Beware of angry poltergeists, because The Changeling (1980) is the Greatest Movie EVER.
Click on the movie title or the poster above to download our review of the film, featuring “Celebrity Translator” Neil Nadelman.
Review in a Nutshell: The Changeling (1980) is a beautifully shot, gorgeously edited, low-key, suspenseful film that is part ghost story and part detective story. Although the final act stumbles a bit after all of the mysteries are revealed, it’s still interesting as a well-made, atypical horror movie.
ERRATA: I accidentally referred to House on Haunted Hill as 13 Ghosts. Mea culpa.
The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast 
I vaguely remember this film from when I lived in San Diego and haunted the Horton Plaza all-night movie theaters on Friday nights. It was, as I said on FaceBook, not a very memorable movie – Edgar
Wright’s parody trailer for Don’t! could have just as easily been a trailer for The Changeling as whatever they played in grind houses!
In my early Twenties with no serious girlfriend that seemed “cool” and “daring” – just me, a bota of cheap red jug wine, and a couple joints tucked into a packet of pipe tobacco. I mention it now, being married and nearly Sixty, and Tammy just looks at me sadly and shakes her head….
I remember seeing this when I was young, and the automatic writing part was creepy and what I remember the most. That and George C. Scott was a great actor.
The Changeling is unquestionably one of my favourite movies of all time. There is so much to love about it. I am always intrigued to hear opinions of others about the film so I was happy to discover and listen to your podcast about it. I thought your analysis of the film was good and very observant and you articulated a lot about what and why it is such an effective ghost movie. However, I think you made one huge omission by not even mentioning the music score or the sound effects and how important and integral they both are to the success of The Changeling. Without either of those, the film would be a much less effective experience. With them, they help transcend the film and give it a very sinister and creepy tone.
Well, I’m sold on watching this now.
And the Scream movies are great! I saw all 4 of them in the theater. Yes.
Great review! I love the changeling.
I love the way most of the scary scenes are during the day.