If you’ve been following along with me here on Dread Central for the last couple of months, first of all, thank you, and secondly, that means you’re probably aware that I discovered most of my favorite horror movies through Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments. This five-part miniseries aired in 2004 and introduced a whole generation of young horror fans like myself to Dario Argento, George A. Romero, and John Carpenter, as well as underrated and underseen horror cult classics, like The Sentinel (1977).
The problem was that for years, I wasn’t able to find it anywhere, so once again, I had to stream it illegally in 2012 on one of those sketchy free streaming sites that make your laptop sound like an airplane about to take off. So when I found out that The Sentinel is available to watch on Netflix, I thought, it’s about time. It’s a gorgeous, trippy, underrated Gothic tale that is worth rediscovering, especially now that we can talk about the (very valid) reasons why it was so hard to rent or stream for years.
Watch the trailer below:
It’s not that The Sentinel was outright banned or lost to film history because of its content. By 1977, audiences had seen enough cinematic Satanism to get used to some of the more grisly and blasphemous images that come along with the subgenre—think: Rosemary’s Baby (1968), The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971), The Exorcist (1973), and The Omen (1976). Even though it’s not the goriest or the most intense of the bunch, The Sentinel was controversial in its depiction of queerness and sexual abuse. Critic Robin Wood called The Sentinel one of “the worst, most offensive and repressive horror film of the 1970s,” which is fair—especially considering the film’s use of disabled people for shock value in its climax and director Michael Winner’s mistreatment of star Cristina Raines.
I’m not excusing any of these things. But even acknowledging them, The Sentinel remains one of the strangest and most fascinating relics of ’70s Satanic horror. Raines is luminous as Alison, a model with a history of trauma and depression who rents a Brooklyn Heights apartment that may or may not be a literal gateway to Hell. It’s a very simple story, and you’ll probably guess where it’s headed within the first half hour, but it has a great supporting cast (Ava Gardner, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Walken, Beverly D’Angelo) and some well-timed jumpscares. The atmosphere is eerie and the costuming is incredible (just watch the photoshoot scene).
If you’re looking for a horror double feature that’s eerie and atmospheric, pair The Sentinel with Repulsion (1965), which is currently available on Tubi (and yes, it’s by another controversial, predatory director, something that’s also worth discussing). And if you love The Sentinel, Satanic horror, or apartment horror, let me know: @ashjenexi on Instagram and X.
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