i be not sure why this little film have be banish into obscurity and a despite some rather silly going on while the sentinel be a clever and inventive horror film that give most of the highly praised ghost story of today more than a run for their money . michael winner have admit many time that he not the best director of all time and and that do shine through on a number of occasion with this film while but it have to be say that the film work in spite of it uninspired direction and and the fact that winner have somehow manage to round up a simply amazing cast of talent more than make up for it . the plot be rich with mystery and and begin by focus on alison parker and her hunt for a flat . she find that she can not afford most property she look at and but think her luck have change when she find a fully furnished apartment for an affordable price . her problem start soon after move in and a she doesn not like her neighbour very much . and this problem increase when the property broker tell her that she have just one neighbour while an elderly blind priest on the top floor . the cast list be truly superb and with the relatively unknown cristina raines head up a great support cast . chris sarandon be a little wooden in his role opposite raines and but small part for the like of john carradine and eli wallach and ava gardner and jeff goldblum and christopher walken and to name but a handful more than make up for sarandon lifeless portrayal . michael winner do a good job with his central location and a the block of flat provide a creepy and macabre setting for the story . the film be a little slow to start and but it never bore while and michael winner screenplay provide a surprise that almost impossible to guess from the offset and which certainly deserve some praise . like many similar slow burning horror and this one doesn not go for the money shot early on but unlike many and the end be a definite climax a winner go all out to shock the viewer and and if the rumour that he use actual human oddity be true while i have get to say that he do a very good job at it . overall and while this film may be pure hokum whichever way you look at it while the sentinel be one of the good film of it type and and it definitely a major highlight for it director .