I have never claimed to know anything about anything (and no one ever tells me nothin’), so I can’t go out and say that this is a “classic” or anything, but I think it’s held in high regards. Or is it “regard”? I don’t know anything. Anyway – I liked this movie. A lot of the shit that comes out these days is pretty stupid (but not EVIL DEAD!!!) and I miss old horror movies like this ~ you just don’t see things involving middle aged men and ghosts any longer. I thought this movie was smart and creepy and they really built up a lot of atmosphere. I mean, it didn’t make me shit my pants or anything, but I thought it was pretty good – especially that seance scene. If you want to give this a shot – it’s worth it, but…. it’s also really loud in that 1980’s screechy, early Dolby way. OH!!! It’s also Canadian.
So George C Scott’s wife and kid get run down in cold blood so he moves to Seattle to recover. As we all would do, he rents out the biggest, creepiest house in the state – to live by himself and grieve – and ghosty things start happening. No one believes him, of course, but then someone does and they have a seance and he has a heart attack and he and this one lady uncover a 60 year old mystery involving a dead kid and the dead kid’s replacement: “the changeling”.
Scott actually uses that word in this movie, which might put people off:
Scott: “You’re the changeling”
but if you can get over that, I think people will probably enjoy this. I mean WHO calls people that anymore?? NO ONE, that’s who. Well – maybe people in Manassas. Manassas, Virginia. Maybe. I can just see this playing out:
Eric (exits car, sniffs Manassas air, leaves blow through street): SNIFFFFFFFFFFFFF. AAAAAAHHHHHH
Manassas Mayor approaches subject, extends hand: How do y’do, son? Thanks for stopping by our small town. What interests you in our fair city?
Eric: Well, I wrote this post on my blog one time about this movie called The Changeling and I mentio-
Mayor reaches into interior vest pocket: WHAT did you just say, son?
Eric: I have this movie blog I do – I said somethi –
Mayor presents Derringer, cocks it: So YOU’RE the one!!
Eric: What? HUH?
Mayor shoots me in the thigh. I spend the rest of my time on Earth locked up in a prison cell, exploring the justice system through an endless sequence of appeals.
Wait – what were we talking about? Oh yeah – The Changeling! I never saw the Clint Eastwood one from a couple of years ago because it looked really fucking boring but I don’t think it had anything to do with this. I won’t say that this movie is a lot of good fun, it’s real serious and all of that shit, but it’s pretty good. Plus, there’s this:
I don’t know how anything works or anything, but when I Google imaged “The Changeling 1980”, this came up which has nothing to do with the movie at all, but I’ll take it:
Then again – so did this:
Google tracks every search you ever did and keeps trying to ‘sell you’ on products you have shown interest in. One time I looked for a pic of Godzilla – for 6 months, no matter what I searched for, Godzilla would come up in the pics. I searched for a Ford Mustang – down on the page…Godzilla – I searched for the best planting time for Tulips…Godzilla. Apparently you had searched for Amityville Horror, or Margot Kidder, or ‘naked breasts in movies’ recently. 😀 Nice review, love this movie, too.
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Interesting! I did google Amityville Horror the other week – I think after reading something of yours……?
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You can turn the tracking off but that just makes the searches more nutty – if you were to search Amityville horror – you’d come up with, bad restaurant reviews in Amityville, dog grooming places, motels, etc. (just an example) When we search with the tracking on, it pretty much knows we are looking for movies and film, first and foremost.
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Good to know!!
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The one thing I hate now is, you start typing a search and it decides, what you’re looking for, even before you’re done – and no more letters can be typed until you re-click in the search bar.
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That is a big pain in the ass!!
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Then, on my Kindle Fire – it keeps changing words It doesn’t recognize to something it does and sometimes its a battle to get what you want written on the screen. I was trying to post a comment for Hellraiser and used the word Cenobite, it changed that word to central, centerfuge, centerbeam…. I finally gave up, lol.
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LOL – it’s like that on my IPAD too – sometimes you just have to give up and punt!
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Fun with technology 🙂
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How did we live before we could send text messages??? THE HUMANITY!!!!
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YES!!!!!!!!!! Go Canada!
This film is so important to Canadian culture that they make us watch this in Religion class. As well as Black Christmas.
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LOL – what about Men With Brooms???
I thought you might appreciate my lunch today:
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NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That looks fucking good man.
Men with Brooms is an American film trying to do Canadian comedy. Didn’t work.
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The secret is to get the cheese on the side so your chips don’t get all soggy : )
You didn’t like Men With Brooms? I thought it was funny : )
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Fubar – Balls To The Wall, now that’s fucking funny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvEZxa0D6lY
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Sounds like you need a good lawyer in Manassas……
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Sounds like I need a good lawyer EVERYWHERE thanks to you!!!!!!!!!!
