Ensofter Overrated and overhyped

FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Ian (Flash Review)Regarded as Hitchcock's first true feature film, he brings a lot of cleverness, tension and intrigue to the story. A story about a serial killer known as the Avenger who is speculated to be wearing a scarf. One day, during the London Fog, a man with a scarf comes knocking looking for lodging where a room is for rent. The woman hesitantly rents him a room but becomes increasingly suspicious. Has she just rented a room to a serial killer or is she being overly worried? Will the lodger be treated normally during his stay especially when he starts to fancy the woman's daughter? Hitchcock builds great suspense as the story unfolds with some creative camera trickery, effective POV shots all accompanied by stellar and moody cinematography. With this film, Hitchcock set the tone and themes for his outstanding film career.

Kirpianuscus 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.

thinbeach On Tuesday nights in foggy London, an at large man named 'Avenger' kills young blonde girls. Daisy, a fashion model who lives in a lodge with her parents, happens to be young and blonde, while a young man who dresses in the fashion of the Avenger, and goes out on Tuesday nights, takes up a room for rent in the building. One of Hitchcock's earliest features, he was already excellent at framing a murder, and Daisy looked pretty well cactus. But of course, no story would be so simple, and the Lodger was so obviously framed from the beginning you knew the twist was coming long before it did. At 90 minutes, that made the film a touch long, but it was also not without some moments of gripping suspense.I'm a sucker for fog on film and the outdoor shots were wonderfully atmospheric, while Hitchcock's gift for turning everyday inanimate objects, such as staircases and chandeliers, into haunts, was second to none. The scarcity of title cards - the ability to use images to progress the story - was to its advantage, and I'd also give credit to Marie Ault and Arthur Chesney, who were excellent as the Landlords. The rest of the cast had their virtues, though as was typical for silents, were a touch melodramatic.So even a young Hitchcock had talent for suspense, and the thematic elements on judgement gave at least some small depth to the thrill ride, albeit thanks to melodramatic turns at the end which were not to my taste. The love story also felt contrived. What did the Lodger do to make Daisy fall for him? And what did the Policeman do to make her turn against? Nothing, they were just cheap narrative devices, and unfortunately, more than once characters made these type of unbelievable decisions, which very conveniently helped build the tension. Of course the parents would leave Daisy on her own, despite their suspicions! Elsewhere some fairly gimmicky ideas are used, such as close ups on a fire-poker and butter knife, as if the Avenger is going to use them for something other than their intended purpose. And let's not forget the (lack of) subtlety in the ever-metaphoric chess game!Still, in the hands of a lesser director I can imagine this being quite forgettable, but Hitchcock managed to turn it into something better. I suppose anyone seeking this out nowadays is either a die-hard Hitchcock fan or a silent film fan, and it should prove enjoyable enough for people in those categories.

LeonLouisRicci If you are making a Checklist of Hitchcock Films, by all accounts this is considered the First. Though technically He made three Movies before this, they were of little consequence, two have been lost and the other mostly ignored. So this is where to begin.It is a Silent Movie and was manipulated by the Director with his flare for unique Visuals and Showy Effects and Camera Angles. It was a trait He would carry throughout His Prolific Career and would Endear Audiences and Critics for Six Decades.This is a Murder Mystery and Love Triangle combined to make an interesting Story that is quite emotional and suspenseful. It is an Eerie Movie with many Ominous proceedings taking place indoors and out. A Mood you could cut with a knife. Certainly one of the first Serial Killer Films. It does have a tacked on Ending that is nothing like the Tone that brought Us there and was a reluctant concession from Young Hitchcock.Stay away from horrible Public Domain Prints that have been around for years and seek out the newly Restored, Tinted Print for Maximum Enjoyment. Not the best Silent Film, though one that is a Landmark for the Director who would only get better.