Suspenseful Thrillers
Jun 02 '00
I thought about this list a lot, because I wondered what constitutes a "thriller"? Are thrillers out-and-out horror films, or just movies that were suspenseful enough to keep you watching? When I think of suspense and thrillers, I think of mysteries mostly. I'm not sure if my line of thinking is correct, but this is my list regardless.
10. Name of the Rose-Sean Connery stars as a monk who is saddled with discovering who is committing murders at the monastery. This film reminded me of those Ellis Peters books about Brother Cadfael a little bit, which I quite like. I was just glued to the screen as I watched Brother Sean solve the crime. Connery is very good as the detective and Christian Slater is good as his young assistant.
9. The Fugitive-Harrison Ford stars as Dr. Richard Kimble, a respectable doctor accused of murdering his wife. He blames it on a one-armed man, and when he gets the chance, he escapes. Tommy Lee Jones is the US Marshall that chases him, while figuring out whodunit. Fast pacing and great acting from Jones and Ford escalate this cat-and-mouse game to new heights.
8. Rope-Alfred Hitchcock's highly suspenseful take on the Leopold and Loeb case features John Dall and Farley Granger as two young men who murder their prep-school friend, seemingly for the thrill of it. They stuff his body into a trunk in their front room and invite friends over. James Stewart stars as one of the guests who has the strange feeling that all is not as it seems.
7. Citizen X-A made-for-HBO film starring Stephen Rea as a policeman charged with the difficult task of finding one of the most prolific serial killers in Russia's history. He finds doors closed to him from the government, but finds an ally in Donald Sutherland as a member of Russian military. A highly suspenseful film, Citizen X also features a strong performance from Max Von Sydow as a doctor who writes the profile which is used to catch the killer.
6. Manchurian Candidate-John Frankenheimer's political paranoia thriller is just as powerful today as it was in 1962. Set after the Korean War, this film features some really bizarre sequences. When you first see them, it seems like a dream sequence. As a man who nobody seemed to like becomes a decorated hero, we find that this is simply a cover for a secret operation that is to end in assassination. Frank Sinatra must figure it all out, and I guarantee you'll be riveted as he races to stop the assassin. Sinatra, Laurence Harvey and Angela Lansbury all turn in top-notch performances.
5. L. A. Confidential-Stunning film set in 1950's Los Angeles, featuring a layered story of murder, sex and Hollywood. Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce star as policemen who must figure out who is taking over for dead crime boss Mickey Cohen. As more and more dead bodies turn up, the finger points in a surprising direction. I resisted seeing this film for quite some time, only agreeing to watch it on Pay Per View when nothing else was on. I got the surprise of a lifetime with this little gem. Kim Basinger (who I normally don't care for) turns in a surprisingly good and Oscar winning performance as a prostitute who resembles Veronica Lake.
4. The Firm-I can hear the groans, but I liked this movie. Will Tom Cruise get out of his new, cushy job as a lawyer with his life? Will he get his wife back? You pretty much figure he will, but it's still fun watching him get there. I found myself on the edge of my couch several times, urging the characters on out loud. As in, "Oh, hurry with that copying, Abby! He's about to wake up!" Several suspenseful moments, nice scenery and strong performances from Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Holly Hunter and Gene Hackman make The Firm highly enjoyable fare.
3. The Usual Suspects-Who is Keyser Soze? I was completely hooked by this film, and I took it over to my grandmother's house for her to watch. Unlike me, she had it figured out in the first 15 minutes! If you really pay attention, it can be done. Five criminals are busted for a crime they didn't commit, attempt to discover who or what brought them all together and we find out why everyone is scared to death of some guy named Keyser Soze. Kevin Spacey is fabulous and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role.
2. Se7en-Moody, atmospheric and clouded with a sense of dread, Se7en was one of the most talked about films of that year. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman star as two cops who work together on a bizarre murder case. Someone is killing people according to the 7 Deadly Sins, and Freeman's character is due to retire any day. I have met people who swear they saw things that were never shown, because you were actually only shown a couple of the murders in any detail. What we can imagine is generally way worse than what they can show us anyway. There didn't seem to be any middle ground with this film, you either love it or you hate it.
1. Silence of the Lambs-Jonathon Demme's multiple Oscar winner about a young FBI agent, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) who is sent to retrieve information from notorious serial killer Hannibal Lector (Anthony Hopkins) in the hopes that it will help them catch another serial killer that's on the loose. Extremely intense almost throughout, superbly acted by Foster and Hopkins, Silence of the Lambs grabs you from the first frame and doesn't let go. I have difficulty not giggling a little at the end however.
I also quite liked Fargo, and in my mind, Alien could quite easily belong on a list of thrillers as well. I'm not sure how well I did here, it's almost 4 a.m. and I'm in danger of passing out on the keyboard! Thanks for reading.
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Member: Kimberly McDaniel
Location: Tulsa, OK USA
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