The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1928)

the audience applauded

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Captivating movie !

A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

This is so boring. I do not knew why people like it. It does not a have a very good story line. It is a horror movie but it is not scary. It so slow. It is very overrated. Do not wast time with it. And do not waste money.

London is gripped by panic over a mysterious serial killer with a predilection for young blond women. Meanwhile, an enigmatic young man moves into a boarding house. Could he be the killer? Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.The main star of this film is Ivor Novello, who was better known as a songwriter. Novello brings an appropriately enigmatic, shadowy quality to his character and only occasionally lapses into melodramatic gestures. He has a wonderful rapport with June Tripp, who portrays Daisy, a model and the daughter of the boarding house's landlady. Marie Ault and Arthur Chesney also do fine work as the owners of the house, friendly, then fearful of the potential killer living in their house. Also noteworthy is Malcolm Keen as Joe, a policeman who loves Daisy and is investigating the nearby serial killings.THE LODGER (1927) is often considered Alfred Hitchcock's first truly distinctive film. Much of what would inform his later films is present here. Hitchcock creates a unique and unnerving atmosphere inspired by German Expressionism. His use of light and shadow in many shots is fascinating, and the editing is accomplished. This movie flows at a good, even pace; not a moment goes on longer than necessary. He shows his mastery of building suspense and anticipation. He uses modernistic design in some of the title cards in order to heighten the atmosphere of tension and dread. The movie's climax is riveting. The audience genuinely wonders as to whether or not this young lodger is capable of murder, and the actors effectively portray their characters' fear and apprehension.Overall, THE LODGER is an effective start to one of the most distinguished careers in movie history, and merits viewing today. SCORE: 8/10

After a few flops in his early career, Alfred Hitchcock in 1926 tried his hand for the first time at the crime genre - and the result, "The Lodger", became his first big hit, of course. And it already introduced to the audience MANY of his later famous features: the storyline, the suspense-enhancing effects, the haunting, creepy music - and of course the plot twists...The movie really goes RIGHT into the matter from the very beginning: in the first scene, we see a young blonde being strangled... It was the work of the "Avenger" again, as we soon learn, who is described as 'tall, with his face hidden behind a scarf'; immediately, the news is spread by the newspapers and over the radio, and everybody reads or listens, shocked and curious at the same time, just like this was a crime novel or a radio play; but the girls who work at the nearby club called "Golden Curls" really are a little worried by this maniac serial killer and his 'preference' for blonds...And then, next door at Mrs. Bunting's inn, a mysterious stranger turns up to rent a room - tall, with a scarf over his face... And not only that: Mrs. Bunting's pretty young daughter Daisy is - a blonde...Slowly though, the lodger, with his good manners and appealing ways, wins Daisy's confidence, which makes her boyfriend Joe pretty jealous; but she ignores him as well as her parents' warnings, and goes out with him - on a TUESDAY night, the day the 'Avenger' always commits his murders...! Now, from here on, we who have seen the movie are not allowed to give away any further information, of course...It's really formidable how Hitch, with his FIRST thriller, at once seemed to have found his so very own, special style; Hitchcock fans will recognize LOTS of issues he later used again in all those classics that brought him the reputation of the BEST director of thrillers there ever was. But "The Lodger" isn't only of special interest for fans of the director or the genre: it's also a very interesting time document.It gives us a very nice glimpse of the Age of the Flappers, with their bobs and their loose dresses, and some good old jazz music to match with the atmosphere of the time. But as soon as the plot becomes dramatic, we hear that strangely threatening music that sends shivers up our spine and lets us feel that something horrible's about to happen...There are movies that NEVER get dated; "The Lodger" is one of them. It's still as IMMENSELY suspenseful from the first until the last moment as it was 90 years ago!

Saw this today as part of a double bill with Underground, directed by Anthony Asquith, and I have to say, this didn't come off across as well as it's partner. It's a perfectly good and engaging story about a lodging house and the going's on around it, and Ivor Novello shines out in a way that took me by complete immersion.Yet, the score by Nitin Sawnhey was lacking in my opinion. Two uses of vocal tracks really disrupted things, and generally the music was all a bit bombastic and busy. Which is a shame as the movie itself was quite entertaining, although it can't really be said to have had you on tenterhooks necessarily.The underlying alienation, the money-grabbing opportunism, the fear of the other aligned to the curiosity of us all, are very enjoyable aspects of this golden-hued feature. Definitely worth a watch.