Thrillers & Suspense
Thriller and Suspense Films promote intense excitement, suspense, a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, anxiety, and nerve-wracking tension.
A genuine thriller is a film that relentlessly pursues a single-minded goal, to provide thrills and keep the audience cliff-hanging on the 'edge of their seats' as the plot builds towards a climax. Plots of thrillers often involve characters which come into conflict with each other or with outside forces - the menace is sometimes abstract or shadowy.
Below is a grand line-up of the best in contemporary Thrillers & Suspense made since 1965. Following a similar theme, with generally a darker look is the "Film Noir" feature, well worth checking out. The exploits of "James Bond 007" may also be accessed stage left.
Right: Frances McDormand makes an arrest in the Coen Bros "Fargo".
Hammett (1982)
6.5/10
Director: Wim Wenders
Starring: Frederic Forrest, Peter Boyle, Marilu Henner
The atmospheric and exciting tale of young Dashiell Hammett, who really lives the hard-boiled life he writes about. Wenders explores the central tensi... Read more
Firefox (1982)
5.9/10
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Freddie Jones, David Huffman
Clint Eastwood, an ex-US pilot, is persuaded to undertake a mission to the USSR to steal a supersonic jet fighter that is invisible to radar and contr... Read more
First Blood ( Rambo ) (1982)
7.7/10
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy
John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is an ex-Green Beret haunted by his memories of Vietnam. Harassed and jailed by the locals in a Northwest town, he mak... Read more
Who Dares Wins (1982)
8.2/10
Director: Ian Sharp
Starring: Lewis Collins, Judy Davis, Richard Widmark, Edward Woodward
The British Special Air Services, an anti-terrorist group, is pitted against an organization of international terrorists who plan to take over the U.S... Read more
Missing (1982)
7.8/10
Director: Constantin Costa-Gavras
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, Melanie Mayron, John Shea
Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek and John Shea star in Costa-Gavras' (Z) political thriller based on the true story of Charles Horman, an American writer who... Read more
Looker (1981)
6.1/10
Director: Michael Crichton
Starring: Albert Finney, James Coburn, Susan Dey, Leigh Taylor-Young, Dorian Harewood, Dar...
Three of four models, who had plastic surgery done by Larry after a computed list, are dead. Neither the cops nor Larry believe they're suicides. Larr... Read more
Bognor (1981)
6.1/10
Starring: David Horovitch
Simon Bognor, the accident-prone investigator for the Department of Trade, has to contend with double-dealing, murders, dismissive bosses and his fier... Read more
An Eye For An Eye (1981)
5.6/10
Director: Steve Carver
Starring: Chuck Norris, Christopher Lee, Richard Roundtree, Matt Clark
A SFPD undercover narcotics cop aims to avenge his partner's death and destroy a drug-smuggling ring operated by the Chinese Triads. Read more
Thief (1981)
7.4/10
Director: Michael Mann
Starring: James Caan, Tuesday Weld, Robert Prosky, Willie Nelson, James Belushi
Aka "Violent Streets". James Caan stars in this superb study of a jewel thief who desperately tries to create the life he visualised while in prison -... Read more
Road Games ( Blu-ray ) (1981)
6.7/10
Director: Richard Franklin
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Stacy Keach
Pat Quid (Stacy Keach) is a lone trucker who plays games to keep his sanity on long hauls through the desolate Outback. A free-spirited hitchhiker (Ja... Read more