alfred hitchcock the lodger find the master of suspense and at 27 and already with an instant knack at mount suspense and dread and often with some startle camera movement and not to mention the moment of gallows humor . it exhilarate to see hitchcock and in a silent film no less and stage the implied murder of a woman by show movement and shadow and a pause and then a seemingly over the top close up of the woman scream and then cut to the next day or whatever . he make a street corner look downright vicious and creepy and and i be sure in the intended blue tint scene it something of a minor revelation on escalate the thriller of the period into art ( the version available on the most recent dvd and a an extra on the dvd of sabotage and be acceptable at best and at bad be a travesty for collector who might want the best musical score or digital treatment of a transfer ) . it the classic story of jack the ripper and with certain name change and a slight twist of a jealous romantic plot common to hitchcock film here he call the avenger and it concern a certain lodger who go to stay for a bit at a house own by mr. and mrs. bunting . the lodger be a funny sort of chap and hat the picture on the wall in his room and say ominous throwaway word during a chess game and and go out in foggy london at night . the bunting daughter like him and but her fiancée and a detective and be jealous and suspect the lodger to be the deadly avenger and out kill blond leave and right . the story and despite seem ( at least on the dvd ) to jump around a little bit in mid scene and be execute with a level of narrative fluidity i be surprise by . sometimes in silent film one get so attracted to just the visual aspect of certain composition or the star power of the lead that the story lose it way . here hitchcock balance the element and and make for some good detail along the way . there be little thing that stand out a interest technique or little note in the storyline . i like the editing style when we see a crowd gather around the corpse of one of the avenger . i like and a lot and see a figure walk across what seem like a staircase and but look upward at him . and i love see a little note of romance and a a character cut out a little heart shape piece of dough and hand it to daisy ( play by and simply name and june who be a beauty ) and coaxingly and but then when not accept right away he rip it in two . a detail like that and or a line of dialog at the end cue the audience to something youre toothbrush you leave it behind make for a nice touch too . it doesn not hurt either that ivor novello make for a perfectly ambiguous character the sort youre not totally sure of and watch his every facial gesture like it another clue and or another devilish intonation . compare to some of hitchcock more beloved classic this be sometimes a little crude in it construction and as well have to be subvert to the sound form ( one wish a little for the big personality of hitchcock 1930s british film ) . but all thing consider and it essential viewing and and show the kind of breakthrough work that hitchcock need ( i. e. a hit ) that could get the ball roll on his career in england and not a a fluke and to be sure .