider it a good film. That is all.

By: mike c

mike c — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 06:25:50 +0000

I just watched this movie for the umpteenth time on IFC tonite and it STILL gives me chills. It’s nearly flawless. Still spooky after all this time. The reviewer claims it is not that scary. It might not be that scary, but it sure as shit is spooky. The seance scene is awesome and it just oozes eeireness, especially when they go into the little boys room. I highly recommend this film.

By: Scott Jack

Scott Jack — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:28:22 +0000

The author’s review is baffling. This movie was a crap-load of Genie awards the year it was released. It deserved every one of them! Pace, story, acting and music/sound effects were some of the best you will find in the genre. What more does a director have to do to get some respect? Holy cow!

By: pat

pat — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:11:11 +0000

Oh by the way go to Wikipedia for the whole rundown The writer playwright said he got his inspiration from living in a haunted house in Denver.

By: pat

pat — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:04:04 +0000

Yes Allan “I am the boy” auto-writing what a cool concept gets me over any boring special effect or phony half the time CG.

By: Allan

Allan — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:01:34 +0000

The reviewer must be in his 20′s – a product of effects laden movies, with empty headed, trendy audiences who have , at best, a 30 second attention span! The Changeling is a great film!

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:24:08 +0000

This is one of my favorite horror/mystery movies. It is classy & simple without blown out special effects that take away from the storyline. I give this movie an A+.

By: Cindi

Cindi — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:22:24 +0000

The Changeling is the best horror movie ever made…I haven’t found a movie yet that can scare me as much as this one did. It is classic. I saw it as a child, maybe around 7yr old, and my father made me go take my bath right after the movie was over. I was terrified. He promised not to drown me though so I went ahead and got in. Just the sound of the the boy’s voice on the tape still sends chills down my spine. I have heard talk of a remake for years and would love if they could do it but keep the simplicity of the original. In a world of Jason’s, Michael’s, and Freddy’s it would be refreshing to have a good old fashioned ghost story.

By: Squeezer

Squeezer — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:43:10 +0000

From the first time I saw this film in 1984 until now I have never seen a more intriguing chilling film. I totally disagree with the author of above comments. The classic seance scene is eerie but the child’s voice, saying “My father” good god. scared me to death! I agree with other comments that it is much like the 60′s version of The Haunting-I got the same feelings when the “chalk” writing on the wall shows up to scare Eleanor. Brilliant, subtle, and unnerving.

By: Bram

Bram — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:19:16 +0000

I must agree with Neil, this movie is an absolute classic and still scares me as much today as it did when iI was 5 yrs old in 1980. I think the key to this film is not the modern aspect of “in your face” style, but what you dont see that gives it it’s “eeriness”. A great film and a constant in my collection.

By: Yvonne

Yvonne — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 05:17:22 +0000

This movie horrified me. I love how they did the scene with the seance tape when you hear Joseph’s voice (the murdered boy) on the tape and then you’re taken back in time to his death. Chilling! And when he killed the cop to keep him from interfering with the investigation-so shocking. I love this movie as well as the original Haunting and wish more movies today were like them.

By: Neil

Neil — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:56:24 +0000

I haven’t seen this movie in awhile but I must disagree with the writer’s contention that it wasn’t very scary. Perhaps it is a matter of taste but I like the simplicity and subtlety of the movie. I always thought it was scary when the ball came down the stairs. I think this is a very underated movie.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:21:55 +0000

the chaneling ohh my gosh!That movie scared me to death!
i was about 6 when i saw it.I never sleot in my room again.
and when that movie came out we moved in to this new home and everybody told us that a little boy got sick and died in our house.
UPSTAIRS!And i sleep there now.But when im home alone i here foot steps
like someone is walking around up there.

By: The Amityville Horror (1979) - Movie Reviews Blog

The Amityville Horror (1979) - Movie Reviews Blog — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:29:14 +0000

[...] You know from the beginning how this film will end, it’s the build-up to what finally drives the family to flee their home in terror that’s so gripping. The Amityville Horror is a more traditional haunted house film, not quite as restrained as the Haunting but less special effects and in-your-face heavy as the Shining. I’d place it more in the same vein as the Changling. Save for a brief glimpse through a window, you never get a solid look at the force dwelling within the house. The haunting is more of a “classic” style, like something you’d expect to happen in reality or read in a book about haunted history. [...]