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The Changeling
The Changeling
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The Changeling

The Changeling

1980
Horror, Mystery
1h 47m
A man staying at a secluded historical mansion, finds his life being haunted by the presence of a spectre. (imdb)

Directed by:

Peter Medak

Screenwriter:

Russell Hunter, William Gray, Diana Maddox

Starring:

George C. Scott, Eric Christmas, Melvyn Douglas, Madeleine Sherwood, Jean Marsh, Roberta Maxwell, Barry Morse, Trish Van Devere, John Colicos, Frances Hyland, Ruth Springford, Helen Burns

Genres:

Horror, Mystery

Country:

Canada

Language:

English
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The Changeling

1980
Horror, Mystery
1h 47m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 57.97% from 846 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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timecapsuleTimeCapsule
Rated 14 May 2019
74
73rd
With its classic haunted house ways, parts of the movie get pretty darn spooky, however it never really gets quite that scary. It's kind of a restrained atmospheric ghost story with a minor TV 'movie-of-the-week' murder-mystery feel, where a sympathetic ghost torments the stoic George C. Scott into investigating his death, which makes the movie play out more like a mystery/suspense film than any kind of horrific haunting. Yet, certainly still worth a watch for fans of old school ghost stories.
Rated 14 May 2019
luna6ixLuna6ix
Rated 28 Jan 2021
82
81st
"The Changeling" is a now extinct breed of horror movie. One where unearned jump scares and gore are completely absent. This is one of the last great horror movies where an equally fitting genre title would be chiller. At the forefront, here, we have an intriguing mystery, a compelling character, and a great performance from George C. Scott.
Rated 28 Jan 2021
doctor7doctor7
Rated 29 Oct 2007
85
83rd
Now THIS is how to make a horror movie. The only real flaw with it is the soundtrack, it's used to create scares in the beginning when the film is still setting them up. A more subtle soundtrack would've been much better. Everything else, however, is fantastic. It's like The Ring except far, far better. The acting is excellent. The story itself is chilling. The mood of the film is perfect. It doesn't rely on gore or cheap scares to entertain. Excellent film.
Rated 29 Oct 2007
beedubBeeDub
Rated 05 Jul 2015
85
62nd
It's well-made, no doubt about that. However, George C. Scott is simply miscast (he's so calm and self-assured that we never believe he's in danger), and the climax gets downright silly.
Rated 05 Jul 2015
paxtonPaxton
Rated 29 Apr 2012
84
81st
The seance is worth the price of admission. George C. Scott being terrorized by a rubber ball is powerful stuff.
Rated 29 Apr 2012
barthalenBarthalen
Rated 21 Feb 2012
75
68th
The first hour has some genuinely creepy moments, even if it does use a lot of the standard haunted house elements (boarded up secret room, medium, ghost audio recording). And compared to other movies of this type, I was actually interested in the backstory this time around. The end gets a bit silly (haunted wheelchair!) but the overall experience was quite positive.
Rated 21 Feb 2012
billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 05 Apr 2021
80
77th
Who needs jump scares when you have atmosphere and dread running through it. I don’t believe in spookies but I would never live alone in a giant house like that because it’s just asking for bullshit to happen. The first two parts of this movie is some howl of grief than it gets a little too safe with” by gum we have a mystery gang “
Rated 05 Apr 2021
jasongirl67Jasongirl67
Rated 21 Feb 2021
75
69th
To me this is more suspense than horror set in a haunted house Anyway if your into old haunted house movies I'd say this is one of the better ones to watch
Rated 21 Feb 2021
nobambanobamba
Rated 20 Apr 2020
65
71st
It had a good amount of creepiness but sometimes went over the top. The background story made sense which can't be said for many horror films. A remake might spend more time on Scott's trauma. Wheelchair POV was silly. Fav scene: the séance makes the tagline, but the recording playback afterward was a lot more terrifying.
