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The Changeling: Limited Edition - Blu-ray Review

5 beers

"How did you die, Joseph? Did you die in this house?  Why do you remain?"

There are few films as frightening as The Changeling.  I originally saw this film when I just a little boy and the banging in the bathtub – reverberating throughout the entire house – was my first exposure to any idea of a haunted house.  It gets worse, though.  There’s the wooden wheelchair that creeps around corners and the big, empty house that actor George C. Scott moves into doesn’t help calm the nerves either. 

And then there is that damn red and white ball.  The sound of it bouncing down the stairs haunted many a dark night in my bedroom.  Thump.  Thump.  Thump.  Christ, that sound fueled nightmares when I was a kid and the haunting score by Rick Wilkins certainly didn't help matters. 

"a slow burn of a movie and it continues to reward with repeat viewings"


 

Severin Films, acknowledging that this Canadian film – directed by Peter Medak (The Ruling Class) – is an undisputed masterpiece of ghostly thrillers, have issued the film on Blu-ray with a brand-new HD transfer.  It is newly minted from a 4K scan of the original interpositive film element and looks, with deep blacks and rich colors, absolutely stunning.  It is also a limited release.  If you want the embossed slip case, the bonus soundtrack CD, and the red and white striped ball to leave at the top of your stairs then you better act quick.

From the piano playing by itself – a single pressed key – to the séance scene in which a psychic scribbles answers to the questions being asked on the tablet in front of her, The Changeling is a ghost story that opens to a mystery that ends in a fiery furnace of destruction.  It may have been criticized upon its original release – with Scott’s performance being praised as a powerhouse that looms over the mystery – but the film’s legacy as a true ghost story has stayed afloat.  Scorsese has sung its praises.  And I can only echo his praise: The Changeling is a masterpiece of ghostly terror. {googleads}

Co-starring Trish Van Devere (from The Hearse), Melvyn Douglas (The Tenant) and Jean Marsh (Frenzy), it’s not just Scott who knocks it out of the park here.  All actors bring their A-game and deliver in creating a stellar supernatural thriller.  The Changeling is an atmospheric stunner.  There’s not a room in this house that doesn’t leave its audience shaken.  This film singlehandedly messed me up.  I saw it once and it haunted me for years after.  Thanks to this release, my second time through is equally memorable. 

Beginning with a snowbound tragedy that wipes out his entire family, Scott is the very embodiment of grief.  He’s a powerful presence throughout this thriller and, as he portrays a damaged man, he is also the perfect vehicle for supernatural activity to target.  Scott as John Russell, a composer from New York who discovers a deeply-hidden secret in a large Victorian home that he rents while recovering from that loss, is a masterful character and Scott, who has a very unique manner of expressing fear, is an inspiration here.The Changeling: Limited Edition - Blu-ray Review

The film is written by Russell Hunter and is rumored to be based upon his own experiences while staying at the Henry Treat Rogers mansion in Denver.  The film is a rarity as it feels authentic.  Every creek and every house groan feels very real.  Even when voices are heard and shadows seen, there is an air to this production that can only be imitated.  The Changeling delivers a satisfying conclusion that, while rushed, is as unsettling as the haunts that permeate the movie and its setting.  This is a slow burn of a movie and it continues to reward with repeat viewings.  To be clear, I am in awe of everything about this stellar production. 

Immensely fulfilling, The Changeling is one of the spookiest films I know of.  It comes highly recommended in this excellent handling by Severin Films.

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The Changeling: Limited Edition - Blu-ray Review

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime:
107 mins
Director
: Peter Medak
Writer:
William Gray
Cast:
George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Melvyn Douglas
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
Whatever you do...DON'T GO INTO THE ATTIC.
Memorable Movie Quote: "That house is not fit to live in. No one's been able to live in it. It doesn't want people."
Theatrical Distributor:
Associated Film Distribution
Official Site:
Release Date:
March 28, 1980
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
August 7, 2018
Synopsis: A Manhattan composer consumed by grief after his wife and daughter are killed in a shocking accident. But when he moves to a secluded Victorian mansion, he will find himself haunted by a paranormal entity that may unleash an even more disturbing secret.

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

The Changeling: Limited Edition - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Severin Films
Available on Blu-ray
- August 7, 2018
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: English 
Language:
English; Italian
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Severin Films goes above and beyond the call of duty here with their 4K HD scan of this ghostly.  The NEW transfer of the original film elements for The Changeling is wonderfully crisp and deeply brooding.  It is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio.  Colors are bold.  Shadows run deep and the crisp textures in the walls and in the backgrounds are on point.  This is a fabulously intense movie that, rather successfully, makes for one hell of a transformation thanks to the efforts of Severin Films. 

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • This is awesome.  The audio commentary with director Peter Medak and producer Joel B. Michaels is moderated by Severin Films’ David Gregory is killer.

     

Special Features:

Severin Films, continuing to reward its followers, absolutely load this release up with NEW supplemental items.  The release comes with a limited edition slipcover and a CD copy of the classic (and haunting) score.

  • The House On Cheesman Park: The Haunting True Story Of The Changeling
  • The Music Of The Changeling: Interview With Music Arranger Kenneth Wannberg
  • Building The House Of Horror: Interview With Art Director Reuben Freed
  • The Psychotronic Tourist: The Changeling
  • Master of Horror Mick Garris On The Changeling
  • Poster & Still Gallery
  • Trailer
  • TV Spot

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The Changeling: Limited Edition - Blu-ray Review

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