The 100 Greatest Thrillers
1. Psycho (1960)
Also on the Greatest (18) and 10th Anniversary (14) Lists - Hitchcock's best hands down. A suspenseful thriller with a surprise twist at the end. I never saw the remake but from what I hear the lack of blood and gore in the original is what made it great. Should you watch this, oh yea.
2.
Jaws (1975)
Also on the Greatest (48) and 10th Anniversary (56) Lists - The original "When Nature Attacks" story about a rogue shark that reeks havoc on a New England beach until finally being destroyed by a marine biologist and an old fisherman. Good acting especially for the shark. How they got it to do those things I will never know.
3. The
Exocist (1973)
4. North by Northwest (1959)
Also on the Greatest (40) and 10th Anniversary (55) Lists - A thrilling movie about an advertising executive who got tangled up in a James Bond type situation. I found the movie rather humorous and suspenseful, especially the first half where the Grant is mistaken for another man. The entire time it seems obvious to everyone else he is not the man but no one seems to care. The acting is superb with extremely believable performances by both Grant and Eva Marie Saint who was the main female character. I definitely recommend this movie especially when you are in the mood for an action movie with a subdued sort of action.
5. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Also on the Greatest (65) and 10th Anniversary (74) Lists -
6. Alien (1979)
Due to budget constraints they could only
show the actual alien in brief glimpses and for short periods of time. This
caused a very intense psychological thriller similar to Psycho, where
they did not show any of the blood and gore. This movie should be a template for
modern movies - You don't need to show the threat. Just knowing it is there and
not seeing it is sometimes worse.
7. The
Birds (1963)
8. The French Connection (1971)
Also on the Greatest (70) and 10th Anniversary (93) Lists -
9. Rosemary's
Baby (1968)
10. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Also on the Greatest (60) and 10th Anniversary (66) Lists - The first modern action adventure movie. Maybe the best of the three and definitely one of my favorites. If you need to know the plot of this one you obviously have missed something in your childhood.
11. The Godfather (1972)
Also on the Greatest (3) and 10th Anniversary (2) Lists - I think the second one was better, at least easier to follow in my mind, having only watched the movies once, but I did enjoy them. A little complicated if only once though. I recommend to anyone who likes "mafia" type movies. The movie follows the rise of the godfather in the principle NY mafia.
12. King Kong (1933)
Also on the Romance (24), 10th Anniversary (41), and Greatest (43) Lists - I started out watching this movie basing it on the recent Peter Jackson remake. The problem is that you need to take into consideration the time period. Currently the graphics of Kong would be downright laughable today, while back then they were cutting edge. The movie was very enjoyable though. Actually, Jackson's remake just seemed to be an extension of the movie, taking all the same parts and just putting in extra parts in between. That made the movie fly right by since I already knew basically what was going to happen. But it was still a good movie and groundbreaking at the time. The fight between Kong and the T-Rex was very well done and actually more violent than I was anticipating, especially since the meeting with the natives was far less violent then I would have thought. All in all, I would recommend seeing this one before the Peter Jackson movie, but an entertaining movie none the less.
13. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Also on the Romance (65), 10th Anniversary (42), and Greatest (27) Lists - Starring Warren Beatty as Clyde and Faye Dunaway as Bonnie, this movie is a hit right at the start. The plot line is great, it follows two of the most infamous bank robbers in history from the beginning where Clyde is a car thief and Bonnie his hostage, to their end when they are both shot up. Kind of a romantic thriller with a dismal ending.
14. Rear Window (1954)
Also on the Greatest (42) and 10th Anniversary (48) Lists - I think this is one of the better of Hitchcock's plays. It is gripping and suspenseful and you never really know what is going on or what is going to happen until the end. Fantastic acting even with the minimal scenes.
15. Deliverance (1972)
16. Chinatown (1974)
Also on the Greatest (19) and 10th Anniversary (21) Lists - One word, Confusing. My wife and I watched this and about 2 hours later be both went "huh". Did not understand it at all, either a must watch more than once or a must know the contemporary illusions.
17. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Also on the Greatest (67) List - Excellent movie with a fantastic storyline and acting. The premise is that a bunch of Korean soldiers were kidnapped and brainwashed with one turning out to be the ultimate hidden assassin. The brainwashing scene is very well made differing with each soldiers reality. Makes you sit and think, "what really did happen in Korea?"
