The 25 Best Crime Thrillers of All Time
In 'Eastern Promises,' Viggo Mortensen plays a morally conflicted (and very badass) member of the Russian mafia. And in 'The Brave One,' Jodie Foster plays an average woman turned gun-toting vigilante. Which of these two movies in one of the 25 best crime thrillers of all time? Check out our list and find out.
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25. 'Blue Velvet'
Most crime thrillers wouldn't feature such brain-searing moments as Isabella Rossellini naked and shaking, Dean Stockwell lip-synching a Roy Orbison song, and Dennis Hopper inhaling amyl-nitrate like it's his job. Then again, David Lynch is anything but normal -- and we raise our Pabst Blue Ribbons in heartfelt thanks.
24. 'The Killing'
Stanley Kubrick's racetrack heist flick is the sort of film that is shown to college film classes with little-to-no expectations that leave lecture halls 85 minutes later wowed (not to mentioned enlightened). Its conventional setup is a ruse: This is one of the most innovative films of its time.
23. 'Blood Simple'
The setup is so simple -- rich man hires P.I. to clip his cheating wife and her lover -- but what follows is anything but. It involves one corpse after another, and it's bloody brilliant. It was our introduction to the Coen brother genius, and remains one of their best works.
22. 'The Fugitive'
One of the best films ever made from a TV series, 'The Fugitive' boasts a perfect blend of suspense, action and righteousness (he didn't kill his wife!). But what makes this movie tick is the dynamic between Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford, who get our vote for the most adorable cop-fugitive couple in movie history.
21. 'Cape Fear'
Sure, De Niro creeped us out in Martin Scorsese's remake, but the '62 Gregory Peck original is still the one to watch. Robert Mitchum menaces as Max Cady, while Peck and family are archetypal "good" folk. A young-looking Lori Martin as the preteen daughter makes the interplay between her and Cady positively shocking.
20. 'Body Heat'
Something strange happened in 1981: In between 'Escape from New York' and 'Taps' came a return to a genre 40 years young. This noirish yarn was based on the same news story as 'Double Indemnity,' but given a contemporary makeover, with passionate turns from William Hurt and Kathleen Turner.
19. 'Dial M for Murder'
Ray Milland is always suave -- even when he's profoundly diabolical, as he is in this '54 suspenser, one of Alfred Hitchcock's pairings with the sublime Grace Kelly: she, an adulterous moneyed wife to Milland's conniving murderous hubby. It's one of Hitchcock's go-to themes: familial treachery (see also 'Strangers on a Train').
18. 'Eastern Promises'
David Cronenberg's gloriously unconvetional film explores what it means to be a man whose business is the hurting -- and sometimes destroying -- of others. Viggo Mortensen is exceptional as a morally conflicted Russian mob enforcer, and his already legendary nude steam-room fight gives new meaning to the term "balls-out brawl."
17. 'Memento'
Christopher Nolan's detective noir about a man (Guy Pearce) on a quest to avenge his wife's murder is like nothing that came before it. Told in reverse to mimic the protagonist's inability to make new memories, the tale hurtles toward a shocking conclusion/beginning that'll have you asking: Does the start justify the means?
16. 'The Departed'
Martin Scorsese's tightly wound undercover-cop-vs.-crooked-cop drama is not only his best flick in years, it's also his personal best for box office take --- and his first Best Director Oscar winner (can't forget the Oscar!). Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin all give career-best performances.
15. 'Vertigo'
Those who think of Jimmy Stewart as only a nice guy need to check out Hitchcock's intense psychodrama, starring Stewart as an ex-cop obsessed with a woman resembling his dead lover. From our hero's tortured mental state to the movie's stunning twists, it's Hitch's most personal work -- and his most disturbing.
14. 'Reservoir Dogs'
With its witty banter and stylized violence, this bank heist film made Quentin Tarantino a household name. And its legendary torture scene puts even Jack Bauer to shame. When was the last time Jack cut someone's ear off while listening to the feel-good tune 'Stuck in the Middle With You'? That's what we thought.
