FREE: The Sentinel (1977)

The listing, The Sentinel (1977) has ended.

Like New DVD in case
5.0 out of 5 starsSlow-paced, but enjoyable and quite extreme for '70s horror!
Amazon Review By William Dorfer on October 23, 2009
Having heard about this movie on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments countdown, I felt obliged as a devoted horror fan to check this out. Based on the scenes shown in its time on the countdown, I expected this movie to be great, yet lacking in any real graphic nature.

...but WOW, why I quite wrong! Within the first 20 minutes of the movie, there's a full, on-screen orgy of fully-nude women, bloody self-mutilation and suicide. Remind me, this movie came out a little over 30 years ago? Intensity at it's finest!

So we're off to an extreme and awesome start, and then the movie, interestingly enough, makes a turn into a slower-paced, more gothic route. A model moves into a large apartment building in the city, and as the movie progresses, creepier and creepier things start to happen. This makes for an interesting contrast to the intro, and the gothic elements of the movie are really well-done. Don't worry though, for those seeking more of the glorious graphic nature of the first part of the movie, it picks right back up towards the end! A brutal climax is assured, combining both gruesome imagery and captivating, mysterious atmosphere.

The movie ends on a somewhat unusual note, although for movies of the time it's really not that odd. Although the DVD could have been stronger in the extra features department, the movie itself is great. Overall, "The Sentinel" is a highly recommended horror movie for fans seeking a well-done combination of the more graphic side of horror and the more supernatural, atmospheric side. Thanks for the time, and peace.