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Yay! Canada! Gotta show some love to my country! Seeing as it is a Canadian movie, that’s not SO out of place, is it? I have heard about Changeling actually but I’m only diving into this whole horror genre of any kind..so I’ll get to it eventually 🙂 Awesome review especially the insert about dialogue with Manassas mayor and all 😛
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Awesome, Kim!! I hope you like it when you see it – it’s pretty good : )
LOL about the Mayor : )
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What do you get when you google manassas? 🙂
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On your computer you’ll get lots of MAN ASSES!!!
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Absolutely fantastic movie – my favorite, I think.
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You’re favorite?? GREAT!!! I hope I did it some justice for you : )
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I love this movie, and your swerve into Manassas microfiction.
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Excellent – I went poking around on your site the other day to link over to your thoughts but I didn’t see a link to them out there – but I could have sworn I’d read them before…?
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I have never done a full review of it, for some reason, but I think I have repeatedly mentioned my love for it on my site and everyone else’s.
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Maybe that’s it – I am sure you recommended it to me which is why it ended up in my mailbox : )
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I am very glad you liked it. It is one of my all-time faves, but for some reason when it comes to many of the movies I like the most, I don’t ever get around to posting about them. It’s like I’m intimidated by them or something.
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I know the feeling. I’ve been trying to muster up ideas for Rocky for months – I’m totally intimidated…
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Go on, Eric. Do it, dude!
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Well – I am actually wearing my Rocky T-shirt to work today : ) Maybe I’ll get inspired if I’m not too busy : )
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OH Eric, you make me laugh so much! those last two pictures you got when googling changeling!
Yeah, and your ‘lunch.’
By the way, I’m sitting at my sister’s computer, with, you know, a screen, instead of looking at my phone.
The header I’m looking at is the one with a smiling girl with a bloody fork in her hand standing under a mirror ball with a slightly dazed looking man. I burst out laughing!
Because that’s the one I thought might be you and your wife at a wedding party or something. I said to you you look so cute!
Think I need some new glasses too.
You must think I’m a total nutcase!
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Not at all – that’s funny!!!
That’s a still from a FANTASTIC Australian horror movie called THE LOVED ONES. You could check it out here if you like:
https://isaacspictureconclusions.com/2012/09/18/the-loved-ones-2009-five-prom-king-crowns/
I hope you’ve been getting your rest!!
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I just watched ‘The Loved Ones’ with my sister who happens to be a big horror movie fan. It was terrific, I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the tip, Eric. 🙂
I also bookmarked your site on her computer, she’s already seen most of what you have seen but not all.
She not only got me the fake blood recipe but put together a whole “Ashley’s Fake Blood Kit”.
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That makes me SO HAPPY that you two loved it!! That validates what I do out here!! I hope she enjoys my site if she ever has time : )
“And this is for the Kingswood!!”
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I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award
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Pingback: Evil Dead, 500,000 hits and Jurassic Park 3D | filmhipster
Another one I’ve seen! 🙂 And a good one. My type of classic horror. (I’m a total wuss about gore).
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Excellent!!
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Good review! Good movie. This one used to scare the crap out of me and my brother when we were kids.
Oh and looks like Google’s been tracking some of your more discreet searches 🙂
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Why – thank you very much!
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I LOVE this film!!!!!!!!!!!
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Claaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam!!!!!!
Look at you looking at this old post!!!!!
#penisveryhappy
SMOOCH
Love Pen
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What this old post?! I just slipped it on!
Couldn’t resist….again!
#penisecstatic
Love Clam 🙂
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Clam!
HAHAHAHAHA!!!! I love it!!
#penandclam
Love Pen
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#penandclam
Is it just me or do you feel a child’s book franchise in the making?! Maybe with some omissions lol
Love Clam
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HAHAHAHAH!!!! We can make this happen!!!!
Love Pen
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You know it!!
🙂
Love Clam
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I hope you’re having a good Friday!
Love Pen!
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Every Friday is perfect!!!!! Monday can fuck off!
How about you?
Love Clam 🙂
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So far so good – talking with Clam ALWAYS makes everything better!
Love Pen : )
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Awwww! That’s so sweet! And ditto with Pen 🙂
I’m enjoying Shitfest A LOT too 😀 😀
Love Clam
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YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! That makes me so happy!!!
#penisveryhappy
Love Pen
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#penistotallyhappy
Love Clam 🙂
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WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Love Pen!
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I recently got this movie, but still have to see it. Sounds like excellent fare for Halloween. Great take Eric.
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I’m so watching this for Halloween, sounds like one movie that is right up my street.
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This movie is pretty awesome – it’s…. “old”…. I hope you like it – it’s old like me – it’s not your modern style of jump scares and cats coming out of the cubbard,,,
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I’ll be sure to inform you of my thoughts on it.
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I finally saw this the other day, what a great movie. It was so creepy and Gothic.
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