Sexylocher Masterful Movie

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Mehdi Hoffman There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

mike65-2 What can one say? Other than this is a film that should be seen just so you can say to yourself "I saw that - what was I thinking!?!" So much of Winner's oeuvre is pure hackery with all the directorial style of TV of the same era just with a much bigger budget and more nudity, sex, gore and violence. And that's the case here as a young women snags a suspiciously, cheap apartment in a town house full of strange neighbours. I'll say no more about the story but will mention the music score by Gil Melle which is a tremendous, full blown bombastic affair worthy of Bernard Hermann or Pino Donaggio. I didn't recognise the name but he also worked on varied genre fare such as The Andromeda Strain, Blood Beach, the Ultimate Warrior and loads of TV work including Killdozer, Questor Tapes, Frankenstein:The True Story, The Six Million Dollar Man pilot and many more all coming after a fine jazz career on the renowned Blue Note label. The other thing I'll mention is Winners amazing ability to assemble a cast which is clearly far too good for the lowbrow material that he has signed them up for. The Sentinel is typical of this - packed with spot the veteran actor and spot the future star names from the first few minutes to the very moment. Even in the smallest roles you'll go "goodness I never knew he/she was in this". So if nothing else Winner did give plenty of young actors a high profile break - he's not all bad!

skybrick736 Although, The Sentinel has received more popularity and distinction as time has progressed, there still remains to be a really mixed mood on how good of a horror film it actually is. The film, made with obviously an Italian influence in the United States is a horror film that really keeps the viewers guessing throughout. Also, with many 70's horror films there is a typical slow, work into the climax. The Sentinel goes against this perception having a few frightening scenes occur unexpectedly. That doesn't account for scenes showing the excessive amounts of unnecessary nudity by unattractive actresses.With a decent, creepy story, which isn't too confusing, leads to the incredible cast that was pulled together. An all-star cast, included fine leading performances from Chris Sarandon and Cristina Raines. There was also a mixture of older, legendary performers (John Carradine, Eli Wallach, Martin Balsam, Jose Ferrer Ava Gardner) and upcoming household film stars (Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum, Beverly D'Angelo). With a spooky atmosphere and a popular religious sentiment for the time period, it's still puzzling why the film didn't succeed like it could have. The Sentinel should be given more credit as an entertaining, unsettling film but clearly the masses have spoken, not finding the film with a similar high-esteem.

melvelvit-1 There's not many actors who epitomize the '70s more than Chris Sarandon, Christina Raines, and Deborah Raffin and seeing the two gals together as NYC fashion models in a slickly made horror film from the "Me Decade" was both "of its time" eye candy and a nostalgic rush. Christina, fresh out of the clinic after another suicide attempt, rents a too-good-to-be- true apartment in Brooklyn Heights with a closely "guarded" secret of apocalyptic proportions... THE SENTINEL's from an era when religious-themed Armageddon was in fashion and the film has more than a bit of ROSEMARY'S BABY and THE OMEN in its pedigree. The cast has "more stars than there are in heaven" what with Ava Gardner, Arthur Kennedy, Sylvia Miles, Jose Ferrer, Martin Balsam, John Carradine, Burgess Meredith, Eli Wallach, Jerry Orbach, Beverly D'Angelo, Jeff Goldblum, and Christopher Walken popping in and out. Look quickly for Tom Berenger and Richard Dreyfuss, too. It's a fun movie (based on a popular beach read) that's a bit better than it's initial reception would suggest and it made me nostalgic for movies like THE EYES OF LAURA MARS and THE LEGACY before I came to my senses.

BA_Harrison Michael Winner's post-Death Wish output is often lambasted for being sensationalist and exploitative trash; for me, that's precisely why his films prove so enjoyable. The Sentinel, Winner's 1977 supernatural shocker, is no exception: it's a schlocky slice of religious themed horror that takes its cues from superior horror hits Rosemary's Baby (1968), The Exorcist (1973) and The Omen (1976), delivering wonderfully eccentric characters, sexual perversity, graphic gore and, in the film's jaw-dropping finale, a whole crowd of real-life freaks and disabled extras as the denizens of hell. It's easy to see how some might be offended, and it's not hard to understand why many would dismiss it as tawdry garbage, but I found it hugely entertaining.Cristina Raines stars as emotionally fragile model Alison Parker, who moves into an apartment where her new neighbours' bizarre behaviour begins to concern her, leading her to confront her landlord, who informs her that, apart from the blind priest on the top floor, she is the only tenant! It eventually transpires that the building is a doorway to hell, the other tenants are demons, and that Alison is destined to become a 'sentinel', whose job it is to guard the hellish portal.It's derivative stuff, for sure, but Winner's whacked out script keeps matters interesting: if anything, the film has got to be worth a go for the unforgettable scene where Alison meets her freaky lesbian 'neighbours' (one of whom gives herself an orgasm in front of her uncomfortable guest), and the truly bizarre birthday bash thrown for a pet cat (he looks so cute in his party hat). The Sentinel also benefits from a remarkable line-up of talent, the incredible cast including established performers Burgess Meredith, Eli Wallach, John Carradine, Ava Gardner, Martin Balsam, as well as up and coming stars Tom Berenger, Jeff Goldblum, Beverly D'Angelo and Richard Dreyfuss, while the excellent make-up effects are by none other than industry legend Dick Smith.7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.