18. Vertigo (1958)
Also on the Romance (18), 10th Anniversary (9), and Greatest (61) Lists - Another of the Hitchcock movies on the list, this one focusing on a police detective's fear of heights. After a fellow officer is killed because he is frozen with fear John Ferguson (Stewart) retires from the force. Unfortunately he is then asked to follow his friends wife, who also dies because of his fear of heights. The best thing about the movie was the remarkable camera effects showing Ferguson's vertigo.
19. The
Great Escape (1963)
20. High Noon (1952)
Also on the Greatest (33), 10th Anniversary (27), and Inspirational (27) Lists -
21. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Also on the Greatest (46) and 10th Anniversary (70) Lists - Another movie that belongs on my weird list. This movie is about a punk kid in a totalitarian state who is then subjected to behavior modification programming. I've heard people often comment on the irony of the main character's 'Singin in the Rain' while whipping a nude female in front of her husband. Again a bizarre movie.
22. Taxi Driver (1976)
Also on the Greatest (47) and 10th Anniversary (52) Lists - The story about a rogue cab driver who is so disgusted with society and decides to take matter into his own hands to save a prostitute. This is an angry movie about a man coping with life in general and society as everything degrades before his eyes. Gritty and compelling.
23. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Also on the Greatest (5), 10th Anniversary (7), and Inspirational (30) Lists - Another excruciatingly long movie but I enjoyed it, unlike my wife who could not wait till it was over. I enjoyed the direction and the story thoroughly. The plot follows the real life exploits of T. E. Lawrence as he went from innocent observer to leader of Arabs against the Turks during the 1920's. Highly enjoyable for those of us who like war epic movies, otherwise can be considered boring since it is rather long and slow in some parts.
24. Double Indemnity (1944)
Also on the Romance (84), 10th Anniversary (29), and Greatest (38) Lists -
25. Titantic (1997)
Also on the 10th Anniversary (83) and Romance (37) Lists -
26. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Also on the Greatest (23) and 10th Anniversary (31) Lists - The detective movie from which any post movie is judged against. A little confusing at times but enjoyable non the less. A gripping movie that will keep you guessing the whole way through. Another one where Bogart definitely deserves his place among greatest of actors.
27. Star Wars (1977)
Also on the Greatest (15), 10th Anniversary (13), and Inspirational (39) Lists - Definitely one of my favorite movies of all time. Not only is this the first of the modern sci-fi movies but its special effects completely revolutionized the movie industry. Also the only Star Wars movie able to stand on its own. The lore of Star Wars is expanded upon on my website elsewhere.
28. Fatal
Attraction (1987)
29. The
Shining (1980)
30. The Deer Hunter (1978)
Also on the Greatest (79) and 10th Anniversary (53) Lists - Just finishing the movie and my first impression is "Wow, I'm depressed now." Don't get me wrong, the movie was fantastic but it was so utterly depressing that you are amazed anyone in the movie has the will to live at the end of it. The focus of the movie seems to revolve around hunting with the goal to kill a deer with one shot. The guys, who we see as happy go lucky at the beginning of the movie, end up in Vietnam where their world is thrown around and they are forced to play a version of Russian Rullet, again, back to the one shot theme. If you are in the mood for a good war movie, then this is for you. If you want a comedy or a feel good movie then you should probably pick something else.
31. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Also on the Greatest (64), 10th Anniversary (64), and Inspirational (58) Lists - Spielberg's second best and second most famous alien movie. The plot line mainly follows several mysterious events that leads people to believe that something big is going to happen, hence an alien invasion. Very good acting and rather good suspense in the movie but again not his best. I personally felt it moved a bit slow at times although the special effects were especially well done for the time.
32. Strangers
on a Train (1951)
33. The Fugitive (1993)
The chase movie is a thriller in itself.
This movie is the epitome of the chase where a wanted criminal tries to clear
his name for a crime he did not commit. The intense nature of the film is never
left too far and the feeling that the "law" is on the fugitive's heels is never
gone. It definitely belongs on this list.
34. The
Night of the Hunter
(1955)
35. Jurassic Park (1993)
Being a
paleontologist myself this movie is one of my favorites. Eventually I should
also have a geological review of the movie over on my
Geological Movie Page.
This movie is about creation of dinosaurs on a remote island off the coast of
Costa Rica
and the mayhem that
ensues. It revolutionized the special effects industry, which showed that making
realistic dinosaurs was possible. The intense feeling that the dinosaurs are
going to get you is never gone until they are off the island, and even then you
still wonder. A definite best thriller.
