Night 7: ‘The Changeling’ (1980)

After losing his family in a freak accident, musician John Russell (George C. Scott) relocates with the purpose of starting a new life somewhere else. He accepts an uninhabited old house as a favor from his friend, who is in touch with the Historical Society. Soon, what seems to be the perfect arrangement for a new beginning actually becomes the setting for a terrible discovery.

‘The Changeling’ has a plot that fits perfectly in the blueprint of the haunted house subgenre, and it mostly adheres to it. However, our main character is not only tormented by supernatural events, but also prompted to investigate them outside, only to find a horrible truth: a child was murdered in the place he’s living in.

Still, the ghost that demands being avenged is far from black or white. Joseph is an ambiguous figure: as innocent but also as terrible as any child. His temper tantrums and cries keep you guessing throughout the film, making you wonder if he’s actually good or evil, if he’s lying or actually showing John the truth of what happened to him.

And we care about what happens with the musician, since our main character is absolutely likeable and sympathetic. So when his life is in danger –either due to supernatural or real life menaces-, we do worry about his wellbeing. It’s an achievement not all horror movies manage to secure.

The movie is also great at creating a charged and constantly changing atmosphere that fits the shifting moods of the specter. This creates wonderful scenes that are truly terrifying, manifesting in a variety of ways: from the upfront jump scare, to intense psychological moments.

Another little pleasure of the movie is the possibility of identifying the seeds of some modern horror films in it. It’s very likely that elements from ‘The Ring’ –a parental figure chasing clues, discovering the murder of a child, a body hidden inside a well…- or ‘The Others’ –the ‘automatic writing’ scene- were vaguely, if not directly inspired, by this movie.

On the other hand, the main weakness of the story are two subplots that are hinted at, but used rather sloppily.

First, there is the death of the musician’s family at the start. Although it provides a shockingly effective opening, the loss of his wife and daughter are only mentioned during the first act and subsequently dropped later on. It’s a dramatic element that could be more interweaved with the story of Joseph and the Carmichaels, but regrettably isn’t.

Lastly, the socioeconomic ambitions mixed with the complex relationships between the members of the Carmichael family, aren’t fully developed, but only superficially explored, turning it into quite a jumbled and mostly uninteresting subplot.

Nonetheless, the ending, with the fake Carmichael child finally stopping the horror and making the entire structure crumble with the weight of the ghost’s anger, is pleasantly cathartic, and very reminiscent of Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher.

Definitely one of the best haunted house films out there!

Grade: 7/10. Spooky!

Scare Factor: creepy scenes and a few jump scares.

Gore/violence: violence against children. Be warned!

Nudity/sexual situations: none.

Tomorrow: ‘The Vanishing’ (1988)