Robert Siodmak's chiaroscuro thriller stands proudly as not only one of film's most sumptuous Gothic masterpieces, but also as an inimitable early example of a proto-Slasher forecasting what would come decades down the road. Working with a rather simple setup of a mute maid weathering a raging storm within the shadowy walls of a mansion while a gloved killer stalks her every move, The Spiral Staircase is elevated at every turn with exceptional work behind and in front of the camera. Jumping off from Ethel Lina White's novel, Siodmak, Cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca (CAT PEOPLE), and a cast including Dorothy McGuire, Ethel Barrymore, George Brent, and Kent Smith put forth a film so superbly crafted and full of genuine terror, that it'll leave you wondering where it's been your whole life, while also reminding you there's nothing more terrifying the the unknown that lies within a shadow...