• Title: The Changeling
• Format: 4K, Blu-ray and CD
• Release: 2023
• Country: UK / Region B
• Certificate: 15
• Contents: The Changeling 4K, The Changeling Blu-ray, and The Changeling CD soundtrack.
• Features running time:  107mins + bonus material

With the spooky season upon us, it seems like a good time to take a look at something extra special in the supernatural realm. It is a boxset which I added to my collection back in 2023, and it is a set for one of the spookiest ghost stories ever committed to film.

The movie is The Changeling – a classic horror from director Peter Medak. Released in 1980, the film stars George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, and Melvyn Douglas and follows the story of bereaved composer John Russell, who relocates to a new home only to find there is something unsettling going on in his house.

Essentially, The Changeling is about John’s experiences with a haunting. During the course of the film he attempts to get to the bottom of the situation with interesting results.

If you’ve never watched The Changeling it is a highly recommended picture. The film is incredibly atmospheric; lead star George C. Scott gives an impressive performance; and the story is both thrilling and intriguing.

So, when Second Sight released the film in a limited edition set, I simply had to scoop up a copy. The set – which is now sold out – includes three discs, a collection of art cards, and a book, as well as a wealth of special features.

Here is a rundown of everything included in the set:

• A new 4K scan and restoration copy of the film presented on UHD in HDR
• A Blu-ray copy of the film
• Audio commentary with director Peter Medak and producer Joel B. Michaels
• Interview with Peter Medak by filmmaker Adrián García Bogliano at Mórbido Fest 2019
• Exile on Curzon St. featurette – Peter Medak on his early years in swinging London
• The House on Cheesman Park – The Haunting True Story of The Changeling
• The Music of The Changeling – An interview with music arranger Kenneth Wannberg
• Building the House of Horror – An interview with art director Reuben Freed
• The Psychotronic Tourist featurette
• Master of Horror Mick Garris on The Changeling
• A chunky slipcase featuring Changeling artwork
• A 108-page book with new essays by Martyn Conterio, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Rich Johnson, Mikel J. Koven, Meagan Navarro, Rachel Reeves, Shelagh Rowan-Legg, and Heather Wixson, plus an archive interview with Peter Medak
• 1 x original CD soundtrack
• Five collector’s art cards

In terms of cost, I picked this up for £40 when it was available from all of the major UK home video retailers (Amazon, HMV, Fopp etc). Standard copies of the film were also available at the time, on Blu-ray and 4K.

The standard copies contained all the special features, but I was keen on having all of the extra supplementary material. The Changeling is a particular favourite of mine and a film I am more than happy to revisit in this gorgeous boxset.

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