The Sentinel 1977

This chilling 1970s horror film is directed by Michael Winner and based on the book by Jeffrey Konvitz, which I read when I was just a little MonsterGirl. A Scary and compelling read!

The Sentinel stars Christina Raines, Ava Gardner, Chris Sarandon, Martin Balsam, John Carradine, Jose Ferrer, Arthur Kennedy, Sylvia Miles, Deborah Raffin, Eli Wallach, Christopher Walken, Jerry Orbach, Beverly D’Angelo, and of course, Joy of all joys Burgess Meredith as Charles Chazen or more informally known as Old Scratch or The Devil!

Christina Raines plays Alison Parker, a top model, who rents a brownstone inhabited by very strange tenants. On the top floor lives a blind priest Father Halliran (John Carradine).

Has Alison been chosen to take over the dubious job of guarding the entrance to hell, which happens to be that lovely Brownstone in NYC? The location for the actual building was 10 Montague Terrace, Brooklyn Heights, I believe you can still see the ivy-covered Gothic building if you walk the promenade. The Sentinel is literally one of my top 10 favorite horror films of all time. I plan on including it in an upcoming Drive-In feature called Satan Slept Here: The Devil in Cinema: From The Devil and Daniel Webster to Rosemary’s Baby.

There are some authentically chilling scenes that will terrorize even the heartiest of filmgoers. The slow descent into Alison’s battle between life, sanity and the gates of hell opening are tautly drawn, and the presence of such terrific actors makes this such a memorable excursion into what makes for a good horror film. In particular, a perfect 70s horror film!

“There is danger everywhere…There is Evil…Evil…everywhere…Turn around Alison, look behind you, it’s HORROR…There is darkness…but watching, waiting, warding off Evil…There is hope…The Sentinel!”

Happy Trailers, MonsterGirl