Rated 20 Apr 2020
bofbof
Rated 20 Apr 2020
74
68th
Scott is excellent in appropriately spooky docudrama about the origins of the Republican party.
Rated 20 Apr 2020
jschlanskyJSchlansky
Rated 11 Oct 2019
78
72nd
Could blend into the pantheon of haunted house movies, it's got all the cliches that are still being flung around today, but there are some real points in its favor. It has one of the best ghost-psychic scenes this side of Poltergeist, the story develops in an interesting way, and an all around classy vibe. The film uses key sound effects quite well. I love George C. Scott but his reactions to some of the spooky happenings are woefully underplayed; you can probably blame that on the director.
Rated 11 Oct 2019
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 09 Oct 2015
73
36th
Not bad, but not so great either. It has some things going for it with a creepy atmosphere and good performances, but it never really sells the horror well, so it all feels more mundane than the narrative is meant to be.
Rated 09 Oct 2015
terrymacterrymac
Rated 06 Jun 2011
75
72nd
Creepily effective ghost story. I quite liked Scott in the lead, and the film manages to be reasonably scary in the way that Robert Wise's The Haunting manages to be. It is perhaps let down by the TV movie feel, and by some silliness towards the end, but is definitely worth a watch.
Rated 06 Jun 2011
pilgermannpilgermann
Rated 14 Aug 2007
35
10th
This has a good reputation but I don't see what all the fuss is about.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
hawkinsHawkins
Rated 28 Feb 2024
60
26th
George C. Scott is too cool to transmit any fear effectively, but I can't blame him since this is a pretty tame property as far as haunted houses go. And I can't blame the ghost for that since he's only a crippled child, the squeaky wheelchair is about all he's got to work with. But I think most of this haunting can be fixed with a can of WD-40.
Rated 28 Feb 2024
amerigoamerigo
Rated 28 Oct 2019
77
46th
Haunted house story meets the Manchurian Candidate. Still, despite the campy haunted house cliches and the nonsensical political-thriller chaff, there are enough creepy sequences to give this flick at least some merit.
Rated 28 Oct 2019
wwallce4prezWWallce4prez
Rated 09 May 2019
72
51st
Foreboding and full of atmosphere, The Changeling May not be the best haunted house film, but it is one of the best acted. Much of the film has been copied numerous times since its 1980 debut.
Rated 09 May 2019
moncliviemonclivie
Rated 09 Nov 2018
75
56th
I love how the protagonist almost always acts in the most reasonable way possible. And then came the '80s, populating every horror with fucking morons..
Rated 09 Nov 2018
yiannosYiannos
Rated 21 Apr 2018
50
26th
The 'old TV movie feel' that some reviews have referred to is in the generic writing and performances, not in the actual film making itself. TV films of the past did not have such elaborate camerawork, and it's arguable that Medak's work is too fussy for its own good. The camera prowls and circles the mansion's interiors with mechanical proficiency, but it fails to produce any serious tension. Scott also never looks unnerved by the mysterious happenings, and the conspiracy plot is crap.
Rated 21 Apr 2018
groovysoulsGroovy_Souls
Rated 16 Apr 2018
70
56th
The Changeling just might not seem to hold up in today's day and age. While I liked it a lot, it's hard not to see what it could have been. There are quite effective parts, but overall it suffers from some melodrama and rough cuts, that seem to drag away the tension. I liked it, but I think there are better horror movies from this period.
Rated 16 Apr 2018
trixrabbiTrixRabbi
Rated 01 Nov 2015
70
31st
This movie frustrates the hell out of me because the seance and haunted house sequences are so damn scary and suspenseful. The scene where the medium is free-writing the spirit's answers is chilling. But the political drama that makes up most of the final act is dull, a solid plot, but executed poorly. It feels like a subpar airport novel. By the end there's not nearly enough done with this excellent spooky house.
Rated 01 Nov 2015
lady_moeLady Moe
Rated 17 Oct 2015
79
45th
