The Changeling (1980)
Kernel Score: 76% · 707 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Horror
Released: 1980-03-28
Runtime: 105 minutes
Where to watch The Changeling
- Stream: Night Flight Plus, Eternal Family, Midnight Pulp, Troma NOW, Bloodstream, Chilling
- Free with ads: FlixHouse, Darkroom, Fawesome, Bloodstream, Fandango at Home
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
After a tragic event happens, composer John Russell moves to Seattle to try to overcome it and build a new and peaceful life in a lonely big house that has been uninhabited for many years. But, soon after, the obscure history of such an old mansion and his own past begin to haunt him.
The Changeling parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that The Changeling is a tense 1980 R-rated haunted house film centered on grief, séances, and a traumatized man confronting a house's dark past.
- Violence & scariness: Moderate — Rated R horror with a tragic accident, a haunting, and tense supernatural scares typical of the genre.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Changeling
If you liked The Changeling, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The Orphanage (2007) — 82%
- The Invisible Man (2020) — 78%
- La Bête Humaine (1938) — 79%
Director
Peter Medak
Cast
- George C. Scott as John Russell
- Trish Van Devere as Claire Norman
- Melvyn Douglas as Senator Carmichael
- John Colicos as Captain DeWitt
- Barry Morse as Parapsychologist
- Madeleine Sherwood as Mrs. Norman
- Helen Burns as Leah Harmon
- Eric Christmas as Albert Harmon
- Frances Hyland as Mrs. Grey
- Ruth Springford as Minnie Huxley
The Changeling FAQ
Is The Changeling good?
The Changeling has a 76% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 707 audience ratings.
Where can I watch The Changeling?
In the US you can stream The Changeling on Night Flight Plus, Eternal Family, Midnight Pulp, Troma NOW, Bloodstream and Chilling, watch it free with ads on FlixHouse, Darkroom, Fawesome, Bloodstream and Fandango at Home and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Changeling OK for kids?
The Changeling is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that The Changeling is a tense 1980 R-rated haunted house film centered on grief, séances, and a traumatized man confronting a house's dark past.
What movies are like The Changeling?
If you liked The Changeling, try The Orphanage, The Invisible Man and La Bête Humaine.