The Creeper

This turn Hitchcock almost whisper about the murder trying draw attention what's coming next in the episode called The Creeper he been a bit succinct quite unusual as often, always with a bit black humor.

New York has been a heat time, meanwhile a serial killer at large frighten around the neighborhood where the crimes took place, all women dead were blondie wives and their husband in absent at night due they work at night shift, this is the case of the Ellen Grant (Constance Ford), she asking despairingly to local keychain put a lock in the door in hoping to stay safe at night, although the massive ordering of this kind the work may be postponed.

In the meantime she is pretty worry about the newest older janitor who start work there a kindly one George (Percy Helton) also with the tattletale Mrs. Martha Stone (Rita Shaw) disgustingly wicked, Ellen doesn't trust in anyone, it seems paradoxical, but guess is coming, anyway a creepy story at heat night, Constance had a terrific performance as the freak out lady!!

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First watch: 2022 / Source: DVD / How many: 1 / Rating: 7.5.

Who cannot resist anything with a title such as that? On paper, "The Creeper" definitely did sound like it would be a creepy episode. And 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' had proven in some previous episodes that it could do creepy and even chilling very well, especially in "Breakdown". This is Herschel Daugherty's second episode after "The Belfry", which was very good and one of the better episodes of Season 1 despite its too low rating.

"The Creeper" manages to be even better than that episode, and is one of the best episodes that Daugherty directed for 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'. Along with "Breakdown", "The Case of Mr Pelham" and "And So Died Riabouchinska", "The Creeper" is one of the best episodes of Season 1 and also one of the creepiest. Definitely living up to the episode title. A truly wonderful penultimate episode to the season and would have been just as fitting as a final one.

So much is done right and brilliantly so. It is one of the best looking episodes of the season, with some genuinely eerie lighting in particular standing out and the photography has a noir-ish quality. The main theme is still wonderfully devillish and Hitchcock's bookending goes down a treat, proving that the man of suspense was as good at ironic droll humour as he was at suspense.

Daugherty ensures that the suspense does not slip. The dialogue is lean and thoughtful, without rambling or being melodramatic. The story is very suspenseful and full of truly creepy atmosphere, the ending is chilling. Personally did not see it coming, due to it doing so well at diverting suspicion at more than one character.

Constance Ford gives a most persuasive performance, with her breakdown being harrowing and moving. Personally didn't think it was overdone, even if the performance is not a subtle one which fitted her character. Harry Towne manages to make something nuanced and complex out of a character that doesn't sound easy to like and even easy to downright hate. His facial expressions are very telling.

Overall, brilliant. 10/10.

Ellen and Steve live in a New York neighborhood that is being terrorized by a strangler known only as The Creeper. When Steve goes to work on the night-shift, Ellen becomes increasingly frightened and keeps asking the hardware store to have a bolt and chain installed on her door as soon as possible. While waiting for this to happen, she starts to suspect everyone she encounters could be The Creeper.

A killer at large story is involving, quite suspenseful and well-acted. It differs slightly from its remake in that it features more talking, building up the scenes and emphasis on the main character's fear. Constance Ford is convincing as the wife fearing that the creeper can be anyone. Every person she sees she suspects might be the fiend.

Sometimes this offering is hard to watch because of the frantic, neurotic presence of the principle character. We know that there has been a silent killer around, so we're immediately aware that this guy is going to make his presence known at some point. The director does a good job of presenting us with a host of possible killers while keeping the tension up. Even the lady across the hall is a true virago who passes judgment on any woman who gets killed. She feels that if you get yourself killed, you probably deserved it. I alway wonder why people can be so careful on the one hand and so stupid on the other. Also, the husband must a long suffering type who puts up with his wife's problems. I guess we all know what is going to happen and wait to watch it. There are so many who come and go in the apartment that the security is worthless. There's that funny little man with the whiny voice, the jilted boyfriend, the man at the hardware store, the man at the shoe repair shop. It builds suspense nicely.

"The Creeper" lacks subtlety and the director seemed to want a somewhat overwrought performance out of Constance Ford. Dialing it back might have made for a better episode, though a truly disturbing ending make this one worth seeing.

When the story begins, it's a hot summer day and everyone seems on edge...and it's made worse by a serial killer who's been murdering women nearby. In each case, the women were blondes and they were alone...and Ellen (Constance Ford) is blonde and her husband works nights....and naturally she is on edge. To make things worse, her apartment's lock stinks and she really needs a deadbolt or chain. And, when she tries to have one installed, getting this done is tough because LOTS of women are nervous and are getting them. What's next? See the show.

As I mentioned above, the part played by Ms. Ford should have been dialed back a bit. But apart from that, it was a dandy episode...a truly frightening one that is worth seeing....but remember...it is very disturbing.

By the way, the camera often focuses on the door to Ellen's apartment. Pay attention to it carefully. In some shots, the door opens inward....and in others it clearly opens outward. I am not sure why they didn't catch this.