"The Changeling" is truly an unfortunate movie. There is so much the movie does well; it has a great lead actor (George C Scott), a great haunted house to work with, and an intriguing mystery. But the movie shows its hand far too early and far too often, often not letting the suspense build to its potential. The movie quickly turns from a spooky mystery to a political conspiracy and this turn drags the movie down. The ending left me scratching my head wondering what it was all for.
Rated 17 Oct 2015
djrossdjross
Rated 18 Dec 2013
40
26th
Perhaps I have become too desensitised, but this did next to nothing for me.
Rated 18 Dec 2013
actionbergActionberg
Rated 09 Oct 2012
85
84th
Scared the pants off of me. The haunted house is a gorgeously designed set, and the disturbing, winding camerawork around its parlors and stairways is memorably unsettling. A big part of the film's effectiveness stems from its sound design/dynamics, with creaking doors and bouncing balls puncturing silence with frighteningly slow crescendos. Early on the it establishes a kind of fear that dwells with you in any scene, expecting the worst to occur from any angle. And then nothing will happen.
Rated 09 Oct 2012
wayofthegunwayofthegun
Rated 23 Apr 2011
50
11th
Some people really consider this one of the scariest movies of all time? For me, there were very few scares and the storyline was just dull.
Rated 23 Apr 2011
hellsditchhellsditch
Rated 09 Nov 2010
76
41st
A pretty competent addition to the "haunted mansion" canon with a great performance from Mr. George C. Scott. The seance scene ranks up there with the genre's finest and I had the psychic's wonderfully creepy delivery of the line "How did you die?" rolling around my head for days afterward. However, unless I'm missing something, the crippled kid's ghost was a total prick. George C is trying to help him out and he still tried to drop a chandelier on him! What the hell? Also quite draggy in spots.
Rated 09 Nov 2010
halfjapaneseHalfJapanese
Rated 15 Jan 2010
70
40th
Not bad, but not the cult classic it's been made out to be, either.
Rated 15 Jan 2010
abunchofcatsABUNCHOFCATS
Rated 01 Nov 2009
80
52nd
Slow and really not all that scary, but it's good and atmospheric.
Rated 01 Nov 2009
garlonussGarlonuss
Rated 15 Oct 2008
97
98th
This is one of the best suspense stories on film. You are really drawn in and care for the characters which makes their peril much more effective. (And I've never been so scared of a ball bouncing down the stairs.)
Rated 15 Oct 2008
miss_jesusmiss jesus
Rated 24 Apr 2008
87
89th
Not flawless, but still one of the scariest and best horror films I've seen. Makes me feel that inner NO NO NO so poignantly and repeatedly. The seance scene is incomparable.
Rated 24 Apr 2008
oolookittyoolookitty
Rated 20 Oct 2007
98
95th
Simply one of the best horror movies ever. George C. Scott gives an impeccable performance.
Rated 20 Oct 2007
doyler29doyler29
Rated 23 Dec 2023
80
68th
I have always liked this film, but I liked it even more on this viewing, mostly because it's so refreshing to watch a haunted house film that takes it's time, builds atmosphere and has no jump scares. I think it falls short of greatness, but it's a nice, solid bit of spooky. It's a bit of a stealth Canadian film, shot mostly in British Columbia, and it's the first recipient of the Genie Award (Canada's Oscars) for Best Canadian Film.
Rated 23 Dec 2023
shockularSHOCKULAR
Rated 01 Nov 2023
75
56th
Well crafted, atmospheric, and entertaining, but narratively challenged. The main issue with the narrative is the confused nature of the spirit. Sometimes it seems like it wants help and to help, sometimes it gets violent for no apparent reason. There are some elements, like CEB's journal/backstory, that seem to be there for no real reason. Douglas' acting in the climactic scene is first rate. Good stuff, but flawed.
Rated 01 Nov 2023
taurus1982taurus1982
Rated 02 Feb 2023
12
7th
Absurdly overrated movie that barely qualifies as "horror." There are no scares to be found here, just yawns, and the plot is silly scooby-doo type stuff. I like George C. Scott, but let's be real; this doesn't deserve to be mentioned alongside genuine classics like 1963's The Haunting. As for the "seance scene," I don't know what alternate universe you have to live in to think that's scary or compelling in any way whatsoever. Just more yawns.