13. 'Marathon Man'
Dustin Hoffman shines as a marathoner whose running skills come in handy when he's caught up in a conspiracy involving priceless diamonds and a deranged Nazi dentist (Laurence Olivier) with a penchant for torturous "oral surgeries." "Is it safe" to go to the dentist after watching this flick? Yes, but we don't recommend it.
12. 'Double Indemnity'
If it's not the 'Godfather' of film noir, it's certainly the godmother of every twisty, double- or triple-cross happy tale of murder and deceit to land in theaters since 1944. Renaissance director Billy Wilder's enthralling thriller is told in flashback, but damned if we're not staggered by the results every time.
11. 'L.A. Confidential'
Curtis Hanson captures the spirit of the original 1940s film noirs in this enthralling flick about police corruption and virtue ... and the often thin line that divides them. His primary vehicle for doing so is the electrifying Russell Crowe, who plays a badass cop full of equal parts rage, goodness and bullet holes.
10. 'Chinatown'
If you haven't seen this twisty noir, you don't know Jack ... Nicholson, that is, at his jaded best as P.I. Jake Gittes in Roman Polanski's '74 masterwork thriller about sordid business in '30s L.A. Faye Dunaway and John Huston add crackle to an already crackling script; Jack wears his bandaged broken nose like a badge of honor.
9. 'Fargo'
It's the funniest film on our list, but don't be thrown by the folksy accents, the oddball characters and the police chief's (Frances McDormand) constant need to barf: 'Fargo' is a dark, richly satisfying whodunit that could've only been made by the Coen brothers. We'll never look at a wood chipper the same way again.
8. 'Manchurian Candidate'
How mesmerizing was this '62 political thriller about a former POW brainwashed into becoming an assassin? We're sure you never looked at the queen of hearts, or Angela Lansbury, the same again (who did Jessica Fletcher think she was fooling, anyway?). Frank Sinatra, meanwhile, shines in his most acclaimed role.
7. 'Seven'
Inventing a serial killer who bases his crimes on the seven deadly sins is so ingeniously simple, it's a wonder no one else thought of it first. Lucky for us, it was David Fincher who ran with the idea to create a movie so taut, so shocking, so fantastically disgusting that ... well, we just lost our heads over it.
6. 'The Usual Suspects'
We never actually see arch-villain Keyser Soze (or do we?) in this masterfully crafted whodunit that put director Bryan Singer and star Kevin Spacey on the map. But Soze is still one of the most terrifying bad guys ever to grace the screen. And the twist at the end is so huge it's enough to make a gimp walk straight again.
5. 'The Third Man'
This Graham Green-penned tale of a pulp novelist (Joseph Cotten) investigating the mysterious death of his friend (Orson Welles) in post-WWII Vienna has all the elements of a chiller: sketchy black market dealings, a fishy demise, a nagging question ("Who is the third man?") and the best climactic sewer chase of all time.
4. 'North by Northwest'
Cary Grant never explored his dark side better than he did under Hitchcock's guidance (also in 'Suspicion,' 'Notorious'). Their last pairing, this '59 thriller, is iconic for the biplane chase and the final scene on Mt. Rushmore, but it should also be remembered for Grant's career-defining performance -- as the wrong man.
3. 'French Connection'
"The time is just right for an out and out thriller like this," read the tagline from this '71 classic. The time since has never been wrong for the exploits of roughneck cop Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman). He speeds through NYC chasing after a heroine cartel in cinema's all-time best chase scene. (To bust them, not score H.)
2. 'Rear Window'
A man (James Stewart) apartment-bound with an injury entertains himself by peeping on his neighbors with binoculars. Sounds like something you'd see on Cinemax at 3AM -- but when said man witnesses what he thinks is a murder, it turns into Alfred Hitchcock's most crackling suspense flick ever. See, voyeurism is good.
