El inquilino

In a quiet British town, a serial killer known as The Avenger is on the loose. Noted for his partiality for blondes, The Avenger has killed seven women-and shows no signs of stopping.

Ivor Novello, as the title character, is a quiet and mysterious man who appears at a boarding house soon after the seventh murder is committed. The landlady reluctantly allows him to stay in an upstairs room, but becomes suspicious when she notices the young man turning over all the portraits of blonde-haired women in his room. It doesn't help the landlady's suspicions when the man begins showing an interest in her daughter, Daisy (naturally, a blonde). Daisy's boyfriend, a detective, is assigned to The Avenger's case, and (almost immediately) becomes suspicious of the lodger as well.

Although The Lodger isn't Hitchcock's first feature, it most certainly is the film that launched his career as the "Master of Suspense." Noticeable Hitchcock trademarks are apparent here-namely the lodger's arrival and the ceiling/mirror scene.

Loosely based on the infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper, this silent thriller is fast-paced with exceptional performances. The score, at times, seems out of place, but Hitchcock fans will nonetheless enjoy this film.

it is a real special film. first - for the status of early Hitchcock. the second - for Ivor Novello performance who seems be more than a good one but the right piece for the balance of film. the story is predictable and this fact did it charming. because old themes are mixed with smart images. because the romanticism and the touching scenes reminds the popular literature of XIX century. because it is fresh and naive and seductive and dark. and because it is a fascinating clue for discover the art of its director in new and interesting perspective.

A stranger (Ivor Novello) in fog-bound London seeks accommodation from a family and they provide him with a small apartment upstairs. Their blond daughter is drawn towards this fascinating and somewhat mysterious gentleman. Her parents become suspicious of the intentions of the lodger and they live in fear of her safety. There is a serial killer abroad in the foggy streets and who knows? this stranger could be that maniac.

It is interesting to view an early Hitchcock film as far back as the silent era. I am surprised at the quality (despite a few scratches here and there). The addition of music is rather overdone in my opinion but it does fill in the empty silence and does add a dramatic effect. No doubt in the early days a capable pianist (below the screen) bashed out some impromptu music to fit the mood of each scene.

It is an uncomplicated story but that does not mean the guilty person is easily recognized (if at all!) Hitchcock likes to tease with a lodger who has shifty eyes, who paces the floor (what an original idea to photograph through a transparent floor), who has the wall pictures removed and who creeps out silently at night.

I feel that the atmosphere created is exceptional. Certainly a bit theatrical with exaggerated eye expressions but compelling nevertheless.

When you see a film of this vintage you realise how much film production had already advanced in the 20's and without the aid of all our recent technological contrivances.

The Lodger (1927)

This is the first of three movies in a 30 year period based on the same plot, and in terms of plot this is the best of them. (There is also a recent one that is the worst of the bunch.) It is, for sure, an early Alfred Hitchcock film. It's early in the sense that it's still creaky at times. It's Hitchcock because it's tightly made, visually dramatic, and it combines sympathy and suspense really well.

If you are into what makes Hitchcock tick, you really have to see this movie. Not that you should mind--it's great stuff. First of all you get the presumably innocent man accused of a string of murders (this is ambiguous). Then you have the mixing of sex and murder (or lust and murder--there is no sex here). And then you have the way Hitchcock mixes every day regular people and very safe and homey situations with genuine terrible murderous events. And finally there is his filming and editing.

Take a look even at the very first shot--a close up a screaming woman shot at an angle (a "Dutch angle"). Look next at how dark and impressionistic the next shots are of a horrified crowd, a cop, and a reporter. Later there are other interesting cuts to lead you to thinking a certain way about the characters. And the overlapping of images. And the shot of a man walking overhead on glass, as if you can see through the ceiling.

The humor and clever conversation of later versions of this story are naturally lost on us here. Also in good Hitch fashion there are few intertitle cards. Good thing. The visuals tell the story. And wait until the final scenes, the Pieta all over again, really gorgeous. Some of these last shots were redone at the request of the studio to change the impressions of the main character, a handsome man with an acting reputation to protect. Hitchcock went along, and it seems to be acceptable all around by the time it was released.

It's hard to find a decent "print" of this (a version from a good copy of the film, on DVD or streaming), but it has recently been restored and re-scored (orchestrated) and that's for sure the one to get. It is so far only a U.K. release, apparently even a blu-ray version is out (look for the red and black Constructivist cover). Criterion has not released a version. The original release has different scenes tinted blue or amber for greater effect and the usual version on Hitchcock DVDs and DVD sets in the U.S. is all black and white.

So, if you don't like silent films and can't stand choppy or grainy or badly cropped releases of early films, don't see this. But if you can find the clean new restoration, or you just love Hitchcock, or if you really like silent films (they get more and more amazing the more you see), then see this! It's the director's first really characteristic feature.

Usually remembered as Alfred Hitchcock's first thriller, "The Lodger" is also a very good film in its own right. Although the acting is somewhat dated, and although there is not a really appropriate musical score that has survived, it has the carefully crafted plot and suspense that Hitchcock would become famous for.

The opening sequence uses the director's creative touches in setting the mood of a city terrorized by a mysterious killer, "The Avenger", who is targeting light-haired women. Then we meet the actual characters: an older couple and their daughter Daisy, and Daisy's policeman boyfriend. When a mysterious lodger appears and rents the family's extra room, his strange behavior begins to make them suspect that he might be the mad killer, even as he builds a close friendship with Daisy. As the story proceeds, tension and fear continue to build until an ending that is exciting, if somewhat melodramatic.

Hitchcock shows his mastery of silent film technique in using a wide variety of camera techniques and props to communicate the emotions of the characters. The acting is mostly good, although Ivor Novello as "the lodger" overplays his role rather noticeably. This is the kind of movie that could really benefit from a good musical soundtrack, and the fact that it is exciting to watch even without an appropriate score shows the quality of Hitchcock's craftsmanship.

Anyone who enjoys Hitchcock or silent films will definitely want to see "The Lodger".