The Changeling

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Gripping Psychic Thriller, 2010-06-16
More years ago than I can remember my husband taped 'The Changeling'from a TV movie. We watched it many times until the tape was no longer usable. We were very pleased to discover we could purchase the DVD through Amazon and enjoy watching the movie just as much today as we did those many years ago. br /As fans of good psychic thrillers, we find the movie gripping, very well acted, and with a story line that holds your interest throughout. The main character, John Russell, played by George C Scott, takes you through all the emotions of a man who has tragically lost his wife and child and is trying to rebuild his life in a new city. His quest to discover the truth of the strange happenings and phenomena occurring in the house he rents evolves into an unexpected and historically interesting story, and the search for the perpetrator of the psychic happenings in the house keeps the viewer eagerly anticipating what this search will reveal. The ending, focussing on the music box, leaves the viewer with a feeling of continuance - that the story doesn't quite end with the death of the changeling. Or, maybe it's the music box acknowledging triumph over the now solved mystery.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Good Intro to Horror Films, 2010-06-07
I won't bother with a plot rehash; plenty of those already. The point I want to make is that this is a great film to watch with kids who are begging to see scary movies but aren't ready for the "hard stuff" yet. br / br /My girls are 7, 9, and 11 and I made them sit down and watch this "old" movie with me. They're constantly looking through my Netflix queue and asking to watch whatever has the most disgusting cover. I don't think they're ready for "Dead Snow" yet. br / br /"The Changeling," along with "The Others" and "The Sixth Sense" have gone over really well. They get all tensed up at the appropriate times, they giggle after big scares, they squeeze your arm, but in the end they're not freaked out and life goes on. And now they have a taste of what a well-made scary movie should be. br / br /Af for content, this is probably the mildest R-rated movie I have ever seen, as it could be run during the daytime on any channel with no edits these days. I'm not sure what the MPAA standards were in 1980, but I don't believe anything in this film would be damaging to kids, unless his/her parents have overprotected and coached them that scary = bad. br / br /This is a great film for adults who want an intelligent, moderately scary ghost story and a great primer for little wannabe horror fans.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Creeeeeepy, 2010-05-27
I will have to agree with almost everyone here that seems to think this is one of the scariest movies ever made. I'm a big scary movie fan, and this one is one of my all time favorites. Although the ending I have always felt does not do it justice. br /A music professor has a family tragedy and moves to another state to start over. There he rents a house, that could easily fit the whole Van Trapp family. What he doesn't know and soon finds out is that there is something lurking in this house, something waiting patiently for someone damaged enough and lonely enough to summon on a quest, if you will, that will bring darkness into light. br /I don't believe I should say much of the plot, I find that there are quite a few that have already said a bit too much. I will say though that the movie pulls you in, in the way a good fright night movie should, lots of eery music, strange camera angles, long flights of stairs that end in shadows, and that damn ball ; ) br /All these things really increase the scary factor and goose bumps will follow. Now if you're looking for a lot of special effects and gore this is not the movie for you. This is a haunted house movie and as with most haunted house movies, ghosts are the prevalent "monster" here. There are no CGI effects and yes you have to sit through people actually talking, because this way you will care for the characters and even care for what happens to them. If that is the type of scary movie you like then turn off the lights, turn off your cell and immerse yourself in goose bump bliss.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

I Agree!, 2010-05-05
I agree with every review. I am 38 years old and I would not watch this movie at night. I watched this movie as a young child and it scared the "SH#%#%#" out of me. If I should watch it again, I would have to watch it around 7a.m on a Saturday morning (I'm not kidding!) The movie is somewhat simple, however very scary. Although I haven't seen this movie in while(sometimes I try to forget it),there were a couple of creepy parts: the image of the dead boy either in the tub or in the floor boards; the wheelchair at the top of the steps; and the necklace that pushes up through a water well; the little girl who sees the dead boy's image in the floor of her room (this is where the dead boy's body is buried) Beware! If you watch this movie,especially at night, you will not be the same.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

One of the scariest movies of ALL time!!!, 2010-04-27
This one the scariest movies that i have ever seen!!! If you want to see one of the olde fashioned-types of scary films--then this is right up your alley!!! br / br /Great acting, a great story, and creepy scenes--like the scene with the little boy drowned in the water, after george c scott turns off the water faucet. br / br /If you can watch this alone, and at night--then that's the best time!!! It will definetly give you the shivers!! right down to the bone!!! br /Try to imagine--a house, huge house~a little boy died, and was murdered...that's all i can say, unless you want me to give away the best ideas of the film... br /Just watch it...and hold on to your fears!!! Watch it with your girlfriend/boyfriend; keep close, and stay awake at night, thinking "will the wheelchair come for me now!!!" br / br /A 10 out of 10!!!! $