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1. 'Silence of the Lambs'
We'll never forget the first time we saw this heart-pounding masterpiece: the way Anthony Hopkins's gaze made our blood stop cold, the way Buffalo Bill said "lotion," the way Jodie Foster's blind basement search made the theater titter with panicked giggles. The lambs are screaming ... and we're right there with them.
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24. 'Blue Velvet'
Most crime thrillers wouldn't feature such brain-searing moments as Isabella Rossellini naked and shaking, Dean Stockwell lip-synching a Roy Orbison song, and Dennis Hopper inhaling amyl-nitrate like it's his job. Then again, David Lynch is anything but normal -- and we raise our Pabst Blue Ribbons in heartfelt thanks.
23. 'The Killing''
Stanley Kubrick's racetrack heist flick is the sort of film that is shown to college film classes with little-to-no expectations that leave lecture halls 85 minutes later wowed (not to mentioned enlightened). Its conventional setup is a ruse: This is one of the most innovative films of its time.
22. 'Blood Simple'
The setup is so simple -- rich man hires P.I. to clip his cheating wife and her lover -- but what follows is anything but. It involves one corpse after another, and it's bloody brilliant. It was our introduction to the Coen brother genius, and remains one of their best works.
21. 'The Fugitive'
One of the best films ever made from a TV series, 'The Fugitive' boasts a perfect blend of suspense, action and righteousness (he didn't kill his wife!). But what makes this movie tick is the dynamic between Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford, who get our vote for the most adorable cop-fugitive couple in movie history.
20. 'Cape Fear'
Sure, De Niro creeped us out in Martin Scorsese's remake, but the '62 Gregory Peck original is still the one to watch. Robert Mitchum menaces as Max Cady, while Peck and family are archetypal "good" folk. A young-looking Lori Martin as the preteen daughter makes the interplay between her and Cady positively shocking.
19. 'Body Heat'
Something strange happened in 1981: In between 'Escape from New York' and 'Taps' came a return to a genre 40 years young. This noirish yarn was based on the same news story as 'Double Indemnity,' but given a contemporary makeover, with passionate turns from William Hurt and Kathleen Turner.
18. 'Dial M for Murder'
Ray Milland is always suave -- even when he's profoundly diabolical, as he is in this '54 suspenser, one of Alfred Hitchcock's pairings with the sublime Grace Kelly: she, an adulterous moneyed wife to Milland's conniving murderous hubby. It's one of Hitchcock's go-to themes: familial treachery (see also 'Strangers on a Train').
17. 'Memento'
Christopher Nolan's detective noir about a man (Guy Pearce) on a quest to avenge his wife's murder is like nothing that came before it. Told in reverse to mimic the protagonist's inability to make new memories, the tale hurtles toward a shocking conclusion/beginning that'll have you asking: Does the start justify the means?
16. 'The Departed'
Martin Scorsese's tightly wound undercover-cop-vs.-crooked-cop drama is not only his best flick in years, it's also his personal best for box office take --- and his first Best Director Oscar winner (can't forget the Oscar!). Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin all give career-best performances.
15. 'Vertigo'
Those who think of Jimmy Stewart as only a nice guy need to check out Hitchcock's intense psychodrama, starring Stewart as an ex-cop obsessed with a woman resembling his dead lover. From our hero's tortured mental state to the movie's stunning twists, it's Hitch's most personal work -- and his most disturbing.
14. 'Reservoir Dogs'
With its witty banter and stylized violence, this bank heist film made Quentin Tarantino a household name. And its legendary torture scene puts even Jack Bauer to shame. When was the last time Jack cut someone's ear off while listening to the feel-good tune 'Stuck in the Middle With You'? That's what we thought.
13. 'Marathon Man'
Dustin Hoffman shines as a marathoner whose running skills come in handy when he's caught up in a conspiracy involving priceless diamonds and a deranged Nazi dentist (Laurence Olivier) with a penchant for torturous "oral surgeries." "Is it safe" to go to the dentist after watching this flick? Yes, but we don't recommend it.
