The Sentinel (1977)

Michael Winner’s technique can be as subtle as a sledgehammer meeting a grapefruit, but I find a lot of his stuff watchable, nevertheless. Sentinel is technically a horror film, but it’s the kind of sinister horror that builds slowly from a foundation of regular drama, not unlike Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and The Exorcist (1973), two films from which it borrows heavily.
It’s the story of a female model that moves into a NY apartment complex and quickly discovers that her neighbours are an oddball bunch. Shortly after that strange things begin to happen in the night.
A lot of it failed to catch hold of me, but there are two scenes that I’ll never forget: an uninhibited Beverly D'Angelo and a very chilling finale.

3½ abandoned hopes out of 5

Death Wish 3 (1985)

Mr Vigilante, Paul Kersey, returns to where it all began, to the city of New York. He's there for less than five minutes when someone he knows is killed in a gang attack. The guy is pure bad luck. Ladies, run away!
What the hell did I watch? Was Michael Winner taking the piss? It'll undoubtedly make someone's 'so bad it’s good' list because of the OTT finale, and occupy a place on the shelf of completists beside the other films whether it deserves it or not, but not on mine.

1 problem solved out of 5

Death Wish 2 (1982)

There's no lengthy character build-up this time because the vigilante part of Paul Kersey (Bronson) that cleans the streets is still there, so all he needs do is call upon it when the time is right. Considering what he’s put through prior to that, we have no choice but to sympathise with his killer instinct. They ought to give him a fucking medal for his actions.
The first film was largely responsible for Michael Winner getting his reputation, but the uncut version of DW 2 is even more uncompromisingly brutal with some harrowing, sustained sexual violence, so be warned.
The score by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page is unusual but it fits in a strange way and is a pleasant change from the expected norm.

3 dodgy death scenes out of 5

Death Wish (1974)

An average New York guy takes a stand by initiating a violent crusade of justice against the street thugs and muggers that terrorise good citizens. It sounds lame and clichéd when written down, but in the mid-70s this kind of thing was still pushing boundaries, and Death Wish pushed more than most.
Dir. Michael Winner doesn't shy away from showing the harsh realities of the world in which a walk in the park at night-time is a dicey activity. It's a measured transition from law-abiding office worker to law-breaking vigilante, fuelled by a malady that eats away at his moral fibre, not an instant, explosive, unrealistic Arnie flick. The film is a slow study.

3 evening strolls out of 5

The Big Sleep (1978)

Robert Mitchum's second outing as Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe was poorly received at time of release, but that doesn't stop me loving it.
Director Winner transposed events from California to London and updated it to a modern setting. I think it works. It shows that Noir storytelling can be effective even when bastardised by a pompous Brit. It's also much more graphic than the earlier Howard Hawks version.
Mitchum's intensity is restrained but his methodological effectiveness isn't; he's no time for fools and he makes every word count.

4 long drives out of 5