Psychological thrillers are perhaps the most gripping genre of film. Something about the suspense, the morbid curiosity, and the unfathomable, calculated villain (often with psychopathic tendencies) can grab our attention and keeps our eyes wide open into the night, even when the looming dread of a wintery 9am hangs over us. There’s even something quite comforting about a truly disturbing thriller; something that reminds us of how cosy our sofas are, how lucky we are to be cuddled up watching sick and twisted death scenes with people we love. Here’s a whistle-stop tour of my favourites.
The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991)
Undoubtedly a classic thriller, this film has all the most satisfying aspects of the genre: the perfect villain, the bright young detective; a cat-and-mouse game of suspense with a nail-bitingly tense climax that takes us to a triumphant but vaguely uneasy ending. This is far from reducing the film’s brilliance to merely basic. Anthony Hopkins’ chilling performance as Hannibal Lecter, with his distinctively creepy tongue flick and unsettling attention to detail will remain ingrained deep within our minds and popular culture for decades.
Gone Girl (David Fincher, 2014)
One of my favourite films of all time, Gone Girl revolves around the brilliantly unhinged Amy Dunne, who constructs an entire alternate reality to frame her bewildered husband, Nick, of her own murder. The lengths that Amy goes to in order to punish this man are outrageously iconic, and her psychotic intelligence shines through her watertight plan. I absolutely applaud her. Challenging
gender roles and perception of both male and female public images, Gone Girl raises feminist issues whilst exposing the deepest and darkest depths of its characters, creating a fascinating plot and a very exciting watch.
Parasite (Bong Joon-ho, 2019)
Described as a South Korean black comedy thriller, Parasite transcends mere entertainment and dips into a metaphorical analysis of the class system, brilliantly using the two-tiered structure of the Parks’ home to represent social hierarchy issues. The working class Kims slowly infiltrate the Parks’ home life; effectively parasites that scramble to feed off any morsels they may drop on the ground. Parasite cleverly constructs a microcosm of social issues within the film’s dynamics, creating chilling suspense and tapping into the truly psychological aspect of a thriller, leaving us reeling with questions, like who the true villain is.
“The Silence of the Lambs” by varun suresh is licensed under CC BY 2.0.