Skip to main content

The 7 best Hitchcockian thrillers ever, ranked

The movies of Alfred Hitchcock are so renowned that they’ve become their own subgenre. Tropes such as the icy blonde femme fatale, the “bomb under the table” moment, surprising plot twists, a “MacGuffin” plot device, and voyeuristic visuals have become synonymous with Hitchcock’s films.

Despite what people may think of him as a person, the director’s stylish and suspenseful thrillers have made their mark on many great filmmakers, and many other works have since been compared to his own.

Related Videos

7. Les Diaboliques (1955)

Christina in "Les Diaboliques."

Hitchcock may have missed out on making this film, but it did inspire him when he was making a certain movie at the Bates Motel. This French thriller follows two women, the wife of an abusive headmaster and his mistress, as they conspire to murder the man they despise so much.

It’s a slow-burning horror, but one that effectively injects anxiety into the viewer before and after the dark deed is done. The whole crime looks like it was taken right out of Psycho or Rope, and the fear of it getting discovered will leave audiences teetering on the edge of their seats. And it all leads to one of the most shocking twists most people don’t know about.

6. Split (2016)

Split

The similarities between M. Night Shyamalan’s Split and Hitchcock’s Psycho are clear, with antagonist Kevin living with dissociative identity disorder (DID), kidnapping young women while being controlled by another personality, and struggling with his traumatic past with his overbearing mother.

But as Shyamalan blends grounded psychology, supervillain mythmaking, terrifying suspense, and James McAvoy’s incredible acting skills, audiences can’t help but buckle as they wait for what personality Kevin will manifest next. While many understandably took issue with its depiction of DID, Split still humanizes Kevin and his disorder better than Hitchcock did with Norman Bates, making it worth a watch.

5. Don’t Breathe (2016)

Rocky and Alex staring in horror in "Don't Breathe."

Evil Dead director Fede Álvarez brought a unique type of terror with this modern masterpiece. Don’t Breathe follows a trio of young robbers as they break into a blind man’s home.

However, they soon find themselves hunted by their host, who turns out to be more sinister than the intruders in his home. This inventive film subverts many expectations and delivers powerful frights as death unknowingly stares the heroes right in the face.

4. Halloween (1978)

Laurie Strode is waiting with a knife for Michael Myers in Halloween
courtesy of Compass International Pictures

Director John Carpenter proved he is a Master of Suspense like Hitchcock with this groundbreaking slasher film. Back in Halloween 1978, infamous killer Michael Myers escapes from captivity and continues his murderous rampage throughout Haddonfield, starting with the Scream Queen herself.

With the Boogeyman lurking around every corner, there is hardly a safe moment for Laurie and her friends as he stalks them through town. The film also has multiple references to Psycho, with Dr. Sam Loomis being named after the character of the same name and Janet Leigh’s daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, playing Laurie.

3. Misery (1990)

Fun fact: director Rob Reiner watched every Hitchcock film to figure out how to make Misery, and all that research paid off in creating his beloved first thriller. Similar to Rear Window, Misery follows author Paul Sheldon when he is left trapped in a house without the use of his legs while the murderous Annie Wilkes looms close by.

Some of the film’s most heart-pounding moments come when Paul sneaks around the house when Annie can return at any moment. And with Kathy Bates’s chilling, Oscar-winning performance as the too-devoted fan Annie, the latter truly feels like a bomb that’s ready to blow.

2. Get Out (2017)

Get Out

Some people have called director Jordan Peele this generation’s Alfred Hitchcock, and based on what was just his first film, the reasoning behind this comparison is crystal clear. Like Hitchcock, Peele cleverly crafts tension and suspense as Chris experiences casual racism and strange occurrences every few minutes.

This suggests something sinister is afoot, and the film’s restricted setting at the Armitage House makes things more uncomfortable for Chris and the audience. It all culminates in several mind-splitting plot twists that prove Peele knows how to make good scares while shattering expectations.

1. Jaws(1975)

Roy Scheider in a scene from Jaws.

Since the mechanical shark kept breaking down during the production of Jaws, director Steven Spielberg took a Hitchcockian approach and started filming through the shark’s point-of-view. The shark is rarely seen throughout the film, but that only makes the terror greater for the audience, especially as they wait to see when and if the beast will rear its head to attack.

And with John Williams’s iconic score playing in the background, Spielberg took what could’ve been a regular monster movie and turned it into the revolutionary suspense thriller it is today.

Topics
The 7 best binge-worthy shows TV on right now
Wednesday Addams looking seriously at the camera in Wednesday.

Some TV shows are fantastic, but you can only take in one or two episodes at a time. Think Black Mirror and its heavy, thought-provoking, mind-bending subject material and compartmentalized stories in every episode. You need time to mentally digest each one before diving into the next. But other shows are perfect fodder for binging.

What makes a show binge-worthy? It might be the fact that every episode ends on a “must-see-more” cliffhanger. Or maybe the episodes are short and punchy, so it’s easy to just let them play one after another. In many cases, binge-worthy shows flow so beautifully that watching the 5 to 10 hours per sitting is like enjoying a marathon movie night.

Read more
Wales vs Latvia live stream: How to watch for free from anywhere
A soccer field.

Keeping up with how to watch Euro 2024 qualifying games continues to be tricky with all the games spread across different channels. In the case of Wales vs Latvia, you need to have access to Fox Soccer Plus to check out the match. It's available on fewer streaming services than the more popular Fox Sports but we've picked out your best options. That includes how to watch the Wales vs Latvia live stream for free. Keen to know more? Let's dive right in!
Watch the Wales vs Latvia live stream on FuboTV

FuboTV offers Fox Sports 1 which is the main destination for many Euro 2024 qualifying games but it's also the home of Fox Soccer Plus if you sign up for the Fubo International Sports Plus package. That bolsters your options for streaming with the service working out at $92 per month. The upside to all this? There's a FuboTV free trial so you can always check out the Wales vs Latvia live stream for free. While you're signed up, there's NBC and USA Network for the Premier League as well as MLB Network, NHL Network and NHL Network too. For non-sporting needs, there's always Bravo, Comedy Central and Disney Channel.

Read more
Scotland vs Spain live stream: How to watch for free from anywhere
Massive open air soccer stadium with a game in play.

Soccer fans will be pleased to see there are ways to watch the Scotland vs Spain live stream online. It's a bit of a confusing world for anyone looking to watch Euro 2024 qualifying matches with different games streamed in different places. This game is a pretty simple one with only one streaming service offering the game -- FuboTV. That has pros and cons but it does mean that there's an easy way to watch the Scotland vs Spain live stream for free, legally.
Watch the Scotland vs Spain live stream on FuboTV

The exclusive home of many Euro 2024 qualifying matches including Scotland vs Spain, FuboTV is a great sports-focused streaming service overall. It costs $75 per month for the base plan but if you're solely interested in watching Scotland vs Spain, you can check out a FuboTV free trial. By signing up to it, you get to check out the service entirely for free for seven days and that includes being able to watch Scotland vs Spain. If you're a sports fan, you may want to stick around for longer. The service also includes Fox Sports 1, NBC and USA Network -- all of which cover Euro 2024 qualifying games or the Premier League. There are also other sports catered for too such as NFL Network, MLB Network and a bunch more too. Any time you want to relax, there are entertainment options such as Bravo, the Disney Channel and Paramount.

Read more