36. Bullitt (1968)
37. Casablanca (1942)
Also on the Romance (1), Greatest (2), 10th Anniversary (3), and Inspirational (32) Lists - Definitely worth its place as number 2. A great movie that was not a romance as I thought it would be, being more like an anti-romance taking place during WWII. I was hesitant to watch this movie at first but afterwards I will recommend this to anyone. The main plot is about 2 people trying to escape German occupied Morocco to the US. The dialogue is very strong and it contains several underlying plotlines not immediately noticeable. It very easily drags you into the movie.
38. Notorious (1946)
Also on the Romance (38) List -
39. Die
Hard (1988)
40. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Also on the Greatest (22), 10th Anniversary (15), and Inspirational (47) Lists -
41. Dirty Harry (1971)
42. The Terminator (1984)
It is hard to separate this movie from it's
sequel because both have entrenched their places in our pop culture. I could not
even tell you the famous lines that came from this movie or the next one but
both are great. This movie started the current trilogy based on the apocalypse
and a man that came back from the future to try and stop it. The man is followed
by a killer robot and input the chase seen here. Still the story line is
original and the movie is very well done.
43. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Also on the Greatest (6), 10th Anniversary (10), Musical (3), and Inspirational (26) Lists - Another of the classics, but unlike some of the others, I think everyone has seen this one. Don't know what to say about this one that people don't know. After reading some descriptions of the movie, there have been quite a few remakes of the book and this one does not seem entirely true to the book unlike some of those others, but this is the best and most loved of the lot. The original directed by Baum himself apparently had Dorothy as the dethroned princess of OZ. Makes me want to read the book.
44. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Also on the Greatest (25), 10th Anniversary (24), and Inspirational (6) Lists - What can I say about this movie that nobody already knows. Not the original of Spielberg's alien stories but definitely the best one. Heartwarming and tender.
45. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Also on the 10th Anniversary (71) and Inspirational (10) Lists -
A rather grisly tale about some soldiers going to take one
soldier who lost all his brothers out of WWII. The movie is bloody and shocking
and very realistic. As one review I read, "this movie pulls no punches." Very
good and heartwarming and inspirational tale of courage and war.
46. Carrie (1976)
47. Invasion
of the Body Snatchers (1956)
48. Dial M
For Murder (1954)
49. Ben-Hur (1959)
Also on the Greatest (72), 10th Anniversary (100), and Inspirational (56) Lists -
50. Marathon
Man (1976)
51. Raging Bull (1980)
Also on the Greatest (24) and 10th Anniversary (4) Lists - Kind if a cross between The Godfather and Rocky, it shows the self-degradation of a championship boxer who could not control his anger or his over-protection of his wife. The acting was superb but you get the feeling someone is gonna get whacked throughout the movie.
52. Rocky (1976)
Also on the Greatest (78), 10th Anniversary (58), and Inspirational (4) Lists - What is there really to say about this movie. The perfect movie about the underdog winning out over unspeakable odds. Much better than all the sequels puts together.
53. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Also on the Greatest (95) and 10th Anniversary (94) Lists - Even though Tarantino has only made a few movies, this is definitely hailed as his best. The clever play of seemingly random scenes throughout the movie and witty dialog makes this an easy to watch funny movie. The plot mainly follows two thugs who go around collecting payments for the boss. What once was thought of as a noble profession is changed in the mind of one (Jackson) and the other is asked to watch the very attractive wife of his boss (Travolta).
54.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Also on the Greatest (50) and 10th Anniversary (73) Lists - The story is about two of the most notorious bank/train of the west and their downfall. The movie is primarily about their downfall, not their rise to fame nor their formation of The Hole in the Wall gang, but still the story is written very well and easily understandable. Paul Newman (Butch) and Robert Redford (Sundance) were the only actors that were in the entire movie and they held their own. Redford I felt gave the superior performance as the quiet yet sarcastic sidekick, yet sometimes you felt that he was the one who really called the shots. Overall this movie is not what you would expect for a western, it was more in line with Bonnie and Clyde, with fugitives robbing banks and being tracked down by law enforcement. I thought this was a great movie and one of the better ones on the list, funny, action packed, overall enjoyable.
55. Wait
Until Dark (1967)
56. Frankenstein (1931)
Also on the Greatest (87) List - Although it is very loosely based on the book, this becomes the original in 30's horror movies. Its odd watching the older movies especially with modern digital seamless movies but it is still heart warming to see the creation of the monster's humanity while witnessing the destruction of the man playing god. Again very loosely based on the book which created a far more intelligent monster that terrorized with purpose.
