As with any genre, fans of psychological thrillers can find themselves searching for deeper cuts in the genre after exhausting the classics. From heavy hitters of the 1990s like Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs to almost Hitchcock's biggest hits like Vertigo and Psycho, many movies are classics of the psychological thriller genre.
But when you've seen all of those, you can find yourself looking for the genre's hidden gems. So when one fan of these cerebral chillers, who has seen many of them, takes to an online film forum to ask for lesser-known movies in the genre, other film fans are more than happy to oblige with some fantastic recommendations.
1. The Guest (2014)
The Guest stars Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens as a mysterious soldier who appears at the door of a family one day, informing them that he knew their son who died in combat. This stranger possesses good looks and charisma, yet there's an unsettling quality to him. As unusual deaths happen in the vicinity, the family's teenage daughter begins to harbor suspicions that he may have something to do with them.
2. Enemy (2013)
While director Denis Villeneuve's Sicario and Prisoners rightfully receive much attention as some of the best thrillers of the 2010s, Enemy is often forgotten. The movie follows history professor Adam (Jake Gyllenhaal), who discovers a man who looks exactly like him and becomes obsessed with figuring out their connection to one another. It'sIt's a riveting film full of unexpected twists and turns.
3. The Machinist (2004)
The Machinist is an unnerving psychological thriller that centers on Trevor Reznick (Christian Bale), who has been suffering from insomnia for over a year. We witness the visible effects of sleep deprivation on his physical health. As the movie unfolds, we realize that it has equally impacted his mental well-being.
4. The Vanishing (Spoorloos) (1988)
The Vanishing puts a twist on the classic mystery film. When a man's girlfriend is abducted, his desperation to locate her takes center stage. However, rather than delving into her abductor's mystery, The Vanishing reveals the villain's identity early in the story. The kidnapper makes himself known to the distraught boyfriend, initiating a chilling cat-and-mouse game.
5. In The Mouth of Madness (1994)
Director John Carpenter is likely best known for creating the iconic Halloween franchise, but he's made more than a dozen great films over the course of his career.
One of his best is In the Mouth of Madness, which follows an insurance investigator and a book editor as they attempt to find the author of a new book that seems to be driving people insane. The movie plays with the line between reality and fiction in fascinating and unnerving ways that will satisfy any fan of psychological thrillers.
6. Taste of Fear (1961)
A personal favorite of mine that I am delighted to see receive a recommendation, Taste of Fear is a small-scale psychological thriller produced by the legendary Hammer Film Productions, best known for their Dracula films starring Christopher Lee.
Lee also appears in Taste of Fear as a possibly conniving doctor. The film follows a young woman who returns to her father's home to find him missing and doesn't trust her stepmother, who says he's away on business.
7. Gaslight (1944)
Gaslight, adapted from the play of the same name, is the genesis of the modern psychological term meaning to convince someone they cannot trust their senses. The film is an unnerving thriller that centers on a young woman and her new husband, who regularly makes her doubt her experiences so that he can steal from her. The film's mystery isn't what is happening or why but whether or not the woman will escape the situation.
8. Blow Out (1981)
Blow Out centers on Jack Terry (John Travolta), a sound technician who collects sounds to be used for film scores, after he witnesses a deadly car crash while recording sounds. The collision caused a governor's death, leading to questions about whether or not it was an accident, and Jack's recording of the event becomes critical to solving the mystery of what happened.
9. A Simple Favor (2018)
Another personal favorite of mine, A Simple Favor, adapts the book of the same name by Darcey Bell and offers an incredible performance from Blake Lively. The film stars Lively as Emily, the mysterious and glamorous neighbor of Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) who goes missing.
Stephanie then takes it upon herself to investigate the disappearance, but things are much more complicated than they first seem. It's a psychological thriller that doesn't skimp on the twists or the psychosexual tension but is also incredibly funny due to the humor of the two leads.
10. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Hitchcock's favorite of the films he directed, it's somewhat shocking that Shadow of a Doubt isn't as widely known as some of the master of suspense's other films.
The movie centers on a teenage girl and her relationship with her uncle, who comes to stay with her family as she begins to suspect that he may not be the wonderful man she once thought hIt'sIt'st’s a great film, with one of the most shocking, reveals in film history.Â
Source: Reddit.
10 Crazy Good Movies Where Women Are the Bad Guys
Are you looking for a movie night with a twist? Look no further than these Reddit-voted top ten films where women take on the destructive bad guy role.
10 Crazy Good Movies Where Women Are the Bad Guys
10 of the Worst TV Series Ever According to the Internet
There's Seinfeld, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Office, and other legendary shows. But have you considered that for each show that garners universal critical acclaim, there is an inverse show lurking on the other end of the IMDb rating scale?
10 of the Worst TV Series Ever According to the Internet
15 Cover Songs that are Better than the Original
Sometimes, a cover of a song ends up doing far better than the original. Some covers are so good that we didn't even realize the cover version wasn't actually the original.
15 Cover Songs that are Better than the Original
These 11 Movies Are So Bad You'll Wish You Could Unsee Them
The movies we love best are a combination of excellent characters, plots, stories and cinematography. But if these factors can make great movies, they can also make terrible movies—the ones that make people cringe, the ones we swear they'll never watch again.
These 11 Movies Are So Bad You'll Wish You Could Unsee Them
10 Celebrities Who Are Universally Disliked
People will always have preferences and something to say about celebrities. What you might love may not be the same for others. Whether it’s about their past behaviors, legal issues, or feuds with other celebrities, here is a list of celebrities people just cannot stand.
10 Celebrities Who Are Universally Disliked
About the Author