12. 'Double Indemnity'
If it's not the 'Godfather' of film noir, it's certainly the godmother of every twisty, double- or triple-cross happy tale of murder and deceit to land in theaters since 1944. Renaissance director Billy Wilder's enthralling thriller is told in flashback, but damned if we're not staggered by the results every time.
11. 'L.A. Confidential'
Curtis Hanson captures the spirit of the original 1940s film noirs in this enthralling flick about police corruption and virtue ... and the often thin line that divides them. His primary vehicle for doing so is the electrifying Russell Crowe, who plays a badass cop full of equal parts rage, goodness and bullet holes.
10. 'Chinatown'
If you haven't seen this twisty noir, you don't know Jack ... Nicholson, that is, at his jaded best as P.I. Jake Gittes in Roman Polanski's '74 masterwork thriller about sordid business in '30s L.A. Faye Dunaway and John Huston add crackle to an already crackling script; Jack wears his bandaged broken nose like a badge of honor.
9. 'Fargo'
It's the funniest film on our list, but don't be thrown by the folksy accents, the oddball characters and the police chief's (Frances McDormand) constant need to barf: 'Fargo' is a dark, richly satisfying whodunit that could've only been made by the Coen brothers. We'll never look at a wood chipper the same way again.
8. 'Manchurian Candidate'
How mesmerizing was this '62 political thriller about a former POW brainwashed into becoming an assassin? We're sure you never looked at the queen of hearts, or Angela Lansbury, the same again (who did Jessica Fletcher think she was fooling, anyway?). Frank Sinatra, meanwhile, shines in his most acclaimed role.
7. 'Seven'
Inventing a serial killer who bases his crimes on the seven deadly sins is so ingeniously simple, it's a wonder no one else thought of it first. Lucky for us, it was David Fincher who ran with the idea to create a movie so taut, so shocking, so fantastically disgusting that ... well, we just lost our heads over it.
6. 'The Usual Suspects'
We never actually see arch-villain Keyser Soze (or do we?) in this masterfully crafted whodunit that put director Bryan Singer and star Kevin Spacey on the map. But Soze is still one of the most terrifying bad guys ever to grace the screen. And the twist at the end is so huge it's enough to make a gimp walk straight again.
5. 'The Third Man'
This Graham Green-penned tale of a pulp novelist (Joseph Cotten) investigating the mysterious death of his friend (Orson Welles) in post-WWII Vienna has all the elements of a chiller: sketchy black market dealings, a fishy demise, a nagging question ("Who is the third man?") and the best climactic sewer chase of all time.
4. 'North by Northwest'
Cary Grant never explored his dark side better than he did under Hitchcock's guidance (also in 'Suspicion,' 'Notorious'). Their last pairing, this '59 thriller, is iconic for the biplane chase and the final scene on Mt. Rushmore, but it should also be remembered for Grant's career-defining performance -- as the wrong man.
3. 'French Connection'
"The time is just right for an out and out thriller like this," read the tagline from this '71 classic. The time since has never been wrong for the exploits of roughneck cop Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman). He speeds through NYC chasing after a heroine cartel in cinema's all-time best chase scene. (To bust them, not score H.)
2. 'Rear Window'
A man (James Stewart) apartment-bound with an injury entertains himself by peeping on his neighbors with binoculars. Sounds like something you'd see on Cinemax at 3AM -- but when said man witnesses what he thinks is a murder, it turns into Alfred Hitchcock's most crackling suspense flick ever. See, voyeurism is good.
1. 'Silence of the Lambs'
We'll never forget the first time we saw this heart-pounding masterpiece: the way Anthony Hopkins's gaze made our blood stop cold, the way Buffalo Bill said "lotion," the way Jodie Foster's blind basement search made the theater titter with panicked giggles. The lambs are screaming ... and we're right there with them.
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