When Professor John Russell (George C. Scott) loses his wife and daughter in a tragic accident, he moves out of his NYC apartment and into an old mansion in an attempt to cope with the tragedy. Unfortunately, the house is haunted by the specter of a young child that torments and communicates with John. Soon, John finds himself entangled in an ever-deepening mystery.
Wow, this wasn't what I was expecting at all. The Changeling is expertly directed by Peter Medak and in his hands the film is tense and suspenseful, continually building and building (and twisting and turning) until it's memorable climax. The cinematography by John Coquillon is superb. The camera movements and angles are striking and stick with the viewer. The set decoration (by Keith Pepper) and production design (by Trevor Williams) are superb as well. The best example of this is in the gorgeous, haunting, and memorable mansion that John moves into.
The mansion is almost a character unto itself. The exterior is creepy and enticing, while retaining an odd aura of foreboding. The interior is lush, elaborate, and inviting. It clashes in an odd way with the mansion's exterior. It's almost like the interior was well-kept while the exterior was left to rot away. It's an unusual choice that only helps to cement the mansion deep in viewer's memories long after the film has ended.
The story here was expertly crafted by Russell Hunter (the script by William Gray and Diana Maddox is serviceable). Hunter's story enjoys toying with viewers. It's always shifting and changing, and is never quite what you thought it was...to the point where when the film does finally settle down with an explanation you can't help but remain tense as you expect yet another reveal or shoe-drop to occur.
The only real complaint I could think of is the Claire character (Trish Van Devere). She is the member of a historical society that sells John the mansion, and assists him with investigating the mystery. She's not necessarily a bad character, but she does fall victim to a lot of female tropes and clichés: She's constantly screaming, crying, or hysterical. This does not help endear her to audiences and just makes her come across as weak and emotional (not a good look).
In the end, The Changling is one of the best haunted house/ghost story/mystery films you can see. It's an enjoyable and super memorable puzzle box of a movie that is fun to tinker and play with. It's a certified classic!
5 STARS
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