57. All the President's Men (1976)
Also on the 10th Anniversary (77) and Inspirational (34) Lists -
58. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Also on the Greatest (13), 10th Anniversary (36), and Inspirational (14) Lists - Another war movie for war movie lovers. Although Veronica did not like this one that much, I thought it was terrific. Alec Guinness played the perfect lead role and the story line was riveting. The plot follows a British POW in Burma who is forced to build a train bridge. Since they are doing this they decide to build the best one they can. While building the bridge, Colonel Nicholson (Guinness) looses sight of what he is supposed to be doing in Burma when the British try and blow up the bridge. I thought it was fantastic and a must watch, but that is just my opinion.
59. Planet
of the Apes (1968)
60. The Sixth Sense (1999)
Also on the 10th Anniversary (89) List - One of the earlier suspense movies by M
Knight Shyamalan and probably his best. The story is based on a kid that can see
dead people and I know a lot of people figured out the ending before me but I
was extremely shocked by it.
A very suspenseful movie, if you don't guess the
end.
61. Cape
Fear (1962)
62. Spartacus (1960)
Also on the 10th Anniversary (81) and Inspirational (44) Lists -
63. What
Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
64. Touch
of Evil (1958)
65. The
Dirty Dozen (1967)
66. The Matrix (1999)
I thought this was a very cool sci-fi film
but I would not have placed it on this list as a great thriller. The special
effects revolutionized the industry just like Star Wars 22 years earlier
but again that is not a reason to place it on the list. Anyway I enjoyed and
thought it was a good movie.
67. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
Also on the Greatest (30) and 10th Anniversary (38) Lists -
68. Halloween (1978)
69. The Wild Bunch (1969)
Also on the Greatest (80) and 10th Anniversary (79) Lists -
70. Dog
Day Afternoon (1975)
71. Goldfinger (1964)
72. Platoon (1986)
Also on the Greatest (83) and 10th Anniversary (86) Lists - When talking about movies that are slow this cannot be included. Its is a very quick paced, a little confusing, movie about the Vietnam War. The movie follows a recruit looking for adventure in the war (Sheen) while realizing that war truly is hell. The political nature of the movie is also vivid showing that not only was the war brutal but it was essentially pointless.
73. Laura (1944)
74. Blade
Runner (1982)
Also on the 10th Anniversary (97) List -
75. The Third Man (1949)
Also on the Greatest (57) List -
76. Thelma & Louise (1991)
Also on the Inspirational (78) List -
This is another movie I don't think I would put on the
"Thriller List" It is a very enjoyable movie about a couple of women on the run
from the law but a great thriller? I don't think so. Although I would definitely
consider this an inspirational movie.
77. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Out of all the lists, this is only the
second sequel that made it onto a list along with the first movie. The
Godfather being the first one.
Like I wrote on The Terminator
above, it is hard to separate the 2 movies but
this one is similar yet different from its predecessor. In this one the now
deadly Terminator is the good guy while a new worse Terminator comes and tries
to cause the Armageddon. It is still a very good chase movie and deserves to be
on the list.
78. Gaslight (1944)
79. The
Magnificent Seven (1960)
80. Rebecca (1940)
81. The
Omen (1976)
82. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Also on the Inspirational (67) List -
83. The
Phantom of the Opera
(1925)
84. Poltergeist (1982)
85. Dracula (1931)
86. The
Picture of Dorian Gray
(1945)
87. The
Thing From Another World
(1951)
88. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Also on the 10th Anniversary (87) and Inspirational (42) Lists -
89. The
Guns of Navarone (1961)
90. The
Poseidon Adventure
(1972)
91. Braveheart (1995)
Also on the Inspirational (62) List -
This is back when Mel Gibson was normal. The movie is very
inspiring about a man come back to Scotland to free his country by inciting the
people. A rather enjoyable movie but it seems to drag on a bit.
92. Body Heat (1981)
Also on the Romance (94) List -
93. Night of the Living Dead
(1968)
94. The
China Syndrome (1979)
95. Full
Metal Jacket (1987)
96. Blue
Velvet (1986)
97. Safety
Last (1923)
98. Blood
Simple (1984)
99. Speed (1994)
Now this is a suspenseful movie. I feel
this should be at least a little higher up on the list, although the sequel was
atrocious but we will not consider that. This movie has the feel of a chase
movie with an added twist in the mix. The movie is about a bus that is rigged to
explode should it slow down below 55 mph. Very riveting.
100. The Adventure of Robin Hood (1938)
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