The Changeling

How did you die, Joseph?

The Changeling is directed by Peter Medak and co-written by Russell Hunter, William Gray and Diana Maddox. It stars George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Melvyn Douglas, John Colicos and Jean Marsh. Plot finds Scott as John Russell, a music composer whose life is shattered when an accident kills both his wife and young daughter. Relocating to Seattle, Russell rents a large Gothic style mansion from which to bury himself in his work. But he soon discovers he is not alone in the house, there is a ghost here and it desperately wants his help with something...

Not a teenager or a scantily clad bad actress in sight here, for this is a traditional haunted house spooker for the adults, one that has a distressing myste...

George C. Scott grapples with a haunted house

A grieving composer (Scott) rents a mansion in Seattle thats been unoccupied for a dozen years and starts a relationship with the Historical Society agent who offered it to him (Trish Van Devere). Unfortunately, the manor has a shameful history and weird things start happening.

"The Changeling" (1980) is haunted house horror in the tradition of "The Legend of Hell House" (1973), "The Evil" (1978) and "The Amityville Horror" (1979). While it's not as good as "Amityville Horror," it's pretty much on par with "Legend of Hell House" and The Evil and would influence future ghostly flicks, like "The Ring" (2002).

The writer of the book and co-scripter, Russell Hunter, claimed the story...