Why Move into That Big House?

If I remember correctly from the director's commentary, they were originally going to set it in a small house and Medak (the director) wanted off the project. When they agreed to set it in a big house, he was back on.

There was talk of a remake about six years ago, but it seems to have been scrapped.

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"House. My room. Can't walk. My medal. My father. Father, don't!"

It's no plot hole or any such thing, it is perfectly plausible that in his circumstances John would choose to take the opportunity to move into that big old house, it's all explained in the movie.
Russell, understandably seeking a change in his life and perhaps being unable to live in his familiar surroundings now that his family is gone, has taken an appointment across the country in Seattle and he needs a suitable place where he can play piano and compose when the urge takes him, whatever time of day or night that might be.

This wouldn't make him a very good neighbor to other tenants in some apartment building! Nor would the appalling acoustics of a small house on some suburban street suit music that is played on a grand piano. The big old house is isolated, and it's 'available'. It's a perfect fit.

Russell, a practical man of solid constitution, wouldn't be affected by any boogyman stories he might hear about the old house, it is spacious, has a superb music room, and it will do just fine, thank you.

Who wouldn't want to live in that house?? Seriously?!?! I'd take a life for it, in all honestly.

We've met before, haven't we?

What I really DO NOT UNDERSTAND is why did a six year old boy in a wheelchair live in a room in the third floor in THAT big house?????
I think it´d be better for him to live in a room in the first floor.

I think he was at least party attracted to the accoustics of the place. He is also seen with a large recorder on his piano, which would no doubt pick up a lot of background noise if used in an apartment, or even a smaller house closer to the street.

Every haunted house, in any movie is large. It is hard to name one that has a small house. A large house seems to be genuinely creepier for related paranormal activity. Houses shown in The Haunting; The Changeling, The Innocents are all huge. Overlook Hotel in The Shining is a perfect example.

For me a big, spooky two (or better yet, three) story house seems scarier than a small single story house. I guess you have to suspend disbelief, but for me it works.

Granted this question was posed in 2012, I don't believe its been answered correctly. So here goes...

This story comes down to us from a manse that existed in Denver, Colorado in the late 1890s and the heyday of early Colorado wealth, which was demolished in either 1971 or '72. There are some conflicting histories concerning this house, but records indicate that permits for a large family home were taken out in 1892. The location of the house is important, because it plays out in the storyline of the film. As historic preservation is big in the film, the history of this manse and its neighborhood are integral.

Roughly located at 13th Avenue and Williams Street in the Cheesman Park neighborhood of old Denver, there is some discussion to this day whether the house fronted 13th Avenue, or was located around the corner on Williams Street. This was originally a suburban wealthy neighborhood made up of family manses, and small mansions; some of which still exist today. However, the location portrayed in the film has since long been replaced by two residential towers, and infill urban growth. Though there is a home located next to the indicated site that still possesses the carriage house original to the mode of transportation of the day.

The house in the film, was grossly over sized, but as others have remarked here, a great ghost story often comes with a large old house. In reality the manse was very large for its day, but not so large as to rival the cattle baron Highlands Ranch Mansion roughly 13 miles to the south, or by comparison, the summer homes of Newport, Rhode Island. The house was certainly large enough to have three floors, with various secret passageways.

As many others here in this thread have agreed on, the house contained characteristics that were appealing to the protagonist - mainly the baby grand piano, and the spacious rooms that allowed for quiet practice, and to host numerous musicians for rehearsal.

Certainly, the house in the film is very large, but the original house still would have been considered a large family suburban manse on the outskirts of turn of the century Denver, and later urban renewal 1960s Denver. Historic preservationists in Denver are still debating the exact location, as several families have come forward with plausible details that link the story to two houses on that corner, in the shadow of the two residential towers that stand there today. The house has even been rumored to be linked to two wealthy Colorado families from the 1800s.

Regardless of the exact history, the manse is integral to "the Changeling" story. Or rather, the hidden secret staircase that led to the 3rd floor tucked under the roof makes the story, which makes the film. Cheers!