If you’ve watched many films during lockdown but you’re still looking for more, then you’re not alone. With many cinema releases on hold, it may be time to check out some classic thrillers that have influenced the genre’s development over the years.
Here Lawrence Jackson, Head of Film Practice at the School of Arts, recommends five of his favourite thriller films.
The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941)
Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor and an amazing supporting cast in an adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s novel.
The Narrow Margin (Richard Fleischer, 1952)
Outstanding train-set suspense. No big star names, just lean and mean.
North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959)
This has everything, not just Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. It has arguably influenced everyone from the makers of the Bond films, to Christopher Nolan.
The Long Good Friday (John Mackenzie, 1980)
Violent British crime thriller with Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren. Powerful snapshot of London at the turn of the decade.
In the Cut (Jane Campion, 2003)
Explicit adaptation of Susanna Moore’s novel, starring Meg Ryan and Mark Ruffalo in a sleazy vision of New York City. Underrated and misunderstood, deserves to be ranked alongside Campion’s better-known work such as The Piano, Bright Star and Top of the Lake.