A very decent haunted house film with an excellent George C. Scott as a bereaved composer who inexplicably relocates to Seattle and rents a gigantic and creepy mansion. There are several genuinely scary moments, and a few dopey ones as well, but the pluses outweigh the minuses. Like all good ghost stories, this is a story about uncovering the past, and the story that Scott uncovers is a complex, hideous tale involving the changeling of the title. Scott's wife at the time, Trish Van Devere, is good as the rental agent that helps Scott tease the truth out of the house, although one wonders why she keeps willingly running through the mansion's rooms (not to mention the attic) when we all know it's a terrible idea.
Man, I haven't watched this in a while, but thanks for reminding me of this creepy ghost story. I like the creepiness and the mystery, and how George C. Scott was sort of on fire at this time in his career. That red ball! Creepy!
ReplyDelete-Kevin