News
Late to the Party: The Changeling (1980)
It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to feel a false sense of comfort about being mid-way through the work week! Also, it’s time for another edition of Late to the Party, the series in which iHorror writers realize we’re horribly behind on some cult classics and fan favorites. As we gradually rectify those genre fandom faux pas, we share our thoughts with you, the reader. This week I took some time to watch a 1980 classic, The Changeling.
I’d been meaning to watch The Changeling for quite some time as it’s a Canadian horror classic. With Canadian Film Day coming up on April 19th, this seemed like an appropriate time to finally check it off my list.
The film follows a composer, John Russell (George C. Scott, Patton), who moves to a gorgeous Victorian mansion in Seattle after the untimely deaths of his wife and daughter. The property is rented from the local historical society and has been vacant for 12 years.
As is usually the case with these scenarios, the house is definitely haunted. John enlists help from historical society agent Claire Norman (Trish Van Devere, The Last Run and – fun fact – wife to actor George C. Scott) to help solve the mystery of what the heck is going on in this dang house.
John holds a séance in his home, secrets are revealed, and the plot thickens.
Playwright Russell Hunter was inspired to write the story of The Changeling after his own haunting experiences at the Henry Treat Rogers mansion in Denver, Colorado in the late 1960s. Though the screenplay was written by William Gray and Diana Maddox, the events follow Hunter’s story very closely – with some dramatic flair and embellishment, of course.
I was thoroughly impressed by The Changeling‘s ability to move through the cavernous and stunning mansion with fluid ease. The cinematography is beautifully done; the camera glides through the house to share its love affair with the antique architecture and support the feeling that we’re a silent – spectral? – observer.
When the camera is still, your eye is drawn directly to what the director wants you to see and it evokes emotion and reaction in a fantastic way. The opening scene where we witness the accident that takes the lives of John’s wife and daughter, for example, connects the audience’s attention to the action in a way that we know exactly what is going to happen before the tragedy hits. We see John make this same connection and I physically cringed in anticipation of the big crash.
There’s another scene where John is playing the piano in his new home (one of many – he’s a composer, after all). A door behind him slowly swings open, but because of how the shot is framed and the direction that the door opens, we can’t see who is behind it until the slow creak reaches its dramatic conclusion. It’s brilliant.
Director Peter Medak and Cinematographer John Coquillon really deserve more praise for this film.
The use of sound in The Changeling is also vitally important. The creaks, bangs, and heavy silences work with the orchestral score in a way that initially conveys a sharp dichotomy, but as the film continues, the soft, comforting classical music gives way to a more obviously jarring score.
The music progresses with the film, making the audience feel – or at least hear – the haunting’s escalation.
I do also have to praise this film for telling John’s story in a way that doesn’t shy away from his personal grief. While John is in the process of moving on from his horrific loss, he’s not okay – and that’s actually great to see.
We know John still has these drifting memories of his family. We see his subtle reactions to his daughter’s favorite toy. We witness this grown-ass man in a vulnerable and emotional state.
That being said, he approaches this new mystery in a completely open way. He’s methodical in his search for answers and doesn’t try to convince himself that he’s just tired or seeing things. John does not try to discredit his own feelings or thoughts, which is so important when dealing with any kind of trauma.
It’s oddly refreshing (from a movie made in 1980).
Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the actual horror of it all. There are genuinely scary moments here – the séance scene in particular reminded me a lot of the séance in Insidious. It’s easy to see the influence this film had on others in the genre.
I should also give a shout out to the don’t-call-it-a-flashback scene in which we learn about what tragedy happened to the ghost that haunts the house. It’s tense and very unsettling.
Overall, I was surprised by how much I liked The Changeling. You need to expect a difference in pacing with older horror films, absolutely, but the personal elements of the story and characters as well as the stunning composition of the film itself really won me over.
Check back with us next week to see what other parties we’ve been late to!
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
Movies
Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed
The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.
Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.
The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.
Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”
Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
News
Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween
Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.
The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.
“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.
Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.
The prize also includes:
An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings
A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear
A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room
A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course
The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II
Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two
“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”
Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
Movies
’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power
Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.
Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.
Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.
There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.
The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
-
News7 days ago
Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role
-
Strange and Unusual7 days ago
Man Arrested for Allegedly Taking a Severed Leg From Crash Site And Eating It
-
News5 days ago
Original Blair Witch Cast Ask Lionsgate for Retroactive Residuals in Light of New Film
-
Editorial7 days ago
7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch
-
Movies6 days ago
Spider-Man With a Cronenberg Twist in This Fan-Made Short
-
Movies7 days ago
Cannabis-Themed Horror Movie ‘Trim Season’ Official Trailer
-
News2 days ago
Perhaps the Scariest, Most Disturbing Series of The Year
-
Movies4 days ago
New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie
You must be logged in to post a comment Login