Rated 02 Feb 2023
lonewolf2003Lonewolf2003
Rated 05 Oct 2022
75
61st
What I really liked about this haunted house movie is that is subverts conventions by turning the entity haunting the house from something evil that has to be defeated into something hurt that has to helped. The protagonist who because of the tragic loss of his wife and daughter really connect to the pain of the entity. GCS plays this perfectly. It makes that this horror besides being eerie is also steeped in a sense of loss of grief, turning this into a surprisingly emotional horror movie.
Rated 05 Oct 2022
jarobmuljarobmul
Rated 15 Jul 2022
75
68th
Really needed to be edited down a half hour or so.
Rated 15 Jul 2022
scribScrib
Rated 08 Jun 2022
69
45th
Some nice direction and effective moments, but this is less a horror than it is a supernatural crime drama. The mystery is a bit predictable and I don't really buy George C. Scott as the grieving widower, which is also an extremely underused aspect of his character (almost to the point of being superfluous). I wasn't really a fan of the score either. Not that it's bad - it's not a bad film and it's not a bad score and Scott is a good actor - but I just wasn't completely sold on it.
Rated 08 Jun 2022
panzerwolfpanzerwolf
Rated 03 Apr 2022
70
57th
I have a thing for haunted house movies and I will pretty much watch all of those whenever I come across them. I also like the kind of movies with hauntings where people do research and the truth is gradually revealed. This movie has got the bleak coloring and mood that is fitting for the theme. There are some creepy scenes so that while I wouldn't call this movie very scary, it is still fairly unsettling in some scenes. A solid haunted movie flick.
Rated 03 Apr 2022
lupisterlupister
Rated 07 Nov 2020
50
53rd
A really, really stupid flaw (the whole necklace thing) ruins an ok movie.
Rated 07 Nov 2020
matthagenmatthagen
Rated 13 Jul 2020
45
29th
Not scary, bad editing, and a questionable soundtrack. A few genuinely memorable scenes help this rough haunted house mystery.
Rated 13 Jul 2020
picklemanPickle_Man
Rated 23 Oct 2019
70
35th
The seance is great, and the sets are as well, but there's sooooo much filler plot. Haunted house movies can be a great place for the mystery/horror crossover thing, but this one should have stuck to the atmospherics and dropped the non-starter of a backstory.
Rated 23 Oct 2019
filliganFilligan
Rated 04 Oct 2018
85
59th
Look, man, all I wanted was some schlocky 80s horror nonsense. Instead, I got one of the few horrors that has held its own against the march of time, thanks mostly to Medak's excellent filmmaking. The spooks are effective because they're simple: sound editing, creepy sets, deliberate pacing, legit good performances. And then the screenplay goes in, like, this left-field Chinatown direction??? This is dang good, folks.
Rated 04 Oct 2018
killgazmokillgazmo
Rated 21 Aug 2016
10
56th
a good story, a good atmosphere set and good scary scenes...............all comes at a near unbearable snails pace though. only con i have against it. and i dont have any sort of short attention span, this is just extra slow, even for the time. but it is definitely a fine film.
Rated 21 Aug 2016
fuentissimoFuentissimo
Rated 30 Sep 2015
76
93rd
The directing of this film was excellent top to bottom. The film builds tension in you from the start with camera angles, slow movement, silence and sound. The story has a lot of classic haunted-house horror elements that have become a very common/cliche, however, they are so well executed that I still found myself giving in and pleading with the screen "don't go in there!" "why don't you just move!" George C. Scott's stoic hero is classic and perfect. The set is gorgeous. A little dated is all.
Rated 30 Sep 2015
spleenspleen
Rated 14 Nov 2014
74
52nd
Although the story is only mildly creepy,those close-ups of Patton scared the hell out of me
Rated 14 Nov 2014
st_bernaSt. Berna
Rated 27 Feb 2014
65
44th
çocukluğumun kabusu, karabasanı. orijinal ismini bilemediğim için yıllarca bulamamıştım filmi. sonra "Joseph" ismini hatırladım nasıl olduysa. "red ball, horror" falan diye de aratınca hemen ulaştım tabii filme. şimdi trailer'ı izleyince komik geliyor ama zamanında uykularımı kaçıracak kadar etkilemesinin hatırına vasatın üstü bir film olduğunu varsayarak geçer not veriyorum. ^^
