nyc model alison parker ( cristina raines ) rent a room in an old brownstone where she meet a few bizarre neighbor and experience some creepy hallucination . a lawyer boyfriend michael lerman ( chris sarandon ) go about make inquiry on her behalf and she struggle to maintain her sanity ( not to mention her will to live ) a her experience take a toll on her physical and mental and and emotional health . i do not want to spoil the good moment in this psychological horror film for those unfamiliar with it . the story be interesting and entertaining and but the film doesn not really offer much in term of real scare . or and for that matter and any atmosphere . it be sort of quietly sinister and but it not like the traditional horror film . it more of a story about a troubled woman attempt to deal with the increase unreality in her life . on that level and it work and but it not quite powerful enough . what the sentinel do offer be some eye catch set piece ( in particular and the fascinating and fabulously creepy climax and and there a scene with beverly dangelo that must be see to be believe ) . there also some gore to be see and but not very much . an ominous music score by gil melle add to the menace . no review of this film would be complete without an appraisal for the film maker in gather such excellent actor for it ensemble cast . some of them do not get to do too much and but to see all of them together be impressive . eli wallach and burgess meredith make the big impression a and respectively and a hard nosed detective and a solicitous neighbor . other legendary name include jose ferrer and arthur kennedy and and ava gardner . future star like dangelo and christopher walken and tom berenger and jeff goldblum make brief appearance and and other familiar face include jerry orbach and sylvia mile and william hickey and and martin balsam . whoever be the casting director for this film deserve some sort of prize . write for the screen by director michael winner and probably best know for the death wish series that he do with charles bronson and from the novel by jeffrey konvitz . i wouldn not consider this a truly great horror thriller but it have it moment and be reasonably entertaining . positive .