(Really? As wealthy as you are, that‘s the only place you could find to rent in the greater Seattle area?)
CAST: George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Melvyn Douglas, Jean Marsh, Barry Morse, John Colicos, Madeline Sherwood, Frances Hyland.
DIRECTOR: Peter Medak
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and some old houses that should never be put up for rent - straight ahead…
Horror flicks are filled with protagonists who, while being very nice people, are also just asking for it. That is, they could easily avoid the situation they’re in, but for whatever reason (usually stupidity, but occasionally something else) they head right for the danger in front of them - instead of the other direction.
The hero of our latest review is one such protagonist. He is John Russell (George C. Scott), and is a world-famous composer who matriculated at Seattle’s U-Dub (University of Washington to you folks outside the Northwest). John has recently returned to Seattle after years of living on the East Coast. The reason for his homecoming? The tragic death of his wife (Jean Marsh) and daughter (Michelle Martin) in a car accident.
So, as you can see, our guy deserves some sympathy. And I don’t blame him for wanting to return to some familiar surroundings to ease the grieving process.
But damn… did he have to rent the creepiest-looking place this side of the Winchester House? Well, actually, blame for that bonehead move should go to Claire Norman (Trish Van Devere), a chick who works at the local Historical Society who also found John a place to hang his hat on as he recovers. And the place she gets for him is a sprawling mansion outside Seattle that looks just a little less inviting than the dump that the Addams Family calls home.
Memo to John Russell: Dude, next time go to a full-fledged real estate agent, not some chick who waxes poetic about how beautiful a house is when, in reality, it looks a lot like a mausoleum. I mean, shit… weren’t there any apartment, houses, or condo for rent in the Lake Union or Capitol Hill area? What about Greenwood? If John wanted peace and quiet, he could’ve come to live on my street. I don’t call it Nursing Home Avenue for no reason.
But I digress. Anyhow, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise when John moves in - and immediately finds himself dealing with some truly bizarre shit. Such as: (1) a pounding sound in the walls at exactly 6:00 AM every morning; (2) a bouncing ball that keeps tumbling down the front stairs; (3) slamming doors; (4) eerie whispers and moans; and (5) a secret room filled with creepy crap. In other words, your basic Capitol Hill party. Except this ain’t happening in Capitol Hill, which means it must be… a haunting.
Soon, John and Claire are playing Nick and Norah Charles and chasing down leads that might explain the identity of the ghost. As they dig into the history of the house, they discover some very disturbing things. Like that Washington state’s senator, Joe Carmichael (Melvyn Douglas), used to live there as a child. Eventually, John and Claire decide to have a session to contact the ghost. During this supremely freaky scene, they discover that the ghost has a name: Joseph. And that he died in the house many years ago. And they also discover that they have weak bowels - especially when confronted by supernatural phenomena.
Who is “Joseph”? What connection does he have to the house? What connection does he have to John? Will John and Claire be able to solve the mystery? What does Senator Carmichael have to do with the haunting? Is there more going on here than meets the eye? And the most important question of all: why didn’t John just opt for a nice house on Lake Washington?
Whatever. It’s his funeral.
BUT, SERIOUSLY: I’m going to deliberately say as little as possible about THE CHANGELING, because it is a groundbreaking horror film that drips atmosphere, intelligence, and dread. This film basically sets the standard for the Supernatural Mystery Flick genre, members of which include WHAT LIES BENEATH, THE RING, STIR OF ECHOES, SHUTTER, and others that would come much later.
You know a film is terrifying when grown men actually crawl on top of a couch in anticipation of the scares. I actually saw this happen when a bunch of military buddies and I watched THE CHANGELING during a Halloween party. We’re talking hard-nosed Alpha-men here - and this film reduced them to quivering little simps. I’ve never seen any other film have a similar effect on them.
The cast is terrific, with George C. Scott a nice, stoic hero. His real-life wife Trish Van Devere makes a good match for him as the strong and sensitive Claire, who becomes his ally in unraveling the mystery. Melvyn Douglas adds an additional touch of class as the powerful senator who may know more about the house’s history than he’s telling.
But I fear I have already shared too much. Let me just close with two last tidbits: watch out for that séance scene - and look out for the “wheelchair chase scene.”
You’ve been warned….
