Review of The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927) by Ryan D — 26 Oct 2009

The birth of a master! In this silent film by Alfred Hitchcock we see many of the themes that will return in his later films. The blonde femme fatale (well, not so fatale here), the twist, his first cameo and many great visual tricks considering the time the movie was made.

This is my first silent film, although I have seen some slapstick, but it's my first silent film in the thriller/suspense genre and I must say I'm impressed. Hitchcock builds up the tension in an amazing way, up to the climax.

Also I loved the acting and realised how different acting was in the silent years. It was great watching these over expressive actors. Overacting but in a way that helps the audience get the feeling of every situation, due to the lack of sound.

This was also quite helpful due to the little dialogue spoken in the movie. In a nutshell, a very good early attempt at the genre by Hitchcock that showcased an early stage of the auter that he would become.