Even the master of suspense himself,Alfred Hitchcock, had a sense of humor.
And it’s not just about keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.
They say he’s George Kaplan, but he insists he’s Roger Thornhill.
Image via Filmways Pictures
For reasons he doesn’t understand in the slightest, he winds up getting framed for murder.
Instead of speedy chases, this film gathers suspense from meticulous driving.
Told out of chronological order and often contradictory, this plot is better experienced than “described.”
In a way,it’s the perfect mysterybecause it has no definitive answer.
Based onEd McBain’s detective novelKing’s Ransom, this crime-thriller centers around a captivating misunderstanding.
Needless to say, this movie has a focus on class.
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The ransom puts him at a huge financial disadvantage, and the complexity of his choice is impeccably rendered.
The film is so influential thatSpike Lee himself has directed a remake.
With a surprisingly intense closing scene,High and Lowis easily one of the best thrillers out there.
This establishes not only the sense of documentary-style realism but also the rage behind the camera.
DirectorCosta-Gavrascraftsa film so suspenseful and compelling that it heavily influencedthe legendary William Friedkin’s approachto storytelling.
Based on a novel about the 1963 public assassination of a Greek politician,Zmeticulously details its subsequent cover-up.
Image via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
Not the least of which isJack Nicholson’s performance as private investigator Jake Gittes.
This highly immersive neo-noir takes what’s usually black-and-white into a lively, colorful, and wide frame.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, this mystery-thriller is the pinnacle of noir cinema.
Based on the novel byRobert Bloch, the main character of this film changes more than once.
The film sets itself apart in many other ways, too.
The overhead shots of that mansion staircase are masterful, and Anthony Perkins gives the performance of a lifetime.
Image via Paramount Pictures
It was one of the best thrillers of all time in 1960, and it still is today.
Image via Universal Pictures
Image via Toho
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Valoria Films
Image via Paramount
Image via Paramount Pictures
