The Sentinel (1977)
The Sentinel is a Rosemary's Baby/The Exorcist take-off based on the book by Jeffrey Konvitz. Cristina Raines plays a fashion model who has been dating Chris Sarandon for two years. After her father dies, she goes through with her plan to live on her own for awhile before she considers marriage. She finds a fully-furnished, huge apartment with an amazing view in NYC on a tree-lined avenue for $400 a month. Now, right then, even in 1977, she should have known something was up. Just like with Amityville, you need to investigate those good deals before you put any money down. Regardless, she meets her new neighbors, all except for a reclusive priest who stares out of the uppermost apartment. After being plagued by noises in the vacant apartment above her and attending a bizarre party with the other tenants, she discovers that no one except for the priest lives in the building. She also starts to become very ill, and Chris Sarandon basically takes over the lead role as he tries to figure out what that apartment building is all about. The trailer actually gives pretty much everything away, but I won't here. It's an interesting idea and not a bad movie, but there's nothing too spectacular going on; it could have used more style which was mostly only evident in Cristina's hallucinations. Worth a look for the highlights below and the all-star cast: Martin Balsam, John Carradine, José Ferrer, Ava Gardner, Arthur Kennedy, Burgess Meredith, Sylvia Miles, Eli Wallach, Christopher Walken, Beverly D'Angelo, Tom Berenger, and Jeff Goldblum (with an overdubbed voice!). Some of them have only bit parts, but they give the movie an air of legitimacy. The director, Michael Winner, is probably best known for movies like Scorpio (1973) and Death Wish (1974). Some parts of the film that perhaps put the Catholic Church in an ambiguous light were changed for television airings.
Tagline: There must forever be a guardian at the gates of hell...
Hightlights: There was a scene in this film that made me scream--a creepy mute lesbian played by Beverly D'Angelo masturbating herself through her leotard to orgasm. Very unsettling. Actual human oddities were used as demons and devils in concluding scenes; a bit uncouth, but it has a definite effect. Great bit of gore where Cristina cuts up the face of her dead father's ghost. Some creepy imagery, but it is somewhat sparse compared to the mildly tedious mystery plot.
Tagline: There must forever be a guardian at the gates of hell...
Hightlights: There was a scene in this film that made me scream--a creepy mute lesbian played by Beverly D'Angelo masturbating herself through her leotard to orgasm. Very unsettling. Actual human oddities were used as demons and devils in concluding scenes; a bit uncouth, but it has a definite effect. Great bit of gore where Cristina cuts up the face of her dead father's ghost. Some creepy imagery, but it is somewhat sparse compared to the mildly tedious mystery plot.
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on Friday, April 22, 2005 at 4/22/2005 09:20:00 AM.
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