The Sentinel (1977)

Not ready for marriage, a fashion model moves into an unbelievably nice Brooklyn Heights apartment, where scary occurrences turn into a much more frightening turn of events.

Director:

Michael Winner

Writers:

Jeffrey Konvitz (novel), Jeffrey Konvitz (screenplay),

Stars:

Chris Sarandon, Cristina Raines, Martin Balsam

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chris Sarandon	...	Michael Lerman
Cristina Raines	...	Alison Parker
Martin Balsam	...	Prof. Ruzinsky
John Carradine	...	Father Halliran
José Ferrer	...	Priest of the Brotherhood
Ava Gardner	...	Miss Logan
Arthur Kennedy	...	Monsignor Franchino
Burgess Meredith	...	Charles Chazen
Sylvia Miles	...	Gerde Engstrom
Deborah Raffin	...	Jennifer
Eli Wallach	...	Detective Gatz
Christopher Walken	...	Detective Rizzo
Jerry Orbach	...	Michael Dayton
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Sandra
Hank Garrett	...	James Brenner

Storyline

A fashion model moves into a house inhabited (on the top floor) by a blind priest. She begins having strange physical problems, has trouble sleeping at night, and has some nasty flashbacks of her attempted suicide. She complains to the real estate agent of the noise caused by her strange neighbors, but finds out that the house is only occupied by the priest and herself, and ultimately discovers that she has been put in the house for a reason.

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Plot Keywords:

priest | model | neighbor | fashion model | church | 

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Taglines:

She Is Young, She Is Beautiful, She Is Next...

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian Latin

Release Date:

12 May 1977 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Centinela de los malditos

Filming Locations:

10 Montague Terrace, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,700,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Jeffrey Konvitz Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

'Michael Winner' says in his memoirs he wanted Martin Sheen to play the male lead but the studio vetoed this saying he was a TV name.

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Goofs

While Allison and the landlady are having coffee, the coffee cup is in the landlady's hand, then when the camera changes angles it's on the table, then back in her hand when the camera angle goes back.

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Quotes

Michael Lerman: Look at this. William O'Rourke. Father Halliran? William O'Rourke, disappeared July 12, 1952 after attempted suicide.
Perry: They're the same man. William O'Rourke became a priest named Halliran.
Michael Lerman: Yes, but why?
Perry: I just open doors.

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Connections

References Persona (1966)

User Reviews

Burgess Meredith Has a Devil of a Good Time in this Film

Christina Raines plays a lovely model in New York who seeks out a new apartment and begins to meet strange neighbors and reveal a secret about the building and herself slowly building up to quite a climax by film's end. This film has all kinds of neat plot elements from the Roman Catholic Church vs. the Devil, to the gateway to Hell, to bizarre rituals, to a growing conspiracy, and finally to a host of talented famous actors and actresses flooding the film. We get Ava Gardner, Burgess Meredith, Chris Sarandon, Jerry Orbach, Deborah Raffin, Arthur Kennedy, Jose Ferrer, Slyvia Miles, Beverly DeAngelo, Eli Wallach, Martin Balsam, Christopher Walkin, William Hickey, Tom Berenger, Jeff Goldblum, and who can forget John Carradine as the old priest. Many of these actors ham it up - particularly Burgess Meredith giving a fine comic/demented performance as one of the neighbors with a little bird and a cat. Meredith is memorable as is Balsam and Chris Sarandon. Some of the performers have virtually nothing to do like Jose Ferrer in a thankless role even if it is nothing more than a cameo. The Sentinel is a fine horror film with plenty of psychological elements and some truly terrifying scenes. The end scene is repulsive and yet chilling. I do find fault with some of the gratuitous sex and violence in the film, particularly that whole scene with DeAngelo and Miles. Was that really necessary? I think not. Also, the father/daughter stuff was a bit much as well, but overall the film works and has a winning pace. Director Michael Winner does a workmanlike job and is effective creating tension and scary movie moments. The scenes with Carradine are particularly effective.