10 Best Psychological Thrillers Of All Time

With other spectacular psychological thrillers to his name including Vertigo, Rear Window, Strangers On A Train, Rope, and so many others, it’s no surprise that cinema legend Alfred Hitchcock is hailed as the master of suspense. While this list could have been compiled of a selection of his films alone, the film that grabs the top stop is his 1960 masterpiece Psycho. You can’t spell “Psychological thriller” without “Psycho”, after all.

Seen as an early example of the slasher subgenre as well as being the first film to feature a flushing toilet, Psycho is based on the novel by Robert Bloch and follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) on the run after stealing a large cash sum from a client. After spending a long time on the road, she decides to stop at the unassuming Bates Motel where she has the pleasure of meeting Norman (Anthony Perkins), the creepy owner with serious mother issues.

After Marion is suddenly killed by Norman’s mother, the narrative shifts to a crime drama in which Marion’s boyfriend (John Gavin) and sister (Vera Miles) investigate the motel for clues about her disappearance and learn just how strange the proprietor really is.