Rated 27 Feb 2014
driscarpindriscarpin
Rated 29 Dec 2013
61
34th
Impressionante o sangue frio da personagem do George C. Scott. O filme estava indo bem até a conclusão...
Rated 29 Dec 2013
glm01glm01
Rated 04 Jan 2013
76
53rd
75.500
Rated 04 Jan 2013
adamj1982adamj1982
Rated 20 Nov 2012
87
90th
THIS is how you do a ghost story. Fantastically creepy sets, great acting and story. This is just an all around good, clean, scary movie
Rated 20 Nov 2012
syntheseizurSyntheseizur
Rated 31 Oct 2012
74
39th
For the first hour, I thought it was a dull, standard horror film. It takes cues from Don't Look Now and The Omen, but I thought it lacked it's own personality. When the seance hits, though, it really comes into it's own with vivid, frightening imagery. I've never seen a film with so many deeply shocking moments, especially the brilliantly executed POV shots throughout the mansion. Sadly, the story remains boilerplate and the dialogue is pretty lifeless, but for the most part, the film works.
Rated 31 Oct 2012
3drevelation3dRevelation
Rated 09 Aug 2012
80
82nd
I rather liked this. Not really scary, but it works well. Scott does a good job leading the film, and there are some genuinely good scenes in the film. Seems like quite an original script idea. One of my only complaints was that at points the editing seemed kind of odd.
Rated 09 Aug 2012
glmglm
Rated 07 Jun 2012
76
57th
76.375
Rated 07 Jun 2012
ebelcEbelC
Rated 15 Feb 2012
70
72nd
Movie with ups and downs, some very good and frightening scenes, other no so correctly developed that, without the good atmosphere before them, could seem highly ridicolous. It's good also sometimes that even when what it's going to happen is too obvious, they manage to make it still scaring (as there's a good atmosphere and they're still correctly done). It may look full of topics, but it's also true that it has influence in others.
Rated 15 Feb 2012
kramyessevKramYessev
Rated 17 Sep 2011
54
34th
The atmosphere is decent and the soundtrack is ambient but the film focuses too much on the story and less on the scares, which aren't scary.
Rated 17 Sep 2011
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 23 Jun 2011
71
79th
Good Movie
Rated 23 Jun 2011
tinysausagetinysausage
Rated 04 Apr 2011
50
5th
What could have been a classy mystery is let down by a clunky script, hammy acting and an over-reliance on jump scares. The sound is pretty effective though.
Rated 04 Apr 2011
iyisinekiyisinek
Rated 19 Feb 2011
72
54th
lanetli ev, ölülerle iletisim, ruh cagirma, cinayet, kuyu (türünün basarili örneklerinden biri, kansiz bir korku filmi) benzer filmler; an amercan haunting, the grudge, halka
Rated 19 Feb 2011
mrbitternessMrBitterness
Rated 17 Oct 2010
90
61st
The creepiest movie I've ever seen. In my opinion, the fear/dread of a scare is often so much more powerful than the thing itself, and this movie has this in spades. The rest is good to very good "political" suspense, but the scene with the ball, and the final "encounter" should go down as the scariest moments in film.
Rated 17 Oct 2010
joojooJooJoo
Rated 15 May 2010
4
56th
Initial spookiness and suspense develop into a plot that just doesn't know what to do with it. A George C. Scott lead & cinematography of worth make it watchable.
Rated 15 May 2010
fantacbobFantacBob
Rated 11 Jun 2009
60
39th
An OK haunted house story, fairly well told.
Rated 11 Jun 2009
clawxclawx
Rated 14 Dec 2008
92
97th
i've seen this but it's been so long since that I can't really tell you anything about it. I didn't like it then, but thats probably because I was a 14 year old who didn't like when movies had an actual buildup. I'm just giving this movie a random grade until I can see it again.
Rated 14 Dec 2008
mr_rigardmr rigard
Rated 20 Jun 2008
65
66th
Classic horror movie of the 80's. Sure, it's aged, but a fun watch nonetheless. I agree with a previous reviewer--the seance scene is fantastic!
Rated 20 Jun 2008
patrickvapatrickva
Rated 26 Jan 2008
93
87th
Little blood. No swearing. No sex. Slow paced. Scary as hell.
Rated 26 Jan 2008
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 14 Feb 2007
60
62nd
Good film.
Rated 14 Feb 2007

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