Alfred Hitchcock was known as the Master of Suspense, and many of his iconic thrillers have aged well. This is partly because directors have repeatedly looked to Hitchcock for inspiration over the years, and some of the techniques and ideas that he pioneered in his films can still be seen in modern thrillers. Hitchcock’s best movies continue to set the standard.

Hitchcock was a master of dramatic irony. Many of his murder mysteries reveal the idenтιтy of the killer early on, meaning that the audience has to watch as the characters stumble around with a killer in their midst. By giving the audience more information than the heroes, Hitchcock ratchets up the tension expertly.

10

Rope (1948)

Rope Is A Miniature Marvel

Rope is one of the best movies set in a single location, although Alfred Hitchcock delivered two similarly compelling thrillers with Lifeboat and Rear Window. Part of what makes Rope so special is the way that Hitchcock constantly finds refreshing new ways of filming his subjects in close-quarters. His sH๏τ compositions and intelligent blocking techniques are as refined as 12 Angry Men.

James Stewart once again plays an affable everyman in Rope. His character embodies the role of amateur detective when he is invited to dinner by two old friends, eager to flaunt the fact that they have just pulled off what they believe to be the perfect crime. Hitchcock shows the culprits early on, but it’s fascinating to watch his characters slowly turn the screw.

9

Psycho (1960)

Hitchcock’s Masterpiece Continues To Shape Horror

There’s a solid case to be made that Psycho is the most iconic horror movie of all time. Many of its images have been homaged and parodied countless times over the years, like the shower scene, the looming presence of the Bates house and Norman’s room filled with stuffed birds. Psycho is also a stunning detective movie, however, as Marion’s disappearance leads more people to the Bates Motel.

Anthony Perkins’ performance as Norman Bates is key to Psycho‘s disturbing atmosphere. Even before the unforgettable twist ending, there’s clearly something deeply unsettling about Norman, as he spies on Marion and tries to turn on the charms when Inspector Arbogast comes looking for her. Hitchcock keeps the audience guessing about Norman’s true nature to the very end.

8

Spellbound (1945)

Spellbound Deserves More Attention

Spellbound is one of many Alfred Hitchcock movies that struggle to stand out amid his strong filmography, but it’s still a gripping psychological thriller. Watching Spellbound back 80 years later, it’s surprising to see just how modern it seems, as so many horror movies these days deal with the deceptive nature of memory and the darkness hidden within our unconscious.

Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman both deliver stellar performances in Spellbound, and it’s a joy to see two huge Old Hollywood stars on screen together. Peck plays a man plagued by twisted nightmares which make him believe that he’s a murderer, and this sets up some stunning abstract visuals created by Salvador Dalí.

7

Vertigo (1958)

Vertigo Has Gotten Even Better With Age

James Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock’s creative partnership arguably reached its peak with Vertigo, a sublime thriller that follows a retired detective who stumbles onto a new mystery. The strange, twisty case is often reflected in Hitchcock’s visuals, as he highlights the uneven landscape of San Francisco with his pioneering use of the dolly zoom.

Vertigo has aged beautifully, since its neat correspondence between story and sight has become even more popular over the years. It’s rare for an old classic to be as shockingly unpredictable as Vertigo, even though many other psychological thrillers have tried to ape its delicious twist since.

6

Rear Window (1954)

Hitchcock Turns His Focus Toward His Audience

Rear Window is another contender for Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest collaboration with James Stewart, and his greatest movie overall. Stewart plays a pH๏τographer with a broken leg who witnesses a murder while spying on his neighbors, as Hitchcock constructs a nail-biting thriller within the confines of a single room once again.

Rear Window delves into the murky psychology of voyeurism, and this allows Hitchcock to shine a light on his own audience. Both his protagonist and his audience are fascinated by watching other people, especially when the potential of crime is present. Hitchcock’s villain breaks the fourth wall at the perfect time, peering through the lens and jolting the audience into interrogating their own desires.

5

Dial M For Murder (1954)

Dial M For Murder Is An Exact, Methodical Murder Mystery

Grace Kelly’s short career produced several classics. She shines in both Rear Window and Dial M for Murder, embodying Alfred Hitchcock’s common motif of the platinum blonde. Dial M for Murder is a little different to other instances of this trope, however, as Margot takes an active role in the investigation after she is framed for murder by her husband.

The investigation in Dial M for Murder hinges on the smallest of details, with the exact location of a key potentially dictating the difference between freedom and the death sentence. Hitchcock shows his audience the location long before his characters fumble around for the solution, creating an excruciating amount of tension. In the hands of a lesser director, such minute details could seem trivial, but Hitchcock shows how someone’s fate can hang on a knife’s edge.

4

The Birds (1963)

An Unusual Kind Of Monster Movie

The Birds has been interpreted in many ways over the years, with different critics describing it as an environmental allegory, a story about repressed trauma, and a metaphysical battle between the id and the ego. No matter how someone perceives the mysterious motives of the birds, it’s a fantastic thriller that has held up well.

The Birds is one of Hitchcock’s most influential films, creating an entire visual language that has been imitated by countless monster movies. The glᴀssy-eyed stares of the birds can also be seen in many animals in horror movies. One thing that helps The Birds stand out is the scale of the imagery, with thousands of trained birds used in the production.

3

The 39 Steps (1935)

One Of Hitchcock’s Early Hits Is A Great Book Adaptation

The 39 Steps is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s early classics, made before he moved to Hollywood. It could be the best of his British films, adapting John Buchan’s classic adventure novel with plenty of originality and flair. There have been dozens of different adaptations on film, TV, radio and more, but Hitchcock’s version reigns supreme.

The 39 Steps is a swashbuckling spy thriller that rattles along at an intoxicating pace. Buchan’s novel is fine material for a thriller, but Hitchcock’s direction brings the audience right into the heart of the drama. He makes several unexpected sH๏τ choices which all serve to add layers of emotion and suspense to a melodrama worth getting lost in.

2

Shadow Of A Doubt (1943)

Another Underrated Thriller That Still Delivers Chills

Alfred Hitchcock’s fans will almost certainly know about Shadow of a Doubt, but it isn’t the kind of movie that gets as much attention as his other big hits. This is a shame, because it’s just as capable of raising anyone’s pulse. Joseph Cotten is known for his work with Orson Welles, but he has a delightfully wicked turn as one of Hitchcock’s scariest villains in Shadow of a Doubt.

Shadow of a Doubt looks at the potential evils lurking close to home, as a young girl starts to suspect her beloved uncle of being a serial killer. The story shakes the foundations of trust that underpin the nuclear family and polite suburban society, suggesting that true danger often comes from within. The killer in question is a bone-chilling villain, but the circumstances that repeatedly facilitate his actions and explain away his behavior are just as frightening.

1

North By Northwest (1959)

Hitchcock’s Stylish Spy Thriller Is Worth Watching Multiple Times

North by Northwest is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most downright entertaining movies, adding elements of action to his usual crowdpleasing cocktail of crime and suspense. It’s a spy thriller that precedes the James Bond franchise by three years, and it seems to have set the standard for the espionage genre in some ways. In particular, From Russia With Love seems to borrow liberally from North by Northwest.

North by Northwest kicks off with the classic Hitchcock trope of a case of mistaken idenтιтy, but it unfolds into a much more dynamic kind of movie. Cary Grant is wonderful as a man out of his element, being pursued across the country by ruthless killers. Despite this gripping premise, it also has moments of surprising humor. North by Northwest‘s real-life inspirations add another layer of intrigue.