The session: Creepy Kids!
Four weeks of films featuring creepy kids. Or is it creepy films about kids?
Week 2: The Changeling (1980)
Directed by Peter Medak
My Level of Prior Knowledge
Never heard of it.
Plot:
After losing his wife and daughter, a composer moves into a remote mansion. There he finds he's not quite alone. As he investigates, he uncovers the house's dark secret.
Reaction and Other Folderol:
The Changeling grabs hold with suspense from the very start and absolutely
refuses to let go; every creak of the sprawling mansion and every dark hallway
left me clenched in nervous anticipation. Unlike so many horror films that lean
on cheap scares, this haunted house story expertly builds tension through
uncertainty and atmosphere, often making the most mundane moments intensely
unnerving. Rarely has “waiting for the next shoe to drop” felt quite this
electrifying—edge-of-your-seat is almost an understatement.
It's
a wonder that The Changeling isn’t more famous, considering how well it
outplays classics like The Exorcist in suspenseful storytelling. Much of
the movie’s power comes from how it toys with expectations—a child’s presence
looms early, leading to a quiet twist where the main character’s daughter steps
aside and sorrow fills the space. You never quite know what’s lurking in the
darkness, and the movie keeps cleverly misdirecting both its characters and
audience right up to the chilling finale.
Even the supposed villain, Senator Carmichael, is handled with tragic nuance, becoming almost sympathetic as the truths of the haunting unwind. The Changeling does suspense so well it’s almost exhausting, and yet, that tension makes every scene impossible to look away from—this is the kind of horror that lingers long after the credits roll.
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