Haunted house movies are not only a dime a dozen, but are typically difficult to distinguish from one another.  Horror films set in these possessed homes tend to fall back on the same recycled narratives and scares, making for a bland sub-genre in recent years.  Thankfully, one particular genre film from 1980 titled The Changeling demonstrates the effectiveness of a properly spooky haunted house, providing a glimmer of hope to this somewhat jaded movie-goer.

There’s very little reason to recap the plot of The Changeling.  All you need to know is that it revolves around a haunted house and the mystery behind it.  The journey of the main character though, played by General Patton himself, George C. Scott, is well-realized and seems realistic enough in his motivation to uncover the truth of this home.  Scott is fantastic, even in something out of his normal element such as a horror flick.  He carries his grief with him in a visible way, making him an incredibly relatable character.  The only criticism to levy towards Scott is that he seldom reacts how you’d expect any man to when crazy shit happens in this house, but it’s a minor nitpick that doesn’t effect the film overall.

One of the most important aspects of a supernatural house is, of course, the scares.  While some of the “horror” is a bit dated in style, it never comes across as hokey or cheesy.  The visual effects still look great over 30 years later.  The film is more focused on the story over the horror though, meaning there are a few long stretches devoid of actual tension or scares.  Thankfully, the story is engaging enough that it works in the film’s favor.

It’s also very tame when compared to modern haunts, so if you’re expecting a film full of blood and gore, you may be severely disappointed here.  Think of something similar to Poltergeist, but even more scaled back with the supernatural happenings.

It’s fun to look back and discover some of the early films that shaped a particular genre.  While The Changeling is not typically mentioned as a defining piece of cinema, some of its influences are certainly visible if you look closely.  It’s lite on the shock and terror, yet heavy on the atmosphere, making for a fun supernatural mystery well worth your time.