THE CHANGELING'........THINGS THAT GO BOUNCE IN THE NIGHT......

The Changeling (1980)   For a moment, we contemplated yet another "Weekday Madness" post.....since yesterday brought the usual horrendous torrent of Baby Orange outrages and general current events lunacy......

               Nah.  We'll save it.......besides, it's closing in on HALLOWEEN!!!!

               So for now, let's leave real horror.....for fun horror. (the kind that's over after 2 hours...)

               This isn't the most stylish ghost story you'll ever see......for that, you've got "The Haunting" and "The Uninvited".......

                 But oh boy does it ever get the job done.  If this one doesn't freeze your blood, raise your goosebumps and bring on the bad dreams......then buy one of those spiffy watches that checks to see if you've still got heartbeat.......

                A composer and music professor (George C. Scott), still broken from  the horrific accidental deaths of his wife and child, takes up residence in an old historic mansion.

                 He's got company.........the tortured spirit of a murdered child, who regularly torments Scott with pounding on the pipes and other assorted poltergeist-ian mischief......

                  The dead little boy seems to press Scott into uncovering the mysteries behind the vile murder.......which involve a truly heinous conspiracy that stretches across decades......and points directly to...(oh no.....you're not going to hear a damn thing about that from us......big-time spoiler)

                  The ghostly encounters here are everything you'd want.......the stuff of nightmares. At one point, Scott and the ghost  play 'catch' with his late daughter's  favorite toy, a rubber ball      leading to the film's most tragic and scary image, the sight of the ball bouncing down the stairs.....tossed by the unseen presence.

                    We'll say no more, other than to mention that in addition to the superb Scott, he's backed up by a top-notch supporting cast (Melvyn Douglas, Jean Marsh, John Colicos, Barry Morse, Madeline Sherwood, Eric Christmas).

                   Positively required Halloween season viewing........pick a cold, cold, dark, dark night, turn off the lights......settle in and prepare for a fright night extraordinaire......4 stars (****)

                    Boo!